Murugan, 10 years old, has been an entertainer at the Kalapet beach, Pondicherry, in the evenings, for the last five years, with his two percussion instruments.
He lost his family and and a younger sister, when his house was washed away in the tsunami. He was away in a relative's house at that evening. That is how he escaped a watery grave.Since then he has been staying with his uncle and attending school.
His father, a fisher man by profession, used to entertain the family in the evenings with singing and percussion. Murugan remembered this and persuaded his uncle to get him a small percussion instrument. He trained himself to play it rhythmically and produced tuneful sounds of popular tamil movie songs.
Every evening he moves along the beach and performs for the visitors at the beach. He is not begging but performing. I have seen some visitors offering him cash gifts on their own, which he receives gratefully.
Murugan does this to continue the practice of his father. He likes playing for children. I noticed him allowing children to try his percussion instrument.
He brings the money he earned to his uncle, which is an additional income for the family who is struggling with the declining income from fishing.
He brings the money he earned to his uncle, which is an additional income for the family who is struggling with the declining income from fishing.
Murugan is grieving for his family, but he is reaching out to others with the gift of music.
M.C.Mathew(text and photos)
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