Muralidhar now composes pathetic notes on harmonium
Tihidi: When he was in his prime, he was not only an ‘ustaad’ in tabla and dholak, the symphony created by him on the harmonium used to mesmerize people.
Be it an opera show or a musical concert, Muralidhar was a most sought after name in Bhadrak district.
However, due to poverty, he couldn’t make the most of his skills and had to let go of many opportunities which could have established him as a prominent name in the music world.
Even as the 87-year-old harmonium player of Arjunabindha village under Daulatpur panchayat still works on his expertise, he mostly composes pathetic notes on his instrument these days.
After his two sons got separated, Muralidhar and his wife survive on old age allowances and the one-rupee-rice available under the government scheme.
Muralidhar was among the select few who preferred to live with dignity by dedicating his entire life to music to running after money.
He was in Class IV when he got attracted to music and started acting in plays and crooning songs. Later, he learnt dholak from guru Panchanan Nayak and mastered the art of playing the harmonium and the tabla from guru Jagabandhu Sahoo.
He was a regular crew member of his village jatra party as a tabla and harmonium player and for his superlative acting skills. Soon, he became a household name in Bhadrak district and was a guru for many youths of Tihidi area. Many cultural and literary organizations have felicitated him for his lifetime contributions to art and culture.
Despite his dedication and contributions, the administration has not done anything worthwhile to bring smile on his lips, alleged locals.
While the aging musician is yet to get a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY), the culture department is yet to consider his several applications for an artiste pension, it was learnt.
The government should ensure at least these two facilities to offer him some sort of comfort in his twilight years, said Mathuramohan Behera, the secretary of Biddhabazar Sahitya Sanskruti Bikash Parishad, a local cultural outfit.
Block development officer Umesh Chandra Mallik said measures would be taken to include his name in the priority list so that he can get a housing unit under PMAY as soon as possible.
PNN
