Kamala Jharia(1906-1979)
- Actress
- Music Department
Kamala Jharia's real name was Kamala Singha. She lived in the palace of
the Maharaja of Jharia (now in Dhanbad district, coal capital of India,
Jharkhand state, India). Her parents probably worked in the palace in
some capacity. The surname Singha is common in several Hindi speaking
northern and north western states of India as also in Bengal but there
is no doubt that she was a Bengalee by birth. Mr K. Mallick (real name
was Qamal Malik) who at the time was a very popular gramophone singer,
was invited to the palace to sing at the court of Maharaja Shiva Prasad
on the occasion of his marriage. The Maharaja was so pleased with K.
Mallick's performance that he appointed him court singer in Jharia. K
Mallick had to stay back at Jharia for sometime during which he
discovered Kamala's musical talent and brought her to Calcutta and
introduced her to HMV authorities. Kamala recorded four songs for HMV
and went back to Jharia. She was paid sixty five Rupees only for the
four songs. Her first published record was a red label one, numbered N
3137 in 1930. The songs were a) Priya Jeno Prem Bhulo Na, a Ghazal and
b) Nithur Nayan Baan Keno Hano, a Dadra. Lyricist for both the songs
was _Dhiren Das_. The authorities had some problem in naming the
artiste. They knew her name but not her surname. They could not credit
her as Miss Kamala because there was already one singer of the same
name. Finally it was decided to identify her as Miss Kamala (Jharia)
keeping in mind her then usual place of residence and thus began her
illustrious musical career. Her formal training in music was from
giants like a) Ujir Khan for Thumris, Ghazals and Indian classical b)
Jamiruddin Khan c) K. Mallick d) Mr Satish Ghosh and Shrinath Das
Nandi, to whom she formally performed the Nara Bandhan and became a
regular student. Later, she came in contact with Kaji Nazrul Islam and
Tulsi Lahiri, who was a film director, producer, lyricist and music
director in fact he was a very colorful personality with his talent
spread over a wide field. Later, Kamala Jharia became closely
associated with Tulsi Lahiri in her personal life and lived with him as
his wife. Kamala became a regular artiste of HMV and sister concern
Twin records though she was later shifted to Megaphone Company along
with her mentor Tulsi Lahiri but this was part of a purely business
arrangement between HMV and Megaphone. Other recording companies like
Pioneer, Senola, Columbia also published her songs. She joined films in
1933 and her first bengali film was
Jamuna Puliney (1933), which
happened to be the first sound films of
_Angurbala_ and
_ Indubala
actress Kanhopatra (1937)_
as well. Apart from Bengali, she used to sing in Hindi, Urdu, Marathi,
Punjabi, Gujrati and many other Indian languages and at that period no
other artiste would sing in so many different languages which explains
her all India status and popularity. One of her lofty achievements was
Bengali devotional songs like Kirtans and Ramprasadi. Songs like Katara
Radhika Dekhiya Adhika, Maa Howa Ki Mukher Katha, Kanu Kahe Rai Kahitey
Darai (Chandidas) are remembered today. She acted in films like in
Mantra Shakti (1935),
_Thikadaar(1940)_,
_Sonar Sangsar(1936)_, Bijoyini
(1941), Bangalee (1936),
Tarubala (1936),
Night Bird (1934), Step Mother (1935),
Devjani (1939),
Pataal Puri (1935),
Mastuto Bhai (1934),
Blood Feuds (1931) and other films. As
a playback artiste she lent her voice for the heroine Madhavi in the
Urdu film _Selima(1935)_ directed by
_Modhu Bose_. Her singing career spanned over
three decades. Kamala was associated with All India radio from the time
of its inception as a singer. In 1976, The Gramophone Company of India
honoured her with a Gold Disc, as a mark of lifetime achievement. She
was attached to the radio from the very beginning of her career and
also made several tours all over India singing at the durbars of
different native princes. In 1977, during the celebration of the golden
jubilee of All India Radio, she was felicitated as one of the living
artistes who had taken part from the beginning of All India Radio. Mr
Lal Krishna Advani, then minister for information and broadcasting,
graced the occasion by his presence. She was very unwell and had to be
helped by two escorts on the dais. _Angurbala_
was also present and rendered the same song as she had done on the
first day of the radio company's broadcasting. This was Kamala's last
public appearance. The third of the trio, _Indubala_ was too ill at the
time to attend. A documentary titled "Teen Kanya" was made on the lives
and achievements of the three in 1972 and all the three artistes were
present on the first day of the film's screening. Among those present
on the occasion were _Satyajit Ray_ and
Hritwik Ghatak. Kamala Jharia suffered from chronic asthma for a long
time and passed away on the 20th day of December, 1979.