The information below was written by Veer Amanbir Singh, who learned from Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji for a short but memorable period of time.
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji was born on March 5 , 1948, in the house of Bhai Darshan Singh Ji Dilruba. Naturally with a father like his, Bhai Sahib had an interest in Kirtan from a very young age. Bhai Sahib Ji was a natural talent at Kirtan. With such a beautiful voice at a young age, he was invited to do Kirtan at Alwar Samagam in 1974.
Bhai Sahib Ji also played the tabla very well. Sometime around the 1960s he went to Patna Sahib for work. While he was there, he was asked to play tabla with the famed jatha of Bhai Joginder Singh & Gurbachan Singh Ji of Patna Sahib. They were so amazed with how he played that they asked him to play with them for as long as he was there.
Not only was he very skilled with the Vaja and Tabla but he also played the Dilruba very well. As his father was getting older and Bhai Sahib’s skills with the Dilruba were growing, his father one day called him and gave him his Dilruba that he (his father) had hand-crafted himself. His father then said, ‘Ja Sangat Nu Nihal Kar, Hun Tu Seva Niba.’
Bhai Sahib Ji played this same Dilruba for his whole life and despite how old this Dilruba is, it has never broken out of ‘sur’ and always sounded melodious.
Another story I remember is when he was invited to do Kirtan at a University Program where Bhai Balbir Singh Ji was also to do Kirtan. After Bhai Balbir Singh Ji had finished doing Kirtan, Bhai Sahib was called to do Kirtan next. Bhai Balbir Singh Ji was in hurry as he had to go home, but when Bhai Sahib Ji first started doing Kirtan, Bhai Balbir Singh Ji came back from outside and watched in amazement as Bhai Sahib performed. Bhai Balbir Singh Ji then told someone to send a message to Bhai Sahib that he must come to Bhai Balbir Singh Ji’s house to eat.
Bhai Sahib Ji continued doing Kirtan at various Samagams. He was originally from Delhi, but he moved to Chandigarh in mid 1980s. In the early 2000s he was invited various times to Toronto, Canada for Kirtan. Later, in 2011,2012, and 2013, he did kirtan at Windsor, Ontario. On his last tour, he went to Surrey in 2014 and 2015. He left his mark on many students who had the great fortune to learn from him.
Bhai Sahib Ji spent his last few years passing on the Kirtan ‘Shaili’ that is so sparse today. He grew very ill for a few months and wasn’t able to teach or do kirtan. On the fateful morning of December 24, 2017, while listening to Asa Di Vaar as it ended and Ardaas began Bhai Sahib ji passed away peacefully.
If anyone has more recordings of Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji or his father Bhai Darshan Singh Dilruba Ji (Veera Ji), please contact us.
The recording below is from Delhi Samagam 1970s. Accompanying Bhai Sahib Ji are his younger brother, Bhai Mohkam Singh Ji on tabla and Bhai Surjit Singh Ji from Delhi on the side. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji – 01 Dhan So Raj So Rangde
The recordings below are from Delhi Samagam 2004.
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 01 Mohe Na Bisaro Mai Jan
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 02 Moko Tu Na Bisar
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 03 Har Araadh Na Jana Re
We are unsure of the exact date of the recording but it is most probably from 1970-80s. Accompanying Bhai Sahib Ji is his younger sister, Bibi Narvinder Kaur Ji and brother, Bhai Mohkam Singh Ji.
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 01 Amrit Ki Saar Soee Jane
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 02 Mai Prabh Dekhe Bin Needh
The following shabads were contributed by Veer Jaspreet Singh Ji from Chandigarh who learnt from Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji.
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 01 Meri Preet Gobind Sio
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 02 Duro Dekh Dhandhot Kar
The following shabads are from Bhai Sahib’s tour to Vancouver in 2014 where he was accompanied by his younger brother Bhai Hardeep Singh Ji on the side harmonium and his son Bhai Jaspreet Singh Ji on tabla.
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 01 Bisar Gaee Sabh Taat Paraee
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 02 Har Ka Bilovna Bilovo
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 03 Pyare In Bidh Milan Na
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 04 Bolo Bhai Har Kirat
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 05 Man Japiye Har Jagdish
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 06 Tera Naam Rudo Roop Rudo (Raag Bhimplasi)
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 07 Har Bin Kachu Na Lagaee
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 08 Mel Leho Dayaal (Raag Piloo)
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 09 Jaachak Jan Jachai Prabh Naam
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 10 Jaachak Mangai Daan Deh
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 11 Mango Raam Teh Ik Daan
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 12 Gobind Milan Ki Ehe Teri Baria
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 13 Jan Ko Prabh Apne Ka
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 14 So Kich Kar Jit Mail Na
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 15 Aye Mil Gursikh Aye Mil
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 16 Jeh Kirtan Tera Sadhu Gavai (Raag Yaman)
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 17 Koee Gavai Ko Sunai
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 18 Hai Kou Aiso Hamra Meet (Raag Bhimplasi)
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 19 Koee Jan Har Sio Deve Jor
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 20 Laagi Hoe So Janai Peer
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 21 Prabh Ji Tu Mero Sukhdata
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 22 Magher Maahe Sohandian
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 23 At Oocha Ta Ka Darbaara
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 24 Sajan Saee Naal Mai
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 25 Har Ke Loga Moko Neet
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 26 Mann Ki Man Hi
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 27 Man Mere Karte No Salah
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 28 Aape Baho Bidh Rangla Sakhiye Mera
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 29 Mere Man Dhiaye Har Har Naam
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 30 Maee Mere Man Ko Sukh (Raag Bihag)
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 31 Mere Raam Rai Tudh Chit
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 32 Jis Ka Dhan Man Dhan Sabh Tis Ka
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 33 Maadhve Kia Kahiye Pram Aisa
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 34 Mere Raam Raye Jio Rakhe
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 35 Avai Sahib Chit Teria Bhagta
Bhai Malkeet Singh Ji (Chandigarh) – 36 Satgur Mere Ki Vadhaee
Bhai sahib was an amazing kirtania who performed in Akhand kirtani jatha whole his life and elsewhere with his master compositions based on Ragas.His tunes left an everlasting impact on minds of listeners. Children and grandchildren in his family can all perform kirten on his taught tunes.
~Rajinder Pal Singh (his sister’s
son)