Lucknow: Ghazal lovers were in for an evening of melody, nostalgia and reflection in ‘Kaghaz ki Kashti: A Musical Portrait of Jagjit Singh’, at the auditorium of Jaipuria Institute of Management on Sunday.Organised by Rajiv Pradhan Productions in collaboration with Awadh Conclave, the programme featured soulful renditions of Jagjit Singh’s popular ghazals along with anecdotes from his life and career.The evening began with ‘Tumko dekha to ye khayal aaya’, rendered by singer Prabha Srivastava. “Singing Jagjit Singh songs is not just performance, it is an emotion,” she said. Sharing insights into the singer’s journey, Sudhanshu Mani said Jagjit Singh “democratised the ghazal, making it accessible without losing its depth”. Mani said the singer began his musical journey with Radio Jalandhar and worked in Gujarati films too.He added that the singer had rendered numerous ghazals written by noted poets. Prabha Srivastava presented several classics, including Firaq Gorakhpuri’s “Tujhe ai zindagi hum door se pehchaan lete hain”, Qateel Shifai’s “Kiya hai pyaar jisse hum ne zindagi ki tarah”, and Mirza Ghalib’s “Baazeecha-e-atfal hai duniya mere aage”.Reflecting on the singer’s style, Mani said his “His voice glides through ears with utmost simplicity” and that he had a distinct way of expressing emotion through ghazals.A poignant moment came when Prabha Srivastava sang “Chitthi na koi sandesh”, which the ghazal maestro had sung in memory of his son, bringing a hush over the auditorium. Mani also spoke about the singer’s musical partnership with his wife Chitra Singh, saying the duo became widely known for their ghazal renditions together, including “Tujhko dariyadili ki qasam”.The programme ended with ‘Kaghaz ki Kashti’ Mani said that though the singer had passed away 15 years ago, “he lives on among us through his velvet voice”.Audience described the evening as deeply moving. Sabiha Ahmad called it “a journey through time”.
