Noted Punjabi Sufi singer Barkat Sidhu, who was battling cancer, has died at his home in Moga at the age of 68.Sidhu, who was admitted at a private hospital in ludhiana for the past few months, died on late Saturday night.laddi, the deceased singer's son, said that he brought his father to Moga from ludhiana on Saturday as his condition was “critical”.
“Doctors could not provide chemotherapy at the hospital in ludhiana due to his acute weakness,” his son said.Born in 1946 at Kaniya village near Shahkot in Jalandhar, Sidhu was the cousin of another noted Punjabi Sufi singer Puran Shahkoti.In June this year, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had directed the authorities of the private hospital in ludhiana, where Barkat was admitted, to provide him treatment at free of cost.
Some of his famous compositions are ‘Alit Allah’ and ‘Uth Gaye Gwandon Yaar Rabba Hun Ki Kariye’. He was an exponent of ‘Patiala Gharana’.Besides having received numerous awards, Sidhu has had the honour of singing alongside artistes like the legendary Ghulam Ali of Pakistan.Meanwhile, Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal expressed grief over the demise of Sidhu, an official spokesman said. They described Sidhu as a “shining star” in the galaxy of peerless Sufi singers of world.
Through his decade long singing, he left an indelible message of love and concordance, they said.Describing Sidhu as a renowned Punjabi Sufi singer who immensely contributed for the promotion of Sufi singing across the globe, Badal said that his death has created a void in the field of Punjabi music and literally circle especially the Sufism which would hard to be filled in the near future.
He said that Sidhu would ever live close to the hearts of millions of his fans through his remarkable songs and ghazals which propagated the trend of Sufi singing in Punjabi.Sukhbir said that Sidhu was a great genius Sufi singer and the void left in artists fraternity after his death cannot be filled easily.The state Revenue and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia also condoled his demise, and described Sidhu as a fine exponent of Patiala Gharana of singing.
Expressing their heartfelt sympathies with the members of bereaved family, they also prayed to Almighty to grant peace to departed soul and strength to them to bear this irreparable loss.Sidhu’s cremation was attended by friends and family. He is survived by three sons and two daughters.