Durban - While some children spent their weekends and school holidays playing games, Port Shepstone musician Saroop Suthurgam sold glass bottles and scrap steel to buy a guitar.
Recalling his childhood, Suthurgam, now 54, and a procurement buyer, said his love for music was ignited by his uncle, Sunny Gunpath, a former singer with an Umzinto-based band.
“Whenever I visited his home in Umzinto, I would ask him to sing for me and I would join in. He had a strong, powerful voice,” said Suthuram.
His parents were unable to buy him a guitar, so at the age of seven he made one.
“I used to mimic guitarists I saw at weddings and birthday parties,” he said.
The strong willed youngster then began selling empty glass bottles and scrap metal to raise money to buy a proper guitar.
He bought his first guitar for R25. The self-taught musician said he was finally able to hone his skills and after matriculating worked part-time buying and selling musical instruments.
He played for bands including The Revolvers, Khilona Sounds and Chand Sitare.
One of the highlights of his career was recording eight songs alongside Tansen Nepaul at the SABC studios in Durban.
The songs were aired on Lotus FM.
Suthurgam, a father of two, now heads his own band, Ashana Sungeeth, and performs in and around Port Shepstone. He attributes his success to his supportive wife, Asha Devi.