Bhai Surinder Singh (Patna Sahib)

Bhai Surinder Singh Ji was born in 1950 to Sardar Kesar Singh Ji and Mata Rajwant Kaur Ji in Amritsar, Punjab. His early upbringing fostered a deep interest in music, influenced significantly by his father, who was a Granthi in undivided Punjab. Following the partition of Punjab, his family resettled in India. Between 1966 and 1968, Bhai Surinder Singh Ji studied music under the guidance of Ustad Allaudin Khan at his academy in Mehar, Madhya Pradesh. Notably, Ustad Allaudin Khan was the father of sarod virtuoso Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and the father-in-law of sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Together with his younger brothers, Bhai Mohinder Singh Ji and Bhai Ravinder Singh Ji, Bhai Surinder Singh Ji established a ‘jatha’ and began performing Kirtan. They served as Hazoori Raagis at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib from 1972 to 1976. In 1976, during a one-month duty at Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, their Asa Di Vaar Kirtan caught the attention of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, the acting president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Impressed, Sant Harchand Singh personally intervened to invite them to Amritsar, where he facilitated their transfer from Patna Sahib after writing a formal request to terminate their service there. This marked the beginning of their dedicated Kirtan service in Amritsar.

During the tumultuous months spanning June to August 1984, amidst and in the aftermath of Operation Bluestar, they bravely challenged the corrupt authorities by reciting Shabads such as ‘Kuta Raj Bahaliye Phir Chakki Chatte’ and ‘Jaikaar Kio Dharamiaan Ka Papi Kou Dand Deeoai’, resulting in multiple legal cases against their jatha by central and state governments. Subsequent to these events in 1984, the Akal Takht summoned Giani Zail Singh, former President of India, and Sardar Buta Singh, former Home Minister of India, to Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Ji, where they were formally declared ‘Tankhaiya’ and subsequently excommunicated. During this pivotal gathering, the jatha of Bhai Surinder Singh Ji was entrusted with performing Kirtan.

In 1977, their jatha produced several widely acclaimed Shabad Gurbani cassette recordings, garnering significant popularity across India and internationally. Their talent earned them admiration overseas, leading to a Kirtan tour of Singapore and Thailand in 1979. In 1985, they were honored with a gold medal at Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Amritsar. Bhai Surinder Singh Ji and jatha also received profound appreciation and love from leading Sikh personalities such as Sant Kartar Singh Bhindrawale, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, and Giani Sant Singh Maskeen. From 1988 to 1998, Bhai Sahib also served as Hazoori Raagi at Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib. Bhai Surinder Singh Ji passed away peacefully in Amritsar in December 2010.

We welcome any additional recordings of Bhai Surinder Singh Ji’s Kirtan that anyone may wish to share.

The large collection of recordings below are from the collection of late Sardar Amir Singh Ji from Singapore. These were recorded by him and we purchased copies from him during our regular visits to Singapore in the 1990s. The recordings are labelled according to volumes. If anyone has the missing volumes from this collection, please contact us. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!

3 Replies to “Bhai Surinder Singh (Patna Sahib)”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply