The Wadali Brothers (Puranchand Wadali and Pyarelal Wadali) were a Sufi sin… Read Full Bio ↴The Wadali Brothers (Puranchand Wadali and Pyarelal Wadali) were a Sufi singing duo from Guru Ki Wadali in the Amritsar District in Punjab, India.

Born into the fifth generation of musicians given to singing the messages of Sufi saints, the Wadali brothers dabbled in the most unexpected of professions before they became Sufi singers. While Puranchand Wadali, the elder brother, was a regular in an akhara (wrestling ring) for 25 years, Pyarelal (died in 2018) contributed to the meager family income by playing the role of Krishna in the village Raasleela (classical Indian dance).

Their father, Thakur Das Wadali, compelled Puranchand to learn music. Puranchand studied music from celebrated masters like Pandit Durga Das and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of the Patiala Gharana. Pyarelal was trained by his elder brother, who he considered his guru and mentor up till his death.

Their first musical performance outside their village was in Harballabh Temple in Jalandhar. In 1975, the duo went to Jalandhar to perform at the Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan but was not allowed to sing because their appearance did not pass muster. Disappointed, they decided to make a musical offering at the Harballabh temple, where an executive of All India Radio, Jalandhar, spotted them and recorded their first song.

The Wadali Brothers sing in the gurbani, kafi, ghazal and bhajan genres of music. They live in their ancestral house in Guru Ki Wadali, and teach music to those who promise to preserve it. They do not charge their disciples, and lead a very simple life devoted to the divine one.

They believe in the Sufi tradition deeply. They consider themselves as a medium through which the preaching of great saints is passed on to others. They have never indulged commercially, and they have only a handful of recordings to their name (mostly from live concerts). They believe in singing freely as homage to the divine one. They do not feel very comfortable in using electronic gadgets in their music, and stress on Alap and Taans. They believe that spiritual heights can only be attained if you sing unreservedly, in a free atmosphere.

In 2003, they entered Bollywood, rendering music director and writer Gulzar’s soulful lyrics in their unique style in the film Pinjar. They also sang one song in Dhoop. On the cards is a documentary which the Discovery Channel is planning to make on them.
Pyarelal died on 9 March, 2018 after a cardiac arrest.

Discography
Aa Mil Yaar
Paigham-E-Ishq,
Ishq Musafir
Folk Music of Punjab
Yaad Piya Ki
Filmography
Pinjar (2003)
Dhoop (2003)
Chikku Bukku (2010, Tamil) Song: "Thooral Nindralum" Sung by: Hariharan, Wadali Brothers
Tanu Weds Manu (2011)
Mausam (2011)

Awards
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1992.
Tulsi Award, 1998.
Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 2003.
Puranchand Wadali was awarded the Padma Shri award by the Government of India, 2005.
Life Time Achievement Award 2015 in PTC awards in jalandhar

Bulleya Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Wadali Brothers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bullah! ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen momin vich maseet aan
Na maen vich kufar diyan reet aan
Na maen paakaan vich paleet aan
Na maen moosa na pharaun.

Bullah! ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen andar ved kitaab aan,
Na vich bhangaan na sharaab aan
Na vich rindaan masat kharaab aan
Na vich jaagan na vich saun.

Bullah! ki jaana maen kaun.

Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
Na maen vich paleeti paaki
Na maen aabi na maen khaki
Na maen aatish na maen paun

Bullah! ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen arabi na lahori
Na maen hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na maen rehnda vich nadaun

Bullah, ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne maen aadam havva jaaya
Na maen apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun

Bullah, ki jaana maen kaun

Avval aakhir aap nu jaana
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun

Bullah, ki jaana maen kaun

Overall Meaning

The song "Bullah Ki Jaana Main Kaun" by Wadali Brothers is a beautiful piece of poetry that explores the true nature of spirituality and the quest to find oneself. Bullah, the singer in the song, is searching for his true identity and is declaring that he is not merely a religious identity or a part of a particular group, but rather he is on a quest for his own truth. The song is about the journey of self-discovery and finding one's own place in the universe. The song explores this journey through the eyes of Bullah, who has let go of worldly attachments and is on a spiritual journey to find himself.

The song's lyrics are full of metaphors and symbolism, as Bullah questions his own identity and his place in society. He declares that he is not a part of any religion or caste, nor does he follow any particular set of rituals or beliefs. He is beyond the superficial labels imposed by society and is on a quest to find his own truth. The song inspires listeners to look beyond the labels and categories imposed by society and encourages them to embark on their own spiritual journey of self-discovery.

Overall, "Bullah Ki Jaana Main Kaun" is a profound exploration of the human condition and the quest for self-discovery. The song is a reminder to look inwardly and connect with one's own true essence, rather than getting caught up in external identities and labels imposed by society.

Line by Line Meaning

Bullah! ki jaana maen kaun
I am Bullah and I wonder who I am

Na maen momin vich maseet aan
I am not defined solely by my faith in Islam

Na maen vich kufar diyan reet aan
Nor by my rejection of other beliefs

Na maen paakaan vich paleet aan
I am not just pure or corrupt in appearance

Na maen moosa na pharaun.
I am not Moses or Pharaoh, I am something else entirely

Na maen andar ved kitaab aan,
I am not contained within the Vedas or other holy books

Na vich bhangaan na sharaab aan
I am not drunk on wine or other intoxicants

Na vich rindaan masat kharaab aan
I am not among the immoral or those steeped in sin

Na vich jaagan na vich saun.
I am neither awake nor asleep

Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
I am not tied to society's conventions of marriage or grief

Na maen vich paleeti paaki
Nor am I limited to being pure or corrupt