Dear Editor,
When we contemplate on the effort that Indo-Guyana have made over the years to preserve and foster their culture, under trying circumstances, we would appreciate the significant role of Mohan Nandu, one of Guyana’s greatest musicians and cultural leaders. He was a house-hold name in every Indo-Guyanese community for at least three decades from the 1960s to the 1990s. Mohan was the lead singer at Radio Demerara, performed at the community fairs, sang bhajans at mandirs across the country, lent his voice at concerts in Trinidad and the United States and won the Diwali Singing Competition on several occasions. The award of the Medal of Service to him by the Government of Guyana, is little compensation for Mohan’s enormous contribution to Indian art, culture and religion. He nurtured young talents, inspired thousands of singers, mesmerized music lovers, soothed the souls of devotees, and yet remained simple, humble, offering his services free of charge.
It is remarkable that Mohan, who laboured in the sugarcane fields, and did not benefit from specialized musical training, became an accomplished artiste, surprising even greats like Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey when they heard him singing on their tours to Guyana. It was by dint of his love for Indian music, his religious upbringing, and the encouragement from the community that gave him the impetus to work diligently, practicing his “Riyaz” to culture his voice. He lent his mellifluous voice to a wide genre of Indian music including bhajans, folk, Qawalis, filmy geets and classicals, the latter for which he became quite famous. Difficult classical tunes like “Laaga” and “Phool Gaindava,” which even accomplished singers avoided, he sang with ease and assurance, thrilling audiences across the country. His deftness in playing a harmonium aided the range and repertoire of musical notes to which his voice harmonized, making him such a versatile singer.
In recognition of his spectacular contribution to Indian music, the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation (NHF) paid special tribute to Mr. Nandu at a function held in July 2010 at the Saraswati Vidya Niketan. Mr. Balgobin Kawal and Aunty Ruby Sukhu were also honoured at the time, and generous monetary rewards were offered to all three of them by NHF as tokens of our appreciation for their sterling role as cultural ambassadors of Guyana. Over the last decade Mr. Nandu suffered from prolonged ill-health, but fortunately Saraswati Vidya Niketan and Swami Aksharananda came to his rescue. Although he regained some mobility in his final days it was flatter to deceive, as he was stricken with a cardiac arrest and passed away a few days ago.
The golden voice of Mohan Nandu will haunt lovers of Indian music in the Caribbean for years. Fortunately, some of his live performances are on YouTube. Guyana has produced some wonderful musicians who have kept Indian music alive for 185 years. Mohan Nandu stands out as one of the best and will be remembered not only for his singing talent, but as a loving, generous human being who made friends easily, and was approachable to anyone in the community. Members of The Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation wish to express our deepest sympathies at the passing of a great son of Guyana. His passing leaves a huge void in the Indian community.
Sincerely,
Pt. Ramdular Singh
