Sagar, a boy from a Gandarva family, came into town to sing and earn. Back in the village, his mother was sick. His father had been dead long back. Sagar needed a huge amount of money to treat his sick mother. But they did not have much money. So, he thought of singing songs in the town and earning money. Therefore, he left his mother to the care of his elder sister, and left home with his sarangi early one morning.
This was the first time Sagar was in the town. He saw many vehicles, tall buildings, people gathering in crowds, busy marketplaces and many things. Yet, his mind was not caught by any of such things. He found a secluded place in a park in the middle of the town and started singing.
At the back side of the park, there was a huge lawn. On one side of the lawn, a stage had been erected. Sagar could hear loud mike sound coming from there. It was a musical programme; best singers of the nation were performing that afternoon.
Sagar too started singing his song, but no one paid any attention to him. All the people around there rushed towards the high-raised stage where the famous singers were singing. Though Sagar was aware that his skills were not lesser than theirs, he was not finding listeners.
Sagar left this place. He went to the bus park nearby, sat at a corner and started singing. The passengers inside the buses were tossing to the songs music player was playing from inside the buses. Those outside, waiting for their buses, had their mobile earphones inserted into their ears. No one had time for Sagar. Sagar left his place too.
This way, Sagar wandered from place to place, trying to find audience but in vain. For about a week, he travelled far and wide singing his songs. The little money he had brought from home had finished, and now, he was on the risk of starving.
Sagar was at a loss. He was not finding people, so he was now losing heart. He remembered his mother. She was sick, and was waiting for him to earn and come home with money, and take her to the hospital for treatment. But nothing of the sort was happening; Sagar continued to suffer.
At last, Sagar decided to return home. He went to the bus park and boarded a bus. He did not have money to pay for his fare; so he started singing inside the bus. An old passenger, who was sitting next to the window called Sagar near and said, “You have an amazing voice. Where are you going?”
Sagar told his entire story to the old man. The man said, “My child; there is so much of noise in the town these days. No one has time for the type of songs you sing. Do one thing; sit outside the gate of the city temple at midnight and sing. God will hear your voice.”
Sagar looked at the old man with doubtful eyes.
The old man continued, “People who have been deafened by the high voice of the city, go to the temple for peace in the evening time. Go there; sing for them till it’s midnight. You will find audience for your types of songs. Sing of peace and of God.”
Sagar thought for a while and got down from the bus. Before he left, the old man gave him a few notes of money and said, “Till then, you can keep yourself alive with this money.”
With tears of thankfulness in his eyes, Sagar got down. Then he headed straight to the city temple. He did nothing but observe what was happening around there. When the sun set and the evening prayers were over, he sat down under a tree and started singing. Till quite late, no one came around him, but as darkness thickened, people started gathering around him. He was singing of God and of peace. Soon he was surrounded by a whole lot of people. They started throwing money at his feet.
Sagar sang till midnight. Many people continued to sit there, listening to his beautiful songs. When it was too cold to continue and was quite late in the night, Sagar stopped singing. Then he asked the audience why they were so patiently listening to his songs. An old man came to him and said, “Son, there is no peace anywhere now. The town is full of noise. Our days are filled with noises. Only at such time, voices like yours are heard. When we rest, after tiring day-work, we love to hear songs of God and peace.”
Sagar was deeply touched. He realised, the town was getting filled with noise every day, and real peace was missing from it. He thought, artists like him should sing to soothe people’s heart and soul. He decided to go to the village, bring his mother and sister to town and continue singing for the peace of people’s soul. Soon, he became famous as the ‘Midnight Singer’.
Sagar has treated his mother. His sister also is living in peace. Sagar sits at the temple premises and sings up to midnight. People love him, for he sings of peace they need, and of God they love.
(Based on a Nepali moral story)