No one knew that a singer who would acquire fame across the world was in the making while he used to sing on the banks of the Ganga river in Rishikesh. Hailing from a Brahmin family, Kailash Kher had come to the twin city of Haridwar – Rishikesh to become an ‘Acharya’. But he realised that he had a musical mission ahead. This was disclosed by the sufi singer himself on Tuesday after he celebrated the Holi at Parmarth Niketan on the concluding day of the International Yoga Festival.
Hundreds of people who gathered from all parts of the world danced to the tunes of ‘Rang Barse Bheegey Chunarva,’ sung by Kailash Kher. In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, Kailash said, “I came to Rishikesh in my 20’s and wanted to become an Acharya (pointing towards one of the yellow robed batuks of Parmarth Ashram). I was restless and I wondered how everyone was so contended in my peer group. Swami Chidanand ji also did not know what was going on in my mind as well as in my soul.”
Singing on the Ganga ghats became a boon for this Bollywood playback and sufi singer. “I used to sing on the banks of Ganga. The people used to dance. It was at this time when I met a saint and he guided me to start singing in Mumbai. The seeds of my stardom were sown here in this holy city,” shared the singer.
Asked to dwell more on his success story, Kailash said, “When you don’t have much support from your family, life is shadowed by self-doubt. The guidance then comes from the inner self. It becomes the mentor.” In a typical Punjabi accent, Kher said, “Apey guru apey chaila” (One teaches himself and becomes one’s own guru. “Inspired by the saintly advice, I went to Mumbai. There sprang the music of my soul. My songs are not of Bollywood style which can be bought and sold but they touch the soul.”