Dya Sings to the World

Dya Singh with PKJ at Gurdwara Sahib Kuantan

Kirtan is one of the greatest gifts given to Sikhs by our Guru Sahibaan. Osho once remarked during his discourse on Japji Sahib, that Guru Nanak attained God simply by singing his glorious praises. It is not surprising that Kirtan is usually one of the main activities during our Diwan at the Gurdwara. The first Sikh Kirtania is of course Guru Nanak himself. Guru Nanak was accompanied on his Udasis by his faithful companion Bhai Mardana, a Muslim, born in a family of minstrels and himself an accomplished musician and Rebab exponent. Thus the earliest Kirtan was performed by Guru Nanak and his Muslim companion during the Udasis all over the Indian sub-continent streching to the middle-east. Then of course we had the Bhatts who performed Kirtan at Harmander Sahib during the time of Guru Arjan. During my childhood I have witnessed, Muslim Qawwals perform Kirtan at Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa. It was quite an amazing experience. The image of this group of about 8 to 10 Qawwals sitting on stage with their fur-caps (songkoks) and belting out Gurbani Kirtan on top of their voices is etched in my memory forever. Given this historical backdrop, I have always considered kirtan to be borderless and all encompassing. Meaning that one can (and should) be enjoined in Kirtan at all times and anywhere. In my humble opinion the performance of Kirtan should not be limited to only diwans/satsang where Guru Granth Sahib Ji is present. Sikhs should be encouraged to present and share the universal message contained in the Gurbani to the whole world and at every given opportunity. And what better way to present Gurbani but in the form of Shabad Kirtan in the same way as Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana did some 500 or so years ago.

One prominent Sikh musician who is living up to this is Dya Singh of Australia who has probably broken more barriers between Sikhs and non-Sikhs worldwide than the rest of us put together. He has done this in the tradition of Kirtan, albeit in his own unique style. Many non-Sikhs, particularly in Australia, are familiar with the message of Gurbani through the music of Dya Singh. On his recent visits to Malaysia, some my friends and I have had the opportunity to perform with Dya Singh. It has always been a truly spiritual experience. I have been receiving updates from Dya Singh on his programmes over the globe, which he aptly calls "Dyaries", and would like to share an excerpt from Dya's most recent update:

" On September 1st. our group had been invited to do kirtan by the families of film director/producers Paul Berges and Gurinder Chadha, to do kirtan at the celebration of the birth of their (mixed) twins Ronak and Komini. The fixture was organised as a Jorh Mela at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Hounslow, near Southall, UK. Gurinder and family were told that I was banned from doing kirtan at the gurdwara - NO REASON GIVEN, except that our doing kirtan at the gurdwara would mean loss of income for their residential ragis. Another 'hidden' reason it will appear is that I am now considered to be a professional 'singer' who sings 'outside' gurdwaras or away from 'babay-dhi-hajuri'...I guess I am fated not to do kirtan at this gurdwara either... If any Sikh gurdwara does not want us to do kirtan, I am sure there are others who do appreciate our message of hope and universal truths as espoused by Baba Nanak/Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

SO WE ARE NOW BANNED BY DIXIE GURDWARA IN TORONTO LEADING TO REGULAR CONCERTS BY THE 'ART OF LIVING FOUNDATION' IN TORONTO; WE ARE ALSO BANNED BY SINGH SABHA IN BARKING, LONDON; THERE ARE OTHER SINGH SABHAS IN AND AROUND LONDON WHICH ARE 'NOT SURE' AND NOW WE ARE BANNED FROM SINGH SABHA HOUNSLOW. WE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM ANY GURDWARA IN CHICAGO (USA) ALLOWING US TO BE HOSTED BY Dr. NAGRA IN St.LOUIS INSTEAD, last month."

This is SHOCKING to say the least. If this is how a positive Sikh role-model is treated by the so-called leaders of the Panth, I shudder to think of what lies in the future for our Sikh youth. To put it rather crudely, if Guru Nanak himself were to appear in any of these Gurdwaras today, he may be banned on the excuse that he has reportedly sang Kirtan in Bhagdad, Mecca, Benaras, etc., and that too in the company of a Muslim musician. Is this the price one has to pay for taking Sikh music/Kirtan to the rest of the world as intended by our Guru Sahibaans? Unfortunately, the Sikh Rehat Maryada does not address this point specifically. All it says is that "Only a Sikh may perform Kirtan in a Congregation". So does one lose his Sikhi if he is "caught" singing Shabads to non-Sikhs outside the Gurdwara? Something is seriously wrong with the people in whom we entrust the running of our sacred institutions. May Guru Nanak give us the courage to correct this. Let me hear your thoughts on this.