His modest background and income apart, Mudacer Hassan Dar created a band that sings to raise donations for the people who are in dire straits, reports Saqib Mir
His complex name reflects his distinct passion. Born as Mudacer Hassan Dar, he is known more as Baabarr Mudacer. He sings and earns but spends the income on the people, he thinks; require his money more than him.
At Bandipora’s Elites Public School Bandipora, where he studied till his middles, and later a state-run NM Boys’ Higher Secondary School, Dar was always in demand. The reason: he had a pair of impressive vocal chords. Whenever the schools were on an outing, he was at the centre of the attention.
For various reasons, Dar said he could not pursue his studies beyond twelfth class. Soon, he joined a private construction company where he had a modest income. Facing life on the roads and workplace, poverty and destitution would disturb him. He could not spear much from his modest income to donate.
Dar knew his capacity. One day, he recorded his song and uploaded it on Facebook. People liked it. Good response encouraged him to upload another number. His followers gradually swelled to 2000 and then he launched his own FB Baabarr Mudacer Your Mad Rockstar.
Mudacer, 21, has a modest background, too. Hailing from Dachigam areas of Bandipora, his father, Gulam Hassan Dar works in a sawmill. Gulshan Ara, his mother, is a housewife. That was the reason why he had to drop out and work for the family as a worker in a construction company.
His idea of making singing his other occupation came to his mind when he met a woman begging outside a local mosque in 2017. Sara, the lady, Dar said, was rendered destitute after her husband died leaving behind six daughters with no source of any income.
“I felt pity for the woman so I wanted to help the family monetarily but unfortunately I myself was not in a position to help because I do not belong to an economically well-off family,” Dar said.
So keen to help the family, he took advantage of his singing talent and formed a musical band with some of his friends: Shah Lateef, Abid Wani, Zeia Aalam, Zahid Zahoor, Shafaat, and Junaid Ahmad. They named the band Mad Rock Star. He started learning to play the guitar from various mobile applications.
After many rehearsals, when Dar felt that he and his band are in a position to perform on a stage, they approached their alma mater, the NM Boys’ Higher Secondary School. In their debut performance, the band raised more than Rs 3500 for Sara. Satisfied that the band will earn as long as they follow the passion for the cause of the needy, the band and their well-wishers started identifying the individuals desperate for help. They would get in touch with the individual in need of support, seek their consent and arrange a show. Usually, they would perform in the educational institutions because the students would usually understand their cause and the communication better. Sometimes, Dar would opt for solo performances when his comrades are not around.
Their performances are linked to the desperation of the families and not the factors that landed the families in the crisis. One day, Mudacer remembers getting information about the situation of six sisters whose mother was dead and father booked under Public Safety Act. He and his band sung to contribute to the well-being of the family.
“I am content with the modest income I have as a worker,” Mudacer said. “The talent of singing is something that I consciously want to use for the people who need the money more than I do. It soothes my mind and soul.”
Mudacer sings almost all types of songs and even Rouf, the slow motion, traditional Kashmir dance. Besides, he sings Bollywood numbers and Kashmiri hits. Off late, he has started composing his own lyrics too. Interestingly, sometimes, he keeps the beneficiary of his show on the stage too.
Dar said he is being supported by the people even though singing is not considered a good thing by a traditionally conservative society. Even his parents are not supportive of his passion for the music and singing. Now he plans his own academy of music for the youth who want to pursue singing as their career.
