Bhai Piara Singh Ji was born in village 296 of Gojra Mandi in Lyallpur, Pakistan into the home of Sardar Punjab Singh Ji and Mata Aas Kaur Ji. He spent most of his childhood tending to his family’s crops while at the same time, he learned Punjabi in one of the local Gurdwaras from the Granthi Sahib. Besides that, he was also interested in wrestling and singing folk songs.
One day, he accompanied some of his friends to pay a casual visit to Sant Sujan Singh Ji with the hopes of listening to him sing. At that point of time, Sant Sujan Singh Ji was still known as Master Sujan Singh. He invited them in and told them that before listening to him, each of them would have to sing something for him too. When the turn of Bhai Piara Singh Ji came, he sang a folk song in such a pleasing manner that it touched Sant Sujan Singh Ji’s soul. Sant Sujan Singh Ji told him “Today you have come to listen to me. If you have full faith in our Guru, a time will come when people will believe it to be their great fortune to listen to you. Go and fetch some ‘gur’ (jaggery), a turban and a quarter rupee”. When Bhai Piara Singh Ji went home and informed his mother of this, she was initially against it, but his father approved of it and handed him the items requested and sent him off. Bhai Piara Singh Ji spent many years learning Kirtan from Sant Sujan Singh Ji. When the time came for him to leave and serve the Sangat, Sant Baba Nand Singh Ji told him “Go and perform Kirtan in the house of Guru Nanak, and Guru Ji will bless you”. With those words etched in his mind, Bhai Piara Singh Ji went on to serve the Sikh Sangat. One of the Gurdwaras that he performed in until the partition of Punjab in 1947 was Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.
Following the partition, Bhai Piara Singh Ji settled in the village of Mirpur Jattan in the district of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab, India. Between 1950 to 1951, he was appointed as Head Raagi in Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib in Patiala. He was then urged by Giani Mahinder Singh Ji, Sant Chanan Singh Ji and Sant Fateh Singh Ji to serve as a Hazoori Raagi in Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. He performed Kirtan in Sri Harmandir Sahib for approximately 10 years. Prior to the division of Punjab, his Kirtan used to be aired on Lahore Radio Station and following partition he also served as a radio artist with All India Radio, Jalandhar. Recording companies such as Polydor and HMV released several albums of Bhai Piara Singh Ji’s Kirtan which remain popular even until today.
Bhai Piara Singh Ji passed away peacefully on 7th March 1987 in Patiala and left behind five sons and one daughter. One of his sons, Bhai Jagtar Singh, who was a very talented tabla player has passed away since. His other four sons include Bhai Jaswant Singh, Bhai Manjit Singh, Bhai Jagdeep Singh and Bhai Satbir Singh. All of them have followed in their father’s footsteps and served as Hazoori Raagis in Sri Harmandir Sahib. His eldest son, Bhai Jaswant Singh Ji retired after almost 50 years of service. Currently, Bhai Jaswant Singh Ji’s son, Bhai Sarbjit Singh (UK) is the third generation who is continuing this legacy. The information above was obtained from Bhai Jaswant Singh Ji’s book, ‘Hastakhar’. If anyone has more recordings of Bhai Piara Singh Ji or his sons, please contact us.
The two Shabads below were recorded in 1969 during a Raag Darbar held in conjunction with Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 500 year Avtar Dihara. Other Raagis who performed in this Raag Darbar include Ustad Sohan Singh and Bhai Bakshish Singh. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!
Bhai Piara Singh – Aapae Raseeaa Aap Ras Aapae Raavanehaar (Sriraag)
Bhai Piara Singh – Tau Darshan Ki Karo Samaye (Tilang)
The following Shabads were contributed by Sardar Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba who runs the oldest Punjabi Panthic monthly magazine, Sant Sipahi. Please check out the Sant Sipahi website at the following link https://santsipahi.org/
Bhai Piara Singh – 01 Kabir Kasouti Ram Ki (Darbari)
Bhai Piara Singh – 02 Sudhtaa Ki Shaan Ho
Bhai Piara Singh – 03 Waho Waho Gobind Singh
A Shabad recorded live in Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. This recording was contributed by Veer Gagan Singh from Chicago. He and his brother run the ‘ws3ks3‘ channel on Youtube. Please check out their channel for more treasures.
Bhai Piara Singh – Awal Allah Noor Upaya
Asa Di Vaar recording of Bhai Piara Singh Ji.
Bhai Piara Singh – Asa Di Vaar
An EP released by Polydor record label in 1974.
Bhai Piara Singh – 01 Sa Rut Suhaavi
Bhai Piara Singh – 02 E Due Naina
Shabads from the album ‘Koi Aan Milave’.
Bhai Piara Singh – 01 Koee Aan Milave Mera
Bhai Piara Singh – 02 Eh Doe Naina Mat
Bhai Piara Singh – 03 Ho Reh Na Saka Bin Dekhe
Bhai Piara Singh – 04 Vade Mere Sahiba Gehar Gambira
Bhai Piara Singh – 05 Jan Nanak Teri Vadi Kamaee
Bhai Piara Singh – 06 Gopal Tera Aarta
Shabads from the album ‘Preetam Manmohana Ghat Sohana’.
Bhai Piara Singh – 01 Nahi Chodoon Re Baba Raam Naam
Bhai Piara Singh – 02 Sawan Saras Mana
Bhai Piara Singh – 03 Mohe Machhli Tum Neer
Bhai Piara Singh – 04 Tu Hi Nishani Jeet Ki
Bhai Piara Singh – 05 Hum Ghar Sajan Aaye
Bhai Piara Singh – 06 Bhini Raineriye
Bhai Piara Singh – 07 Mitter Piare Noo
Bhai Piara Singh – 08 Att Pritam Manmohna Ghat Sohna
The following Shabads are from the album ‘Shabads of Guru Nanak’.
Bhai Piara Singh – Baba Man Matwaro Naam Ras Piwai
Bhai Piara Singh – Hamre Ghar Aya Jagjivan
Wow, lovely blessed voice
Excellent kirtan by Bhai sahib Ji. We used to listen to his kirtan at younger age from radio on some gurpurab in India. All of his sons, are good kirtan too. Thanks for sharing the kirtan files with all the sangat.
Waheguru ji da khalsa waheguru ji di fathe
Really very touching voice.. I use to listen his Kirtan for more than 40 years.. Such a miraculous voice come from radio and brought us to Shri Darbar Sahib.. Thanks for sharing Bhai Sahib Ji’s collections…,????
After B Piara Singh ji ,no body could fill up the space,which he left.May Waheguru ji grant him eternal peace.
The voice of bhai Piara singh ji is so fine that I love to listen his all music and shabad. I came to know about him in one shabad Prabh dori haath tumare by sri Harjinder singh ji srinagar wale.