Darshanam Mogilaiah, AKA Kinnera Mogulaiah, was one of the last tribal musicians in India to know how to play Kinnera. The legendary folk musician passed away on December 19, 2024, at the age of 73. According to reports, Darshanam was going through his kidney-related ailment treatment at a private hospital in Warangal, where he breathed his last. It was a major setback for India's folk music industry as Darshanam was renowned for being the master of the rare musical instrument, Kinnera.
For the uninitiated, Kinnera is a stringed instrument much like a veena, and its origin can be traced back to the 4th Century CE. Darshanam Mogilaiah belongs to a musical family, as his forefathers were pioneers in making and playing Kinnera. As per some reports, Darshanam's father made a nine-stair Kinnera. Leading his father's legacy to a notch higher, Darshanam created a world record by becoming the first person to build a 12-stair Kinnera.
Courtesy of his incredible talent, Darshanam Mogilaiah was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2022. The tribal Kinnera player from Nagarkurnool was the last musician to master the 12-step Kinnera, which is why the entire nation mourned his loss. For the uninitiated, Darshanam Mogilaiah gained some popularity when he sang a song's part in Pawan Kalyan's film, Bheemla Nayak. The late folk singer was even awarded with Ugadi Puraskaram and has been mentioned in the textbooks of Class VIII of Telangana State.
Talking about Darshanam Mogilaiah's family, he is survived by his wife, Komuramma, who is also a folk artist. Not everyone is aware that Darshanam and Komuramma welcomed nine children. Unfortunately, three children reportedly died at a young age due to health-related problems. As per reports, one of Darshanam's sons, Mahender, is taking his legacy forward. He used to accompany his father at multiple events. Although not much is known about it at the moment, we hope Darshanam's son, Mahender, will take his family's legacy forward.
In May 2024, almost two years after Darshanam Mogilaiah was bestowed with the Padma Shri award, he was spotted working on the streets of Telangana. Pictures and videos of Darshanam went viral on the internet, and the iconic folk musician could be seen working as a daily wage labourer. As soon as the picture went viral, BRS working President, K T Rama Rao extended financial assistance to Darshanam, and the politician received much praise from the netizens. However, Darshanam's interview with PTI soon started making waves on the internet, and he revealed that the BRS government had honoured him with Rs. 1 crore and was also giving him Rs. 10,000 per month for his expenses.
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When Darshanam Mogilaiah was asked about Rs. 1 crore, he revealed that he had spent it on the weddings of his two children. He also revealed that he had purchased some land and was constructing a three-storey house, but the construction stopped mid-way after he ran out of money. As a result, he started working as a daily wage labourer to meet his expenses. When this information went public, netizens started bashing the folk singer for carelessly spending a sum of Rs. 1 crore that had the potential to change his life and give him a comfortable life.
Some people were bashing him, but a large section of society was still urging the government to help him because, in their opinion, Darshanam wasn't educated enough to manage such a significant amount, and there was no need to bash him for this. While the internet was divided on Darshanam's way of spending Rs. 1 crore, everyone came together to praise the iconic folk musician when he passed away on December 19, 2024.
What are your thoughts on Darshanam Mogilaiah's decision to spend Rs. 1 crore on his children's wedding? Let us know.
Also Read: Zakir Hussain's Net Worth: Here's How Much Wealth Tabla Maestro Left For His Wife And Daughters
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