Bhakta Raj Acharya, 81

It is rare to be bestowed with great talent, to have a calling. It is even rarer to have the courage, discipline, and willpower to fulfil your potential.

Which is why it is a great tragedy when such a great lyricist, musician and singer is missing from Nepal’s music landscape. Bhakta Raj Acharya was a legendary singer, but who had not been able to perform vocals for 30 years after his tongue had to be surgically removed to stop a cancer from spreading. 

He died Monday 26 February at age 81 while being rushed to hospital after difficulty breathing.

Acharya, also known as Bhajan Shiromani for his devotional singing in later life, as well as Sur Samrat (Emperor of Voice) was a celebrated musician who was contemporaries with the likes of Narayan Gopal, Ambar Gurung and Prem Dhoj Pradhan. He sang more than 450 songs during his prolific career cut short after the surgery in 1994.

Born in Dhankuta and raised in Kalimpong, Acharya dropped out of school to pursue music against his mother’s wishes. He moved to Kathmandu, taking with him a harmonica and very little else, looking for a way to make it in Nepal’s music scene. This first foray was a failure because of discouragement from officialdom, and Acharya had to briefly move back to Kalimpong.

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He returned to Kathmandu confidently, resolving to not return until he made it big. He got his first break in 1973, after winning a gold medal in an all-Nepal singing competition judged by none other than Ambar Gurung. The tournament was held by Radio Nepal, where he started working immediately after.

Known for an unwavering commitment to his craft, Acharya the musical perfectionist soon made a name for himself with songs such as Jati Chot Dinchhau, Hazar Sapana Haru and Jaha Chhan Buddha Kaa Aankha.

In 1993, he developed an ulcer on his tongue and was diagnosed with cancer in India.  

Acharya went to Germany for a second opinion but there was no alternative but to amputate his tongue. Not able to talk anymore, and more so unable to sing which was his passion, the singer admitted to contemplating suicide.

Acharya raised two sons who are now successful singers in their own right and are continuing the legacy of their father. His life was also made into the biopic, Acharya, in 2011, directed by Prashant Rasaily and starring his elder son, Satya Raj, as himself.

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His sons are famously known as the musical duo “Satya-Swaroop" and have carried on their father’s musical legacy.

Bhakta Raj Acharya was cremated on Tuesday at Pashupati Aryaghat amidst thousands of admirers who sang his song Jaha Chhan Buddha Kaa Aankha in a fitting tribute. Prime Minister Pushpa Kanal Dahal and UML leader K P Oli were among those paying their final respects to the Nepali musical great.