Social Media’s music sensation Rahgir is all set to launch his new album Kachha Ghada on 12th February. Rahgir is the pen name of travelling bard Sunil Kumar Gurjar which explains his music and thoughts. Rahgir has travelled across India with a mission to spread a meaningful message through his peppy music and poetry. He creates his own stage and audience wherever he goes. His stage is any place where there is someone interested to hear him. Be it chaupal, schools, religious places or under a roadside tapri or a plush cafe in cities, Rahgir creates his own theatre and weaves the magic of his music and poetry. Rahgir is a sensation on social media as well where thousands of reels and shorts have been created on his songs like Kanya Manya Kurr, Punjabi Tappe, Mere Gaon Aaoge, Kya Jaipur Kya Dilli and his instant hit Aadmi Ch*tiya Hai. FinancialExpress.com caught up with Rahgir to talk about his upcoming album and his journey. Excerpts:
You are not part of the mad rush of pop songs but anyone who follows social media knows Rahgir. Is it part of your plan to carve out a niche path for yourself?
I guess it was not part of a plan but it was the way I knew. The moment I wrote my first poem or Song, I knew it was something different that might not get everyone’s approval but will make everyone stop and take a look for sure. I guess, it’s not very common for artists these days to write the bitter truths and realities as they are, without sugar-coating them, and words so simple that anybody can connect and follow.
I grew up in a small village in Rajasthan and came to know nature, people, animals from close. I wrote what I had witnessed and felt for certain things in the simplest way I could and it reached the souls of people. I also realised in the beginning itself that this is coming naturally to me and if I follow certain trends or try to do what others are doing, I would lose that naturality and I felt, this world can use some raw and rustic vibes that I have to offer.
You are a travelling musician but what are you primarily? A traveller or a musician? And how are the two complementing each other?
“You cannot write a good song about a whorehouse, unless you have been in one Woody Guthrie”. The moment I realised that I have things to say, I felt I should go to people and not the other way around. I also felt that if I travel, experience things from close, I would be able to write it truthfully. I also wanted to see places, learn their language, folk songs and I am fortunate to have been doing it for a few years now and I can sing regional folk music of many states like Himachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab, etc.
Due to travelling, I am collecting songs from the streets and giving back to them in my own style. I feel it’s complimenting each other very well and I am growing both as an artist and human being. I have grown more kind, patient, and wise.
You are coming up with a new album. Tell us more about it. What will be different this time?
As my previous albums, Mere Gaon Aaoge and Aakhiri Teeli talked about various issues related to nature, society, rat race, and prostitution and a lot more. The upcoming album is called “Kachha Ghada” which means raw clay pot. This album has seven songs and each of them talks about something we all feel at times but are so busy in the race of survival that we have no time to take a moment and think about it.
I have tried a lot of new guitar playing techniques and explored some more rhythms. Songs are about some less talked issues, for example there is a song called “Wahin Jiya aur Sad Gaya” which talks about the different experiences of a tree which was born and died in the forest and another which was born and now stands at a crossroad in a city. There is another song which is called “Jaanwar Uljhe Hain”, and it talks about what a confused being a human is. I am sure my listeners will experience something fresh with this album which I made with so much soul.
How has social media helped you in widening your reach during the pandemic?
Social media has always helped in my music journey as well as my actual travels. In the beginning, I used to hitchhike across a few states and found hosts online through couch-surfing, travel groups, etc. I used to post on social media about the public places in a city where I planned to busk and people shared it with their friends in those cities and a lot of people came to see me and I got connected with a lot of kind and encouraging people.
During Pandemic, the real live shows were cancelled and it was the time when we needed art the most, so we went on to do virtual shows. People who were so busy running around to run their livelihood, suddenly stopped and had some time to listen to music, stories and also to pursue their own hobbies. It was during the pandemic that my “Kanya Manya Kurr” songs went viral and made me a familiar face across India and then it was followed by “Aadmi Ch*tiya Hai and Kya Jaipur Kya Dilli”. It also helped us stay connected with people and not lose touch, which is very important for an artist to keep on keeping on.
There is always a deeper meaning to your songs and their lyrics and your songs like “Aadmi Ch*tiya Hai” which is a song about the inherent dual nature of humans have gone viral but their real essence got lost in the craze for making reels on hook phrases. How do you feel about it?
Even though a lot of people missed the meaning behind the song and used it to make funny reels on Instagram, it still made an impact. People came to my YouTube channel, Spotify Profile to listen to the full song, expecting a fun song, and they were surprised by the philosophy behind the song. Because of this, the song got 5 million plus views on YouTube and 2 million plus streams on Spotify.
Then the word spread pretty quickly on social media and people started posting about it’s meaning and people gave it a good listen. Even if some people missed the message, it’s still useful as we all needed some stress busting music to stay happy during such dark times of pandemic. Plus, I love memes too, they make our day a little less stressed.
You left a plush IT job in Pune to become Rahgir – a travelling bard. What inspired you to take that leap? How did that happen? Take us through your journey.
I had a lot of songs and stories to tell, a lot of places to go, a lot of hearts to touch and I had to do it to stay sane. I was reading a lot about western country music singers who would travel a lot and sing their songs to people along the way. They did not wait for a chance to go up on big stages, radios and movies, they had songs for people and people are everywhere, right? I kind of liked this approach and felt that it was something I wanted to do. I had a few poems written which I wanted to convert into songs but I didn’t know how to play guitar or sing. So, I bought a guitar and decided to give it all the attention. So, I quit my job and started learning it from a friend named Mradul Singhal. After a couple of months, I was able to sing a few of my own songs. And I didn’t wait around, I started singing in open mics and after a few months, I had enough songs to keep going for almost an hour.
There was a small tea point in Pune, where I used to go in the evenings. I asked the owner and organised a small free show for people. It wasn’t anything big and not many people turned up, but I realised that I am able to reach people’s hearts and they are interested in what I have to say. And then I decided to go on my first, solo, two months long journey across seven states while hitchhiking and singing for everyone who cared to stop and listen to me.
I sang on stations, ghats, trains, public parks, old age homes, hospitals, you name it. I carried my own tent and sleeping gear. and I have never stopped since then. I wanna spread as much light as I can before I burn out.