Rajinder Singh was born on New Year’s Day in 1974 in a small village called Samra in Bharmour in Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh. He learned to sing while he was in school. His parents used to sing and play ruvana and khanjri during weddings, festivals and religious events. Rajinder also sometimes went with his parents and sang with them. It inspired him to follow Pahari music. After that, he learned music and played instruments from a local teacher in Bharmour. He believes that music is a gift of God and that not everyone is gifted with it. He finds himself fortunate to be blessed with his gifts and doesn’t miss one opportunity to sing. He believes that music is like a torch given to him by his parents, which was in turn given to them by their parents, and further, he wants to pass it on to his children.
After his schooling, he used to help his parents in farming and occasionally went to perform. He married Shakuntala Devi, who hails from Samra, in 1993. She was 19 when she was married. She wanted to learn music, but music was something that her family never followed.
The couple belongs to the Gaddi community, which originated from Bharmour in Chamba. The people of the community were historically shepherds and used to graze sheep and cows in the high-altitude pastures of the Himalayas. It is believed that a lot of compositions were made by people while grazing their animals. They are avid worshippers of Lord Shiva, and their devotion is visible in their songs. The community has a rich culture, from bright costumes for both men and women to cultural festivals like Basua or Baisakhi, Minjar Mela, etc.
MUSICIANS
Shakuntala Devi
Shakuntala Devi
Rajinder Singh