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Mahiya
Released Feb 10, 2022
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Born
1940
1940
From
IN
IN
Journey
Ustad Puran Chand Wadali, born Puran Chand Wadali in Guru Ki Wadali near Amritsar, Punjab, India, is one of the most respected voices in Indian devotional and folk music. He was born into a family deeply connected with music; his father, Thakur Das Wadali, was a noted singer and teacher who introduced him to classical music, Punjabi folk traditions, Gurbani, and Sufi poetry from an early age. Although he initially showed interest in wrestling, his father encouraged him to devote himself seriously to music.
He later began performing with his younger brother, Pyarelal Wadali, and together they became internationally known as the Wadali Brothers. Their early performances at religious gatherings, shrines, and cultural festivals across Punjab gradually brought them wider recognition. By the late 1970s and 1980s, their recordings and concerts had established them among the leading interpreters of Punjabi Sufi and devotional music.
Puran Chand Wadali’s repertoire spans Sufi music, Punjabi folk, Kafi, Gurbani, Ghazal, and Bhajan traditions. Emotional depth, spiritual intensity, and a strong grounding distinguishes his singing in classical technique. Notable recordings include “Mahiya,” “Tu Maane Ya Na Maane Dildara,” “Rangrez,” “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar,” “Heer,” “Allah Hoo,” and “Tere Ishq Nachaya.” Through labels such as Times Music and Speed Records, his music reached audiences far beyond Punjab.
Throughout his career, he collaborated extensively with Pyarelal Wadali and later with members of the next generation of the Wadali musical family, including Lakhwinder Wadali. Their collective work played a major role in bringing the poetry of Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain, and other Punjabi Sufi saints to contemporary audiences in India and abroad.
His contributions have received significant recognition. He was honored with the Tulsi Award in 1988, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991, the Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003, and the Padma Shri in 2005, one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Following the death of Pyarelal Wadali in 2018, Puran Chand continued performing, recording, and mentoring younger artists. He remains an important custodian of Punjabi Sufi and folk traditions, carrying forward a musical legacy rooted in the spiritual culture of Punjab.
