Renowned Nepali singer Kumar Subba, who had once famously sung a song depicting the pain of a gardener when a flower is plucked, died on Saturday night leaving a void in the Nepali music industry. He was 78.
The song “Hey phool chudera laane ho (the one who has plucked the flower)” was a song of the famous Nepali drama “Ani deorali runcha” which loosely translates to a pain of a place, and was instrumental in cementing Subba’s place in the Nepali music world.
His career too had started on a promising note. “My first song to be recorded was Kati bujhaoon and it was financed by a member of the audience after he heard me sing the song in a Gangtok auditorium,” Subba had earlier said.
Subba and his team were even invited by the government of Nepal to perform.
The Bengal government conferred him with Sangeet Samman in 2012. Subba, however, “returned” the award during the Gorkhaland agitation in 2017.
The singer, however, was soft spoken but thorough at his work.
Dawa Gyalmo, who sang duet with Subba in many songs said that Subba always came across as a sober and gentle character. “He always came across as sober and gentle but few people knew that he was very jovial. He was thorough at his work,” said Gyalmo.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee sent a condolence message to Subba’s family in Darjeeling and termed the death as “irreparable loss for the Nepali cultural world as well as our composite way of life in West Bengal.”
“I express my sincere condolences and stand by the side of the departed artist’s family. I also express my solidarity with all his friends, followers and admirers. May his soul rest in peace,” she wrote.
Subba was admitted to a Siliguri nursing home after his condition deteriorated because of old age-related ailment. “He breathed his last at around 10 pm last night,” said a family source.
The body was taken to his Lebong residence in Darjeeling on Sunday. Hundreds lined up the streets of Kurseong and Darjeeling town to pay their homage.
“Funeral will take place at around 1 pm on Monday,” said a family source.
