Bhajan singer Narendra Chanchal passes away

New Delhi: Popular 'bhajan' singer Narendra Chanchal, best known for his songs 'Chalo bulawa aaya hai' and 'Tune mujhe bulaya sherawaliye', died at a private hospital here on Friday following health complications, sources said.

He was 76. Chanchal breathed his last at 12:15 pm at Apollo Hospital here, the sources said. He was admitted to the south Delhi hospital on November 27 and died after suffering from brain complications, they said. Born to a Punjabi family in Namak Mandi, Amritsar in 1940, Chanchal grew up in a religious atmosphere that inspired him to start singing 'bhajans' and 'aartis' (devotional songs) from a very young age.

In Hindi cinema, he found fame when he sang a song "Beshak Mandir Masjid" for the 1973 film "Bobby", the debut movie of Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. For the song, Chanchal won the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award in 1974. One of his most popular tracks was "Chalo Bulawa Aaya Hain Mata Ne Bulaya Hain" from Rajesh Khanna's 1983 drama "Avtaar".

Chanchal released his autobiography "Midnight Singer" in 2009, chronicling his life, from his early struggles and hardships to his achievements. Condoling the singer's death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Chanchal had carved a unique place for himself in the field of devotional music with his voice. In a tweet, the PM expressed his condolences to the singer's family and fans. Singer Daler Mehndi, actor Manoj Bajpayee, actor Ranvir Shorey, music composer Vishal Dadlani were among the people who mourned Chanchal's death. "Rest in peace Narendra Chanchal sahab!!! What a singer with such inspiring voice. Singing your songs now in your memory. God bless your soul with peace," Bajpayee tweeted.

"Saddened at the demise of vocalist Sh. Narendra Chanchal, singer of many iconic bhajans & Hindi film songs in history. His unique voice had the ability to pierce straight to a listener's heart, making every listening experience an emotional & spiritual one. #RIP #respect," Shorey tweeted. Mehndi said he was saddened to learn that "iconic and most loved" Chanchal had died.