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Traditional classical music has played a very significantrole in attaining heights in spiritualism. All the great Guru’s havecomposed hymns called Shabads in different ragas and desiredtheir disciples to sing in ragas accordingly. The old Sikh traditionsince the time of Satguru Nanak Dev Ji, was being carried on by Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji with same devotion.
He was a great lover of Indian classical Vocal as well as Instrumental music. He prefered to sing the Gurbani in the same Raga in which it has been written in Adi Granth Sahib.
It is said that whenever Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh ji, while on his tours in India and abroad, was approached by a classical musician, however heavy his time-table may be, he always finds time to listen to his performance. Once he even allowed a group of English and Finnish Christian musicians to perform in his presence in Britain. He welcomed musicians of all faiths. Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji inspired the youngsters to learn Indian classical music from the renowned eminent musicians who hold the Satguru in very high esteem. He has been a source of inspiration to many a notable Indian classical musicians. Musical concerts are being held in India and abroad to spread the Indian art and attract people to learn it more and more.
The Kala Kendra has been established at Sri Bhaini Sahib to promote vocal as well as instrumental music under the supervision of eminent musicians. Students from the age of 5 years onward were being trained in classical music under his supreme supervision. With his patronage and blessings, many music schools are flourishing in India at Delhi, Jalander, Amritsar, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Jammu for teaching music to children. Sri Satguru ji also made special arrangements with world famous Indian classical musicians to tutor children. Many talented young namdhari artists were taught by the internationally-reputed musicians like Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shanta Prasad, Pandit Krishan Maharaj, Pandit Shiv Kumar and Pandit Hari Prasad Churasia.
These and other famous classical musicians namely Ustad Umeed Ali Khan, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Shri Kumar Gandharava, Swami Pagal Das, Pandit Ram Narayan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Allah Rakha, Singh Bandhu and Ustad Zakir Hussain have had the honour to participate in Namdhari Sangeet festivals and to have been blessed by Sri Satguruji.
The following are views of eminent musicians highlighting the greatness of Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji :
“His Holiness Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj has always been a source of great inspiration to many classical musicians of India”
Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan is an Indian classical musician who plays the Sarod. Khan was born into a musical family and has performed internationally since the 1960s. He was awarded India’s second highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2001).
Namdhari Senior disciple: Ust Gurdev Singh.
“Words fail us when we speak about His most Exalted Holiness Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji. His intense love for and wholehearted devotion to every aspect of music – deep thought, melody and rhythm – need no testimony, and this art spontaneously permeates his whole life.”
Brijmohan Mishra popularly known as Pandit Birju Maharaj is the leading exponent of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Kathak dance in India. He is a descendant of the legendary Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, including his two uncles, ShambhuMaharaj and LachhuMaharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj. Even though dancing is his first love, he also has an excellent command over Hindustani classical music and is an accomplished vocalist as well.
“I have never known a spiritual Guru such as ‘Satguru’ who is so keen and knowledgeable in the Indian classical musical field. It was a delight to witness him playing and teaching his students with such a vast knowledge, especially his grasp of rare and original ragas as well as taals found very inspiring”.
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (born 1 July 1938) is an Indian classical flautist. Apart from classical music, he has made a mark as a music director for Indian films along with Shivkumar Sharma. He has also collaborated with various world musicians in experimental cross-cultural performances, including the fusion group Shakti.
“You (Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji) are an enlightened person and possess immense knowledge of music yourself and you have chosen to nurture musical talents under the guidance of professional musicians. This amply illustrates your love for music you have therefore become the saviour of Indian Classical Music.”
Rajan and Sajan Mishra are brothers, renowned singers of the khyal style of Indian classical music. They were awarded the PadmaBhushan in 2007, SangeetNatakAkademi Award, jointly in 1998, the Gandharwa National Award for 1994-1995 and the prestigious National Tansen Samman 2011-12 on 14 December 2012. Rajan and Sajan Mishra are part of a 300-year old lineage of khyal singing of the Banaras gharana, the Mishra brothers have been performing to audiences all over Indian and the world for many years. They were both accountants in a small shop when they gave a performance in the presences of Satguru Jagjit Singh. The Satguru, realizing their talent, offered to pay double their living wages in exchange for them to put in more time to practice their vocals. The rest was history and they gave their first concert abroad, in Sri lanka in 1978.
Namdhari Senior disciple: Ust Mohan Singh & Sukhdev Singh Namdhari
Sri Satguru Ji singing bandish (composed by SatGuru Ji) with Pt Rajan Sajan Misra, Raagis Mohan Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Balwant Singh with Harpreet Singh Sonu:
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“Indian classical music and spiritualism are two sides of the same coin. Indian Saints and Sages have used music as a medium of meditation. Revered Satguru Ji is the brightest and most appropriate example of an ideal combination of a great spiritual Guru and not only a great lover of music but having deep knowledge of this art. He has amazing knowledge of hundreds of traditional and rare compositions in various Ragas and Taals. These compositions should be recorded and preserved”. – Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
Pandit Shivkumar Sharma is the master instrumentalist of the Santoor. He is credited with making the Santoor a popular Classical Instrument. In a 1999 interview to rediff.com, Shivkumar said that it was his father who decided that he should play the Santoor and that he never thought he would be choosing it when he started learning music. He recorded his first solo album in 1960.
In 1967, he teamed up with flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and Brij Bhushan Kabra to produce a concept album, Call of the Valley (1967) which turned out to be one of the greatest hits in Indian Classical Music. Together they has composed music for many Hindi films in collaboration with Hariprasad Chaurasia starting with Silsila (1980).
Namdhari Senior disciples: Ust Harjinderpal Singh & Kiranpal Singh.
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