Bhai Sital Singh Sitara hails from the village of Nangal-Khera located near the city of Phagwara in the district of Kapurthala. He was born into the home of Sardar Dharam Singh Ji and Mata Chanan Kaur Ji in 1939. At the age of 2, he fell ill which resulted in the loss of his sight. He was sent to learn music at the age of 10 from the renowned master of Gurmat Sangeet, Prof. Darshan Singh Komal, who was custodian of the vast knowledge passed down by Bhai Sain Ditta Ji. Bhai Sital Singh Sitara spent 7 years learning the intricacies of Gurmat Sangeet from Komal Ji, after which he had to follow his family to Nairobi, Kenya in 1957 due to his father’s work. Once settled there, he started to perform Kirtan in the Gurdwaras and gradually he began to teach Kirtan as well. Around the age of 18 to 19, he also started performing on the radio, mostly either singing or accompanying other artists on tabla and the violin. In 1965, he got married to Bibi Parminder Kaur in Nairobi.
Bhai Sital Singh Ji held a British passport and in 1972 he settled in the UK permanently. Once, he performed in the Gurdwara Sahib in Slough along with two of his ‘gurubhais’, Bhai Gian Singh Surjit and Bhai Ajit Singh Mutlashi. They sang a composition set to 10 and a half beats. The Sangat appreciated their performance very much and they gained wide recognition after this performance. Since then, Bhai Sital Singh Sitara has performed in many Raag Darbars across the UK and besides that, he has also taught Kirtan to hundreds, if not thousands of children. He is adept at performing in various Raags set to complex Taals of which some can be heard in the recordings below.
One of his many achievements include a joint venture with three of his friends who were also visually impaired. These three friends include Bhai Gian Singh Surjit, Bhai Rajinder Singh Bhatti and Bhai Avtar Singh Mann. Together, they set up the Guru Nanak Missionary Blind Society in Britain. Subsequently, they also established the Guru Nanak Mission Netarheen Birdh Ashram in Phagwara which has been operational for almost three decades since 1993. This Ashram serves as a charity centre for the blind, orphans, elderly and physically disabled. They provide vocational training in Braille, music, painting, sewing and various other useful skills. At the moment there are between 150-200 children at the Ashram and every year about 15 to 20 of them get employed after graduation.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara and Bhai Gian Singh Surjit also collaborated to publish a book related to Gurmat Sangeet for the future generations to learn from. This book was dedicated to their teacher, Prof. Darshan Singh Komal, and it was titled ‘Gurbani Komal Sangeet’. Currently, Bhai Sital Singh Ji Sitara is over 80 years old and is one of the last few remaining students of Komal Ji who continues to delight the Sangat with his Kirtan. If anyone has more recordings of Bhai Sital Singh Sitara, please contact us.
The following recordings were contributed by Sardar Nachatar Singh Sahota. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Gur Ki Tek Rahon Din Rat
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Gur Pure Ki Wadiayee
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Har Jas Re Mana Gae Ley – 1975
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Khub Khub Khub Tero Nam (Bairagi Bhirav – Partal)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Re Man Oat Leo Har Nama (Ramkali – Trishna Taal 22 Beats) – 1975
The recordings below are from a Rain Sabayee Kirtan program on 26th December 1980 in London. These were also contributed by Sardar Nachatar Singh Sahota.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Bhulleo Man Mayea Urjhayeo (Kalavatii) Part 1
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Bhulleo Man Mayea Urjhayeo (Kalavatii) Part 2
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Mayee Main Dhan Payeo Har Naam Part 1
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Mayee Main Dhan Payeo Har Naam Part 2
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Re Man Oat Leho Har Nama (Ramkali)
The following recordings are from a Kirtan Darbar held on 28th August 1977 in Southall, UK.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Har Jan Bolat Sri Ram Naama (Mian Ki Malhar)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Sodhi Srisht Sagal Taaran Ko
The recording below was contributed by Sardar Sarwan Singh Ji from UK. He is also providing tabla accompaniment in this recording.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara & S.Sarwan Singh – Baras Ghana Mera Pir Ghar Aaya (Malhar)
The recordings below were contributed by Veer Pertahp Singh Tuli from Toronto, Canada.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Saranee Aaio Naath Nidhaan (Kedara)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Paap Sanbooh Binaasan Kau
The following recordings are from a Kirtan program held on 10th October 2009 at Nanaksar Thaat.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Guru Ramdas Rakho Sarnaee (Komalkauns)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Ab Guru Ramdas Ko Mili Vadayee
The following Shabad was obtained from the Kirtan Legends channel on Youtube. Please visit their channel for more treasures of the past.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – Jehva Ek Kavan Gun Kahiye (1978)
The following Shabads are from the album ‘Bhaj Man Mere Eako Naam’.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Sun Vadbhagiya Har Amrit Bani Ram
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Har Har Naam Diyo Gur Sathe
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 03 Aaukhi Ghadi Na Dekhan Deyee
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 04 Har Jeo Tu Sukh Sampat Rass
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 05 Tu Dariaao Dana Bina
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 06 Bhaj Man Mere Eako Naam
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 07 Kar Kirpa Prabh Deen Dayala
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 08 Raakh Pita Prabh Mere
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 09 Prabh Ji Tu Mere Pran Adhare
*New Recordings Added – 22nd December 2020
The following recordings were digitized from spools that were kindly contributed by Sardar Joginder Singh Kalsi. Please check out his Youtube channel ‘Joginder Kalsi’ for more interesting content.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Shaan
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Sun Yaar Hamare Sajan (Desi Todi)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 03 Chim Chim Varse Amrit Dhara (with Katha)
*New Recordings Added – 19th October 2021
The recordings below were kindly contributed to the Sikh Education Service by Sardar Tarlochen Singh Mohr from Coalport, Shropshire, UK. Some of these are clearer recordings of those previously uploaded, so there may be some duplicates.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Tu Dariyao Daana Beena
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Sabh Avgun Main Gun Nahi Koye
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 03 Re Man Ot Leho Har Naama (Ramkali)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 04 Har Jas Re Manaa Gaye Le
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 05 Mere Sahiba Kaun Jane
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 06 Har Jan Bolat Sri Ram Naama (Malhaar – Partaal)
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 07 Sodhi Shrist Sagal Taaran Ko (Incomplete)
The recordings below are from a program held in conjunction with Sheik Farid Ji’s birthday celebration in Walthamstow, London in 1987. These recordings were kindly contributed by Gurnam Bahra.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Raga Intro with Violin
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 02 Khair Deeje Bandagi
The following recordings were contributed by Dr. Manjit Singh Hunjin, who is a very talented artist. Please check out his Instagram page ‘AmsimeetArt’.
Bhai Sital Singh Sitara – 01 Ram Gusiayan Ji Ke Jeevna (Deshkar)
Bhai sital singh Ji sitara is very talented ragi in UK. I met him at the kirtan darbar in Singh sabha southall in 1974. Sitara ju performed kirtan in laxmi tall in rag bairag bhairav. The recording is on site. He is another excellent student of komal Ji. Many thanks to kirten sewa to share such a great kirtan by sitara Ji.
I learnt from Ustad Ji, all I can say is that diamonds are very rare and hard to find. Very few Ustads offer material to learn openly, Ustad ji travelled from East London to Coventry via London Underground and then train for over 10 years. During this time he faced racial abuse, horrendous discrimination, and difficult journeys but none of these deterred him. His passion for teaching islegendary. Most Ustads expect students to come to them or command high payments. Ustad Sital Singh Sitara is dedicated to passing on his knowledge, I have personally witnessed many many well known classical Kirtani’s and other Ustads coming to Ustad Ji to learn, many of them did this quietly and in private. I hope that this site can fulfil its potential in promoting and passing on this beautiful gift of Gurbani Kirtan.
Gurfateh Ji, thank you for sharing this very valuable information regarding Ustad Sital Singh Ji. It is wonderful to hear personal experiences of all those who come into contact with such great Kirtaniye. Thank you for the support and wishes.
Iost for words. Just pure bliss.
Virdee ji, if you have more recordings or photos of any kirtanees you wish uploaded here, please do contact sevadaar in Northampton mrharkiratsingh@sky.com 07968 143546
As a young child, I remember seeing Master Ji singing Kirtan; I was immediately transformed: his energy, skill and spontaneity captured my mind, heart and soul.
Waheguruji ka Khalsa Waheguruji ki Fateh. So much thankful to you for putting this legendary kirtan of Bhai saheb Shital Singhji Sitara. What a awesome singing. Touches the heart. Met him in UK in 1991 and listened his Kirtan. Once again thank you very much. Waheguruji bhala karye.
Guruji SitaraJi is a rare and unique Master of Kirtan and music. We are so grateful for the precious times we shared with him, learning music from him and listening to his stories and jokes. He has such an amazing personality, so vibrant, full of life and humour. Once you meet him you will never forget him as someone said before diamonds are rare and Guruji is truly a remarkable Master, unforgettable.
WaheGuru.
Bhai Sahib Gyani Sital Singh Sitara was the main Kirtanian at Sri Gurdwara Bazaar/ Juja Road Gurdwara , Nairobi from 1958 to 1972.
He sung my elder brother’ Harbhajan Singh Ssngha’s lavan on December 9,1962 when he got married to Malkeet Kaur (Mandir) daughter of S. Sewa Singh Mandair, President of Gurdwara Bazaar Society that managed Sri Gurdwara Bazaar and Juja Road Gurdwara.
He also sung four lavan when I got married to Sarbjit Kaur (Nijjar), daughter of S. Harbans Singh Nijjar , on December 10th, 1967 at Juja Road Gurdwara.