Manas Dolai is a visually impaired singer who has been singing on local trains for the last 20 years to support his family.
Ramesh Nayak, an assistant sub-inspector of the state police, plays the bagpipe in and around the Maidan area, usually on his days off — not to earn a living, but to pursue his passion in music.
Dolai, Nayak and many other “buskers” like them, who perform in front of a crowd, took part at an unusual fair at Deshapriya Park earlier this month.
About a dozen such performers sang and played musical instruments at the Busking Fair, organised by SSMedia (Siddhi Sampark Media) in association with the Deshapriya Park Durga Puja committee. The fair drew crowds from across the city.
Busking refers to performing in public places for gratitude. It is gaining popularity in India and many people have turned to it to earn a living.
Dolai, 30, from West Midnapore, is a singer by profession. A double MA in music, he has been singing for the last 20 years on local trains and buses.
“I am the sole bread-earner of the family. Since I am visually impaired, I face various obstacles in life. But singing has always been my passion. And by singing on local trains and buses, I can feed my family,” said Dolai.
“I believe buskers deserve a higher standing in society. We will greatly benefit if the government gives us a space in the city where we can perform independently,” he said.
Nayak, 42, is posted in Barrackpore. A bagpiper by passion and a cop by profession, he said: “It’s been four years since I started busking. I generally go to different parts of the
city like Prinsep Ghat and the Victoria Memorial to play the bagpipe on my days off.”
Nayak’s dream is to open an institute where he could teach youngsters for free how to play the bagpipe. “I want the students at the institute to earn something from music so the culture of basking remains alive in Calcutta,” Nayak said.
Mohammad Ibran, 32, a self-taught flautist from Howrah Maidan, performs on Park Street. He said: “It’s been 20 years since I have been busking to earn a living.”
Ibran, the sole bread-earner of the family, performs from 9am to 7pm. His family would not have survived had be not been involved in busking.
“If the government provides a stage for us, we will get the opportunity to showcase our talent in front of a larger crowd,” he said.
Tribeni De, a senior executive in SSMedia, said: “The buskers are often misunderstood as beggars. But they are artists. They are earning a living by showcasing their talent.”
The fair was organised to “give those artists a stage to showcase their talent”.
Sudipta Kumar, secretary of the Deshapriya Park Durga Puja committee, said: “I feel extremely fortunate to be able to associate with such a programme.”
He said many artists do not get a proper stage or opportunity to perform. “We are just trying to stand by those artists,” he said.