Prakash Kaur

Born on September 19, 1919, in the City of Lahore, in the year in which the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh took place in Amritsar.

Budh Singh Taan, who was the assistant to the then head of the music section Jiwan Lal Mattoo at AIR Lahore, started coaching both sisters in light singing.

Some of the earliest recorded duets had the following lyrics “Dhol sipahiya weh kithe gayon dil laake”, “Haaye naa vass oye na wass badla aje naa wass oye kaaliya” and “Maawan te dhiyan ral baithiyan ni maaye koyi kardiyan gallorian, ni Kankan nissriyan dhiyan kyon vissriyan maaye”.

For most Indians it was an occasion for celebration, but for the Punjabis and the Bengalis it was a time of bloody clashes, arson and devastation.

The scale of death and destruction brought about by senseless violence associated with ethnic cleansing exercise was unimaginable anywhere of the world.

Kaur and her family members survived the brutalities of the communal frenzy, but they were made to leave Lahore empty handed.

Her younger sister Surinder Kaur moved initially to Ferozepore and subsequently to Bombay.

In the adjoining state of Punjab also there was a great demand for Kaur’s music and live performances.

She frequently performed live in all the major cities of Punjab, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ferozepore and Ambala.

Kaur’s most popular songs between 1948 and 1952 happened to be “Gori diyan jhanjran bulaondiyan gayeeyan” and “Chan weh ki showkan mele di, pair dho ke jhanjran paondi meldi aondi ki shaonkan mele di”.

Some others are “Kithe te laaniyan tahlian ve pattan waaliyan ve mera patla maahi, kithe te laawan shatoot besamajh jeenoo samaj naa aayee” and “Aap mahi ne chug laiyan ni meriyan dukhan kanaan diyan waaliyan”.

Initially in Delhi, Kaur sang several duets with Trilok Kapur including “Ghut paani pilade ni sohniye gharha bharendiye naare, jaa hor kite jaa pi weh mundiya khooh wagende saare” and “Boohe te marangi jandre we peke laavan gi dera, we naukraa peke laawangi dera”.

Some of the most famous religious songs rendered by Kaur and Surinder Kaur included “Chum chum rakho ni eh kalgi jujhar di, phullan naal gundo larhi heeriyan de haar di”, “Kithe maata toriya Ajeet te Jujhar noo and “Maachhiwarhe wich baitha shehanshah jahan daa, hath wich khanda pichhe dhasna Kaman daa”.

Due to the fast-paced advances in science research and overall improvements in recording technology, Kaur’s voice will always remain alive with her millions of admirers and the unborn posterity.