Narendra Chanchal was a talented Indian singer, writer and poet who specialised in religious songs, hymns and Hindi film songs.
Born in Namak Mandi, Amritsar in a religious Punjabi family, a young Chanchal would accompany his mother Kailashvati when she was often called to sing bhajans at neighbourhood functions. As child, he was playful and fickle. He later added Chanchal (meaning fickle in Hindi) to his name.
People’s appreciation for his voice, inspired him to sing bhajans and aartis. He then chose to become a professional singer and took music lessons from Sri Prem Tikha in Amritsar.
Although his mother used to call him Mohammad Rafi, he always wanted to make a name as Narendra Chanchal. The boy with the rustic voice, who could scale high pitch, wanted to be a crowd-puller.
Clad in bright kurtas with heavy gold chains around his neck and bracelets, Chanchal glammed up to make up for the deprivations in his childhood. His voice was full-throated, impactful and off-beat. Vibrant and distinct it pierced straight into a listener’s heart, making every listening experience emotional and spiritual.
Chanchal performed mostly at live events. A big name in the whole of North India including Delhi-NCR, his popular devotional songs include Ambe Tu Hai Jagadambe Kali, Hanuman Chalisa, Sankat Mochan Naam Tiharo, Ram Se Bada Ram Ka Naam, etc.
Films happened perchance. After years of struggle, Chanchal sang Chalo Bulava Aaya Hai for the Hindi film Avtaar (still played during Navratri) and Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo for Bobby for which he won the 1974 Filmfare Award for Best Male Singer. He also received the Raj Kapoor Memorial award.
Narendra Bedi’s film Benaam followed, where he sang the title song, Main benaam ho gaya. Picturized on Chanchal, he became a singing star. Manoj Kumar made him sing a crucial antara for the song, Mehengai maar gayi for the film Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. The song however, that established him as a star devotional singer was Tune Mujhe Bulaya Sherawaliye from the film Asha that he sang with his childhood icon, Mohammad Rafi. These songs spawned devotional music in films in the 1980s.
In March 2020, a You Tube video, of Chanchal at a Holi function in Delhi went viral, where he sang a bhajan on coronavirus, underlining the significance of hand hygiene. He also did special appearances as a devotional singer for TV serials and earned an honorary citizenship of Georgia, United States.
His autobiography, ‘Midnight Singer’, released in 2009, chronicled his life from his early struggles to his achievements. In between, film success got to his head and he neglected the Jagratas. But punished by losing his voice temporarily he soon went back to where he belonged – the stage.
He described himself as a messenger of the goddess Matarani. He became synonymous with jagrans and bhajans for Mata (goddess). He celebrated New Year’s Eve at Vaishno Devi by performing first at the holy cave and then at a ground in Katra. Over the years, it came to be known as Chanchal Mela and drew crowds.
Fondly referred to as Pappaji in the devotional music circuit, at many jagrans he would take over after 12 midnight. Unlike today, jagrans were secular spaces, where Sufi songs were common. Sufi concerts were unheard of in those days but singers would sing Bulle Shah to warm up the audience.
It was a Kaafi that Chanchal sang at an Army charity event which drove Raj Kapoor for the hit “Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo” in Bobby. It opened the doors of cinema for Chanchal.
Chanchal passed away at 80 of brain complications in New Delhi. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, two sons and grandchildren.