<div>His age doesn’t betray his zeal for the performing arts, as he cheers the artistes enthusiastically at Kathputli Colony Weekend. <br /><br />It was an event that marked the congregation of local artistes who in a valiant bid to save their colony and their craft, put up a dazzling performance to garner support. <br /><br />Amidst the animated cheering of the boisterous audience, many of who were perched atop boundary walls, and the loudspeakers, the septuagenarian Bhagwan Das spoke to Metrolife about his career in qawwali that had its flickering highs when he performed with greats like Ghulam Ali, or had Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the audience. <br /><br /><div>What went on his mind, ahead of his special qawwali performance at a rooftop dotting the city’s skyline, the musician said, “There’s nothing extraordinary about the qawwali today, barring the fact that we are all enthused to introduce our colony to the outsiders and influence their thinking through our art. <br /><br />Encapsulating the mood of the festival, he broke into a qalaam, “Humne mehtaab</div><div> pe barf jami dekhi he, tumne dekhe nahi rote hue ansoo lekin, humne rote hue hothon pe hasi dekhi hai,” with a beaming smile on his face. <br /><br /></div><div>Hailing from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, his family settled in Delhi, more than 50 years ago. <br /><br />“I too am a part of a puppeteer’s family, as per our tradition. But we diversified our talents so that we could feed our stomach and passions, together.” <br /></div><div><br />So, the family is heart and soul in the craft of Kathputli- making and staging performances alongside singing Rajasthani folk and qawwali. <br /><br /></div><div>From crafting puppets, they started venturing into dargahs around Jama Masjid and learnt the art of singing.<br /><br />Like every other performer in Kathputli colony, Bhagwan Das also boasts of travelling to 15 to 20 countries and adds, “I started singing when I was around 20 years old. I am a shagird of Nizam khandaan. It was my fortune to run into the likes of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan at a performance in Pakistan and perform Rajasthani folk in 1985 at </div><div>Washington DC along with Ghulam Ali Sahib.<br /><br />” One didn’t have to urge him enough to sing a few lines, as he fondly remembered Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, singing, “Chhap Tilak sab chhheeni re mohse nayna milayi ke” </div><div><br />At 70, he rebukes the idea of giving up singing owing to his age or health. <br /></div><div> </div><div>“I shall at least sing till I am 80. Why else do I do riyaaz (practice) twice a week?,” says the singer, draped in a quintessential Rajasthani pagdi as he went close to the stage to applaud the acrobatic acts of the children in the colony. <br /></div><div> </div><div>With awe in his eyes, and a genuine expression of appreciation, he showed that only an artiste can truly value the art of another artiste. </div><div><br /></div></div>
<div>His age doesn’t betray his zeal for the performing arts, as he cheers the artistes enthusiastically at Kathputli Colony Weekend. <br /><br />It was an event that marked the congregation of local artistes who in a valiant bid to save their colony and their craft, put up a dazzling performance to garner support. <br /><br />Amidst the animated cheering of the boisterous audience, many of who were perched atop boundary walls, and the loudspeakers, the septuagenarian Bhagwan Das spoke to Metrolife about his career in qawwali that had its flickering highs when he performed with greats like Ghulam Ali, or had Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the audience. <br /><br /><div>What went on his mind, ahead of his special qawwali performance at a rooftop dotting the city’s skyline, the musician said, “There’s nothing extraordinary about the qawwali today, barring the fact that we are all enthused to introduce our colony to the outsiders and influence their thinking through our art. <br /><br />Encapsulating the mood of the festival, he broke into a qalaam, “Humne mehtaab</div><div> pe barf jami dekhi he, tumne dekhe nahi rote hue ansoo lekin, humne rote hue hothon pe hasi dekhi hai,” with a beaming smile on his face. <br /><br /></div><div>Hailing from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, his family settled in Delhi, more than 50 years ago. <br /><br />“I too am a part of a puppeteer’s family, as per our tradition. But we diversified our talents so that we could feed our stomach and passions, together.” <br /></div><div><br />So, the family is heart and soul in the craft of Kathputli- making and staging performances alongside singing Rajasthani folk and qawwali. <br /><br /></div><div>From crafting puppets, they started venturing into dargahs around Jama Masjid and learnt the art of singing.<br /><br />Like every other performer in Kathputli colony, Bhagwan Das also boasts of travelling to 15 to 20 countries and adds, “I started singing when I was around 20 years old. I am a shagird of Nizam khandaan. It was my fortune to run into the likes of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan at a performance in Pakistan and perform Rajasthani folk in 1985 at </div><div>Washington DC along with Ghulam Ali Sahib.<br /><br />” One didn’t have to urge him enough to sing a few lines, as he fondly remembered Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, singing, “Chhap Tilak sab chhheeni re mohse nayna milayi ke” </div><div><br />At 70, he rebukes the idea of giving up singing owing to his age or health. <br /></div><div> </div><div>“I shall at least sing till I am 80. Why else do I do riyaaz (practice) twice a week?,” says the singer, draped in a quintessential Rajasthani pagdi as he went close to the stage to applaud the acrobatic acts of the children in the colony. <br /></div><div> </div><div>With awe in his eyes, and a genuine expression of appreciation, he showed that only an artiste can truly value the art of another artiste. </div><div><br /></div></div>
