Arijit Singh began singing kirtans in gurdwaras after migrating from Lahore as family settle in West Bengal
Like many families displaced during Partition, they too were forced to leave behind their home and livelihood
When news broke in January that Bollywood singer Arijit Singh was stepping away from playback singing, fans were devastated.
Yet, far from the glitz of stardom, in his hometown of Jiaganj in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, Singh leads a life marked by simplicity.
Speaking with The Telegraph India, his father, Surinder Singh, shared how the family settled in West Bengal decades ago.
“Our ancestral home was near Lahore. After Partition, my father and his three brothers migrated to Lalgola,” Surinder recalled.
Like many families displaced during Partition, they were forced to leave behind their home and livelihood. Cloth merchants by trade, they rebuilt their lives from scratch in Bengal, eventually moving to Jiaganj.
The Sikh community settled in the Panjabipara area, where a gurdwara became the heart of belonging for young Arijit. It was here that music first found him.
In Jiaganj, he is not just the voice behind some of Bollywood’s most iconic love songs—locals affectionately call him “Shomu.”
His father remembered accompanying his mother to the gurdwara, where Arijit would sing kirtan on special occasions. Residents also recall seeing him swim in the river as a child and ride through town on his scooter as a young adult.
Despite owning property in Mumbai, Singh prefers his hometown. “This is such a peaceful place. Even my son couldn’t live in Mumbai and had to return. Ei maatir emoni taan,” his father said, highlighting their deep emotional bond with the place.
Through his foundation, Tatwamasi, Singh supports initiatives aimed at building schools, a hospital, and a music academy in the area.
His hometown studio has also hosted international artists such as Ed Sheeran and Martin Garrix in recent years.
Even as he steps back from playback singing, Singh continues to explore independent music.
His latest release, “Raina”, composed by Shekhar Ravijani and written by Priya Saraiya, is already drawing attention online, with many social media users praising it as “a beautiful composition.”
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