68 year old
Ramesh Singha of Ranidanga village in Darjeeling district has spent most of his life pulling rickshaws. Sustaining himself and his family with difficulty, it has been a few years that he has retired from his decades old profession and has devoted his remaining days to his lifelong passion - Bhawaiya.
Ramesh’s father and grandfather before him were all folk performers in Palatiya-gaan folk drama and Raban-Gaan, a lesser known rajbongshi tradition respectively and Ramesh’s love for music started early. Unable to continue his education beyond class IV, he was compelled to start work early.
It was not until he was 30 that he could afford to train under a guru, but that too only for a couple of years. His guru, Azimuddin Miyan, pleased with his student’s talent and prowess encouraged him to participate in various programmes and competitions. With his focus on earning a living, Ramesh could not afford to train beyond a year or two, nor spare sufficient time to train regularly. However irregular his training was, he learnt hard and fast. Not only did he learn a wide range of Bhawaiya songs, he also learnt a variety of other forms too, like Tukkha, Monoshikkha and Dehatattwa songs. He also learnt to accompany himself on the dotara under the tutelage of his guru. The Sarinja, he learnt later, from a different guru.
As long as he worked, at the end of each long tiring day of rickshaw pulling, Ramesh would settle down late in the evening singing the songs of his land that he loved so much, accompanying himself on the dotara or sarinja. His children however do not share his passion.
Ramesh who has been participating at Bhawaiya competitions for the last 12 years, also performs locally whenever invited. Looked after by his sons now, he has, since his retirement a few years ago, been imparting his knowledge to local youth. Until Covid struck, he had about forty students, whom he would teach in small groups of three or four every single day. Though numbers have decreased in the last four months, it has not in any way affected his determination to continue teaching. The unique aspect of his teaching is that Ramesh accepts no remuneration for his efforts. His poverty notwithstanding, he is happy to teach as long as the student is eager and able. It is his way of perpetuating the Bhawaiya tradition – an exceptional contribution indeed, in this day and age. Moreover, whatever he earns from his local performances, in the event he does agree to accept payment, he distributes among his students. Truly, a remarkable gesture.
His neighbor, a dotara and sarinja maker, Krishna Roy is happy to use his musical expertise for quality control. It is not until Ramesh tests out each instrument that he makes, that Krishna is ready to sell it.