Age No Bar For This Music Enthusiast From Odisha

Bhadrak: For many while passion in life fades away as they grow older, for Sarojini Mallik, age is just a number when it comes to the art of singing. It is a way of life for her and not just a part.

Sarojini, who hails from Haripur village in Chandbali block of Bhadrak district is a septuagenarian, but her enthusiasm for music is still fresh like a little girl. Ask any listener who comes across her magical voice when she sings Bhajans, devotional songs or even Raga Ragini, it feels like Goddess Saraswati herself has descended into her.

Not just singing, Sarojinii is also quite adept in playing various percussion instruments like Tabla, Dholak and Harmonium as well. Nobody can walk beside her house without stopping a while when she opens her harmonium and starts singing.

Now in the dusk of her life, when she looks back at her past, she expresses happiness over her achievements but says that it’s not accolades but her sheer passion for music has kept alive her interest.

On her career, Sarojini says that she took to singing at an early age of 10 when she decided to learn the fine art of singing from her uncle, Hadibandhu Moharana. Even after marriage she could not resist the temptation of learning music and that is when her passion and interest in singing took her to Annapurna Theater where she got chance to perform many times.

"Music is my life. I would have been long gone without it." says an elated Sarojini when asked about the secret of her age defying talent .

Sarojini's daughter-in-law, Rita Sahu says, "Her morning starts with music and continues till she goes to bed in the night. She can live without food but not music."