Hari Om Sharan ( Hindi: हरिओम शरण ) (26 September 1932 - 17 December 2007) was a legendary Indian Bhajan singer and lyricist. He became a popular Bhajan singer, in the 70s-80s, with his albums like Premanjali Pushpanjai, and Data Ek Ram and bhajans like, 'Tera Ram ji Karenge Bedaa Paar', 'Maili Chadar Odhke Kaise', 'Aarti Kunj Bihari ki', 'Aisa Pyar Bahaa De Maiyya', 'Shree Radhey Govinda'.

Early life
Hari Om Sharan was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, on 26 September 1932. His family migrated to India, after the Partition of India in 1947 [2] .

[edit] First Album
He became a professional singer in 1973, singing his first album for HMV. During a trip to Guyana, he met Nandini, whom he later married,and settled down in India [2].

 
Hari Om Sharan & Murli Manohar Swarup - PushpanjaliWhile others singers of his era sought fame and fortune by signing Bollywood songs for movies, Hari Om Sharan stuck with bhajans and God. His simplicity reflects in his singing and his lifestyle. He and his wife were easily approachable and were mobbed by followers at every mandir and every public concert.

His bhajans are sung across North India. Even in Kashmir and Jammu valley his bhajans are sung and the local singer may not always know or come across his name, he became a legend in his life time. Rarely there will be days when the All India Radio Vividh Bharathi does not relay a bhajan of his in the morning programme from 6 to 6.30 AM. He is well respected in Indian communities in West Indies, Trinindad and Guyana.

He had a rare insight to handle normally not heard compositions of Kabir, Kamal, Raidas etc. Those who have heard him in his pristine days can never forget his very melodious voice and the impact it created on them. He does sing with simplicity and understatement and does nothing to exaggerate. That is the beauty of his bhajans. His pronunciation and enunciation is crystal clear and his feel is unmistakable. His pronunciation of Sanskrit verses is excellent and the phonetics comes out distinctly.

He also appeared briefly in English film Holy Smoke! (1999), as a song performer [3].

He is also said to have ventured (very briefly) into Ghazal singing, though without much success.

 Singers pay tribute

In 2004, an album of Hari Om's bhajans, sung by the front runners of India's music industry, titled "Hari Om - A Life in Prayer." was released. The contributors to this album, a tribute to the lifetime contribution by Hari Om Sharan, were the who is who of Indian music industry - Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Sonu Nigam, Hariharan, Anup Jalota, Shankar Mahadevan, Richa Sharma, Sadhana Sargam, Shaan, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Sunidhi Chauhan, World's famous percussionist Sivamani, provides the backdrop upon which this amazing tribute is painted.[4].

Kavita Krishnamurthy, winner of four Filmfare Awards in Bollywood — the equivalent of America’s Oscar — in speaking about Hari Om said “What struck me most about him, is the simplicity with which he sings. It is almost like the person singing is a “saint’ or ‘fakir”.

Shankar Mahadevan puts it best when he said, "This CD is our offering to the god of Bhajans, Hari Om Sharan ji!"

Hari Om sharan was honoured by Trinidard government for his contribution in October 2005. The Indian religious song legend was fecilitated by culture Minister Joan Yuille Williams. Yuille Williams told the thousands gathered at the Chaguanas venue that it was indeed fitting to pay tribute to the bhajan singer, who has given his life to an art form that has become him. Yuille Williams said of Sharan: “His invaluable contribution spanned decades of performances across the globe and stands as evidence of the magnitude of this great and pious man.” She said a closer look at Sharan reveals that he may very well be the only person who writes, composes and performs songs to such a degree of excellence, even when one considers all of the other Indian music forms which exist today.

[edit] Legacy
He remains one of the most popular bhajan singer in India. Billions of Indians start their day with his bhajans. He is credited with a very popular "Hanuman Chalisa". Listening to Shri Hari Om Sharan is a pretense experience. He devoted his life to services of Rama and Hanuman.

Hari Om Sharan never tried to decorate his bhajans with ornate twists of complicated gayaki. Hari Om Sharan’s songs are straight from the heart, sung without any exaggeration and simplicity that it unfailingly touches chords of the heart in a most charming manner. His pronunciation of Sanskrit verses were excellent and phonetics comes out distinctly. Apart from being a musician of immense charm and humility, Hari Om Sharan was a writer and a painter too. There are more than 20 cassettes/CDs from this humble genius and he has sung over 2500 bhajans that are a treasure for the generations to come.

[edit] Memorable Bhajans
Bhajan Album Year
Aisa pyar baha de maiyya -
Govind jai jai Gopal jai jai -
Hanuman Chalisa Hanuman Chalisa
Maili Chadar Odhake -
Aarti Kunj Bihari ki -
Pawansut vinati barambar -
Prabhu hum pe kripa karna -
Rakh laaj meri Ganpati -
Shyam Kaho Sai Kaho -
Bhaj govinda jai gopala Sumiran 1980
Durgati harini Durga Sumiran 1980
Jai bhola bhandari shivhar Sumiran 1980
Ram rahim ram Sumiran 1980
Tere naam ka sumiran karke Sumiran 1980
Vinay meri sun lijiye -
Na ye tera na ye mera -
Sweekaro Mere Parnaam Premanjali
Sai Teri Yaad Maha Premanjali
Prabhu Ham Pre Kripa Karna Premanjali
Ram Sumier Ke Rahem Premanjali

[edit] Discography
Daata Ek Raam
Bhakti Vandan
Sri Hanuman Chalisa
Premanjali
Pushpanjali
Aarti Archan
Bhajan Uphaar
Kabir Vani
Chalo Man Vrindavan Ki Oor
Bhajan Deepanjali
Kahat Kabhir Suno Bhai Sadho
Govind Ke Gun Ga Ley (1984)
Sai Kripa (1984)
Sri Krishna Charit Maanas (Musical Drama - 1979)
Gunn Gaan (1994)
Shiv Mahima (1994)
Ram Bhakt Hanuman (1996)
Sampoorna Sundara Kaand (1994)
Some rare songs worth special mention are "Koi Samjhe Bhakt" (Album:Gungaan); "Masjid kardi Dwarika","Vipda Mithanewale" (Album:Sai Kripa) and "Ab na bani to phir na banegi" (Album: Govind ke gun ga ley).