Priya Sumesh knows what pain is, of the mind as well as the body. She has borne it …and is still bearing. But the comely young woman is in no mood to give in, for she has a mission. She sings on the roads, but isn’t a typical street singer. No belly-beating antics from her, but only soulful melodies.
She keeps on singing, despite the pain that’s gnawing at her strength. But the songs have to go on as a few lives have to be saved. And that’s her story.
It’s the hottest time of the day, mid-noon. Amidst the mad crowd of shoppers and speeding buses stands Priya singing mellifluously. They are mostly golden Malayalam oldies. People stick out their necks from moving vehicles to see what’s happening and she smiles back at them, unmindful of the pain and discomfort of the pituitary adenoma, a tumour.
It was her picture on social media which caught the attention of the public. Somebody had posted a picture of Priya singing at a busy intersection. What makes her different from all other street performers are the circumstances which led her to take up such an offbeat mission. Priya Sumesh narrates her story. “My sister died of cancer.” Life-saving medicines were of no help for the simple reason that the family just could not afford to buy them. Though the family sold all that it possibly could, the young girl succumbed.
Only those who endure life’s slaps will know how much they hurt, says Priya. What diseases leave are a residue of mental and financial pain that drains you out, says Priya.
“My sister’s death affected me so much that I took a vow to help those in extreme need as best as I could. My ailment only reinforced my resolution.” Though not a trained singer, her songs are soulful. There’s not a single jarring note. After all, music must be in her genes, a trait she inherited from her father who was a singer.
Street singers always fascinated her and there were times when she used to join them. “I’ve nothing else to offer other than my music, my songs,” says the Kozhikode native. That’s how Priya turned to music to draw public attention to the sufferings of others. Priya’s husband, Sumesh, who belongs to Kochi, was not amused with her move initially, but he is solidly behind his wife’s street concerts. Sumesh, who was working as a driver, gave up his job to be with his wife full-time. Now, he too chips in and sings.
The couple, who stay at a rented house at Elamakkara, moves around in their old car. The sound system for their concerts is hired and often they play at Menaka, High Court Junction, Kaloor and Aluva. They set out by 11 am, zero in on their venue, set up flex boards and start singing by around mid-noon. After singing for two and a half hours, they take a break. The songs continue post-lunch and go up to 8 in the evening. They refrain from the much-detested bucket collection. People, who pause by, read the matter on the flex board or listen to what the couple has to say and hand over their donations.
The couple beam their activities live on Facebook and they are shared by many. When donations are given via banks, the pay-in slips and details of each day’s collections and other minutiae are once again shared through Facebook. The Priya-Sumesh couple is for transparency when it comes to the money factor.
Charity is big business today, they know, and the field is fertile ground for fraudsters. There are folks who get them to sing, but scoot without paying a dime. Yet others put up pictures of the dead and cash in on them and some others indulge in all sorts of anti-social activities under the cover of charity. Hence, you cannot blame the public for mistrusting people like me, says Priya. “That’s why we are transparent in all our dealings,” she adds.
Priya and Sumesh have so far helped five children and two adults. The duo is constantly in touch with the families who had been hit by various ailments.
Priya recalls how she thought of giving it all up after she got sufficient funds to help out a person. But then people started queuing up seeking help. She couldn’t come up with “No” for an answer, however, she does a scrutiny of each request. At present they help only very deserving cases and that too after thorough verification.
“Right now, I’m singing for a kid, Arya Babu, who is battling blood cancer. We need to give her Rs 2 lakh. People ask me why should I donate that much money. But then, this is my style. I should know too well how much one suffers for want of money to treat a loved one”, says Priya.
Charity is not without its pitfalls, Priya once realised. There was an instance when one of the beneficiary families was warned of the couple. The family was told that the two were fraudsters who would make away with the money collected. But the family rebuked the backbiter and refused to buy his story. The man later called Priya and said if large donations were to be given away, it would put other philanthropists in a spot. “Give as much as you can. Allow me to give what I’m capable of,” she said and ticked him off.
Priya’s songs are soothing and come wafting with ease. All the songs are selected by the couple. They see to it that their songs don’t cause unrest to anybody, especially when they sing at public intersections. In fact, the song which fetched her social media attention was the old Malayalam hit "Aadiva katte….paadivaa katte" from Koodevide. Melodies are her forte.
The couple seeks police permission for putting up their programme and the cops so far have been very supportive. “It’s the kindness I’ve been getting from all quarters that’s sustained me so far,” says the singer. Priya also posts stories of kids in dire need of money and medicines to which the response is always overwhelming. People send in money to the respective bank accounts. At times she makes it to stage shows and special functions and a portion of what she gets is set apart for those who truly deserve treatment.
Priya sings at orphanages too, an experience which she finds gratifying and very fulfilling. She has also acted in six albums and done two short films. The December release 'Kuntham' also has the street artiste in a small role. She thanks the social media for all the opportunities that have come seeking her. She goes live on Facebook when somebody suddenly takes ill or is in a critical state. That’s how she connects with folks across the cyber spectrum.
When it comes to her ailment pituitary adenoma, Priya turns less eloquent. The doctor who recommended surgery also warned her that if operated upon, she stood a chance of losing her sight or voice. That put her off and she has not thought of surgery as a cure ever since. She is off medication too which she had been on for the last three years. The medicines would tire her out and she had to depend on others for even the slightest of chores.
When the pain intensifies, she takes a painkilling shot. At the moment she’s found a bit of relief in homoeo medicines. This has helped her a lot and she feels she’s become more active. To be of service to others is her happiest pursuit.
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