On A Good Note

After sunset,Keshawlal Morchand Gujarati picks his harmonium and sings old Hindi songs on city streets. Gujarati and his wife Sonibai came to Pune 15 years ago to make a life here. The artiste now lives on the footpath outside the Shivaji Nagar court and is looking for shelter. Due to the action taken by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s encroachment department,Gujarati had to move thrice from various spots where he was staying, Recently,over 15 Ganesh mandals in the city came together to felicitate his talent and help the senior artiste. Apart from financial assistance,their needs like utensils,sweaters,blankets,daily food and medication will be taken care of by these mandals’ association.

“The real audience that appreciates music is in Pune,so I came here to spend the last years of my life. My only wish is that my family should at least get shelter in the city,” said 70-year-old Gujarati. Originally from Colombo (Sri Lanka),Gujarati and his family which includes his parents,three sisters and two brothers migrated to Chennai during the World War II in 1945. He has a strong music background. “My father Morchand and mother Halibai were good singers; two of my sisters were dancers,another sister was radio star while two of my brothers played the tabla,” he says. Thus he was no exception to the music rule. After coming to India,the family started getting invited to perform at programmes by the British army camps. From Karachi to Kolkata,the Gujarati family performed at several major cities of undivided India. Today,Gujarati’s two sons are into farming.

The couple has witnessed the golden era of Indian film music. Right from Hemant Kumar,Talat Mahmood,Geeta Dutt,to Mohammad Rafi,Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale,Gujarati knows all their songs by heart. He sings Tu Ganga ki mauj mein,Yeh Zindagi usiki hai,Aadha hai Chandrama,Ae Malik Tere Bande Hum with a passion that captures the heart and ears of every passer-by. And with it,he smiles a content smile at the help he is receiving.