Master Chander

There is bit off confusion about Birth Date of Master Chander some claims he was born on the 12th December 1907 at Tharu Shah, Dist. Nawab shah in Sindh in a zamindar family, other says the date was 07 December 1907.

According to Mahesh Chander son of Master Chander, he was born on day of Geeta Jayanti which was Sunday 15 December in the year 1907 . From early childhood has started showing his passion for music and singing as at the tender age of 12 years he started singing at religious places like temples and Dargahs. Being born in Zamindar family this was not easy for him to take care of his singing passion but Master Chander was fortunate that one was his uncle was not just favoring him but also encouraged him by bringing his first harmonium from Calcutta.

Kaka Jiwatram Ji started teaching formal musical and singing skills to him. God has gifted master Chander very soft silky, melodious and touching voice, listing to his singing famous Sufi singer Bhagat Kanwarram Sahib Ji predicted that one day this boy will become legend of Sindhi Music and inspiration for the sindhi singers.

It was 1932, year in which first song “Sunhina Arza Ahe” Master Chander was released and success of this has opened the never look back road for him. This song was a classical music composition with unique touch of Master Chander, Modern musician consider this song as ever first attempt of “RAP”.

His melodious voice is so heart touching that even after so many decades when a young sindhi listen “Rutha Hi Rahan Shal Hujen Hayati ” [They might be angry with me but still God bless them with long life] fall in creation of desire of listening more and more songs sung by this legendry Sindhi Singer. He is often considered as the soul of Sindhi folk singing and remains constant source of inspiration for younger generations of sindhi singers, especially born after the partition of undivided India in 1947.

Though HMV, the music company which recorded and released songs of this sindhi singer have information of about 400 songs sung by Master Chander but in reality, he had sung more than 1,000 songs. The effort must be taken to bring these songs in MP3 format so that rich singing heritage of Sindhi song can be preserved.

Master Chander also acted in the films, even the role played by Ashok Kumar in ” Achhut Kanya” against Devika Rani was initially offered to him. Dilaram” and “Maut Ka Toofan” are among the early films of Master Chander. As the singing was passion for this most popular Sindhi singer hence, he kept concentration on this and successfully introduced a new style of singing, fusion of music and storytelling with his yet another legendry creation “Anja Ta Aita Maan Nandiri Ahiyan” a song narrating intelligence of small girl who had to safe guard her home from the thieves. His voice was so melodious that even Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was forced to appreciate when he listens the song in 1950’s.

After the partition of the country Master Chander settled at Mumbai with his wife Heti, Mother, three sons [Gope and Mahesh, now Gope Chander lives in New York] & three daughters. “Kismat Kai Judai” and “Hoshiyar Sindhi” are the two notable creations of Master Chander, expressing anguish and pains suffered by the migrated sindhi community.

Yet another noticeable thing about Master Chander that in history of HMV company he was the only singer to get royalty of 7% where as other were getting 5% or lesser. This was 3 November 1984, day on which death forced his from creating new musical creations.