Gurmukh Sewak Dal performing ‘jora sewa’ at Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan for past 27 years

Jalandhar, January 1

Among the many connoisseurs of music at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, many are unsung heroes. Across disciplines and styles, artistes nod their heads in unison when they are asked whether the sammelan makes them nostalgic.

Apart from the memories of their gurus and performances at the sammelan, one of the things which sparks this nostalgia is the wisdom of the audience who attend the festival.

Members of the Gurmukh Sewak Dal, who attend the sangeet sammelan regularly, are connoisseurs of music. For the past 27 years, members of the Gurmukh Sewak Dal have been performing “joreyan di sewa” (service of cleaning shoes) at the 148- year-old sangeet sammelan. They have probably attended the festival more times than many distinguished music connoisseurs. They stay at the three-day festival from its start till the finish to keep and protect shoes of the people who attend it.

The Devi Talab Mandir, which hosts the festival, is a Shaktipeeth in India. Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan was started by a seer in 1875 at the hallowed ground. Since shastriya sangeet often features paeans to the Gods, it is customary not to wear shoes inside the sammelan pandal.

A person’s shoes are kept safely with the Gurmukh Sewak Dal at the “jora ghar” in a gurdwara style after issuing a coupon to him.

Daljit Singh Bedi, head of the Gurmukh Sewak Dal, says, “In 1996, the committee sought our service for Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan. Our philosophy is not to look at people’s faces. We look at their feet. We wanted to do something different. As we do sewa in gurdwaras, we didn’t want to be confined to a particular religion. So right since the beginning of 1996, till now, we are here doing our job. Our purpose to keep the sangat comfortable.”

Partap Singh Sodhi, senior member of the dal said, “We have never missed the sangeet sammelan except in 1999, when we were deputed at Fatehgarh Sahib. As long as we are alive, we will come here to do the service.”

When asked about the significance of the festival, Bedi says, “Music is associated with the soul. This sammelan preserves oldest cultural traditions of classical music and also in Gurmat siddhant (principle). The Guru Granth Sahib has 31 Ragas. The festival hosts Hindustani, Carnatic, Muslim and Gurmat artistes. It is an upholder of communal harmony. This year, the sammelan was dedicated to Chote Sahibzade. It is the greatest tribute paid to them by the commitee to propagate unity between all sections of society.” Talk about their favourite artistes, Bedi says, “Pt Jasraj and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan were my favourites. I have also listened to Singh Bandhu in 1995.”

Sodhi says, “I loved Pt Jasraj ji, Kaushiki Chakrabarty and Mehmood Dhaulpuri. Around 10 years ago, Ustad Abdul Sattar Khan Tari had come from Pakistan. Not a soul moved when he played tabla during the sammelan.”