Begging is an art of asking alms to someone modestly or earnestly.
This art gets its fulfillment when the person engaged in begging can get some
money or food as bounty or charity. However, it is easier to ask for help to
someone but hard to get something in exchange. If the person the beggar
approaches is penny-pincher or ill-mannered then it becomes a big challenge to
even bring out a one taka coin from his or her pocket. With the advancement of
time, this profession is changing. If you watch English movies, you might have
seen that people take alms in exchange of entertainment. They play several
musical instruments or perform pantomime on the street and people happily
donate them money. It looks like this trend is going to start in our country
too. A person named Rajib sings song at a certain place on a certain time and
in exchange, he gets money by which he runs his family. Here is the story of
this person.
Singing many popular songs like “Brother,
give me just a penny, I don’t need 100 taka, 500 taka” (একটা টাকা দাওনা ও ভাই একটা টাকা দাওনা) or “This world is a gathering of blind people” (এসব দেখি কানার হাটবাজার), blind singer Rajib
has been bathed in love by his listeners while carrying on with his burdensome
life.
Rajib’s home is at Sindukai village in
Tanore Upazila of Rajshahi district. Everyone in Rajshahi and its surrounding
areas knows him as blind Rajib who sings song.
Many fans of Rajib
said, “To earn some money by singing song, Rajib more or less goes to
Bhabaniganj New Market terrace of Baghmara. He earns quite well singing for an
hour at the New Market terrace on Friday during market day.” There, in
conversation with Rajib at the break of song, the reporter came to know about
his life story.
Blind Rajib has been supporting his family singing song for almost 10 years. He has to
provide food to his family consisting of eight members including his wife, two
daughters, parents and two siblings. But the beginning of his life was not like
this. At childhood, being affected by typhoid suddenly, Rajib lost his vision
of his both eyes and his two legs gradually became numb. He lost his ability to
walk. He became a big burden of his parents’ poverty stricken family. The only
path left open to him was begging. But self-conscious Rajib took decision of
doing something instead of taking any step in this path. His voice is quite
nice. So, he took decision of earning some money by singing song. But who will
provide him musical instrument? So, Rajib started singing relying on his own
voice without any musical instrument. Later, he used a silver-colored water jar
as a musical instrument to keep the song’s rhythm perfect. And this way,
Rajib’s song reaches to the heart of the audience.
Rajib said that videos of his songs were
uploaded on YouTube. If you search on YouTube with the name “Blind Rajib beats
the pitcher” (রাজিব কানা কলসি বাজায়) then
you will see videos of his songs. At present, he earns Tk 500-1000 daily by
singing songs at the market place. Now, to sing song, Rajib has added a sound
box along with water jar.
Rajib said that Tanore Municipality Mayor
helped him to buy this sound box. With the help of Mayor, he sang four songs at
a concert in Foy's Lake in Chittagong and received Tk 14,000 honorarium last
year. On his way home, he bought this sound box from Pabna for Tk 5500. The
sound box generates more volume which means more people can now hear him
singing. More people now gather to listen to his song. Everyone loves his songs
and in return, gives him Tk 5-10. Now, he does not return home empty handed. And
in this way Rajib is somehow managing his life. But if he sometimes cannot song
due to storm-rain or weather, Rajib’s family has to suffer.
Source-
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