Sufi singer Pyarelal Wadali passes away; listen to him sing

Pyarelal Wadali, one of the legendary singers of the famed 'Wadali Brothers' duo, passed away due to cardiac arrest in Amritsar on Friday morning, March 9. He was 75. Pyarelal, the younger brother of singer Puranchand Wadali, died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital, said family members.

Hailing from Guru Ki Wadali village in Amritsar district, the Wadali Brothers represented the fifth generation of singers and musicians from their family. Coming from humble beginnings, the Wadalis earned international recognition for their soul-stirring music over the years.

The duo has lent voice to the lyrics of several prominent Punjabi poets and carried on the legacy of famous saint poets such as Bulle Shah, Kabir, Amir Khusro, Waris Shah and Surdas.

Two years ago, Puranchand had told media in New Delhi that he had never seen a film and never wanted to sing in films either, for he found memorising the lyrics difficult, as he was not educated. But Wadali Brothers made their singing debut in films with Pinjar, a movie based on the novel by Amrita Pritam, in 2003. Later, they sang songs such as ‘Aye rangrez mere’ that featured in Tanu Weds Manu (2011) and ‘Ik tu hi tu hi’ in Mausam (2011).

Tributes have been pouring in for Ustad Pyarelal Wadali from fans, actors and politicians.

Considered disciples of the eminent classical vocalist late Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Wadali brothers began performing at Harballah temple in Jalandhar. Adept in various styles of singing including kaafian, ghazal and bhajan, they are widely known for their Punjabi Sufi music.

As the music lovers mourn the death of Pyarelal Wadali, here’s a collection of some of their most popular performances and compositions: