ustad Bhai Arjan Singh ‘Tarangar’ 1900-1995.
At the age of 5, his father the legendary Bhai Ram Singh of Village Bhullar, Tarn Taran in Amritsar, offered the young child nicknamed ‘Chiri’ to Bhai Sahib Bhai Jwala Singh of Thatha Tibba, Kapurthala.
His early education in singing and playing the taus began under the watchful gaze of BHai Sahib Jwala Singh while his learning of tabla and jori-pakhawaj began with Ustad Bhai Karta Singh. In 1920’s, he came under the direct tutelage of the legendary Ustad Harnam Singh ‘Jammuwale’.
Tarangar Sahib never lost a dual in any ‘akhara’ and was revered by all of his contemporaries. There were only two, they said; Tarangar and Bhai Santu. People tried but they could not get these two to dual…!
A note: This image was taken using Maurizia’s Minolta that I borrowed from her in ’94. I had been wanting to make documentary films and asked Madan Gopal Singh if I could join a short course on film making. He urged me to get hold of a still camera and start shooting. This is one of those earliest works. Maurizia gave me the first lessons to shoot with her good old Minolta – which a curious looking Luigi was fondling a few days ago…!
bhaibaldeep 