Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan
Explore the rich legacy and milestones of Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan.
Baba Harivallabh, the founder of this glorious tradition, was born in the later part of 18th century in village Bajwara, in District Hoshiarpur (Punjab). He lost his parents at a very young age. His maternal grand-father who brought him to Jalandhar would often take the young Harivallabh along with him to Devi Talab, where the young Harivallabh would listen to the Bhajans sung by Swami Tuljagiri. These meetings left a deep impact on the mind of this sensitive and precocious child.
Baba Tuljagiri a great saint, a Sanskrit scholar and a great exponent of Dhrupad style of Hindustani classical music used to live in a temple at Devi Talab. One day he found Harivallabh sitting on the steps of Devi Talab in deep meditation with his eyes closed. Baba Tuljagiri kept standing there watching Harivallabh. As Harivallabh opened his eyes, he found Baba Tuljagiri standing before him. This was the moment when the enlightened Guru found a devoted Shishya ready for total surrender.
Harivallabh possessed a remarkably melodious voice and soon touched great heights in classical music. He started to sing Bhajans in Dhrupad style. Recognizing the extraordinary qualities in his disciple, Baba Tuljagiri named Harivallabh as his successor to the 'Gaddi' (the sacred seat of music). Baba Tuljagiri left this mortal world in 1874 and Harivallabh thus became Baba Harivallabh.
In the year 1875, on the first death anniversary of his great Guru, Baba Harivallabh thought the best way to pay his homage would be through music. He decided to hold a memorial ceremony where Sadhus and Saints were invited to sing devotional compositions.
Adding to it’s Prestige, The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi Ji visited the Sammelan in 1919. Union Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, State Ministers and other V.I.P's have been visiting this Festival every year to pay their reverence to the Saint-Musician Shree Baba Harivallabh Ji.
