Gurmat sangeet in Telangana

The resonant strains of Gurbani echoed through the serene environs of Kanha Shanti Vanam as a deeply spiritual morning of Shabad Kirtan marked the 350th martyrdom commemoration of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. The gathering brought together spirituality, music, and devotion in a rare confluence, with celebrated Gurbani exponent Dr. Alankar Singh leading the musical tribute.

The event unfolded in the august presence of distinguished dignitaries including Ram Nath Kovind, Gurmit Singh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, and Jupally Krishna Rao. Also present was Kamlesh Patel, who felicitated Dr. Alankar Singh and his accompanying musicians for their soulful presentation.

For the audience gathered at the spiritual retreat, the morning was more than a performance — it was an immersion into the sacred tradition of Gurmat Sangeet. Trained under the guidance of Professor Tara Singh of the Gwalior Gharana and Pandit Ganesh Prasad Sharma of the Rampur Sahaswan Gharana, Dr. Alankar Singh has devoted his life to preserving and propagating Sikh devotional music. He later completed his PhD in music under Dr. Gurnam Singh, further deepening his scholarship in the field.

Over the years, Dr. Alankar Singh has performed extensively across India and abroad, including appearances at all five Takhts of the Khalsa Panth. His contribution to Gurbani music earned him the distinction of becoming the first recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for Gurbani. Yet, despite his accolades, the artiste remains deeply committed to nurturing young talent and keeping the spiritual essence of the tradition alive.

During his visit to Hyderabad, Dr. Alankar Singh also conducted a two-day workshop on Gurmat Sangeet at Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, introducing participants to the intricacies of Sikh devotional music and its structured raga tradition. A special highlight of the morning was his rendition of a kirtan composed by his sister, Professor Dr. Nivedita Singh, set in the Carnatic raga Hansadhwani — a melodic bridge between northern and southern classical traditions.

Accompanied by Bhai Narinder Pal Singh on tabla, Bhai Parminder Singh on rabab, and Bhai Jagjeet Singh lending vocal support, the performance carried an atmosphere of meditative stillness. Before beginning, Dr. Alankar Singh gently reminded the audience of the sanctity of the music. “This music is very sacred and the purpose is to convey the divine message of the Guru Granth Sahib through structured ragas. It’s a service to all the Sikh Gurus. We therefore request the audiencenot to clap after any song or even after the end of performance,” he said.

The musician also reflected on how music became an inseparable part of his life. “My mother was a Professor for Theatre in Punjabi University. Both my father and mother used to sing but never took to singing as a profession. All those musical tones gave me interest to take up music in my life,” he shared.

As the morning concluded in contemplative silence rather than applause, the Shabad Kirtan at Kanha Shanti Vanam stood as a reminder of music’s spiritual power — not merely as performance, but as prayer, remembrance, and service