Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Ye chamak ye damak- fame Bhajan singer Pandit Sudhir Vyas said the song was not a tribute to Lord Ram or any particular deity. “It is dedicated to our creator, the supreme being,” he said, adding that it was not only about Hinduism but also about all religions. “Some Muslims have told me that they sing this song in mosques,” he said.

65-year-old Vyas who is the city to take part in a programme, has been making musical presentations of Sunderkand - a chapter of Ramcharitmanas - for about 35- years in India and abroad. In an interview with Free Press, Vyas said that many of his fans have conveyed to him that the song was a stress-buster and helped them unwind after day’s work.

Many young mothers have written to him saying that it is a lullaby for their babies. He shot to fame with his chartbuster, Ye chamak ye dhamak, the release of which coincided with the inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024. The song was liked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister chief Yogi Adityanath.

The video of the song featuring him has had more than 200 million views. Vyas’s YouTube channel has 3.79 lakh followers. The devotional video was shot at a Hanuman Temple in Rajwada, Indore. “This is the second version of the song. The first was recorded in 2019. He said he has had no formal training in music and has learned singing on his own. “My parents were very religious and when I was child, my mother gave me food only after I recited five chaupais from Sunderkand and shlokas from the Bhagwat,” he said.

About the Dig Up India campaign to look for temples underneath every mosque and places revered by Muslims, Vyas said that it was politics. “God doesn’t reside in any temple, mosque or church. He is in our hearts, he is everywhere, he is in every particle,” Vyas said. “Everyone who resides in India is a Hindu and all Muslims are former Hindus. “India has seen several waves of assailants - Shak, Hun, Muslims and British but Sanatan religion has survived and it will live on,” he said.