A Song of Surrender

A Song of Surrender is a moving spiritual journey that traces the extraordinary life of Bhajan Maharishi Hari Om Sharan, written by Shailaja Ganguly - leaves the reader with a feeling of warmth, sensitivity, and deep reverence.

The book reveals the man behind the beloved voice whose bhajans have touched millions across generations.

“In the ’80s and ’90s, Hari Om Sharan was a household name, and for many of us, mornings began with his soulful bhajans playing on the radio. ‘Data Ek Ram,’ ‘Maili Chaadar Odha Ke,’ ‘He Dukh Bhanjan,’ ‘Radhey Govinda,’ ‘Hanuman Chalisa,’ and countless other evocative compositions filled our hearts with devotion. His singing was effortless, mellifluous, and deeply spiritual, a reflection of what could only be the voice of a true saint — a Bhakta or a Fakir.

Later, in Mumbai, I had the privilege of meeting him on several occasions at various events and attending his concerts at Shanmukhananda Hall, Mumbai. He exuded an aura of peace and inner strength and when he sang on stage, his bhakti and devotion were palpable. His bhajans carried the distinct stamp of his individuality, in the songs he sang for Murli Manohar Swaroop ji as also those he wrote and composed himself.

He was a simple man and his spirituality made his songs immortal.

He is truly a legend and his bhajans will live forever in our hearts.

I am so glad a book has been written about Hari Om ji and it is an excellent book. Thank you, Shailaja ji. I always had a lot of respect for him. My best wishes.”

Padma Shri Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam is a multilingual, globally renowned playback singer who has won four Filmfare Awards. She is married to violin virtuoso Padma Vibhushan Dr. L. Subramaniam.

“Whenever I remember the most revered Hari Om Sharan, I see him like a splendorous star, forever shining bright on the firmament of devotional music.

Before his ‘arrival,’ there were greats like V D. Paluskar, M S. Subbalakshmi, and Juthika Roy, but the lucid simplicity, guileless ardour, and unmistakable ‘fragrance’ of spiritual yearning in Hari Om Sharan’s singing struck a chord effortlessly in the heart of every listener.

Kudos to respected writer, Shailaja Ganguly, for the painstaking effort and dedication with which she has documented the life story of this great singer.

My sincere good wishes that this biography of Hari Om ji becomes a beacon of guidance and inspiration for future generations and awakens awareness and reverence for Bharat’s powerful bhakti tradition.”

Padma Shri Shekhar Sen is a former Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi and has received worldwide acclaim for his incomparable mono acts — ‘Kabeer,’ ‘Tulsi,’ ‘Soordas,’ ‘Vivekanand,’ and ‘Saahab.’ Shekhar has researched, written, composed music for, sung and performed these priceless solo acts.

“A Song of Surrender — Elements of divinity converge in the ethereal songs of Hari Om Sharan and the expressive story of his life by Shailaja Ganguly.

In his simple, direct way, Hari Om Sharan revealed the truth in the words he sang, offering listeners a direct communion with God.

With her imaginative turn of phrase, Shailaja connects her readers to the very soul of the legendary singer, leading us into singular aspects of his life, which are not to be found in any standard text.

Her fascinating, deeply felt observations of the iconic singer in praise of all divinity — be it Krishna or Hanuman, Ganapathi or Durga, transform Shailaja’s book into a uniquelyfelt, written experience.

A Song of Surrender is valuable to understand the miraculous life, lyrics, and music of Hari Om Sharan, one of the most loved devotional singers of his generation.”

Siddharth Kak is an Indian documentary filmmaker, television producer and presenter. He is best known as the producer and presenter of ‘Surabhi.’ Subsequently, Kak established the ‘Surabhi Foundation’ with the assistance of Ford Foundation and started a project on preserving cultural artefacts.

“That warm, unhurried baritone — Shri Hari Om Sharan’s voice was everywhere when I was growing up. Not blaring, not attention-seeking, just present. In the mornings, in the background of our daily rituals, on old cassette players that crackled with devotion. He brought bhajans out of temples into the prayer rooms of our homes, without ever losing their sanctity.

Over the years, the space turned into an industry. More singers came, glossier productions followed. But something was missing. The depth. The stillness. The quiet surrender. His voice never gave that up. It stayed true. And I’m so glad someone thought it important to tell his story. It’s long overdue.”

Sarthak Dasgupta is the winner of the Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaker Award, an engineer with an MBA, a writer, a successful film director, a published photographer, a singer and an artist.

“In the old Bombay (present-day Mumbai) of the ’60s and ’70s, when I was growing up, I would always wake up to the serene and soulful bhajans of Hari Om Sharan. With that pious reverberance of his melodious voice and tune in my mind and heart, my day would start in this big city of Bombay.

My sincere and grateful thanks to Shailaja ji for giving us her insights into the life of Hari Om Sharan.”

Praveen Kadle is the Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Prachetas Capital and Rithwik Foundation for Performing Arts, Pune.