Thumri
Vidhushi Purnima Chaudhuri is an exponent of ‘Thumri’ style of North Indian Music. Initially cited as a ‘raga’ rather than a genre, ‘thumri’ is widely accepted to have started in the 19th century court of Wajid Ali Shah. Changes in the social climate led to the development of two styles of ‘thumri’: one under the tutelage of the landlords of Lucknow, and the other in Banaras and Gaya. The lively beat of the Lucknow ‘thumri’ soon lost its recognition to the ‘chota kayal’, on the other hand, Banaras ‘thumri’ gradually developed into an art form. Purnima Chaudhuri trained in Banaras under the guidance Mahadev Prasad Mishra and is recipient of neumerous prestigious awards both in India as well as abroad.