du Sharif, the Chandigarh-based folk singer and Sangeet Natak Akademi award winner, is one of the best known names when it comes to the Dhadi tradition of Sufi folk music. Despite his success, his future seems bleak at the moment. Sharif belongs to the Bhai Mardana lineage of musicians and hails from Naloda, a nondescript hamlet in Patiala, Punjab. Coming from a humble background, he used to drive a horse cart to earn his livelihood. Playing the sarangi had been his passion since birth, and he continued to play it in his leisure time. After marriage, Sharif shifted to Manimajra, Chandigarh. His talent was noticed by a North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) official who arranged for him to perform in front of an audience, thus setting off Sharif's musical career.
Though he started performing in 1984, it was his performance at the 'Apna Utsav' programme held at New Delhi in1986 which earned him some serious recognition. He was able to travel throughout the country and do various shows, spreading greater awareness about Dhadi Sufi music. In his best years, from 1986 to 2005, Sharif travelled abroad on multiple occasions for performances. When he needed financial support, BKN Chhiber, the then Governor of Punjab, awarded him a stipend of Rs 5,000. However, after the first payment, the stipend never reached him again. "I was sent from one department to another in the name of escalating my application but my repeated requests for monetary help remained unheard. I can't sing now after a paralytic attack and my life has become a burden to me," Sharif told Guardian20. He also said that he never received an acknowledgement for the letters he sent to the President's office, Governor's office and other authorities.
A paralysis attack in 2011 has made the situation worse — after more than a year of treatment, he has exhausted his personal savings. He is dependent on his children who are not in a condition to support him. Sharif, though, would rather not complain about them. "I am 70 years old and I need their utmost attention. But I don't blame them for not supporting me as they are not finally stable and thus cannot help me," he says. Sharif also feels that his talents have been taken for granted. "Many approached me to sing in Punjabi films but none of the requests materialized. I did a song for the movie Tera Mera Ki Rishta, and after that I was approached several times. However, everyone expected me to perform for free," he rues.
This is the plight of a decorated artist, a crusader of the Sufi Dhadi form of music, who has been awarded by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who has performed and received accolades from politicians including Late Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sukhbir Singh Badal. Is anyone listening?
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