They are all singing beggars, with a difference though. While few could afford a mike, soundbox, high hafta (protection money demanded both by the police and goons in return for permission to carry on illegal trade, unofficially) and brave the local trains amidst the maddening rush during office hours; others are left with no choice other than to squat on platforms, contended with the one or two rupee coins thrown at them in praise for their talent . It's been long since they had stopped visiting homes as noone entertained them there anymore.
Some may be lucky to be offered a cake, few biscuits or other edibles abandoned by passengers. All of these served as emergency rations when they fell short of money for buying rice and salt, unlike other days when they exuberantly cooked meals on platforms; the station having become their makeshift home. The fear of being rounded up by the police suspecting illegal bangladeshi immigrants or being beaten away by rival beggar gangs always lurking around despite the inducements, their eyes are never despondent of hope for survival. Many of them didn't ever have a home even if they had a roof over their heads. They are taken into consideration only during population censuses and elections ; for the rest of the time, they rot in government records and files as mere numbers. Go down the suburban line in Sealdah North section or take the conjusted south route through the heart of Kolkata, their stories are all the same.
Yet fortune do shine on a lucky few. And the problem for the educated middle-class stems up from here. The daily commuters never stop frowning when these crooners make their way through crowded compartments - challenging their eardrums with old romantic numbers of Kishore, Rafi and other legendary singers; indifferent to the intolerable heat and discomfort. Those who're adept at playing musical chairs at every station enjoyed the music most - going to the extent of even requesting a song or two; but at the time of reaching out for their wallets, they looked away. The few ones who doled out money did it more out of compassion than ear for music.
Throughout the day on social media these people will propose thousand theories about social changes and criticize anyone who go beyond talking big; a true reflection of being the bengali crab. (The title earned can be explained thus - If you keep some bengali crabs in a jar and watch them try to climb out after sometime, you'll always find others to pull them back; so that no one can make it to the top at the end of the day). So when they find someone to come forward and help these unfortunate people become bhadralok / bhadramohila (gentlemen/ women) like them; how could they desist from throwing mud ?
In a country where everyone likes to look upon the underprivileged and downtrodden with pity and deem their social responsibility to be fulfilled by throwing them alms or making donations; when a singing beggar breaks the bond of obscurity and come to the limelight overnight, music channels, movie industries get eager to promote their generosity and cash in on the penury rather the talent.
A Screenshot of Ranu Mandol singing at the recording studio shared from the official handle of Himesh Reshammiya
'But if the person in question too benefits from the act, where is the harm ?' one may ask innocently. But there is certainly harm done to some people. Grumbling and despising a rags-to-riches story on social media, making parody videos, spreading rumours of inflated earnings and receiving prized flat in gift, posting photoshopped pictures on the internet showing her recording duet with the singer she idolized - all these actions reveal the ailing psyche of people who derive pleasure from maligning and belittling the poor.
Poverty, sudden demise of husband in early marriage, a family refusing to take their widowed daughter back home, a society which even to this day rebuked a bar singer, the emotional turmoil of a mother whose only daughter abandoned her because of her profession - the journeys of Ranu Mandals are always strewn with thorns. Again, if it had not been for her beggary, would an unattractive, sixty year old, crooning old Lata Mangeshkar numbers at a remote suburban railway station of Kolkata cause such hue and cry on social media ? Many sons and daughters of affluent families become overnight stars in singing reality shows, but their stories don't go viral on the internet. And the moment Ranu Mandal said in an interview that she was aware of her talent since young and the people who lifted her up are not Gods but God's servants; all hell broke loose. Those very people who had idolized her only the other day now lost no time in calling her ungrateful and lunatic.
There is no denying the fact that there are plenty of singing talents in the state and country; maybe far better than Ranu Mandal. But dear Sirs and Ma'ams, instead of smelling a rat with Ranu Mandal's success, why not search for those men and women ? In today's fiercely competitive world, if people did not have it in them, mere social media propaganda won't be able to sustain them for long. But what would've been Ranu's fate, had a young man who loved promoting local musical talents not spotted her ? She would've eventually died on the railway platform one day fighting pangs of hunger and her body disposed of by the police along with other unidentified ragpickers, thieves and criminals. Instead of criticizing a humble initiative why not copy the example ?
Not just in music, India is a storehouse of talent in education, sports and many other creative fields as well; hidden amongst people living at the lower end of the socio-economic ladder and awaiting better days since Independence . These people only need a hand to bail them out from their misery and once ushered into the mainstream, they'll make a place of their own.
WHAT MADE ME WRITE ABOUT RANU MANDAL ?
Do you know Ranu Mandal ? 'That beggar who shot to fame overnight ?' I know you'll say. Today everyone knows about a sixty aged woman whose video went viral on facebook leading to her being invited to a music reality show in Mumbai and recording her first duet with Himesh Reshammiya for his upcoming film. Within days netizens had got mesmerized by a Cinderella who used to croon old Lata Mangeshkar numbers earlier on Ranaghat railway station, North Sealdah section.
Everything was well till here. But the moment she said in an interview, being a devout Christian herself, that her enthusiasts who made her video go viral were all God's servants and hadn't done anything extraordinary; the netizens lost no time in labelling her as a mad and ungrateful woman. News channels started propagating false news of her receiving huge pay cheques while recording her first few songs, being gifted an elegant house by Salman Khan and to the extent of even having recorded a duet with Lata Mangeshkar herself. An Oriya actor and later following his footsteps many posted parody videos on the internet showing dressed up figures in sarees, singing 'Ek pyaar ka nagma Hai' number, the one which brought her fame.
Personally I don't know this lady like I didn't know the many crooners who frequented the local trains of Sealdah North (this is for those who 'll like to give me that frown or glare, I know, for having written a whole article on such insignificant people whom we hardly like to remember after having met once). But they certainly sang in tune and pretty well I had found, if not brilliant going by the little or no formal education they had in singing .. and of course with the little music sense I had developed from the musical environment of my childhood. You can read many incidents of my life in MyLostDiary - a periodical series of posts on my personal blog page.
Coming back to Ranu Mandal and many unfortunate people like her - other than their talents in music, education, sports or others which defined/ popularized them into what they became/ deserved to become; what attract me is their indomitable spirit to fight against all odds, the determination to look life in the eye, against all odds .
Whether Ranu Mandal succeds in carving a niche for herself later on or not (going by her straightforwardness as can be expected from her humble background, she needs to groom herself well now - change not just her appearance, but body language, adroitness, interview giving skills and everything associated with the outlook of a professional, besides becoming a singing professional) is not easy to guess. There have been many who shot to fame and lost to oblivion in no time in bollywood; Ranu Mondol still being an uncut diamond. But what people should remember is her struggle and get motivated in their lives, instead of making fun of her.
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