Master Chander was first to sing Kalams and songs related to love in Sindhi Language. He brought new singing wave in Sindh.
Quratulain Kareem
Sindh is a land of gold where one can find red gold blue gold and white gold but because of some new shifts in time mass migration dispersed the resources here and there while the core is core and that is decision of nature regarding resources in a decided ecosystem. Among those was one golden voice of Master Chander. Master Chander was born in Tharushah town of district Naushehro Feroze, Sindh province. According to Dr. Kamla Goklani (lecturer Govt. College Ajmer) he was born on December 18, 1909. The mansion in Tharushah in which Master Chander was raised still stands and is an excellent example of traditional Sindhi vernacular architecture, incorporating both functional and aesthetic elements common to heritage structures of the region.
Built during the late 19th century, the Master Chander’s house reflects craftsmanship that was prevalent during the British colonial period. From an archaeological perspective, the house offers insight into the domestic life of Sindh’s elite during the late colonial era. The house’s construction methods and decorative features highlight the continuity of local traditions.
According to Gobind Malhi, a Sindhi fictionist, essayist and a dramatist-director who is credited with having Sindhi theatre in India, born in 1921, in Tharushah in a Hindu zamindar family, says his birth name was Chaanddumal Damwani. Master Chander was indeed an only child born to his parents (Of Matai Khandan) Zamindar Mr. Assandas & Mrs. Rami Bai Damwani. He changed his surname to Damwani as his Great grandfather zamindar Damo Mal Matai. Master Chander was the seventh generation of the family.
Despite his parents wanted him to be a businessman, his interest in singing and music intensified over time. He started a music school in Nawabshah and later in Karachi his breakthrough came with song ‘Tabiba khayal saan disjo, atham dil ji beemari’ on a gramophone then his first song ‘Suhina arz ahy’ in 1932”. He could truly be called a ‘melody’ that touched the very pulse of man who was love-lorn, distressed & disappointed.
He was first to sing Kalams and songs related to love in Sindhi Language. He brought new singing wave in Sindh. He studied music secretly. He was encouraged to study music by his uncle, who bought him his first harmonium from Calcutta. One day, Bhagat Kanwar Ram a Sindhi Sufi singer, poet, a disciple of saint Satram Das Sahib of Raharki, father of classical Sindhi music, singer of world famous Sindhi song “Nale Allakh je Bairo Tar Muhnjo “ saw Master Chander performing and predicted that he would become a great singer in the future. He said that Chander will shine like the moon. Therefore his prediction came true and when Master Chander performed, people would throw money, gold and other valuables on stage.
Read: Music Maestro Master Chander’s 116th Birthday Celebrated in Hirdaram Nagar, Madhya Pradesh
One of the most endearing songs of Master Chander was “Nandri Nandri Ahiyan”- a story of an eight (8) year old girl, her servant, Pirla and a thief. It was sung in a story telling style. The song was recognized by Prime Minister Jawaherlal Nehru in the early 1950s.
In 1955, Master Chander was given the rare opportunity to give a concert in Sindh, and he did so along with his son Gope Chander. There they were warmly welcomed by the people of Sindh. After his return to India, he never visited Sindh again, but gave concerts all over the world during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Master Chander was more so famous among the younger generations of that time. You can say his fan following and musical hits reached the heights of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. His songs “Rutha Ee Rahan Perr Hujain Hayati”, “Dil Ahey Hathan Mein”, “Rana Vahju Na Ute” and “Kabootar Kabootar” as well as many other songs were very popular not only in Sindh, but all over the world.
After the partition, living in Bombay with his growing family, he continued to record music and sing in films. He also vocally trained his sons Gope and Mahesh Chander. Gope Chander, lives in New York and is a well-known singer throughout the United States. Mahesh Chander is also a famous singer, known as the “Man with the Velvet Voice”, he is a music director, who has won many awards, including being recognized for composing the poetry of Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A stone affixed over wall with “MANSUKH MAHAL 1945“and another stone affixed on main entrance with “ASSANDAS KUNGUMAL” tells story that Master Chander raised as man with golden voice in MANSUKH MAHEL but when during partition left his Mahal in Pakistan bestowing same to a family currently living in and he himself migrated to India and settled in Ajmer, Kolkata and then Mumbai. Like Beatles mined from Britain and ruled over world, Elvis Presley mined from America and ruled over world, Master Chander mined from Sindh and ruled over world.
Although India Pakistan Diaspora dispersed much but there is still something which is shared and kept us all united beyond boarders and boundaries and that is heritage left by master Chander. On 2nd November, 1986, his soul departed but his golden voice is still here and is a reason for every heart to beat by listening songs sung by him , gold can be mined once again through the legacy of passion for Sindhi music and poetry making a lasting impact on the culture left by The Great Master Chander Jee.
Read: Sindhi Music Maestros – Gope Chander and Mahesh Chander
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Quratulain Kareem is Teaching Assistant at Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro Sindh
