Chhathi Maiyya suni na, kab aayib kahi na’ are the lyrics of a Chhath folk- fusion song which has become an anthem for devotees, especially from Ranchi, across the globe. The song has been written, composed and sung by City based 26- year old Swati Prasad.
The song highlights the purity of the Chhath festival and its significance in Bihar and Jharkhand. Shot at various locations across the City, the video shows the numerous rituals attached to the festival. Released on November 12, it has received approximately 2.8 lakhs views on YouTube and is also available on popular audio platforms like Spotify, JioSaavn, Gaana and Hungama among others.
“Culture is power is the tagline of this song. The idea behind creating this video song is to motivate the youth towards the cultures and traditions which are gradually losing their importance. In today’s fast paced lifestyle, the young generation is getting detached from its roots and regional festivals like Chhath are somehow losing their charm. This folk song is infused with modern flavor to attract the youth living across the globe,” said the singer.
The song has been produced by Ranchi based NGO Mission Blue Foundation and released by World Wide Records. The music has been arranged and produced by Jatin Raj while the video has been directed by Dr Pankaj Soni and Tinu Shresth and Mnoj Kumar Sinha is the co-lyricist. The video features Sutapa Nandi Sinha and Anant Shree Seth as the lead actors.
“Coming from a family where the festival is celebrated with a lot of fervour, I have never been too interested in the customs. This project has piqued my interest in the festival as while working on the lyrics I heard old folk songs and to get the dialect right, I interacted with people to understand the importance of each tradition,” remarked the lyricist.
Prasad made her debut in Bollywood in 2019 with the song Morni sa Ang Mera from the movie 3rd Eye. The composer is also a Guinness World Record holder for India based cinematic band called Live Thousand where she was the core singer.
The singer has also been a part of the group song while recording the theme music for the famous reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by the veteran Amitabh Bachchan in 2019. Prasad has also done bhajaan projects for the channel Spiritual Mantra and is involved in doing live shows across the country for special occasions.
“I started going for music classes at the age of five and since then there has been no looking back. My first Guru Ganesh Mishra is the one to recognize this hidden talent of mine. It was under his guidance that I completed my Prabhakar (singing graduation) from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad,” recalls the singer. Prasad further honed her skills under the expertise of Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Anuradha Kuber.
Born and brought up in Ranchi, Prasad completed her schooling from Surendranath Centenary School and her engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. A resident of Morabadi, Prasad feels that it is only because of the support of her parents that she has come so far in life.
“My parents have always encouraged me to follow my dreams and ambitions. I have managed to complete my studies as well as make a career as a singer,” remarked the artist. Her father Niranjan Prasad is in the electrical department at CMPDI and her mother Prabha Prasad is a home maker.