Renowned Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan is all over the news as he released his latest album ‘Sound of Soil’. While promoting the album, Gurdas Maan has been entertaining his fans with several anecdotes and tales. However, in a recent interview with Mashable India, he recalled a tragic car accident and shared his personal story of loss. He remembered that before the crash, Tejpal, his driver and friend, had urged him to put on his seatbelt.
Gurdas Maan described a terrifying incident when he came back from a Lohri programme ‘Maan Hi Maan’ at Punjab University. He was supposed to go for the darshan of Sai Ji. The singer remembered that his wife was suffering from a migraine and told him she couldn’t accompany him, suggesting he go with Tejpal instead.
Sharing the tragic story, Gurdas Maan said that he was in a sleepy state, “Hum jab gaadi me baithe, mujhe neend bhi aa rahi hai aur maine paath bhi karna hai. Main paath karte karte, beech mein neend aajaati, jhatka lagta tha. Toh fir mai paresaan hogya. Maine kaha yaar ‘Tejpal mujhe neend aa rahi aur mujhe paath bhi karna hai aur mai beech me soo hi jau toh mujhe maaf karna.’ Kehta ‘Paaji ek kaam karo aap belt laga lo’. Pehli baar main aage baitha hoon, nahi toh mai peeche baitha hoon. Aur usne meri belt lagwa di. (When I sit in the car, I am feeling sleepy and I also have to chant. While chanting, I used to fall asleep and get bumped. Then I got worried. I said to my friend ‘Tejpal, I am feeling drowsy and I also have to chant, and if I sleep in between then please forgive me.’ He says ‘Paaji do one thing, you put on your seatbelt.’ This is the first time I sat in the front, otherwise, I sat at the back and he made me put on the belt.)
Elaborating on the incident, he said, “Kurali seher hai, waha jaake accident hua. Koi pata nhi hai, neend me hoon. Aur accident kab ho gaya kis tarah ho gaya koi pata nhi hai, main soya hoon. Maine dekha hi nahi, kuch bhi pata nahi (In Kurali city, the accident happened. I don’t know, I was sleeping. I don’t know when and how the accident happened. I was sleeping. I did not see it, I don’t know anything).”
Gurdas Maan on Seeing Friend’s Dead Body
The singer recalled feeling the weight of driver Tejpal’s broken hand on his shoulders during the accident. He mentioned that he was drowsy and in a sleepy state after the accident when people pulled him from the car and when he regained consciousness, he saw Tejpal’s body.
Gurdas Maan said, “Jab main neeche dekha, toh Tejpal ki laas padi hui thi. Maine kaha mujhe thodi der baithne do. Mai waha khade hoke, usko salute karke chal diya (When I looked down, Tejpal’s body was lying there. I said, let me sit for a while. I stood up, saluted him and left).”
He also mentioned that after the fatal accident, he wrote a song in remembrance of his friend.
Sharing the meaning of the line, he said, “Jab meri aankhein khuli aur wo jo khumaari thi utar gayi, baithi mere naal sawari utar gayi (When I opened my eyes, the intoxication went away. The passenger sitting next to me went away).”
