Jaloo Bhesania, also known as B. Kamlesh Kumari, who sang on All India Radio, passed away at the age of 82 on January 24, 2020. I first heard her singing in Kersi Mistry’s band at a Parsi wedding at the Dadiseth Atash Behram on Christmas day in 1958. Some years later at the 200th salgreh function of the Navsari Atash Behram I saw her sing, with Mistry playing the accordion, at Khurshed Wadi in Navsari in 1965. For many years the two would sing at the Avan Yazad parav function at Apollo Bunder. Mistry was a recording artist with HMV (His Masters Voice) gramophone company.
Kersi Mistry at the harmonium as Jaloo Bhesania sings
The Maneckji Cooper Education Trust sponsored the first audio music cassette of Zoroastrian devotional songs in 1986 with commentary by Adi Marzban, which was recorded by Sarosh Bhabha at his studio. Mistry composed many songs, played the harmonium and sang along with Bhesania and several other Parsi singers. Both sang monajats (devotional songs) on the television show Humata Hukhta Huvarshta presented by Ervad (Dr) Cyrus Dastoor of Frohar Films.
MARZBAN GIARA
Navsari
marzbang@gmail.com
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