Chhaayaageet #37 - "India ke achhe achhe musician aatey hain Bombay. Tum bhi aao. Aake luck try kar lo."

I grew up in Darjeeling. I was interested in music from early childhood. But there wasn't much opportunity to learn music in Darjeeling. When I grew up, I started playing in bands, and composing and singing Nepali songs. People liked them and they became somewhat popular. Someone suggested me to record my songs. There was no recording facility in Darjeeling, so I used to save money and go to Calcutta. In those days, it used to take three days to travel from Darjeeling to Calcutta. I would somehow manage to make the trip. 

Once when I had gone to Calcutta, to record something in HMV, I met a Nepali musician. He was a very talented saxophonist, and always cheerful. His name was Manohari Singh. He heard my Nepali music and liked it. We stayed in touch whenever I went to Calcutta.

There was not much opportunity in Darjeeling. During that time, Radio Nepal had just started in Kathmandu. So I thought I'd try to find a job there. I moved with my family from Darjeeling to Kathmandu. But I had to struggle as work wasn't available readily. I worked as a music teacher in a school, found some work in Royal Nepal Academy, played in bands, did whatever work I could to get by.

Three years went by like this. One day, I was in Royal Nepal Academy doing some work, when Manohari Singh happened to be visiting on vacation with his family.

"Arre tu idhar kidhar?" Hey, how come you are here? Manohari Da asked me.
"Dada, abhi mein Darjeeling se idhar aa gaya." I moved here from Darjeeling.

Manohari Da himself had moved to Bombay from Calcutta and was working in the film industry. When he was about to leave, I gathered some courage and asked him:

"Dada, mein bhi soch raha hoon Bombay aa jaoon. Aisa kuch ho sakta hai?" I am also thinking about coming to Bombay. Is that possible?

"Haan haan aa jao. India ke achhe achhe musician aate hain Bombay. Struggle karte hain. Kisi ka ho jata hai, kisi ka nahin hota hai. Woh apna apna taqdeer hai. Abhi tumhara mehnat tumhara taqdeer tumhare saath hai. Mera jaan pehchaan hai ek do achha music director ke saath, mein jaan pehchaan karva doonga. Tum bhai aao. Aake luck try kar lo. Lekin, udhar rehne ka, khane ka tum apna hisab se bandobast karke aana."

Yes do come to Bombay. Many talented musicians from all over India come to Bombay. Everybody struggles. Some make it, some don't. That is each person's destiny. Your hard work, and your destiny is with you. I know a couple of music directors. I will introduce you to them. Come and try your luck. But, make sure you figure out how to manage your day to day living expenses in Bombay, and only then come.

I went home and told everything to my wife. She supported my dream. She said we have come from Darjeeling to Kathmandu, you must try your luck in Bombay. So, with whatever little money we had saved, we landed in Bombay.

I took my instrument with me, the maadal. It is a Nepali hand drum. Nobody in the Bombay industry had seen it, or heard it, or even knew about it.

Manohari Da took me to meet RD Burman. I wrapped the maadal in a newspaper and took it with me. Lady Luck must have been smiling on me that day. There was a music sitting of some film going on. Dev Anand saab, RD Burman, Bhupinder Singh, and all talented musicians, big people, were all there.

Manohari Da took Pancham aside and introduced me:

"Dada, yeh ladka hai, abhi abhi Nepal se aaya hai. Vaise to hai Darjeeling ka, lekin Nepal hokar aaya hai. Nepali sangeet janta hai. Thoda gaana waana bhi gaata hai. Uska ek instrument bhi laaya hai, ye Nepali instrument."

This guy has just come from Nepal. As such he is from Darjeeling, but has lived in Nepal. He knows Nepali music, and can sing a bit. He has brought his Nepali instrument with him.

I unwrapped the maadal and showed it to Pancham. Dev saab was also looking in our direction. I was nervous, sweating profusely and shivering. First time in Bombay, and in front of all these big people, can you imagine?

"Baitho baitho", Pancham said. Sit, sit.

Pancham's other musicians came to me, looked at my instrument. They had not seen it. Everybody held it in their hands, passed it around.

Pancham asked me: "Tereko ye instrument baja ke gaana gaana aata hai? Koi Nepali gaana malum hai?" Can you play this instrument and sing a song? Do you know any Nepali song?

I had come prepared with a song, so I played the maadal and sang it. As soon as I finished, Dev saab, who was sitting down, immediately got up, and said excitedly:

"This...This type of song, and this instrument they used. It is very good. This is what I want in the film."

I started sweating even more. Everybody seemed to be happy.

"Achha hai, very good, achha hai", Pancham also said. It is very good, very good.

Pancham Da turned to Manohari Da and said to him:

"Manohari isko bol de ye instrument leke parso Film Center aane ko." Tell him to come to Film Center day after tomorrow, and bring this instrument with him.

I had no clue of what and where. Manohari Da signaled to me that he will explain to me later.

Two days later, I reached Film Center in Tardeo. I was flabbergasted. Pancham Da had set up a big orchestra. Lata bai and Kishore Da were rehearsing a song. Pancham had completed the song with beautiful decoration of antaras. I was explained the song and told to play the maadal. The recording was completed.

Pancham Da came to me and asked, "Dekh tera gaana hai. Kaisa laga?" See, this is your song. What do you think?

What could I say? I managed to mutter something, "Bahot achha hai". It is very good.

He said, "Aaj se tera naam Kancha." From today, your name is Kancha.

Since that day, that's how everybody knows me, as Kancha.

Music: RD Burman
Musicians: Ranjit Gazmer
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar
*ing: Dev Anand, Mumtaz
Director: Dev Anand
Film: Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)

Source:
1. YouTube video : Ranjit Gazmer (Kancha) on SD Burman and RD Burman - Part Two (Moti Lalwani)
2. YouTube video : Guftagoo with Ranjit Gazmer (Sansad TV)