Daler wants a 'Green Delhi'

It was a professional trip to Delhi that changed singer Daler Mehndi’s life forever. The singer was here to charm Delhi’s people with his performance, but it was the city that charmed him.
Now, he proudly boasts of being a pakka Dilliwallah. “I came to Delhi for a concert and had gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Bangla Sahib. I don’t know what happened, but it was an eye-opening experience.I prayed that if the Guru wanted to give me something, he should make me stay here so that I can visit Him often. And I was blessed,” says Daler.
The singer calls the city ‘apni Dilli’. Ask him what else he likes here, and he says, “Only Guru ka ghar. Mera Delhi se jo naata hai woh kabhi toot nahin sakta. From learning the nuances of life, to the importance of hard work – I have picked up so many things here. Because of my professional engagements, I have not been able to frequent the gurdwaras, but I go there, sit and listen to shabads whenever I get even an hour,” says Daler.
It’s been more than 10 years since Daler moved to Delhi. “This city will always be very special. It hasn’t and won’t ever change for me. I feel I have been staying here forever,” he adds. A sprawling farmhouse and another house in a posh West Delhi locality is what he’s gifted himself so far. “These are my homes. Whenever I want to chill, I go to the farm, the rest of the time I prefer staying at home,” he says.
It’s not only music that Daler is passionate about – the singer is also an environmentalist. “I love Delhi so much that at times, I sit with my friends and think of what we can do for its betterment,” he says. And that’s why Daler has initiated a green drive. “The idea is to make Dilli hari bhari. With more vehicles and development happening at a rapid pace, the felling of trees has become common. I am very attached to the environment, so I decided to start a plantation drive. I have set a target of 50 lakh saplings, which are to be planted on the route starting from the Delhi airport to Connaught Place.” Daler is in talks with other singers to become a part of his mission. “I want to add fragrance to Delhi air, that’s why I have ordered fragrant plants. There will also be plants with medicinal value.”
Dilli dilwalon ki hai: Mika
Daler’s brother Mika is also very attached to the capital. “That’s where my heart is. Everywhere else I go, it’s only for work,” he says. His bond with Delhi was strengthened when he landed here 15 years ago. “I was trying my luck at that time. A friend advised me to stay in Delhi and then move to Mumbai. But destiny had something else in store for me. After a brief stint here as a struggler, I could never think of stepping out,” says Mika, adding, “I don’t think there’s any place here where I have not stayed. But by the grace of God, I made my own house here. Nobody leaves home by choice. I am very attached to this amazing city. Dilli dilwalon ki hai... that’s what I have realized. At least I have peace of mind here. Yes, my work makes me travel around the world, but in the end I come back home,” he says. “I am here because I feel like a king here. Everything appears to be mine. I can go out to eat or on a drive... I really love all this. And the best part is the mad traffic of this city, which drives me crazy!”
Besides singing in various languages – Bengali is the latest – this singer wants to come up with a special song dedicated to Delhi. “I have been thinking about it and it will happen soon,” he says.
Mika also has a cause close to his heart. He plans to start a drive against road rage and rash driving. “I will teach people driving sense through my music,” he says.
He plans to hold musicals modelled on nukkad nataks to sensitise people to the perils of rash driving. “By doing this, if I can contribute to society, I will be more than happy. Anything for meri Dilli. Chahe jaan bhi le lo,” he signs off.
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