Kundan Lal Saigal did not leave behind diaries, letters that would have thrown light on his life and career. Whatever little, on the singer-actor that has been put together are recorded references and opinions made by those who knew Saigal well; from those who worked with him, his friends and contemporaries. Yet, even after 111 years, (born April, 1904) Saigal and his haunting music remain alive.
Then there are those ardent Saigal fans like P. Parameswaran Nair, who attempt and sing like him, accumulate Saigal memorabilia, and cannot tire talking about him.
This April too, since he rendered Saigal sangeeth on stage for the first time in 1985, Nair will be travelling to Chandigarh to sing Saigal songs.
Parameswaran Nair got hooked to Saigal and his songs during his teens. His mother was an ardent fan of this Punjabi singer. “We had a few gramophone records of Saigal at home and then we used to tune in to Radio Ceylon every morning for the programme on old songs. Another early influence was K.S. Chitra’s father Karamana Krishnan Nair who used to sing Saigal songs so well,” says Parameswaran Nair, who is often called Saigal of South India.
It must be said to his credit that he took pains to nurture this passion. He contacted Urdu pundits who explained the meanings of many of the lyrics, he perfected his diction, began reading whatever literature was available on the singer, travelled to places associated with Saigal and meeting people who knew him.
Since that 1985 debut performance at Lotus Club, Ernakulam, Parameswaran Nair has mesmerised audiences across the country and abroad with over 300 public performances and mehfils of Saigal songs.
“I cannot explain this. But I consider popularising Saigal’s music the mission of my life.”
Parameswaran Nair, who retired as Deputy General Manager, Cochin Shipyard Limited, has been honoured by two Saigal memorial trusts at Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Mumbai; he has sung before elite audiences and before dignitaries such as Naushad and former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral.
“Singing at the Saigal centenary celebrations at Chandigarh and other venues in the Punjab in 2004-05 and being able to carry Saigal Sangeeth overseas, to the US, have been some memorable moments in my life.”
Parameswaran Nair firmly believes that understanding Saigal’s musical legacy is incomplete without listening to his non-filmi work.
“I think there is so much more to this legend- in his geets , private Urdu ghazals and bhajans. These, composed by Saigal, simply flow like the calm river, silver in the moonlight. And singing them gives you so much bliss. When people ask me why I stick to singing only Saigal songs my reply is that there has been only one Saigal; no one before him and none after him.”
