| Chartal | Jachak Mangeh Daan Dehe Pyaareya - Bhai Ghulam Mohammed Chand Ji Rababi

| ABOUT | Bhai Ghulam Mohammad Chand belonged to the Rababis of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, a revered lineage tracing back to Bhai Sadha and Bhai Madha, who sang during the lifetimes of the last two Sikh Gurus, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh. He came from a prestigious family of musicians dedicated to performing kirtan, the devotional singing of Sikh hymns. Bhai Sahib Ji was the nephew of some of the last Rababis to perform kirtan at the Darbar Sahib, namely Rababi Bhai Chand, and the son of Rababi Bhai Sundar Giani. Both his uncle and father had a close association with Bhaini Sahib due to the fondness Maharaj Baba Pratap Singh Ji of Namdhari Darbar had for the old custodians of Gurbani Sangeet. Bhai Sahib Ji spent his childhood immersed in music, traveling across Punjab and Peshawar with his father and uncle to sing kirtan at gurdwaras and for Sikh nobles. This rich cultural and musical heritage deeply influenced his life and craft. Bhai Sahib Ji's repertoire included old shabad reetans, including the dhrupads of Darbar Sahib, showcasing his mastery and dedication to the traditional forms of Gurbani music. Despite his dedication and lineage, Bhai Ghulam Mohammad Chand faced a heartbreaking exclusion in 2005 when he was not allowed to sing at the Golden Temple, a place where he had performed alongside his father and uncle. The refusal was based on the fact that he was not a Sikh and did not adhere to the five articles of faith required by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) for performers. This condition was unacceptable to Bhai Sahib Ji, as his family had maintained their Muslim faith while singing kirtan since the time of Baba Nanak. The pain of this exclusion lingered with Bhai Ghulam Mohammad Chand. In a 2011 interview with Navtej Kaur, he expressed his sorrow and frustration, stating, "Who bothered to ask whether we were Amritdhari Sikhs in those days? Were my ancestors? Did they wear the 'dastaar' (turban) and show the signs of being a Sikh? No. But that never stopped them from having a passion for Gurbani kirtan and their work ... Those people (the SGPC) have a short vision ..." ABOVE INFO RETRIEVED FROM WEBSITE "tarosaproject.wordpress.com" KIRTAN AUDIO RETRIEVED FROM THE WEBSITE "kukasikhs"