| Kajjan Begum | |
| Birth Name: | Imam Bandi |
| Birth Date: | 24 January 1932 |
| Birth Place: | Lucknow, British India |
| Death Place: | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Education: | Lucknow School |
| Years Active: | 1940 – 2000 |
| Children: | Mehnaz Begum (daughter) |
| Spouse: | Akhtar Wasi Ali (husband) |
| Parents: | Hussaini Begum (mother) |
| Relatives: | Ishrat Jehan (sister) Shamim Bano (sister) |
| Awards: | Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan (2001) |
Kajjan Begum (1932 2000) was a Pakistani classical and a film playback singer. Before migrating to Pakistan, she was a famous singer in India.
Kajjan Begum's birth name was Imam Baandi. She was born in Lucknow, British India on 24 January 1932.[1] Her mother, Hussaini Begum and her two younger sisters, Ishrat Jehan and Shamim Bano were also singers.[2] She was schooled in classical singing with her two sisters at the Lucknow School.[3]
She started singing Marsiya with her mother in 1940. She was later employed at Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan's (Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad) palace, where she would sing songs and recite elegies during religious days and in the month of Muharram.[4] On other days, she would sing thumris, kajris, dadras, purbi geets and light classical Hindustani music.
Kajjan Begum remained in India after the Partition of India for some time and became a popular singer there. In the early 1950s, she migrated to Pakistan with her family.[5] She later started singing on Radio Pakistan, Karachi. She also trained her daughter Mehnaz Begum in classical music.[6]
In 1962, film producer Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli offered her a chance to sing for his film Chiragh Jalta Raha (1962 film), to which she agreed. The film was a Silver Jubilee box office hit. It was premiered by Fatima Jinnah, the chief guest in the opening ceremony held at Nishat Cinema, Karachi.
She was honored with the Pride of Performance award from the Government of Pakistan for her contributions to the music Industry in 2001.[1]
Kajjan Begum married co-singer Akhtar Wasi Ali in 1952, with whom she had four children including Mehnaz Begum, who grew up to become a popular singer in Pakistan.[7]
Kajjan Begum died on 10 February 2000 in Karachi, Pakistan at age 68.[8]
| Song title | Sung by | Lyrics by | Music by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaahe Ko Biyahi Pardes Babul Mere | Kajjan Begum | Traditional wedding song | Nihal Abdullah | Film Chiragh Jalta Raha (1962) | |
| Yeh Hari Hari Chooriyan[9] | Kajjan Begum | Traditional wedding song | Pakistan Television production (1985) | ||
| Bannay Jhuk Jhuk Jaiyyo Susral Galliyan | Kajjan Begum | Traditional wedding song | Pakistan Television production (1985) |