Real Women, Incredible Lives: Breaking Into a Male Bastion
Sheelu Singh Rajput, 18, is no ordinary village girl. She has made her childhood dream come true by becoming an Aalha singer. Generally a male bastion, Aalha is a folk music tradition of Uttar Pradesh in the Awadhi dialect in which singers describe and act out stories of the great kings, Aalha and Udal, and their valorous deeds. Sheelu has broken the convention and leapt into the fray, despite being a girl. She and her contemporaries have added more stories to the mix, including the tale of the brave Rani of Jhansi.
