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Zohra Bai
(1868-1913) of the Agra Gharana, or
Zohra Bai
Agrewali as she came to be
known as, was easily the
best female singer at the
turn of the 19th century.
She had her talim from
Ustad
Sher Khan, nephew of Ghagge
Khuda Baksh who imported
Khayal from Gwalior. She had
her subsequent talim from
Ustad Kallan Khan and
Mehboob Khan (Daras Piya),
the great composer of Khayals and even
Thumris, a
fact, which is not very well
known even to members of
Agra Gharana.
Known equally for Khayal as
well as lighter varieties of
classical music, she learnt
Thumri and Ghazals from
Ahmad Khan of Dacca. Her
many records going back to
the first twenty years of
the last century have not
yet dated, unlike records of
some of her contemporaries.
It is said that Faiyaz Khan
the greatest Ustad of the
Agra Gharana, and possibly
of this time in India, was
also influenced by Zohra
Bai`s style of singing. The
famed Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali
Khan of the Patiala Gharana
also held her in very high
esteem.
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Maestros
of India
