Bhai Bakhshish Singh, A Remarkable Raagi

 (During my life span, I thoroughly enjoyed the kirtan (the recitation o Gurbani with the aid of musical instruments) of three raagis namely late Bhai Gopal Singh, Prof. Darshan Singh and late Bhai Bakhshish Singh. On the asking of Prof. Harbans Singh, the encyclopaedist, I contributed the following article which was published in The Tribune dated October 26, 1991.)

Bhai Bakhshish Singh (1933 – 1990) was a remarkable raagi, versatile in his art, equally at ease in classical as well as less formal modes of kirtan.Through his silver voice he brought home to audiences in India and abroad the excellence and deep spirituality of Sikh devotional music. One met friends in many parts of the world proudly playing cassettes of shabads sung by him.

The hymns in Sri Guru Granth Sahib are divided into 31 ragas in which they are meant to be sung. In the hands of Guru Nanak and his spiritual successors, kirtan became a means of strengthening the bonds that brought members of the Sikh brotherhood closer to one another.

Whether members of the sangat were active participants in the kirtan or sat through the session as silent listeners, it always resulted in strong emotional rapport among them.

There is hardly an occasion in a Sikh household, be it birth, marriage, or death, which is not performed with kirtan.

Bhai Bakhshish Singh was conversant with almost all the ragas included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. There was charm, magic and grace in his voice which made the audience spell – bound. He sang Bilawal, Deepak, Asa Bhairvi, Ramkali Nat – Bhairav, Toddi, Tukhari, Shari, Manjh, Gauri, Purvi, Basant, Jog, Sorath maru, Bihagra, Kannada, Jai Jai Wanti, Megha, Malhar, Kedara and Kalyan. He had a good grounding and perfect grip over dhuns, tarz, bandish and reet.

Bhai Sahib’s father Bhai Kirpal Singh, a Hazuri raagi and Bhai Sahib’s mentor Sant Baba Kharak Singh, were musicians of high order and they left an indelible impact on Bhai Bakhshish Singh, who was, indeed a symbolic representative of friendliness, humility and devotion.

Bhai Bakhshish Singh had photographic memory and he could sing any shabad as and when asked to do so by the sangat. He was declared a winner of the gurbani and shabad kirtan contest held by the Punjab Government in connection with Guru Nanak’s quincentenary celebrations at Ludhiana.

For that, he was honoured with Bhai Mardana Award on 22.03.1971. He was also honoured with Shiromani raagi award and many more for rendering classic touch to the shabads. He had served the Sikh sangat as a Hazuri raagi at Sri Darbar Singh, Tarn Taran Gurdwara, Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Gurdwara Tut Gandanhar, Muktsar, Gurdwara Sri Dukhniwaran Sahib, Patiala and Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar.

He was famous and respected figure among the sangat and people from Baramulla to Bidar, and from Ahmedabad to Calcutta, invited him time and again.

With his untimely and unfortunate death, the Sikhs have lost one of the best musicians and the void so created cannot be filled easily.

The following lines represent his feelings before his death:

“On my death each one did cry

He was a friend of mine.

But none did care to find

to whom said I, and what, and

whence was I.”