Bhai Vishan Shah Singh

The information below regarding Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji was written by his son, Harmeet Shah Singh, a renowned journalist.

Born in 1927 at Dera Ismail Khan in what is now in Pakistan, Bhai Sahib Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji moved to East Punjab in 1947. In the early years after the partition, he spent time in Sri Amritsar Sahib, listening to Kirtan at Sri Darbar Sahib. With a gifted melodious voice, sur and devotion, he imbibed Kirtan singing by the grace of Guru Ramdas Patshah.

THE SHAH LEGACY

The Shah family he was born in has its own rich history linked to the Guru period. Bhai Soma Ji, then a teen, would donate all his daily earnings from selling snacks towards the sewa of the holy sarovar. Guru Ramdas Patshah blessed Bhai Soma with the title Shah. During Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s period, Bhai Soma Shah Ji’s descendent, Bhai Mehar Shah, took amrit and Guru Sahib asked him to retain Shah as his middle name and add Singh as his last. Since then, the male members of the Shah family in the Sikh community use Shah as their middle and Singh as their last names.

KIRTAN – THE ULTIMATE CALLING

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji also had a stint as a schoolteacher. He was skilled in history, mathematics, English, Urdu, and Gurmukhi. He had a beautiful handwriting. A perfectionist of sort with a strong ability to grasp. But Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji realised Kirtan was his ultimate calling. Indeed it was. He came in contact with the legend Bhai Surjan Singh Ji, who took him as his saathi on the harmonium. Some recordings, courtesy of digital revolution, have appeared in public domain recently where Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji can be heard alongside Bhai Surjan Singh Ji. Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji formed his own jatha after Bhai Surjan Singh Ji’s passing. Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji had an incredible memory. He memorised Baani vastly from Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the writings of Bhai Gurdas, Bhai Nand Lal and verses from other secondary sources. He travelled widely – from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, Afghanistan, Iran, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

NOT AFTER FAME

Despite his immense talent, Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji never ran after fame. Rather, Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji avoided it.

FAMILY

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji empowered his children – five daughters and a son – with the best education he could afford. His wife, Bibi Jaswant Kaur, was a homemaker. His son, Harmeet Shah Singh, is a journalist who has served several top-notch Indian and international media outlets, including CNN international, and is currently an Editor with the India Today Group.

THE VOICE LIVES

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji passed in 2000 from a heart condition, but his voice lives with us, rendering the sublime and immortal Guru ka Kirtan in a unique style. Depth, clarity, sur, and above all, the slowness that helps transport the listening soul up to the Divine in a natural rhythm.

The large collection of recordings below were obtained from Bhai Vishan Shah Singh Ji’s son, Harmeet Shah Singh. Please visit his Youtube channel ‘Harmeet Singh’ for video recordings of his father. Please ‘right click’ and ‘save link as’ to download audio files. Enjoy!

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 01 Prabh Jio Khasmana Kar Piare

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 02 Asa Di Vaar (Har Amrit Bhinne Loena)

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 03 Mai Mohe Pritam Deho Milaayi

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 04 Asa Di Vaar (Har Prem Bani Man)

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 05 Jis Ka Diyaa Painey Khaye

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 06 Asa Di Vaar (Hum Moorakh Mugadh)

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 07 Main Duhaagan Kit

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 08 Trintey Mehr Karo

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 09 Asa Di Vaar (Deen Dayaal Sun Benti Har)

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 10 Mukat Bhugat Jugat Teri Seva

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 11 Asa Di Vaar (Gurmukh Dhood Dhoodediya)

Bhai Vishan Shah Singh – 12 Ho Na Chodo Kant Pasra (Incomplete)