Rain Raag

“Sarojini Naidu and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit have been members of the association involved in socio-cultural activities,” says Srivatav.

“In the programme called Saawan Bahar,most of our 140-odd members will get together on the association’s Municipal Nursery premises to sing Kajri,Jhoola,Mela,etc,apply mehendi,feast on goodies of the season and have a good time,”says the post graduate from Allahabad University,embellished with innumerable awards,including Sangeet Sahitya Samman,Lok Sangeet Award,Sarawati Samman and Begum Akhtar Manad Jan Puruskar.

The 76 years old musical expert is also a lyricist. “Most of the songs the famous folk singer and my disciple Malini Awasthi sings,besides the traditional folk,have been written by me,” she says and hums as a case in point: ‘Nanhi-nahi boondiyan padan laagi angana,Na aaye sajanvaa hamaar re’.

Wife of an advocate (who hails from the royal family of Sandila),Kamla Srivastav cherishes most the appreciation her work drew from former Governor the erudite Pt Vishnukant Shastri.

“He would personally compliment me on my music.

Once,as I was walking up to the Baradari,a car stopped near me and whom do I find addressing me but the Governor who had recognised me and stopped to ask me if I needed to be dropped anywhere,” she reminisces.

She has a plethora of songs to her credit and one that is an ode to Lucknow was even published in Urmila,the souvenir published on the occasion of Lucknow Mahotsav.

“I am doing my bit to preserve the Awadhi language,music and culture,a cause in which I have able support of my near and dear ones,” says the doyen.