A journey from Taus to Dilruba

A painting of Bebe Nanki presenting the Rabab to Guru Nanak & Mardana	A painting of Guru Arjan performing shabad kirtan with the Saranda

The taus is painted in all of the bright shades of the beautiful bird, the peacock, in its sound structure. Its long tail serves the purpose of the finger board of the instrument, upon which nineteen metal frets, elliptical in shape, are tied with cotton or silken cord. The lower portion, the head, carved to look just like the peacock, is covered with hide. The taus is played seated, with a bow. The parts of the bow include a wooden round stick, bow hair of horse tail, a wooden bridge, and a screw. The taus has sixteen sympathetic metal strings, along with its four playing strings.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was, himself, a great musician and had fifty-two great artists of various fields in his court. A lot of poetry was written in his time and was set to music in popular styles of the time. Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Bani (spiritual poetry) can be found in the types, Chhant to Khayal; these are musical terms that define the form and texture of expression given by the Guru at the time. The tenth Guru sang Kirtan with the rabab as well. His rabab can be found in the Gurdwara of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India. The importance of music in life has always been a highlight of the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, a new spiritual approach with particular meaning to the heritage of the Sikhs.

The taus is a large and heavy instrument. Its size and weight created a problem in mobility for the Saint-Warriors. So the Sikhs approached Guru Gobind Singh and sought his permission to scale down the size and design of the taus. After the the Guru gave permission, the resulting instrument came in the shape of what is now known as the dilruba (a Persian word meaning 'heart stealer')

The dilruba is one of the most popular stringed instruments in the North of India and, like the taus, is the same clever combination of the sitar and the sarangi. The fingerboard with the frets very much resembles the sitar. The belly of the instrument is covered with skin like a sarangi and, like the sarangi and taus, it is played with a bow (gaj). The main noticeable difference from the taus is the lack of the artistic peacock head and body in the design.

The stem (neck) of the dilruba also contains the same nineteen movable elliptical frets (as the taus). They are tied to the stem by means of thin pieces of gut, so that the frets can be moved according to the scale of the Raga being played. The bridge is placed on the skin-covered body, over which all the main and sympathetic strings pass. Of the four main strings, the last is the principal playing string. There are about twenty-two sympathetic strings (or tarabs) running underneath the frets and fastened to a series of pegs on the side. Early instruments were decorated with gild work and the gaj bore two or three tassels, usually red or green, on one or both ends. The older instruments have a subtle, majestic look.

Bowing is done with the right hand, while the fingers of the left hand are used to play over the strings. The frets on the dilruba are meant only to guide the player in locating the correct position of the notes. The dilruba is held vertically, with the lower portion on the lap of the performer or in front of him, and the top resting against the left shoulder.

Balance and Healing through Sound

Dilruba (A great traditional instrument of the Sikhs)

Discordant Notes

Dukh Bhanjan - Healing the mind and body through sound

Two Forgotten Pillars of Sikh Music. Back to Top

Guru Nanak regarded hymn-singing and hymn-listening with devotion as a link between man and God: ‘Musical sound (naad) originated from God. It's holy in every sense. The best way to worship God is to blend the Divine Word with sacred music’ “The singing ([Ahat] Naad) produces a response or echo (Anahad Naad) within the soul. He [Guru Nanak] felt that Gurbani and Kirtan are superior to all spiritual practices and as such they lead to the door of salvation.” (Mansukhani: 92)

It was in this spirit that Gurbani was composed and performed, an outgrowth of Indian spiritual practices and music, from Samvedic chanting to the great North Indian classical forms such as dhrupad and khayal, South Indian forms (Dakhnee), and blended with various simple, though soulful, local folk traditions.

String Instruments in Sikh History

The first performance of Gurbani Kirtan, conceptualized by Guru Nanak, was a special sound founded in Raga, as was all Indian music of the time. A mirasi (professional Muslim musician), Mardana, was Guru Nanak’s favorite traveling companion and fellow Kirtani. The Rabab, a plucked string instrument resembling the modern Sarode (but without the metal plate), provided a quality that was compatible with Guru Nanak’s voice and style for communicating his divine message in verse and rhyme. In fact, the Rabab was used to set the mood in Raga before Guru Nanak began his shabads. “He used to tell Mardana which string (notes) to play for a particular hymn. After Mardana had played on the rabab for a few minutes, so as to create an appropriate atmosphere, Guru Nanak would start singing his song in that raga.” (ibid.: 91)

As was traditional at the time, Kirtan was also often accompanied by the Pakhawaj (Mridangam) or Dholak, popular percussion instruments of the 15th and 16th Centuries. The Taanpura, though not considered essential in 16th century Indian music, became increasingly prominent, over time, in providing a droning background, especially in classical styles. Mirasis who sang and performed Gurbani Kirtan, were renamed Rababis, and became the established singers of the Guru’s Court (in 1521 at Kartarpur). Later, the professional Rababis became largely displaced by amateur Sikh musicians and bards, known as bhatts and ragis, especially during the time of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, when the Golden Temple became the official Court of the Guru.

Pictures of traditional stringed instruments of the Sikhs. Rabab, Saranda/Sarinda/Surinda, Sarangi, Taus/Taoos & Dilruba.

Sikh Gurus following Guru Nanak, all placed primary spiritual importance on the singing of Gurbani Kirtan, accompanied by stringed instruments in a traditional Indian style. Other instruments grew in popularity in the Guru’s Court, as the succeeding Gurus felt the need to enhance the technology of Naad in the Sikh hymns with the invention or promotion of new instruments. Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Aad Granth as the comprehensive technology of Naad, a universal collection of hymns from many spiritual traditions. He organized the hymns according to Raga and often included instructions about style and specific tunes to be applied to the hymns.

Guru Arjan Dev, fifth Sikh Guru, was a master musician and musicologist. He is said to have designed the Sarinda (a large bowl-shaped string instrument, played with bow), which he himself played and used as the ideal accompaniment for the male voice. The Sarinda produces a hauntingly beautiful deep tonal quality which sings in alternation and in support of the human voice in Kirtan. The next Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Hargobind, incorporated the Sarangi (also played with a bow), a much-maligned string instrument (known to be popular in commercial venues and brothels) in the singing of Gurbani Kirtan. Because of its bold and melodious sound, he considered it an important accompaniment and alternate solo voice in the performance of heroic ballads (Vars), a song form long promoted by the Sikh Gurus for raising the spirits of the oppressed and promulgating self-respect and fearlessness, including the traditional Asa ki Var.

In the Guru’s Court, the Sarangi was played in a vocal style and in the field it played in a martial manner, like a folk fiddle. The use of Sarangi became a tradition of soldier-saint warriors in battle. During the time of British occupation, in the nineteenth century, a new generation of Kirtanees, called dhadhis, began. In later versions, the Sarangi became equipped with small bells (gungroos) attached to the bow, and was often accompanied by Dhadh (small drum). The folk ballads sung by dhadhis became standardized into the form known today, with two dhadh-players singing a tale of heroism, while the Sarangi player accompanies the singers.

Guru Gobind Singh), the Tenth Sikh Guru, was also a master musician and composer, as were his predecessors. In his time, khayal was the upcoming style to become popularized in the Muslim courts of North India. It was also influential on the style of Kirtan played in the Court of the Sikh Guru, where opulence and majesty were in vogue. It is said the Guru’s Kirtan was often accompanied by a large ensemble of beautiful instruments, including the Taus (a peacock-shaped bowed string instrument), which he himself designed. A smaller version, designed by Sikhs to be used often on the battlefield or on horseback, was the Dilruba (meaning “heart stealer”). Again, these instruments were designed for the sole purpose of enhancing the technology of Naad instituted in Gurmat Sangeet (the Guru’s music) and were considered to be essential in the performance and “sound current” of shabads composed in the Guru’s Court.

How String Instruments enhance the impact of Gurbani

To understand the importance of stringed instruments in Gurbani Kirtan, one must have some familiarity with Indian music. In western classical music, melody and harmony (especially since the introduction of tempered-scale tuning in the 17th century) are intertwined, thus when a singer presents a beautiful melody, it must fit within a strict harmonic-pitch structure. There is a tendency to polish the sound and move accurately and quickly between notes. Ornaments and graces are always on pitch, except in later Romantic and Twentieth-century opera, string literature, and music inspired by folk idioms, especially in Eastern Europe and Russia, where portamenti (sliding between pitches) are richly employed.

Indian music emphasizes melody and rhythm against a static harmonic background (a drone). There is much more freedom to move between the pitches in ways that play with harmonic possibilities. Also, instead of being locked into a strict twelve-tone chromatic scale, as in the West, microtonal shading and bending of pitches gives the tunes added color and variety. In each raga, various pitches are emphasized or exaggerated, some of which are made to be extra-flat or sharp in relation to each other, thus creating a natural, melodic and ‘perceived’ harmonic emphasis. In addition, melody includes much sliding (meend and gamak) between, within, and around pitches.

Voice quality in Indian music is resonant but natural to the singer. Each voice has its own natural beauty and needs not conform to an artificial ‘standard’ such is found in Western music. Pitch accuracy is practiced in great detail, but with the added artistry of graceful sliding and ornamentation. The music must seem to come from ‘within’, expressing the devotion of the soul, while allowing great freedom and flexibility. Indian melody is not just a sequence of pitches, but is a flowing stream of sound, gliding in various directions, bound only by the guiding rules of raga. For instruments to enhance and support this vocal quality, they must be ‘voice-like’. Indian string instruments are designed to follow and mirror the Indian vocal style perfectly, gracefully sliding between and around pitches. The stringed instruments created and incorporated by the Sikh Gurus (especially the bowed Taus, Sarinda, Dilruba, and Sarangi) provide for a beautiful instrumental companion voice to reflect and expand the message of the poetry. Also, these instruments, especially as they are currently designed, have resonating sympathetic strings to echo and enhance the sound box, creating a rare and enchanting ‘halo’ to the sound.

Students practicing Gurmat Sangeet using these precious instruments also find it much easier to learn in this manner and their vocal abilities are said to improve quickly as matching the natural voice to the string instruments is a very exact process. The sound of the instrument helps to pull the voice into the correct pitch and guides the voice into the graceful sliding movements associated with improvised melody.

The Rabab, as well as the popular Sarod and Sitar, whose strings are plucked, are also suited for accompaniment of Indian vocal music but are not as naturally capable of the vocal style as the bowed instruments. They are, however, excellent accompanying instruments, especially in a large Kirtan jatha or ensemble.

It has become obvious to many, after hearing Gurbani Sangeet with the inclusion the Gurus’ beloved stringed instruments, that this is the way Kirtan was intended to be accompanied, along with a drone and percussion rhythm background. It comes into the realm of common sense, that these instruments, designed and promoted by the Gurus were definitely part of the concept of sound as consciousness-raising technology.

Why is it that the Sikh community is now unaware of this rich tradition of stringed instruments?
Why is it that the Sarinda is no longer found in the Gurdwaras and places where Sikhs gather to sing the shabad of the Guru?
Why is the Sarangi vehemently disallowed? Is it because it was known to be played in houses of ill repute, even though the Tabla was also found in the same places? Is it because of the construction using animal skins? Again, the Tabla and Pakhawaj are fully approved to this day.

It is incumbent upon the Sikh community to come to grips with its extraordinary tradition, using the technology which is its birthright, as was directed and prescribed by the Gurus. It is not to say that tradition should be the only guide, but rather to say that if the Sikh Gurus gave the tradition as a prescription, should it not at least be acknowledged and given first priority, according to the definition of Gurmat Sangeet? If social taboos are to have an influence, concerning instruments such as the Sarangi, they should be evenhandedly weighed against all instruments used in such circumstances (like the Tabla and Harmonium). Even so, if five of the Sikh Gurus, beginning with Guru Harbogind Sahib Ji, blessed and treasured the wealth of such a magnificent instrument, why should anyone now quibble with its use in Kirtan, as long is it is respectfully played in the sadhsangat?

Is it not time for Sikhs to explore and utilize the rich heritage, preserved for the benefit of the entire world, which is contained within Sikh musical tradition? People of this planet are ‘seeking’ an enlightened and healing technology, a universal solution which can uplift and inspire. It was for this time and purpose, and all times, that the Guru gave us music and poetry, accompanied by the instruments that best help to define it.

Keertan and the Human Psyche

The Shabads of the Sikh Gurus are examples and lessons for the mind and soul to dialogue with each other, so that they can work together rather then against each other. This is indicative of the thoughts, discussions and debates that everyone partakes in on a daily basis inside their head.

Much research has been done regarding the effects of music on one's emotional wellbeing. Thoughts, feelings and emotions are highly influenced by listening to music. The emotional experience derived from music has a powerful effect on the formation of one's moral and intellectual outlook.

"Music faces us with the realization that there are two worlds: the inner and the outer. The inner is often incommunicable, a spiritual world which is difficult to enter from the outer world where we normally speak to one another. Music is bridge for us." -Alfred Nieman

Music and psyche have been inherently linked in creation myths, obscure thought, legends, and now science. All intuit and theorize that the origin of the world/universe is in vibration, sound, or music. The human fetus floats in the fluid but static feminine, in which are present all of the primary elements of music. Psychologically, what does this mean? In the presence of certain music and composed feelings, a person can more fully explore the inner world with its archetypal and symbolic character.

The following is an excerpt by Guru Nanak Dev Ji on pg 6 of the holy scriptures of the Sikhs

so dru kyhw so Gru kyhw ijqu bih srb smwly ]
so dhar kaehaa so ghar kaehaa jith behi sarab samaalae ||
Where is that Gate, and where is that Dwelling, in which You sit and take care of all?

vwjy nwd Anyk AsMKw kyqy vwvxhwry ]
vaajae naadh anaek asa(n)khaa kaethae vaavanehaarae ||
The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates there, and countless musicians play on all sorts of instruments there.

kyqy rwg prI isau khIAin kyqy gwvxhwry ]
kaethae raag paree sio keheean kaethae gaavanehaarae ||
So many Ragas, so many musicians singing there. The following is an excerpt from a Shabad by Guru Raam Daas Ji in Raag Gauree Majh (pg 174):

hir AMqir vwjw pauxu hY myry goivMdw hir Awip vjwey iqau vwjY jIau ]
har a(n)thar vaajaa poun hai maerae govi(n)dhaa har aap vajaaeae thio vaajai jeeo ||
O Lord, the music of the praanic wind is deep within, O my Lord of the Universe; as the Lord Himself plays this music, so does it vibrate and resound.

There are numerous references to Naad, vibration, sound and music by the Sikh Gurus in the Holy Scriptures.

Having realized the ability of music to inspire the listener and performer, the Sikh Gurus harnessed these effects of Raags to convey their teachings. In order for the message of the Shabad to remain as the Sikh Gurus intended, each Shabad has been set to a predefined raag, which is included in the title of the Shabad along with its author. Thus, when a Shabad is sung in its title raag, its true nature and feelings are conveyed. The title raag enhances our understanding of the Shabad by providing us with emotions that go along with the teaching in the particular shabad.

The Sikh Gurus use themes and emotions that all humanity can relate to, such as love, devotion, wisdom, pain, ambition, hope, friendship, desire, determination, ego, duty, liberation, regret, faith, and sadness. The Shabads thus encourage the realization of one's true self, regardless of race, gender or creed.

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Making of an Alaap

The purpose of including an alaap in a composition is for the singer to set the scene for the composition itself. In order to tell a story, the storyteller is required to set the scene for the listener, the point being to engage the listener emotionally and mentally to listen to their story. The alaap also serves this purpose; to prepare the listener to receive the emotions and the story from the singer. Suspense is also being built up through the alaap for the listener.

In order to create an Alaap it is essential to distinguish what Raag is to be performed. Every Raag is unique and has its own characteristics. First of all it is crucial to know which notes are allowed to be used:

Aroh – ascending notes

Avroh – descending notes


Next its important to get the five key notes:

Vadi – 1st

Samvadi – 2nd

Niyas – 3rd

Anuvadi – 4th

Vivadi – 5th & note to be aware of

(Listed in-order of precedence)

In all Alaap compositions, SA(Madh Saptak) considered a very important note and therefore must be established reasonably quickly. SA can’t be directly established and has to be approached from either the vadi or samvadi or niyas or anuvadi, provided that it is not past SA and it is also close to SA. Not forgetting precedence is to be given to the more important note but never starting from vivadi. So the note from where the Alaap is to start up to SA, is considered the Initial Range.

The vivadi is also an important note that must be used but too much emphasis on this note will change the Raag. Only the notes in the Initial Range before SA are to be used in an array of combinations and only pausing on the first four important notes (provided they are in the Initial Range). A suspense(s) is to be created and then finally approaching SA. Thus SA has been established again the SA is to be established quite quickly.

The next note to be approached and established is either the vadi, samvadi, niyas & anuvadi depending on which is closest to SA up the Madh Saptak. Now the Alaap is in full blow and the performer can spend as long as the performer likes in creating the suspense, before establishing the note. This way, another important note up the Saptak is established; therefore all four notes are established in the Mandhir Saptak. The same is repeated in the Tar Saptak.

This process of establishing the important notes and thus revealing the Raag step by step is known as a Barat. Finally the Alaap must end on the most important note in all Raags, that is the Madh Saptak SA. Thus the Alaap is complete and the composition in this case a Shabad is then performed.

Raag Gauri Purbi example:

The Indian music scale consists of three octaves: Mandar (low), Madh (middle) and Tar (high) saptak. The notes are divided into three categories: Shuda (normal), komal (flat) and tivra. Raag Gauri Purbi consists of two komal notes (R and D), and tivra and shuddha M. Within this raag, there are four key notes; the first most important is R (Wadi), the second most important is P (Samwadi), the third most important is N (Niyaas) and the fourth most important is S (Anuwadi). There is an additional fifth note known as the viwadhi, which in this case is the D. This note is used in balance within the raag itself. Too much or too little emphasis upon this note can change the entire raag. Therefore, it is vital to be careful about the use of this note.

The scale for Raag Gauri Purbi is below (from low to high scale):

STEPS TO COMPOSE:

• In order to compose an alaap for this raag, it is crucial to initially establish the S. The closest most important note to S in this raag is P (second most important note closest to S, lower octave). Therefore, in order to establish the S, the singer would normally start from P (lower octave) and work their way up to S using a variety of combinations with the notes in between (see diagram box 1).
• Once the S has been established, the singer is then required to establish the first, second, third and fourth important notes respectively. For example, in order to establish R, the singer can use all the relevant notes from P (lower octave) to R (middle octave). Similarly, the singer would work their way up the scale using a variety of relevant notes and combinations to establish the rest of the important notes (see diagram boxes 2 – 4).

Once the full alaap has been established, the singer can then proceed to telling the story through the Shabad.

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Mind over Music

1. Allow and accept whatever fearful feelings and body sensations you have without trying to fight or run from the fear. Your fear will pass more easily when you are not frightened by it.
   
2. Focus on calming and grounding yourself by slow and gentle deep breathing and allow your breath to relax your mind and body. Also focus on thoughts and images that are relaxing and uplifting.
   
3. Try to stay connected to the reality of what is going on around you in the present moment by listening closely to others and paying attention to your surroundings.
   
4. Use positive, supportive, encouraging self-talk. Speak to yourself as your greatest supporter and ally, especially at the most difficult moments.
   
5. Think about past successes and connect with all of your strengths and abilities that have allowed you to face other life challenges. Draw upon that reservoir of strength within you.
   
6. Practice healthy lifestyle habits (such as healthy eating, exercising, and getting adequate sleep) so you can feel at your best before a performance. Think about and do things that help create a lighthearted, joyful spirit and don’t take yourself so seriously.
   
7. Prepare ahead of time when possible and be well-practiced and rehearsed so you feel more comfortable with your material. When improvising, rely on trusting in your experience, fund of knowledge, intelligence, and resourcefulness and don’t second-guess yourself.
   
8. Create a self-assured, confident attitude and body posture even when you are not feeling this way. “Act as if” you were someone who was self-assured and confident with speaking or performing and model this person’s attitude and body language.
   
9. Focus on your true purpose for speaking or performing and let go of self-preoccupation about your worries and fears. Make a true, human connection with others in your audience and see people for who they really are, rather than as your judges or critics.
   
10. Give up trying to be perfect and know it is okay to be human and to make mistakes. Stop comparing yourself to others, or to some ideal standard, and allow your imperfect natural self to come forward.

Naad Yoga, the ancient science of Sound

“Rahao” - Flow and Pause in Gurbani & Keertan

It is important to understand a few terminologies before we proceed further.

Rahau: While reading through a Shabad in Guru Granth Sahib, we find that one line has a word RAHAU written at the end. Except for Raag Tukhari, we find the mention of Rahau in nearly all the other Bani. Depending on the type of Shabad (Chaupada - 4 liner, Ashtpadi - 8 liner, etc.) it has that many defined lines. Somewhere in the middle, or in the beginning of the Shabad one line has the word Rahau mentioned, with the numeral 1.

The word rahau means WAIT.... PAUSE....in Punjabi "Therau". Gurus have clearly indicated that while reading the Shabad, take a PAUSE on this line. Why Pause? Because the line with RAHAU has the central theme of the Shabad. This is the line in which Guru is conveying the topic discussed in the Shabad and it contains the Gurmat Vichar, the RIGHT THOUGHT. Therefore we are required to pause on this line and contemplate the message. The other lines in the Shabad are used to explain/extrapolate the contents of the Central Theme given in the line of Rahau. These other lines (the non-Rahau lines) talk about prevalent practices, arguments, reasoning, intention, etc. and are used for strengthening/explaining the Central Theme.

The point to note is that the numbering of lines is meanigful: the numbering conveys a definitive message. The message here is: Wait/Pause and contemplate on the message. In this line the Guru is telling us the theme of the Shabad. The number 1 of Rahau indicates ,read this line carefully. Now read the other (non-Rahau Line) line, and correlate it to the message in Rahau. Now proceed to other (Non-Rahau) line thereby keep proceeding with all the other lines in a sequential manner.

At times, if rarely, we find more than one rahau in a Shabad. All the Rahaus in that Shabad (usually 2,3 or 4) convey the same central theme: reflect on truth. Gurus thought it appropriate to explain the same central theme in different combination of words and therefore gave more than one Rahau.

Asthai: In Keertan (or any music) we find one line keeps getting repeated time and again. This common line, which is repeated each time after a different line, is known as Asthai in Indian Classical Music, or Chorus in the Western Music.
Antra - In Keertan (or any music) after singing the Asthai (the repetitive line) a different line is sung, and upon its completion the Asthai is sung again and then a second different line is sung, followed by Asthai. This changing line is known as Antra in Indian Classical Music.

The purpose of Keertan is to deliver the Gurus’ message sweetly to the listener. As Rahau has the central theme of the Shabad and contains the spiritual message, its usage, as an Asthai is repeated time and again after every Antra, which helps in the message getting drilled into the listener’s mind. The result is that the Guru’s message gets delivered many times while the Shabad is being sung. This increases the probability of retention of the central theme (Gurmat Vichar) by the listener’s mind.

Let me take a very popular Shabad from Siri Raag, Page 44, which is sung by Raagis during a happy occasion in the family. Most of the Sikhs will remember the shabad by its popularly known line:
Lakh khushiya patshahiya
jey satgur nadar karey ..........

It’s commonly found that Raagis make the above line as the Asthai while singing the shabad because of the word Khushiya (Happiness). This line is the second non-Rahau line in the Shabad and gets commonly used as the Asthai while singing.


The English translation of the Shabad is:
SRI RAAG, MEHLA V: All happiness is achieved only by Thy Grace. The precious gift of this human life becomes fruitful when one chants the True Word. One who has such destiny written on his forehead enters the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence through the Guru. || 1 || O my mind, focus your consciousness on the One. Without the One, all involvlements are worthless; emotional attachment to a mirage is verily false. || 1 || Pause || Hundreds of thousands of princely pleasures are yours to enjoy if the True Guru bestows His Glance of Grace. If He bestows the Name of the Lord, even for a moment, my mind and body are soothed. Those who have such pre-ordained destiny hold tight to the Feet of the True Guru. || 2 || Blessed is that moment, and fruitful is that time, when one is in love with the True Lord. Suffering and sorrow do not touch those who have the Support of the Name of the Lord. Grasping him by the arm, the Guru lifts them up and out, and carries them across to the other side. || 3 || Embellished and immaculate is that place where the Saints gather together. He alone finds shelter who has met the Perfect Guru. Nanak builds his house upon that site where there is no death, no birth, and no old age. || 4 || 6 || 76 ||


If we were to sing this Shabad in proper Keertan singing style by making Rahau (Mere man eikas sio chit laaye/eikas bin sabh dhund hai/sabh mithiya moh maye) as Asthai for repetition, then upon reaching second Antra, the message that will get repetitively get delivered to the mind will be that we need to first make an effort to get our mind to focus on One God, give up attachment to Maya and emotional entanglements. If we succeed in achieving this state of mind, then (as stated in the second Non-Rahau line) thousands of Pleasures will be attained (only if) if His Grace falls upon us.


Note that the CONDITION (Rahau line to be used as Asthai) is that we make the effort to rid our mind of attachment/Maya, then the RESULT (Non-Rahau line to be used as Antra) is - if Satguru deems it worth then he provides hundreds of pleasures to the devotee.

Unfortunately, this Shabad is commonly sung by Raagis by making the non-Rahau Line No.2 as the Asthai (Lakh khushiya patshahiya jey satgur nadar karey....), which gets repeated many a times during the Shabad singing. Now see the change in deliverability of the message to our mind. We are seeking from our Guru thousands of pleasures, by His Grace and, upon getting them, we will then strive towards ridding our mind of attachment/Maya! Note that by using the non-Rahau line as Asthai, the CONDITION has changed to: if Satguru deems it worth, then He provides hundreds of pleasures to us and the RESULT (Rahau line being used as Antra) is that we will make the effort to rid our mind of attachment/Maya!


By using the non-Rahau line in this Shabad as Asthai, our mind is subconsciously being told to live on HOPE, rather than make the EFFORT, which is the reverse of what the Guru is telling us in this Shabad, viz.- Devotee first makes the EFFORT and then HOPE should arise for His Grace.


Interesting....isn’t it? We tend to ignore the finer details of Gurus’ message, which is so clear.................Probably that’s the reason why Sikhs of today lack the spirit/spiritual discipline for which our forefathers were known. I hope people will start making an effort of getting the Sikhs in their immediate contact to understand the importance of Rahau in Keertan singing, and strive towards singing Keertan in the correct manner.

Those who are active in Gurudwara Management/teaching Keertan should make it a point to teach to the youth only those Shabads in which Rahau is made the Asthai. For a teacher to correct what he has already learnt in so many years is a tough proposition, but he can definitely make an effort to select those Shabads from his Keertan bank for teaching the youth/children, in which the Rahau is made the Asthai. In this way, we may be able to slowly steer in the direction of true deliverance.

Rāg Majh - Musicology

Aunsian
Raag majh is based on aunsian. A rural tradition of waiting for a loved one and the hope and extreme pain or loneliness, felt while waiting. The western form of ausain is the picking off of flower petals one by one and is commonly known as “He loves me, He loves me not”. Drawing a row of lines on the floor and striking them out alternately rather then picking off petals plays Ausain.

Both these games symbolize the hope and pain of meeting your loved one who you are so desperate to meet. They also represent the anxiety that comes with not knowing the outcome and the uncertainty of whether your loved one will come or not. Even if the outcome is negative, the loved one is so dear to you that you will not feel anger but the longing to meet will become stronger and will make the relationship more close and dear.

Creation and Authorship of Raag Majh

Raag Majh is only found in Sahib Guru Granth Sahib ji and there is no evidence of Majh in any other old Granth or shasteras. That makes this raag unique and shows that it is the creation of the greatest maestro ever, Sahib Guru Arjun Dev ji.

Guru Arjun Dev ji, the younger son of the fourth Guru, Guru Ram Dass Ji was sent to Majha by his father, to attend a wedding. Guru ji was told that he would be given an order from his father, when he was to return. Guru ji had never left his family and father for such a long time before, and began to grow more and more anxious to come back. Guru Arjun ji was very creative from his early age and the Majha’s Aunsian tradition was very compelling to him. The longing to meet his great Guru and father was so great that he wrote three letters to his father. These letters contained the pain of separation and the anticipation, hope and joy of meeting. Those poetic messages become the first bani of Guru Arjun ji to meet Akal Purkh (GOD), and are under the heading of Raag Majh in Guru Granth Sahib ji.

In Guru Granth Sahib ji, Guru Arjun ji uses the emotions of pain, loneliness and expectation present in Raag Majh and aunsian to help the soul cry out to the mind in order to build an urge to meet beloved God. Guru Arjun ji used the feelings felt toward his father and Guru to explain the relationship that everyone has toward God. To make this relationship easier to understand Guru ji’s bani contains words like Father, Mother, Brother and Friend. This encourages us to examine our everyday relationships as an example to understand how to get close to Akaal Purkh.

Terminology

Aroh: SA RE, MA PA, NE SA

Avroh: SA NE DHA PA, DHA MA GA MA, RE PA GA RE GA, SA RE NE SA

Mukh Aung (Chalan):
PA, DHA MA PA, GA MA, RE PA, MA GA, RE GA SA RE , NE SA

Wadi: RE & Samwadi: PA

Musicology with Examples

Wadi Re (thought) and samwadi Pa work in coalition in Raag Majh by Pa giving tremendous power and support to wadi Re. Raag Majh contains both Ga’s and Ne’s, which are extreme surs of highlighting a situation/subject and balancing it. These keys are capable of giving a powerful boost to the main mood of the raag, as is seen in the chalan (pattern/style) of the raag. The feelings of certainty and at the same time uncertainty when coming back in the avroh creates the pain and loneliness of raag Majh. After going to tar saptaks Sa the rule is to come back to Ne of madh saptak which makes the nature of the raag the same as the previous example of , “He loves me, He loves me not”.

The chalan of the raag will create a mood of extreme fragility because of the feeling of great pain due to loneliness and at the same time the hope felt, to meet again.

An example:
A mother is waiting to see her son who she has not seen in the past 20 years and nor has she heard from him. Now and then, she hears from other travelers that they have seen him that he is fine and well and will be coming home soon. Everyday, her eyes are constantly on the door in anticipation and every time she hears someone passing, she runs outside, hoping to find he has come home. Although the waiting is painful, she is not angry and she does not hate him because he is part of her. The days pass slowly but she is filled with new energy at the end of the day, with the hope of seeing him tomorrow. She will never give up, and when one day she sees him, the pain will be a thing of past. Guru ji gives us examples in the shabad to make relations with God; O mind, learn from this mother and wait and look for the truth of this universe.
Study of Composition/Translation

Now we shall discuss the shabad and its translation in relation to its mood.

mwJ mhlw 5 ]

qUM myrw ipqw qUMhY myrw mwqw ] qUM myrw bMDpu qUM myrw BRwqw ]
qUM myrw rwKw sBnI QweI qw Bau kyhw kwVw jIau] 1 ]

qumrI ik®pw qy quDu pCwxw ] qUM myrI Et qUMhY myrw mwxw ]

quJ ibnu dUjw Avru n koeI sBu qyrw Kylu AKwVw jIau ] 2 ]

jIA jMq siB quDu aupwey ] ijqu ijqu Bwxw iqqu iqqu lwey ]

sB ikCu kIqw qyrw hovY nwhI ikCu AswVw jIau ] 3 ]

nwmu iDAwie mhw suKu pwieAw ] hir gux gwie myrw mnu sIqlwieAw]
guir pUrY vjIvwDweI nwnk ijqw ibKwVw jIau] 4 ] 24 ] 31 ]

Taus (The majestic looking peacock shaped instrument)

Taus means ‘peacock’ in Persian and is derived from sitar and sarangi. Its body is shaped like a peacock and it is played with a bow. It has a sound hole at the ‘tail’ portion of the instrument and stands on bird-feet carved in wood.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru of Sikhs, kept the family trend by creating the instrument which he named the ‘taus’, which, in Persian, means peacock. Some scholars believe that the sitar was invented in Guru Gobind Singh’s time period as well, and that the creation of new instruments was in fashion at that time.

The Taus is painted in all of the bright shades of the beautiful bird, the peacock, in its sound structure. Its long tail serves the purpose of the finger board of the instrument, upon which nineteen metal frets, elliptical in shape, are tied with cotton or silken cord.

The lower portion, the head, carved to look just like the peacock, is covered with skin. The Taus is played seated, with a bow. The parts of the bow include a wooden round stick, bow hair of horse tail, a wooden bridge, and a screw.

The Taus has sixteen sympathetic metal strings, along with its four playing strings. It is very similar to the Dilruba in construction and in playing technique. However, the Taus has a bigger sound box and therefore produces a much more resonant and mellow sound.

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Terminology of Gurmat Sangeet

The forgotten art

Two Forgotten Pillars of Sikh Music

Time and region also play a huge role in any instrumental development. The Saranda basically vanished from the Sikh traditions in India around one hundred years ago, and now can mainly be found in museums and among only one or two Sikhs who still play this instrument. The Sikh congregation, from what is now Afghanistan, had a great relationship with Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and they adopted this instrument to promote it in singing the Almighty's praise. Nowadays, the Saranda can be found with some folk singers of Baluchistan, in Pakistan. Its shape has made some changes. For some Sarandas, the sound box has been made slim, some are big and round. Some Sarandas have a similar fingerboard to the classical Sarangi. Some have been developed for use in folk music and some for the majestic look befitting display in museums. Again sadly, this beautiful instrument is vanishing from the music for which it was conceived.

A beautiful body, carved from a single piece of wood known as tun, the base of the Saranda is hotlow, and half-covered with deer or goat skin. On top of the base sits the main bridge which holds the sympathetic and main strings. The middle body of the Saranda has sympathetic strings laid similar to the Sarangi: thirteen to fifteen under the main strings, and nine on the side. The top part of Saranda has five or six tarabs (sympathetic strings) on each side. All of the sympathetic strings are made from metal, and the main three strings are made from gut.

The Saranda is held vertically while playing (the same as the Sarangi), with the belly placed on the floor, or on the lap between the feet; and the peg-box, on the top, rests on the left shoulder. The horse-hair bow is held in an underhand grip and drawn with the right hand, while the strings are stopped with the left hand.

The Sarangi of the Sikhs was brought in and promoted by the sixth Guru, Hargobind Sahib, to sing the ballads from Siri Guru Granth Sahib or from Bhai Guru Das' poetry. Vaaran (ballads) are to be found in great number among these works, and they incorporate an aggressive approach to singing and expression.

It would appear that the Sarangi was a folk instrument long before it came to be accepted in classical music as an accompanying instrument. This was most probably during the rise of the Khayal gayaki (style) at the time of Mohammed Shah 'Rangila'. By the nineteenth century, the Sarangi came to be associated with dancing girls and courtesans, and was used as the standard instrument for accompanying Khayal, Thumri, and occasionally for Dhrupad. However, the decline of the Sarangi has set in over the last three quarters of the last century or so, partly because of these negative associations, and partly because of the technical difficulties in tuning and playing the instrument.

Although there is no standardization in the structure and dimensions of this instrument, the typical Sarangi is a rather small instrument - usually about two and one-quarter feet high - and having three main parts: the main body and resonator, the neck, and the peg-box. It is made out of a single, hollowed block of wood, which has a thickness of over an inch at the top and at the bottom, and around a quarter of an inch on the sides. There is a hole at the back of the instrument, as well as a wooden bar running from the top to the bottom, to strengthen the body. It has a belly which is covered with parchment, but often has holes cut in it; and it is pinched to facilitate bowing. The body is asymmetrical, the waist being deeper on the left side compared to the right. And the body and neck flow together in a straight line on the right, whereas on the left there is a bulge at the top of the body. The instrument has a tapered neck but is not as graceful as the Sarode (one of the most popular Indian instruments in current performance). At the bottom lies the wooden string holder, with holes drilled for the main strings. There is usually a metal plate, fixed at the lower end, to protect the body.

The Sarangi has three playing strings made of gut, and usually has a fourth brass drone, or sympathetic string. These strings are tuned by means of four pegs, located in the lower half of the peg-box on either side, while the upper half has around eleven pegs for the sympathetic strings. The Sarangi also has a large number of sympathetic strings, all made of metal. The number ranges from between thirty-five and forty; they lie below the main playing strings where some are tuned chromatically and others follow a diatonic tuning. Twenty-four sympathetic strings are tuned by means of pegs on the side of the fingerboard, where the strings emerge out of small bone rings in the front of the neck. Nine of the strings emerge in a straight row on the right hand side of the fingerboard, while the remaining fifteen come from holes set in a diagonal fashion from the top right-hand corner to the bottom centre. The Sarangi has no frets on the fingerboard, as such.

Usually, the Sarangi has four bone bridges for suspending the strings, two of which are essential, as they carry the playing strings. The main bridge rests on the parchment cover pasted over the belly, and it carries all the strings - the playing strings passing through notches on the top, and all of the sympathetic strings passing through the holes below. Since there is a great deal of pressure on the parchment at the point of the bridge; there is a leather strap, glued to the sides of the body, which passes below and supports the feet of the bridge. The other important bridge, at the top, carries only the three main playing strings, made of gut, and keeps them parallel by raising them about half-an-inch over the neck of the instrument.

The horse-hair bow is held in an underhand grip and drawn with the right hand, while the strings are stopped with the left hand. The method of stopping the strings is to use the nail, with fingers bent, so that the base of the nail near the cuticle is in contact with the string rather than the fingertip. Although the musicologist, Nell Sorrell, is of the view that the actual fingering is not standardized and each player has his own technique. Joep Bor states that the there is a standardized fingering which is different for each school of Sarangi playing. The middle finger is used more than the index, while the third finger is used the most, particularly in the higher register. It is used for playing consecutive notes for at least an octave. The little finger is considered too weak for any playing, and is hardly used, except in rare cases.

There is a special quality in the sound of the Sarangi because it is produced by bowing on gut strings, and also because of the way in which the sympathetic strings are suspended to enhance the jawari (slightly buzzing) effect. This sound quality is said to be the closest, among all musical instruments, to the human voice. It would, however, not he wrong to state that the Sarangi's advantage is also a disadvantage. As indicated, much of its sound quality is the result of the sympathetic strings. But whether as many as 35 or 40 strings are necessary, is the question, particularly when proper tuning of these can take a long time. This is one of the reasons that have been advanced, for the reduced use of the instrument for accompaniment.

Saranda and Sarangi are not in use the way they should be, in present time, and rumours are out there, for the Sarangi, because it was played with the dancing girls in the 'kotha' (brothel). But the Tabia and Harmonium are also played in the same disreputable locations. Why are those not banned from Sikh Kirtan, as well?

The real answer to the disappearance of the Saranda and Sarangi from the Sikh court is due to ignorance about the instruments, or laziness about learning to play or practice, but nothing else. We need to use these instruments more, not just to preserve their heritage, but also for the essence of Gurmat Sangeet. Otherwise the "ignorance is bliss" attitude will kill a great legacy of Saranda and Sarangi in the musical world.

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Understanding the musical framework of Guru Granth Sahib

Hearing the modern experimentalists keertanias doing keertan in highly dramatized forms leads my mind to pose some basic questions like

“What does Guru Granth Sahib, our eternal Guru command us on the subject of Keertan?”

“Why is that the Gurus chose Raags to classify Gurbani?”

“What is the relation between Shabad and Raag?”

“Do we need the aid of experimental music to propagate the message of Guru Granth Sahib?”

“Have our Keertanias experimented with the vastness of Raags and Taals as prescribed by Gurus?”

“What impact will experimentation have on our future generations?”

Keertan today has been commercialized to such an extent that barring a few, most Keertanias are only concerned about making a quick money. Their limitations to experiment with the prescribed vastness of Guru Granth Sahib always gets camouflaged in the excuse that Sangat does not prefer to listen to Keertan as prescribed by the Gurus.

Gurus wrote Shabads in poetical-metric forms and then associate them with Raags and Ghars (Beats/Taals). Does this mean that Gurus have left no scope for experimentation with music? The indication of Raag and Ghar (Beat) with every Shabad implies that Gurus had a definite motive behind fixing a framework. This framework was not set to limit the ability of human mind to experiment with music but to act as an aid in spiritual development. A simple mathematical permutation and combination on notes of any Raag would indicate that each Raag offers thousands of tunes to experiment with.

Poetry (the form in which Gurbani is written) and Music (Raags) are two sides of the same coin. They are independent but yet complement each other. Music versifies and provides melody, uniformity and cadence to Poetry. The factor that binds music and poetry is their Metrical-form (Ghar). Music (Raag) is based on Sound (Swar - Notes) and a combination of Notes produce distinct musical effects. Poetry is determined by Word (Shabad), which communicates a message. Music (Raag) on the other hand conveys a feeling to the heart and is therefore universal. Spirituality after all is striking the right balance between mind and heart. Therefore when Gurbani (Poetry) is complemented with Raag (Music) and bound by Ghar , the resulting effect on mind and body can become the catalyst to change.

As explained earlier that Raag conveys a feeling and Shabad a message. A Raag is capable of touching the hearts with the feeling like Joy, Sorrow, Detachment, etc. Upon studying the structure of Guru Granth Sahib it can be seen that shabads relating to common THEMES are generally placed under each Raag. When the broad THEMES of Shabads are overlaid with feelings conveyed by Raags, there emerges a reason behind classification of Shabads under a broad classification of 31 Raags.

Common Theme of Shabads placed under Raags of Guru Granth Sahib

1. Soohi - Being away from Home. The soul being away from the House of Lord & the joy of meeting the true husband.

2. Bilaaval - beautification of Soul, Happiness.

3. Gaund - Separation, union, surprise.

4. Sri - Maya and Detachment

5. Maajh - yearning to merge with Lord, giving up of negative values.

6. Gauri - Principles, Serious, thoughtfulness, composed

7. Aasa - Hope

8. Gujri - Prayer (Pooja)

9. Devgandhari - Merging with spouse, Self - Realization

10. Bihaagra - Yearning due to separation of Soul and happiness due to meeting the Lord.

11. Sorath - Merits of God

12. Dhanasari - Mixed Theme

13. Jaitsree - Stability

14. Todi - Maya, Separation

15. Bairagi - motivation to sing praises of Lord

16. Tilang - many words from the vocabulary of Islamic origins are used, sadness, beautification.

17. Raamkali - to give up the life of a wandering Jogi.

18. Nat Narayan - Joy of meeting the Lord

19. Maali Gaura - Happiness

20. Maaru - Bravery

21. Tukhari - Separation and union with Lord

22. Kedara - Love

23. Bhairav - Mans' state of Hell

24. Basant - Happiness

25. Sarang - Thirst to meet God

26. Malar - State of separated and united Soul

27. Jaijawanti – Vairag (Detachment)

28. Kalyan - Bhakti (Prayer) Ras

29. Vadhans – Vairag (Detachment)

30. Parbhati – Bhakti (Prayer)

31. Kanra – Bhakti (Prayer)

Feeling communicated by the music of Raag

1. Soohi – Joy & Separation

2. Bilaaval - happiness

3. Gaund - strangeness, surprise, beauty

4. Sri - satisfaction and balance

5. Maajh - loss, beautification

6. Gauri - Seriousness

7. Aasa - making effort

8. Gujri - satisfaction, softness of heart, sadness

9. Devgandhari - No specific feeling but the Raag has a softness

10. Bihaagra - beautification

11. Sorarth - motivation

12. Dhanasari - inspiration, motivation

13. Jaitsree - Softness, satisfaction, sadness

14, Todi - this being a flexible Raag it is apt for communicating many feelings

15. Bhairagi - sadness, (Gurus have however used it for the message of Bhakti)

16. Tilang - this is a favourite Raag of Muslims. It denotes feeling of beautification and yearning.

17. Raamkali - calmness

18. Nat Narayan - Happiness

19. Maali Gaura - Happiness

20. Maaru - giving up of Cowardice

21. Tukhari - beautification

22. Kedara - Love and beautification

23. Bhairav - Seriousness, brings stability of mind

24. Basant - happiness

25. Sarang - sadness

26. Malar - seperation

27. Jaijawanti - Virag

28. Kalyan - Bhakti Ras

29. Vadhans - Vairag, Loss (that is why Alahniya is sung in this Raag when someone passes away)

30. Parbhati - Bhakti and seriousness

31. Kanra - Bhakti and seriousness

Its clear that the Gurus used Raags to increase delivery power of shabad to our mind by invoking complementary feelings in our hearts through the usage of prescribed Raags.

Within the rules of Hindustani Classical Music, uncountable Raags can be created. In fact any form of music (non-Indian and non-classical) can be classified under some form of Raag. Hence it is a misconception that Raags are something highly classical and beyond the realms of common mans understanding. In-fact any form of music is Raag. But in Guru Granth Sahib, the Gurus have gone into depths of Poetry, Music and Metrical forms to lay the framework that is best suited to convey the feeling and message of the Shabad simultaneously to the human mind and heart.

When each of the prescribed Raag offers uncountable permutation and combination of musical compositions, then why is it that the modern Keertanias are not experimenting within the prescribed framework of the Gurus?

Gurbani says

Among all Ragas, that one is sublime, O Siblings of Destiny, by which the Lord comes to abide in the mind. (Page 1423)

Clearly, only that Raag is prescribed by which feeling of spirituality is aroused. Gurus have not prescribed catchy musical tunes that dominate the Shabad. The essence of Keertan lies in effective delivery of the message of Shabad, using Raag and Taal as a medium. The medium cannot dominate the essence. This is where our modern day keertanias are making the mistake of experimenting beyond the prescribed framework of Guru Granth Sahib and singing shabads in catchy tunes. At the end it’s the tune that remains in the mind and not the message.

Music is a double edged sword. While it can be effectively used for constructive Keertan by operating within prescribed frameworks Guru Granth Sahib, on the other hand it can also be used for arousing destructive feelings by use of catchy tunes (as explained earlier, any form of music can be classified into a Raag).

It would be interesting to note that the main object for having caused the current day deterioration in quality of Keertan is the most widely used musical instrument called Harmonium.

Harmonium is not an Indian instrument. Over 100 year back, the Europeans bought the Harmonica to India. The air box of this European instrument was experimented by Indian musicians to develop a new instrument called Harmonium. This instrument is not best suited for Indian Classical music.

According to Indian Classical Music, the human ear can recognize 22 musical notes in an Octave. The Harmonium only offers 12 discreet keys in an Octave. Only string instruments offer the ability to play 22 notes in an Octave by pressing the string at mid-points. It is for this reason that Indian Music was always played with accompaniment of only string instruments. In fact if one sees the old pictures of Harmandir Sahib, one would only find string instruments being used by the Keertanias.

Although Harmonium offered a compromise to Indian Classical music and should have never been used in the Indian system but it gained rapid acceptance because it was very easy to learn and use. Learning a string instrument required close to 4 – 5 years professional training but Harmonium could be learnt in less than 2 months. This was a great blessing to aspiring Sikhs who also wanted be able to do Keertan. While there is no harm in using Harmonium and we must also accept its contribution in making it easier for the masses to learn Keertan and help them start their spiritual journey. But it also caused the biggest deterioration to Keertan singing. The professional Keertanias, were now finding it hard to keep pace with rapid generation of new breed of Amateur Keertanias. Materialistic desires lead them to shorten their classical training period by moving to Harmonium. Over generations, this trend lead to complete elimination of string instruments from the Gurudwaras. Lack of dedication that crept in because of the ability to learn Keertan in just 2 months also lead to Keertanias start doing Keertan in catchy filmi tunes.

Yes our modern day Keertanias should be given 100% score for having the ability to experiment with music. But unfortunately, this experimentation with catchy tunes is causing more harm than good to the Keertan, as they have stopped experimenting within the prescribed framework of Guru Granth Sahib.

An instrument that was supposed to attract the Sikhs to Gurbani has become the very reason for the downfall in present day standards of Keertan. It would have been fine if Harmonium would have been adapted but not at the expense of compromise on string instruments. It should have acted as a stepping stone for the budding Sikh Keertanias to quickly acquire musical sense and move forward to experimenting within the prescribed framework of Guru Granth Sahib. Instead they have chosen the short cut.

The reason for citing above example is to show the long term pitfalls associated with un-checked experimentation. Modern day experimentalists keertanias need to be cautious and introspect. The first question that needs to be answered is that what is attracting the youth to this new style of Keertan? For all probability it is the music that is attracting them because Keertan is being done in modern day, highly dramatized form. I have heard a shabad “Mitar Pyarae Noon…..” in which Thunder, Lightning and sounds of wild animals complement the shabad to project the scene of Machiwara jungle. The only reason one would get attracted to such style of Keertan is because of music. Like any MTV Top of the Charts, such music can’t last long in the minds of the youth.

On the other hand maybe the youth is getting attracted to this style of Keertan because effective English Translations are being provided. If that is the case, then the translations can also be provided while doing Keertan in the prescribed framework of Guru Granth Sahib. After all there are thousands of tunes that can be created from each of the prescribed Raag and these tunes need not be highly classical in order to cater to the tastes of the youth. Even Gurus did not allow the dominance of classical music over the Shabad.

Gurus support forwardness but where should we draw the line? Who knows, next could be an experiment with Jaap Sahib being sung in RAP STYLE! Will Jaap Sahib in RAP STYLE lead to feelings of spirituality?

The future of Keertan lies in the hands of present day Keertanias. They need to definitely look at ways of improvising and attracting the youth but not at the cost of further deterioration of Keertan. Our Keertanias should first make the effort to acquire full knowledge of the musical framework of Guru Granth Sahib and adapt from within it, to be attract the youth not on a short term basis but on long term basis.

I have full faith in the Guru and believe that if our Keertanias make an earnest effort to implement the commands of Guru Granth Sahib in their Keertan singing style, then the pied pipers will not need to walk the streets to attract the youth, they will come to the Gurudwaras by themselves.

In the next sequel to this article we will examine another aspect of Keertan singing that has gone unchecked for years and is leading us on the path contrary to that of Gurmat. FLOW AND PAUSE IN GURBANI & KEERTAN follows……….