Her father played the harmonium and taught music, and had Girija Devi take lessons in singing khyal and tappa from vocalist and sarangi player Sarju Prasad Misra starting at the age of five
वयाच्या पाचव्या वर्षापासून गायक व सारंगी वादक सर्जूप्रसाद मिश्रा यांच्याकडून त्या ख्याल व टप्पा शिकल्या.