The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

CULTURE

Punjabi singers sing for quake victims

LUDHIANA, Feb 9 — "The only way we can help the victims of the earthquake in Gujarat is by singing and regaling the audience and requesting them to donate generously to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund," said Sukhnain, a young singer with passion for singing, whose first album Gora Chitta Mukh is going to be released by Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, HMV.

The programme was organised by Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, HMV, formerly Gramophone Company of India Limited, that has been in the entertainment world for the past 98 years. Some of the stalwarts of the music world to mention Mohd. Saddique and Ranjit Kaur, Parminder Sandhu and Kuljit, Kuldeep Kaur, Bhagwan Hans, Shehzada Saleem, Bhajna Amli and Sukhwant Kaur Sukhi rendered melodious songs in the programme held here.

The programme started with a devotional song by Mohd. Saddique followed by a song by stalwart of music world, Ranjit, who sang with all gusto. The new star on the horizon Sukhnain, a known face on the florescent firmament of Punjabi music to hit the pop scene with a bang with the HMV's new album Gora Chitta Mukh charmed the audience with his very powerful voice.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Sukhnain said: "I have been a disciple of Ustad Chaman Lal and veteran musician Ustad Mohari Malsiani. My first cassette was based on the lyrics by famous Prof Mohan Singh and it was titled Pyala Ishq Da and the cassette gave an everlasting song Naina de Vanjare to Punjabi music lovers. Gora chitta mukh is my maiden cassette with the HMV. It has music composed by Jai Dev Kumar and lyrics by the famous lyricist Babu Singh Maan and other like Sanmukh Azad, Sukhwinder Amrit and Balbir."

The cassette is a window to the Punjabi culture and its essential ingredients like pangs of separations, bubbling love and intense yearning for one's lover. Sukhnain is a veterinary doctor and took to singing seriously when he was studying in PAU. He was very happy to have been instrumental in collecting funds. Hasan Raja, who had come specially from Mumbai to regale the audience, sang old romantic numbers. He was the only one who sang Hindi filmi numbers whereas the rest of the singers sang popular Punjabi songs which were greatly appreciated by a huge audience. At the end of the show, a large sum was collected for the quake victims.
— AA