India’s first singer to charge Rs 1 crore, raised in a brothel, travelled by private train, lost all her money, died in extreme poverty due to…
GH News January 24, 2025 02:06 AM
From a time when a few hundred rupees was considered a significant amount to now where singers charge millions for a recording the journey of India’s first crorepati singer is truly remarkable. One such legendary figure was Gauhar Jaan who was not only a popular singer but also a symbol of fame and wealth in her era. In the early 1900s the amount Gauhar Jaan charged for a performance exceeded the annual income of many families.
Gauhar Jaan was born on June 26 1873 in Azamgarh. Her father William Robert was of Armenian descent and her mother Victoria Heming initially named her Angelina. When she was just six years old her parents divorced and her mother Victoria married a Muslim man named Khurshid and converted to Islam. In 1883 Victoria moved to Kolkata where she became known as Malka Jaan. Later she changed her daughter Angelinas name to Gauhar Jaan.
India’s First Dancing Girl
Both Malka Jaan and her daughter received training in classical music and dance. In 1888 Gauhar performed her first and was appointed court musician in the Darbhanga Rajs royal court. She became Kolkatas first dancing girl performing while singing. By the early 1900s Gauhar Jaan was considered one of Indias best singers. Her popularity soared even more when she agreed to record her songs for the gramophone.
Gauhar Jaan’s records became immensely popular selling like hotcakes. She charged between 1000 to 3000 rupees per recording which at that time was far higher than the annual income of most families. To put it into perspective in the 1950s legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi charged just 500 rupees per song. This gives an idea of how wealthy and famous Gauhar Jaan was.
Luxury Life and Horse-Drawn Carriages
According to a report from Bangalore Mirror Gauhar Jaan became so wealthy that she would travel around the city in a horse-drawn carriage a luxury that was typically reserved for Indias viceroy at the time. She once paid a 1000 rupee fine for violating government laws but never stopped her evening rides in the carriage.
Her Final Days in Mysore
It is said that a fan of hers in Bengal even gifted her a private train which she used for her travels. She would wear new jewelry to every recording session. Known as the first millionaire singer of her time Gauhar Jaan spent her last days in Mysore due to her declining health. She passed away in 1930 at the age of 56. After Gauhar Jaans death many people claimed her wealth expecting that such a legendary singer would have left behind a large fortune. However it was soon revealed that in the last decade of her life Gauhar Jaan had spent all her money and had nothing left by the time of her passing.