Padam Shri Bhai Nirmal Singhji
When it comes to success, one looks back at a lot of things people
are happy about .Those baby steps that only you know of!
Out of those have known you
,there are people who know the price of
your success, for the rest you’re plain lucky!
Padam Shri Raagi Bhai Nirmal Singhji Khalsa in an
interview with Khushdav Singh in Khaas Mulakat Sangat T.V. in U.K.this is what
I unraveled from this interview, other posts on the Youtube …and first hand information
from his random fans ,and my favourite
Ragi, I was shaken when the Pandemic snatched him away.
His parent’s certainly didn’t
know that he was an uncut diamond in need of cutting and polishing !
From very humble beginnings in a
village mother Sardarni Gurdev Kaur, father Sardar Chanan Singhbrought him up
with the only hope that he’d contribute to the meager income. That was not to
be as he was not interested in his father’s trade, which he proudly professes
he knows so well. Much to his father’s chagrin he was neither interested in other
options.
Even as a young boy he was fond
of good music. After the day’s work he’d
sit in front of the radio and listen to Pakistan music programmes consisting of
gazals, songs, shabads…what he liked best was Gulam Ali’s style of singing and
he says he adopted it . The style remained with him even after he underwent
training and learning in music schools by maestros of Indian classical music.
He attributes his renown to his
mother who had faith in him. She parted
with her gold band which he sold for Rupees 30 . She unshackled him from his
attachment towards filial duties, and
encouraged him to run away from home and pursue his passion.
He managed to get admission at
the Shaheed Missionary College Amritsar.a prof. there nicknamed him as Tansen
in recognition to his lovely voice modulations.(Tansan a great singer in the
court of the Mughal king Akbar) Here he
set his heart and mind to accomplish his
dream of becoming the top Ragi at the
Golden temple.
He did become the Hazoori Ragi at
Darbar Saheb! His silky voice resonated all over the world and soon he became a
household name. His Asa Di Vaar started
the day for many a devout Punjabis. He worked hard and sang the Gurbani mellifluously in their stipulated 31 ragaas.
His hard work didn’t go
unnoticed. He was awarded the Padam Shri the highest civilian award in India.So
humble in his stance,he wondered who had nominated him. he had never imagined
such an honour.In the course of a conversation he discovered it was none other
than the then P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh who had suggested
his name. He is the only Raagi who has been conferred with the
award. However, the most important
award he confesses is the faces of his audience who bless him with their
expressions!
In his address to the Punjabi
youth in a college ,he said there is no end to learning.He talked about his
keen desire for knowledge. He would even read from the paper in which goods
were wrapped and sold . He couldn’t study beyond class 5 because of poverty. In
all humility he stated that he has written
2 books well researched based on his experiences in Ragas , Gurmat classical
saangeet, which are prescribed as text books for post graduate students!His
message to the young musicians is that they should learn and render the shabads
in the specified Raagas in order to get the real essence of the meaning of the
word(shabad).Guru Naank was a mystic who along with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana mesmerized
the ‘Kayanath” with his melodious teachings. Music resonates with everyone.
On a serious note,he recalls with
extreme sadness being an eye witness to the attack on Golden Temple in June
1984.It was so frightening. He was on duty in the precincts of the Gurudwara. The
mayhem of thousands of innocents is inexcusable.
He enjoyed his foreign trips
.which provided him the opportunity to explore the world.He has been to 71
countries .Enjoying each one’s culture ,flora , fauna marveling God’s creation.
He related an interesting anecdote about his
meeting his creative inspiration ,his
guru Gulam Ali.In one of his trips abroad to England he learnt that he was
there.It was a great moment for him,off he went to meet him .It was an ecstatic moment ,when the Ustad told him that he knew
him as an admirable Hazoori Raagi.His respect was reciprocated and the two
became family from then on.
Such was his simplicity, love for
learning and spreading the message of God , having the good of all at heart. His
calling was singing and his endeavour was to compose good music and sing God’s
praise for the people. He was a rustic, straightforward
perhaps that is why he won the hearts of one and all!
His was a singleness of purpose
to popularize singing God’s praise in the classical overtones.This is no small
part of his greatness.It has been his ability to inspire and rediscover the
greatness of the verses in the Guru Granth Saeb that are written with the length,
metre and beat in keeping with the Ragaas. He believed that we are fortunate to
have inherited such wealth of knowledge.
This tradition of Gurmat Sangeet should
be carried on!
s
