Kanhiya Mittal

Some Lesser Known Facts About Kanhiya Mittal

• Kanhaiya Mittal grew up in Chandigarh.

• He started singing devotional songs (bhajans) at the age of 7 to make some money.

  

• In 1997, his mother attended a kirtan and brought home a picture of the God Khatu Shyam, which she placed in their home temple. That was when Kanhiya first learned about him. He later began singing Khatu Shyam’s bhajans and felt a deep connection. He has been his devoted follower ever since.

• He used to sell rations, clothes, shoes, and other items for a living while singing devotional songs at events purely out of love for it.

• In 2016, he stopped singing at events to focus on his family and start a business. However, he felt uneasy about quitting singing.

• Kanhiya sang devotional songs for 18 years only because he enjoyed it. In 2017, he decided to turn it into his profession.

• Kanhiya initially performed at various events, such as kirtans, for free because his father advised him not to accept money for those. However, he began charging fees for his performances in 2017.

• In January 2017, after turning down an event in Surat, Gujarat, Kanhiya felt that he saw a reflection of Khatu Shyam urging him to start singing again. He shared this with his wife, and half an hour later, the event organisers called him. On someone’s advice, he asked for 1 lakh, but they offered 1.5 lakh. It was the first time he charged for a performance.

• Kanhiya has sung many devotional songs including ‘Khatu Ji Jaane Ko Jee Lalchata Hai’ (2018), ‘Ladla Khatu Wale Ka’ (2022), and ‘Chaska Shyam Ki Yaari Ka’ (2023).

  

• In 2019, he lost his father to a heart attack. Kanhiya was in Delhi for an event when he got to know about his father’s demise.

• He has been praised for his singing by many renowned personalities including Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath.

• Kanhaiya considers Yogi Adityanath his mentor.

  

• Kanhiya plays the harmonium, keyboard, and dholak well, even though he has never received formal training.

• He not only performs in India but has also done various shows internationally, including in countries like Australia and UAE.

  

• He has performed at various BJP events.

• In 2022, Kanhiya received a cash prize and the Lal Ji Sanskriti Award from Yogi Adityanath. However, he returned the cash prize later that year, stating that due to ongoing ‘bulldozer actions’ by Yogi, he wanted to return the money for public use to help repair homes and properties damaged by these actions.

• In 2023, he was appointed as the brand ambassador for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation’s Swachh Survekshan.

 

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• In 2023, Kanhiya’s song ‘Jo Ram Ko Laye Hain Hum Unko Layenge’ went viral. The song, which focused on the Ram Mandir, led many netizens to believe it supported the BJP. However, Kanhiya later clarified that the song was about the Ram Mandir and his respect for Yogi Adityanath, with no political affiliation.

• In 2024, Kanhiya made headlines when he expressed his desire to join Congress. He stated that he held no grudges against the BJP and believed that Sanatan Dharma could be promoted through any party, not just one.

• Kanhiya admires Bageshwar Dham Sarkar (Dhirendra Krishna Shastri) and has performed at his events multiple times.