Madan Gopal’s cross-border melody celebrates the shared musical tradition of South Asia
KARACHI:
Under the vibrant lights of the World Culture Festival, Nepali singer Madan Gopal mesmerized the audience with a heartfelt performance of Lambi Judai, paying tribute to Pakistan’s legendary folk singer Reshma.
Wearing a glittering Himalayan-inspired traditional Nepali boat-shaped hat and a T-shirt decorated with cultural motifs, Madan stood out not only for his unique look but also for his soulful performance that combined emotion, melody and respect for the musical heritage of South Asia.
“It was in the hills, about 15 kilometers from Kathmandu, surrounded by forests and cool winds, that this song came to me as if from heaven,” Madan recalls. “At that moment, I decided to perform this song in Pakistan, Reshma Ji’s country.”
This is Madan’s second visit to Pakistan and he says it is the love of the people that brought him back. Before the festival, he had second thoughts Lambi Judai in a medley, adding his own musical composition to honor Reshma’s legacy.
During his performance, Madan also sang a Nepali folk song and a special Urdu-Nepali fusion song composed by Pakistani musician Imad Rehman. “When Madan told me he wanted to pay tribute to Reshma Ji, I was thrilled,” said Imad. “She is a treasure of our region, her voice conveys the spirit of our land.”
Madan described his philosophy on music: “There are two kinds of singers, the trained and the mitti ke singers (singers of the soil). The latter don’t sing technically but from the heart.”
Accompanying him on stage was Pakistani singer Mah Rukh, who recently won first place in a music competition at the Karachi Arts Council. He characterized the collaboration as an honor and a challenge. “Reshma Ji is a legend – it’s impossible to match her voice, but I tried to give my best while representing my culture,” he said.
The show evoked memories of the 1980s in the crowd when Indian director Subhash Ghai included Reshma’s work Lambi Judai in his film Heropropelling her to international fame.
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