My Fellow-BootanMandian – Umesh Mahey (Sunny) – Hidden Talent

 

My Fellow-BootanMandian – Umesh Mahey (Sunny) – Hidden Talent

Yesterday, May 24, Umesh Mahey, my nephew- son of my younger brother Paramjit Mahey, whom we call Sunny in the family, became a celebrity in a few hours. He released his maiden song – IBADAT - on Youtube and other related social media vehicles and the public

response was heart-warming as the beautifully sung and presented song became viral instantly. Many of us did not know that Sunny, an unassuming young man, was such a latent and hidden talent. Kudos to Sunny and his team and congratulations to the proud parents Savita and Paramjit Mahey.

Listening to the song, sung beautifully by Sunny and written thoughtfully by yet another budding talent Satnam Argowal, I was reminded an Urdu couplet:

तू पहले बात; फिर  बात का अंदाज़ पैदा कर ,

फिर दुनिया में तुझे कोई नज़र अंदाज़ कर नहीं सकता।

I heard Sunny doing Kirtan of Gurbani at various family functions occasionally and singing popular numbers on Karaoke at our residence over the relaxed family get-togethers.  Now to earn his bread and butter, Sunny was diligently engaged in his business

initiatives and rightly so. But it is a matter of satisfaction that at the back of his mind he was nurturing his musical aspirations. He proved himself and deserved all due appreciation and encouragement in pursuing his musical interests.

I spoke to Sunny and Paramjit to know more about Sunny’s involvement in this lofty activity of music. It was happy to note that Sunny was initiated to music by our uncle, Chacha Jai Ram, himself a poet and singer of sorts, under the expert training of Master Girdhari Lal of Bootan Mandi who belonged to the genre of renowned Sufi-singer Bibi Nooran when Sunny was in his teens. He showed promise and his father Paramjit, who himself nurtured some interest in writing spiritual poetry and songs, fully supported Sunny and was placed and enrolled in the Shagirdgi (studentship/disciple) of a living legend of classical music, Sujit Singh Samundar of Jalandhar. Ustad Samundar Sahib honed the raw talent of Sunny into a budding vocalist. Since 2013, Sunny said that he was still a student under the wings of his Guru Ustad Sujit Singh Samundar ji. In the run up to the first sound track – Ibadat – Sunny was a much sought after performer in his college days at CT College Jalandhar and won many awards and recognitions.

I quote Allama Iqbal with all the best wishes to express my fore-sight about the coming phase of Sunny’s journey to further success: -   

 

परदों  में जो पिन्हा है चश्मे वीना देख लेती है,

ज़माने की तबीयत का तकाजा देख लेती  है।

            I am confident that Sunny would not lower his guard and keep himself on track for further glory in the days to come as famous English poet Robert Frost said:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ibadat+song+of+umesh