Prominent Sikh Tabla Ustad Bhai Harjit Singh “Bittu” Passes Away

Posted: 05 Feb 2017

LUDHIANA, Punjab—Prominent Sikh tabla vadak and teacher, Bhai Harjit Singh Bittu passed away today.  Bhai Bittu was son of renowned Darbar Sahib Hazoori Ragi Bhai Mukand Singh.
Bhai Bittu was admitted to the DMC Hero Heart Hospital in Ludhiana in May 2016 with a brain hemorrhage.  He remained hospitalized since then.
Bhai Harjit Singh traveled intentionally and trained hundreds of tabla players across the globe.  He came to the prominence when he started playing tabla with Bhai Naranjan Singh (Jwaddi Kala).  Tabla players would come to Bhai Naranjan Singh’s kirtan programs just to hear Bhai Bittu accompany him on tabla.  Since then, he has accompanied a large number of prominent kirtanis at kirtan programs, as well in their studio recordings.  Majority of T-Series kirtan recording from late 1990s and early 2000s feature Bhai Bittu’s tabla with almost all kirtanis.
Today, several prominent kirtanis and Sikh leaders expressed grief at Bhai Bittu’s passing away.  Bhai Harcharan Singh Khalsa said, “passing away of Bhai Harjit Singh Bittu is very sad.  He went through very tough times in the past few years due to his health.”
Hazoori Ragi Bhai Sukhwinder Singh Nagoke said, “We will forever remember Bhai Harjit Singh Bittu.  I always respected him for never saying no to tabla seva.  He fondly played tabla with prominent as well as novice kirtanis.  He was very friendly with everyone.  I play to Guru Sahib to bless him and keep him in his charan sharan.”