Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj hailed from the city of Kota, Rajasthan which is now a popular coaching hub of the country. Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj was blessed with a uniquely melodious and cultured voice which captivated anyone who heard him. The people of Kota had given him the nickname ‘Mohd. Rafi of Rajasthan’. He also had a deep knowledge of Raags and had won numerous gold medals in classical music competitions in Rajasthan. He was very popular among the Sangat of Rajasthan from the 1960s onward until his death in 1980. Whenever he performed Kirtan in the local Gurdwaras, a large crowd would gather to listen to him. Due to his popularity, there were some who were jealous of his talent and success. On one fateful day, he and his saathi, Bhai Ajit Singh were given drinks laced with poison just before they went on to stage to perform Kirtan. Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj was about to begin his Alaap but his voice would not come out. Moments later, he passed away on stage followed by Bhai Ajit Singh Ji two hours later. The information above was narrated to me by Bhai Harbans Singh Suraj who was a friend to Bhai Gurmukh Singh Ji and was also greatly influenced by him. To honour the memory of Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj, Bhai Harbans Singh Ji adopted the title ‘Suraj’. If anyone has more recordings or photos of Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj, please contact us.
The following recordings were contributed by Bhai Harbans Singh Suraj. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!
Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj – 01 Hey Rav Hey Sas (Todi)
Bhai Gurmukh Singh Suraj – 02 Tin Bediyan Ki Kul Bikhai (Basant Bahar)