world premiere, Novemebr 2025
Veil of Janki Bai
Venue: ODC Theater in San Francisco
VEIL OF JANKI BAI draws inspiration from the life of Janki Bai of Allahabad (1880-1934) who was the famous vocalist and courtesan who created history as the first Indian classical artist to record on the Gramophone and her recordings were so popular they created a lavendar record as her signature. She always wore a veil when singing and was known as Chhappan Chhuri, referring to the 56 scars from cuts on her face. It is not clear how she got the scars, but what is known is that she was a pioneer and a great artist.
VEIL OF JANKI BAI will utilize kathak dancers and live musicians, storytelling, poetry, multimedia, and song including traditional styles of thumri (a semi-classical vocal form known for its romantic and devotional themes) to tell a powerful and compelling story from history that relates to clearly to our current times.
