Shashwat Tripathy : A Legend on the Making

Shashwat was born at Seledi of Binka block in Sonepur district. As his father was a school teacher, Shashwat was brought up under strict discipline. While he was in Standard 6th in school, he was started composing poems. In Class 10th he composed the poem “Brukhya hi jibana”. When his father sent a handwritten copy of this poem to Amma Sishu Lipi magazine of Puri, it was published by them. It boosted the moral of that young boy. From there onwards he set the goal in life to be a poet and a writer in this life.

During his college days his friends have seen the symptoms of Shashwat turning into be a singer in the days to come. Shashwat was staying in the college hostel of Larambha of Bargarh district. Every evening after taking dinner when all the students would sleep Shashwat would escape from the hostel in his bicycle. He use to ride the distance of around 12 kms in his cycle to reach either Gudbhaga or Chandpali to practice the singing. In fact every teacher knew about this misnomer act of Shashwat, but they were keeping quiet because that boy was sober in nature and use to respect every person.

It is to be noted Larambha College was a very strict college and no one was spared from punishment, if ever caught red handed. Every year many students were used to be rusticated from the college. Shashwat use to return around 2.00AM in the dead of the night. The watchman would wait for Shashwat, because he use to get four biddies(desi cigarettes) as a bribe. That was costing Shashwat One Rupee from his pocket. By puffing those four biddies the watchman use to keep awake until the morning.        

In the year 1999 on completion of his 10th Exams Shashwat had been to Cuttack along with his friend. When Shashwat got to know Bhubaneswar is only Rs.10/- bus fare away, he planned to meet Arabinda Muduli the great Oriya bhajan singer. Arabinda was the bhajan samrat(Emperor of devotional songs) of Odisha. Shashwat had the urge that Arabinda Muduli should sing the songs written by him.

Early next morning both the friends caught a bus for the state capital of Odisha. From the tape recorder cassette he collected the office address of JE Studio of Sarthak Music. On reaching JE Studio in the front office he  told the receptionist that he want to meet Arabinda Muduli. Those two boys wearing half pants that caught her attention. While smiling she said how stupid you boys are! But instantly she pacified her action by consoling them. She said, boys this is not the way to approach. You just can’t walk into the studio like this to sing songs. There is a process for it. You need to submit your profile and recorded songs so as our persons would evaluate it. And if at all we find you suitable, than only we shall call you.

The receptionist asked, where did you came from? Shashwat said from Sheledi. The lady said she never heard about it, where is that? Shashwat said Sonepur district. She asked how far it is? Shashwat did not know the distance of it either in kilometres or the miles. He said it takes a whole night to travel by bus. She said I praise your enthusiasm to be a singer and will not dishearten you.

On the drawing room Shashwat was astonished to find so many certificates were neatly framed and hanged on the wall. While they were reading the colourful citations Shri Arvind Muduli  reached. He enquired where did you boys come from? While interacting so many visitors reached. Every person was doing mundia  or touching the feet of Arvind Muduli. Looking at it Shashwat repented as he even did not made the Namaskar(folding of both the hands). While leaving the place Shashwat did an unbelievable act. He lied on the floor and did the sastang pranam on the feet of Arvind Muduli. That great bhajan singer placed his right hand on the head of Shashwat and asked him to stand. He caught the right ear of the Shashwat and said “Tathastu. You are such a young boy and doing sastang pranam, whereas in my entire lifetime I never did it so to my guru Bhikari Bala. I tell you will go a long way in this life”.

Arvind Muduli gave the phone number of Sitaram Agrawal the owner of Sarthak Music. Both the boys went to the nearest PCO. When Shashwat called at the given phone number it rang. Someone picked the phone and said “Jay Jagganath”. But this stupid boy thought it’s an automated  recorded voice that is playing and he kept the phone. His friend suspected something wrong. He asked why did you kept the phone? When Shashwat narrated he instantly said, abe beda in eastern Odisha instead of answering as “Hello” people say “Jay Jagganath” and “Hari Om”. Once again he called, but when he heard “Jay Jagganath” while stammering Shashwat introduced himself.

Sitaram said  he has just returned after attending a function and exhausted why don’t you come down to my home.  He suggested him to reach Old Bhubaneswar town and to cross the rail tracks. There is a bettle shop by the name Sukta Pan Dukan. Reach there and ask about me. But Sitaramji alerted Shashwat not to think Sukta as a trifle person; rather he is a God gifted player of tabla. Those two boys reached the third floor of the Raymond showroom. When Shashwat knocked the door Smt. Namita Aggrawal opened the door. Shaswat was speechless as he was standing before the queen of Oriya bhajan songs.

Shashwat was never good in education. Neither he had set any ambition for his life to achieve. He was spending his days while playing with the children of his village. Though he appeared the 12th exams, but he failed. One morning a cowherd called him and asked “hae ho Shashwat does it true, I got to know you failed in the +2 exams. With a bit of shy Shashwat admitted yes he failed. But instead of teasing, that man said not to worry because who so ever passed the +2 exams their life turned to be garbage, but the one who failed became successful in their respective lives. So forget the academic career and choose a vocation instead of a profession, where your personal interest lays. This advice of an illiterate Oldman boosted his morals. And Shashwat set his ambition to excel in the field of music.

During Sital Sasthi jatra of 1998 Shashwat reached Barpali along with his friends to watch the fair. At Rajbati of Barpali Durga Dash was performing his show. Durga told Shashwat he need a tape recorder immediately for the programme. Shashwat assured not to worry and he will arrange one and he kept his word as well. In order to compensate the favour he received at the time of crisis Durga asked Shashwat to sing a song on the stage. But Shashwat was nervous and tried to take excuse while saying he is just a poet and never sing any song until now. Durga consoled him while saying this entire world would be your audience, only if you stand on the podium. Durga announced in the mike about the next singer to perform and pulled him towards the mike. Shashwat did his first ever performance of singing that too at Barpali, that is why he feel indebted to this cultural hub of Odisha. On that event Satrughana Luha the Sambalpuri singer was also present. He complimented Shashwat and wished him a great career in music industry. The words of Satrughana gave ample confidence to Shashwat. That young man Shashwat won the confidence of organising committee of Barpali Sital Sasthi Jatra. As a result Shashwat was called for the subsequent eleven years to conduct the programmes at the same venue.

Shashwat says the lyrical songs that he compose are genuine and it's all about common men. But like any other writer, poet or artist he too was  victimised by people for small faults that he has committed. In one of his song “idliwali” he has composed a sentence “Oh idliwali; dekha dekha dekha tor dui ta idli”. In yet another song he has composed “mor kela gute neikari debu tor lembu dui ta”. These two songs got rag reviews by people of western Odisha. Though Shashwat had no bad intention while composing these songs but it draw wrong conclusion and those who loved to hear his songs started criticising him. It taught him a great lesson. He became cautious. He can’t take liberty to use the right words to compose a wrong sentence. He realised how responsibilities lays on his hand even when he is not doing any tangible things on earth

any tangible works  say cultivating paddy in the farmland or manufacturing goods in a factory.

To make a living eight years back Shashwat has set up a school in his village. Until now Sri Aurovindo Integral Education School has got students attending upto Class 8th. He foresee with passing of every year he will open new classes until Class 12th.

Once he went to Bhubaneswar to appear for one interview. When the interviewer asked, where did you came from? Shashwat said, he hails from Sonepur. The interviewer was ignorant about this place and asked where is that Sonepur? It hurt the ego of Shashswat adversely. He thought the world is ignorant about his homeland, which in fact a treasure trove of art and culture of western Odisha. When he returned home he contemplated and started a yearly programme called “Voice of Subarnapur” so as to highlight the rich heritage of his district in the national stage.

[Prabeen Sahu while conducting a talk show "Suprabhat" in Kalinga TV]

Until now Shashwat has song over 2,000 songs. His famous songs are Ma tate dakli nai sunlu; Maisahsur mardhini; hey Deepali I love you.

In the year 2018 Shashwat has taken the initiative to conduct Papakhyaya Mahatshova. In the first year itself 400 persons contributed Rs.1,000/- each.

Until now Shashwat has been called to perform on big stages at different places across India in the Nuakhai celebrations by Juhar Paribar of Bangalore; Vadodra(Baroda); Hyderabad and Vishakapatna. He got the National Theater Award, Ministry of Culture, Odisha. He has been felicitated by Utkal University so on so forth.

His students are Bandita Naik of Barpali who sings devotional songs and Bhuban.

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E.Kiran Mohan (The Writer)

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At/PO : Barpali-768029
Dist.Bargarh,Odisha, India

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