Hari Om Sharan, a religious icon, passed away in New York on Monday evening. He is popularly known as Dada Ji. He was 75.

A wake was held for him at the Guyanese Surya Narayan Mandir on Tuesday night. His mortal remains will be cremated today and his ashes flown to India.

Sharan was born in Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1932 and moved with his parents to India after British India was split in 1947. He became one of the most popular Hindu religious and ghazal singers. He made a trip to Guyana where he fell in love with a Guyanese, Nandini, whom he later married. He made frequent trips to Guyana most recently last year. He was also a regular guest at the Guyanese mandirs in N.Y most recently two weekends ago.

Hundreds braved cold weather on Tuesday evening to pay tribute to the world’s greatest bhajan singer and to mourn with his charming wife whom they call Didi-Ji.

The Guyanese radio station, ICR played 24 hours of bhajans sung by Hari Om on all day Tuesday. He sang hundreds of bhajans and is known as the pioneer of the spiritual music industry in India. He also wrote the lyrics and music for most of his songs. Almost every Guyanese and West Indian Hindu and Muslims know of Hari Om. Hindus sing his bhajans when praying. He is also a religious icon among the 800 million Hindus in India.

While others sought fame and fortune by singing Bollywood songs for movies, Hari Om stuck with God for whom he did not become a wealthy person. A few years ago, all the top singers in the move industry in Mumbai paid tribute to Hari Om singing in a charity album in his honour titled – Hari Om: A Life in Prayer. It was produced by Guyanese Pandit Newal Prashad who now makes his home in Bollywood.

Both he and his wife were honored by the Government of India. 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’”.

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.

Thousands were expected to view Hari Om’s body yesterday in Richmond Hill.