The charioteer of singing, writing, and teaching
Master Chhotu Ram, a primary teacher in the Haryana Education Department, needs no introduction today. Master Chhotu Ram, who has given thousands of stage programs in the country and abroad, presents the biographies of the country’s brave martyrs Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Shaheed Udyam Singh as well as other sons on stage through his songs and stories, and the spirit of patriotism starts flowing. In today’s obscene era, people get a golden opportunity to listen to civilized songs full of life values. Born in the soil of village Barwa in the town of Sivani in Bhiwani district, Master Chhotu Ram’s life has been full of struggles. His father, the late Richpal Gaidar, was a farmer from whom he learned to struggle and move forward with patience.
Since ancient times, man has had an unbreakable relationship with various arts. Sometimes the art of artists and sometimes the admirers of art have spread new colors in this era. It is believed that art is immortal like the soul; it is transferred from one generation to another and takes a new form. Today the forms of art have become discolored. Artists have strayed from their objectives and have started running after money, which is like selling art.
Today the obscenity being served in the name of art is swallowing the society. But amidst all this, even today some artists in the country are trying to save those ideals and values by giving new colors to the ancient civilization of India. Yes, one of them is Master Chhotu Ram, born in the soil of village Barwa of town Siwani in the Bhiwani district of Haryana. Born in a farming family, Master Chhotu Ram’s life has been full of struggles. His father, the late Richpal Gaidar, was a farmer from whom he learned to struggle and move forward with patience.
Even after losing his father at a young age, he continued his studies and moved ahead in the field of education and art. For the last four to five decades, Master Chhotu Ram has been making an incredible effort to connect society with the ancient culture of India through the songs he has written. A government teacher by profession, Master Chhotu Ram is an impromptu poet and a well-known singer of Haryanvi-Hindi. Master Chhotu Ram, who has given thousands of stage programs across the country, when he presents the biographies of our country’s brave martyrs, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Shaheed Udyam Singh, as well as other sons on stage through his songs and stories, the flow of patriotism starts flowing. In today’s vulgar era, people get a golden opportunity to listen to songs full of civilized and life values.
Apart from all this, Master Chhotu Ram shares stories related to the ancient culture of India in video and audio form for free through YouTube and social media so that the ancient culture can be saved. He has beautifully woven the various colors of Haryanvi culture in his raginis and dramas and has reached the hearts of the people. His programs can be seen and heard from time to time on Akashvani and TV across the country. Singer, poet, and artist Master Chhotu Ram does not compromise on his principles and art at any cost. Today, when the nude culture dominates in songs and stories, even then he has maintained his values and has released our historical and mythological stories by spending money from his own pocket.
Of course, they have been shared less compared to today’s flashy pornographic videos, but in reality, he has made an invaluable contribution towards saving our heritage. Pitru Bhakt Shravan Kumar-Kumar and Fashion Ki Fatkaar are his first two audio albums, which people are listening to even after twenty years and sharing on social media. ‘Kade Gaye Wah Nathu-Surja’ is his super hit song filmed on the changing culture of Haryana, which has been liked and shared a lot.
The historical ‘Narsi Ka Bhaat’ story forces the audience to listen to it all night long. It is a big thing to maintain one’s ancient art. In today’s era, the young generation is seen liking poor-quality videos and audio on YouTube and other social platforms. In such a situation, Master Chhotu Ram’s efforts of social songs are leaving a big impression. The media should promote the efforts of such artists loudly so that our ancient values can be kept away from today’s exploitative and obscene culture.
When artists like Master Chhotu Ram do not compromise their art for money, then why are we sitting at home and doing so? To eliminate obscene songs from society, we have to give due respect to good songs and good artists; only then will we be able to give a liveable society to the coming generations by giving a real form to art. Folk arts are the pulse of any society. We must introduce our children to these arts. Also, we should keep in mind what our children are watching and listening to in today’s internet age. Good artists and their arts are the true guides of society, but it is our responsibility to choose them. The state and central government should ban flamboyant songs, especially on platforms like YouTube, which are responsible for today’s deteriorating culture.
There is a need to find artists like Master Chhotu Ram and arrange a government platform and financial package for them so that they can further accelerate their efforts to save our culture. The biographies of our brave sons need to be taken to every home through digital devices of the changing times, through ratings, dramas, and stories like Master Chhotu Ram, so that the coming generation can pass on the ideals of our heroes to the next generation and we can hand over a better India to them, which our martyrs had dreamt of while giving up their lives. Therefore, it is important that the central government make a separate law for such true artists connected to the ground, and every state government should implement it according to their region; only then will our culture, values, and heritage be saved.
