Second Annual Ahluwalia Memorial Lectures on Sikhism, April 24-26, 2001

The second guest under the auspices of this lecture series was Bhai Baldeep Singh. He presented a lecture titled
Sikh Kirtan, on Tuesday, April 24th and a musical performance with Pandit Man Mohan Singh (on tabla), on Thursday, April 26th.

Pandit Man Mohan Singh, Bhai Baldeep Singh and Joginder Ahluwalia (left to right)

Bhai Baldeep Singh is a 13th generation singer of the Sikh Kirtan Marayada. He studied under his grand uncles, Bhai Avatar Singh and Bhai Gurcharan Singh. He was privledged to have received an enormous repertoire from them including a series of pieces composed by the Sikh Gurus themselves.

He has studied jori-pakhawaj in the Amritsar style from the legendary Ustad Bhai Arjan Singh Tarangar (1900-1995). Bhai Baldeep Singh has been undergoing intensive training in Nada Yoga and Dhrupad from Ustad Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar for almost a decade. He has also been closely associated with the Talwandi School of Dhrupad Gayaki and is learning from Ustad M. Hafiz Khan of Lahore.

He has revived early string instruments such as the taus, sarinda and the rabab to restore the living guidance of the Kirtan Parampara. He deeply acknowledges the guidance of the legendary Giani Harbhajan Singh in teaching him the intricate and rare art of making these instruments.

Bhai Baldeep Singh gained valuable insights from Professor of Philosophy S.K. Saxena (ret. 1986, Delhi University) and Dr. B.S. Rattan (Vice Principal, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi University), as he undertook the analysis of the ancient compositions and their musical structure. His studies of the philosophical context of the ancient shabad reet focus on the symbiosis between the raga, taal, shabad, and bhav.

Pandit Man Mohan Singh began his training with the late Ustad Habibuddin Khan of the Ajarara Gharana of Meerut on the tabla at age ten. After 55 years of dedication to the instrument, Pandit Man Mohan Singh has earned his place among the great tabla players of India.