13 Aug 2020  |   03:51am IST

Goa's Port town will always pulsate to the music of Gokuldas Chari

Goa’s Port town, Vasco lost its musical gem to CoVID19 on Tuesday. Gukuldas Chari, a mellifluous keyboard organ and harmonium player from Mestawada bowed out of life’s stage He was a pioneer in bringing Diamond Orchestra and the ‘Geet Ramayan’ (Musical Ramayan narration) in Goa back then

DHIRAJ HARMALKAR

Chari  was well known among the Hindustani music as well as Bhajan (devotional) music genre lovers, as he performed in Vasco as well as around Goa. He performed thousands of shows of "Geet Ramayan" (Musical Ramayan narration). Those close to him mentioned that his orchestra band was so famous and was in demand that he not only performed and garnered a fan base in Goa but in neighboring states such as Karnataka, Maharashtra and also in Arab countries.

 

Chari was also recipent of state level Kala Gaurav award.

 

He wasn’t was not keeping well for many years  and had undergone a surgery. he also happened to meet with an accident and since then he was mostly at home. Chari was admitted in the ESI hospital a month ago wherein he was tested positive for CoVID19 infection. He and his eight family members from the joint family where he lived were also admitted for their treatment for CoVID19. Surprisingly all his family members recovered and returned back but fate had other plans for this maestro

 

His daughter, who was taking care of him also got the COVID infection but recovered.

Tributes from all over the state and across various fields poured in for this gem of Vasco and Goa.