Classical singer Rajnigandha Shekhawat talks about the ebbing art of Rajasthani royal folk singing

At first brush you might think Rajnigandha Shekhawat is an actress, for the pretty lady is a stunner. But then her ambition is not too far from tinseldom either, as the classical singer has already sung two songs for Bollywood and cut an album called Soul of the Desert.

Hailing from the Royal Family of Malsisar in Shekhawati (she’s a relative of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat), Rajnigandha chose to do something uniquely different and path breaking when she decided to take up the singing style of the Rajasthani Royal Folk tradition.

Way back when she was a student at the prestigious Maharani Gayatri Devi School in Jaipur, Rajnigandha discovered her penchant for singing.

“My friends who were as talented as I was used to perform on the stage and that kept gnawing at me,” she admits. The urge to sing prodded her to convince her parents to let her out of her home and hearth to make it big as a singer.

“My parents were initially not keen on my taking up singing. This is not something that we did, we are Thakurs you see,” she breaks off, adding, “It is unheard of.”

But finally she pursuaded them. “You can say that my being the youngest helped me, my parents were stricter with my older brother and sister. With me they decided to be more lenient.”

If there is one person whom Rajnigandha recognises as an icon, she is Maharani Gayatri Devi.

In fact, it was the latter who launched Rajnigandha’s album in Jaipur.

“She’s nearly 90, but she’s the classiest person I have ever met. And the school which she started in 1943 has changed the lives of so many girls from purdah families, by providing them with an international education,” she admits.

For this Rajput girl, who led a very sheltered life, was Mumbai very overwhelming to her as a newcomer?

“Oh, it was everything I expected it to be,” she gushes. “No-nonsense and to the point. I love the people here; everyone seems to have a definite goal.”

The other thing that gives her a high here is Mumbai’s food palate. To some one who admits to never being a ghar ka khaana fan, there are quite a few dishes she enjoys here.

I love the Prawns Gassi from Mahesh, strawberry ice-cream at Haji Ali juice centre and the dosas from Andheri station,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.