Sikh music

Sikh music, also known as Gurbani Sangeet (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਸੰਗੀਤ; meaning music of the speech of wisdom), and as Gurmat Sangeet (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੰਗੀਤ; meaning music of the counsel or tenets of the Guru), or even as Shabad Kirtan (ਸ਼ਬਦ ਕੀਰਤਨ), is the classical music style that is practised within Sikhism. It exists in institutional, popular, and folk traditions, forms, and varieties.^[1][2] Three types of Sikh musicians are rababis, ragis, and dhadhis.

Sikh musicians singing and playing in the interior of the Golden Temple, Amritsar (painting by William Carpenter, circa 1854)

Fresco artwork from the pre-1984 Akal Takht of Guru Hargobind (centre-right) with Sikh musicians

History

Musical expression has held a very important place within the Sikh tradition ever since its beginning, with Guru Nanak and his faithful companion, Bhai Mardana. Mardana was a player of the rabab, and would travel alongside Nanak and play the instrument when Nanak spoke his teachings.^[3] As a result of this, Mardana is credited as establishing the rababi tradition in Sikhism.

Musical Fundamentals

Raag

Main article: Raga

See also: Ragmala and List of ragas in Hindustani classical music

A raga or raag (Punjabi: ਰਾਗ (Gurmukhi) رَاگَ (Shahmukhi)) is a complex structure of musical melody used in Indian classical music. It is a set of rules of how to build a melody which can ignite a certain mood in the reciter and listeners. The Sikh holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, is composed in and divided into a total of 60 ragas.^[4] This is a combination of 31 single raags ^[5] and 29 mixed (or mishrit; ਮਿਸ਼ਰਤ) raags (a raag composed by combining two or three raags together). Each raga is a chapter or section in the Guru Granth Sahib starting with Asaa raag, and all the hymns produced in Asaa raag are found in this section ordered chronologically by the Guru or other Bhagat that have written hymns in that raga. All raags in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji are named raag.

Following is the list of all sixty raags (including 39 main raags and 21 mishrit [mixed] raags, including Deccani ones) under which Gurbani is written, in order of appearance with page numbers. The name of raags ending with the word Dakhani (English: Deccani) are not mishrit raags because Dakhani is not a raag per se; it simply means 'in south Indian style'.

No.	Name(s) (Latin/Roman)	Name(s) (Gurmukhi)	Emotion/Description^[6]	Ang (page of appearance in Guru Granth Sahib)	Main, Mixed, or Deccani
1.	Asa/Aasa	ਆਸਾ	Making effort	8	Main
2.	Gujari/Gujri	ਗੂਜਰੀ	Satisfaction, softness of heart, sadness	10	Main
3.	Gauri Deepaki			12	Mixed
4.	Dhanasri/Dhanasari	ਧਨਾਸਰੀ	Inspiration, motivation	13	Main
5.	Gauri Poorabi			13	Mixed
6.	Sri/Siri	ਸਿਰੀ/ਸ੍ਰੀ	Satisfaction and balance	14	Main
7.	Majh/Maajh	ਮਾਝ	Loss, beautification	94	Main
8.	Gauri Guarairee			151	Mixed
9.	Gauri	ਗਉੜੀ	Seriousness	151	Main
10.	Gauri Dakhani			152	Deccani
11.	Gauri Chaitee			154	Mixed
12.	Gauri Bairagan			156	Mixed
13.	Gauri Poorabi Deepaki			157	Mixed
14.	Gauri Majh			172	Mixed
15.	Gauri Malva			214	Mixed
16.	Gauri Mala			214	Mixed
17.	Gauri Sorath			330	Mixed
18.	Asa Kafi			365	Mixed
19.	Asavari			369	Mixed
20.	Asavari Sudhang/Komal Rishabh Asavari			369	Mixed
21.	Devgandhari	ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ	No specific feeling but the Raag has a softness	527	Main
22.	Bihagra/Bihaagra	ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ	Beautification	537	Main
23.	Vadhans/Vadahans/Wadhans	ਵਡਹੰਸੁ	Vairaag, loss (that is why Alahniya is sung in this Raag when someone passes away)	557	Main
24.	Vadhans Dakhani			580	Deccani
25.	Sorath	ਸੋਰਠਿ	Motivation	595	Main
26.	Jaitsri/Jaitsari	ਜੈਤਸਰੀ	Softness, satisfaction, sadness	696	Main
27.	Todi	ਟੋਡੀ	This being a flexible Raag it is apt for communicating many feelings	711	Main
28.	Bairarri/Bhairaagi	ਬੈਰਾੜੀ	Sadness (the Gurus have, however, used it for the message of Bhakti)	719	Main
29.	Tilang	ਤਿਲੰਗ	Favoured Raag of Muslims. It denotes feeling of beautification and yearning	721	Main
30.	Tilang Kafi			726	Mixed
31.	Suhee/Soohi/Suhi	ਸੂਹੀ	Joy and separation	728	Main
32.	Suhee Kafi			751	Mixed
33.	Suhee Lalit			793	Mixed
34.	Bilaval/Bilaaval	ਬਿਲਾਵਲ	Happiness	795	Main
35.	Bilaval Dakhani			843	Deccani
36.	Gound/Gond/Gaund	ਗੋਂਡ	Strangeness, surprise, beauty	859	Main
37.	Bilaval Gound			874	Mixed
38.	Ramkali/Raamkali	ਰਾਮਕਲੀ	Calmness	876	Main
39.	Ramkali Dakhani			907	Deccani
40.	Nut Narayan/Nat Narayan	ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ	Happiness	975
41.	Nut/Nat	ਨਟ		975
42.	Mali Gaura/Maali Gaura	ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ	Happiness	984	Main
43.	Maru/Maaru	ਮਾਰੂ	Giving up of cowardice	989	Main
44.	Maru Kafi			1014	Mixed
45.	Maru Dakhani			1033	Deccani
46.	Tukhari	ਤੁਖਾਰੀ	Beautification	1107	Main
47.	Kedara	ਕੇਦਾਰਾ	Love and beautification	1118	Main
48.	Bhairo/Bhairao/Bhairon	ਭੇਰੳ	Seriousness, brings stability of mind	1125	Main
49.	Basant	ਬਸੰਤੁ	Happiness	1168	Main
50.	Basant Hindol			1170	Mixed
51.	Sarang	ਸਾਰੰਗ	Sadness	1197	Main
52.	Malar/Malaar/Mallar/Malhar	ਮਲਾਰ	Separation	1254	Main
53.	Kanra/Kaanrha	ਕਾਨੜਾ	Bhakti and seriousness	1294	Main
54.	Kaliyan/Kaliaan/Kalyan	ਕਲਿਆਨ	Bhakti Ras (meaning 'devotional spirit/essence')	1319	Main
55.	Kaliyan Bhopali			1321	Mixed
56.	Parbhati Bibhas			1327	Mixed
57.	Parbhati/Prabhati	ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ	Bhakti and seriousness	1327	Main
58.	Parbhati Dakhani			1344	Deccani
59.	Bibhas Parbhati			1347	Mixed
60.	Jaijavanti/Jaijaiwanti	ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ	Viraag or loss	1352	Main

Raags are used in Sikh music simply to create a mood, and are not restricted to particular times. A mood can be created by the music of the raag regardless of the time of day. There are a total of 60 raags or melodies within the Guru Granth Sahib. Each melody sets a particular mood for the hymn, adding a deeper dimension to it. The Guru Granth Sahib is thought by many to have just 31 raags or melodies which is correct of single raags. However, combined with mishrit raags, that total is 60.

Ghar

Main article: Gharana

 

Miniature painting of Guru Ram Das (the fourth Sikh Guru) listening to kirtan, circa 1800–1840

The table below covers the seventeen Ghars found in the primary Sikh scripture (Guru Granth Sahib):^[7]

No.	Name(s) (Latin/Roman)	Taalee(s) (Pattern of Clapping)	Maatraa(s) (Beat)
1.	Daadraa Taal	1	6
2.	Roopak Taal	2	7
3.	Teen Taal	3	16
4.	Chaar Taal	4	12
5.	Panj Taal Swaaree	5	15
6.	Khatt Taal	6	18
7.	Matt (Ashat) Taal	7	21
8.	Asht Mangal Taal	8	22
9.	Mohinee Taal	9	23
10.	Braham Taal	10	28
11.	Rudra Taal	11	32
12.	Vishnu Taal	12	36
13.	Muchkund Taal	13	34
14.	Mahashanee Taal	14	42
15.	Mishr Baran Taal	15	47
16.	Kul Taal	16	42
17.	Characharee Taal	17	40

Taal

Main article: Tala (music)

Taals have a vocalised and therefore recordable form wherein individual beats are expressed as phonetic representations of various strokes played upon the tabla. Various Ghars (literally 'Houses' which can be inferred to be "styles" – basically styles of the same art with cultivated traditional variances) also have their own preferences.^[8]

Instruments

See also: Folk instruments of Punjab

Sikhs have historically used a variety of instruments (Gurmukhi: ਸਾਜ Sāja) to play & sing the Gurbani in the specified Raag. The Sikh Gurus specifically promoted the stringed instruments for playing their compositions. Colonization of the Indian Subcontinent by the British Empire caused the use of traditional instruments (ਤੰਤੀ ਸਾਜ; tanti sāja meaning "stringed instruments")^[9] to die down in favor of foreign instruments like the harmonium (vaaja; ਵਾਜਾ).^[10] There is now a revival among the Sikh community to bring native, Guru-designated instruments back into the sphere of Sikh music to play Gurbani in the specified Raag.^[11] Organizations like Raj Academy & Nad Music Institute are among the many online teaching services available. These instruments include:

Traditional

^{[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

String

Stringed instruments, known as Tat vad,^[19] are as follows:

•  

  Firandia-style Rabab
  Rabab (ਰਬਾਬ; Rabāba): Gifted by Bebe Nanaki and played by Bhai Mardana on his travels accompanying Guru Nanak. The Sikh rabab was traditionally a local Punjabi variant of the North Indian seni rabab^[20] known as the 'Firandia' rabab (Punjabi: ਫਿਰੰਦੀਆ ਰਬਾਬ Phiradī'ā rabāba),^{[21][22][23][24][25]} however Baldeep Singh, an expert in the Sikh musical tradition, challenges this narrative.^[26][27]
• Saranda (ਸਰੰਦਾ; Saradā): created and played by Guru Arjan Dev^{[28][29][30][31][32]}
• Sarangi (ਸਾਰੰਗੀ; Sāragī: meaning "a hundred colours"): promoted by Guru Hargobind to establish the Dhadi Jatha tradition at Akal Takht Sahib. Also associated with Guru Har Rai.^{[33][34][35][36][37][38]}
• Taus (ਤਾਊਸ; Tā'ūsa: meaning "peacock" in Persian):
• Dilruba (ਦਿਲਰੁਬਾ; Dilarubā: meaning "Heart-thief" in Persian): created and played by Guru Gobind Singh when his soldiers asked him for a smaller, more portable version of the Taus
• Israj (ਇਸਰਾਜ; Isarāja): smaller version of Dilruba
• Surmandal
• Sitar^[39]
• Tambura (ਤੰਬੂਰਾ/ਤਾਨਪੁਰਾ; Tabūrā/Tānapurā)

Percussion

Percussion instruments, known as Avanad vad,^[40] are:

• Jori (ਜੋੜੀ; Jōṛī): creation traditionally attributed to Satta and Balwand in the court of Guru Arjan Sahib by splitting the Mardang into two individual instruments^[41][42]
• Pakhawaj (ਪਖਾਵਜ; Pakhāvaja)
•  

  Nagara drum
  The Nagara drum is also required in every Gurdwara according to the Sikh Rehat Maryada.^[43]

Wind

Wind instruments, known as Sushir vad,^[44] are:

• Bansuri (ਬੰਸਰੀ; Basarī meaning "Indian flute")^[44]

Idiophones

Idiophone instruments, known as Ghan vad, are also commonly used, especially in folk forms of Sikh music.

Contemporary

• Vaaja (ਵਾਜਾ; Vājā: native word for 'harmonium'): introduced by Europeans and massively adopted and popularized by the Sikhs in the 19th and 20th centuries, ultimately supplanting native instruments of the region^[45]
• Tabla (ਤਬਲਾ; Tabalā): supplanted earlier jori and pakhawaj^[45]

See also

See also: Music of Punjab § Gurbani Sangeet

References

1. van der Linden, Bob (2011-12-01). "Sikh Sacred Music, Empire and World Music". Sikh Formations. 7 (3): 383–397. doi:10.1080/17448727.2011.637364. ISSN 1744-8727. S2CID 219697855.
2. Paintal, Ajit Singh. Sikh Devotional Music – Its Main Traditions (PDF).
3. "Guru Nanak Sahib Ji And Bhai Mardana Ji – Gateway To Sikhism". 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
4. "Raags of Sri Guru Granth Sahib". Raj Academy. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
5. . Archived from the original on 2021-01-07. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
6. "Saaj (Musical Instruments) | Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
7. Singh, T. "Some Technical Terms Used In The Gurbani". www.gurbani.org. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
8. Singh, T. "Some Technical Terms Used In The Gurbani". www.gurbani.org. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
9. "ਲੋਕ ਸਾਜ਼ – ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪੀਡੀਆ". punjabipedia.org (in Punjabi). Retrieved 2022-08-31.
10. "Saaj (Musical Instruments) | Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
11. PTI (2022-05-25). "SGPC to revive 'gurbani kirtan' with string instruments in Golden Temple". ThePrint. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
12. "Tanti Saaj – Sri Gurmat Academy". Retrieved 2022-08-31.
13. Singh, Gurnam; Singh, Kanwaljit; Singh, Amandeep. . Gurmat Gyan Online Study Centre – Punjabi University of Patiala. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India, Chief Editor : Late Pandit Nikhil Ghosh published by OXFORD Press.
15. ਕਾਨ੍ਹ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਭਾ (ਭਾਈ), ਗੁਰ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਰਤਨਾਕਰ ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼, ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਵਿਭਾਗ, ਪੰਜਾਬ, 2011 (in Punjabi)
16. ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੰਗੀਤ ਤਕਨੀਕੀ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਵਲੀ, ਗੁਰਨਾਮ ਸਿੰਘ (ਡਾ.) ਮੁੱਖ ਸੰਪਾ., ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਪਟਿਆਲਾ, 2012. (in Punjabi)
17. ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੰਗੀਤ ਪਰਬੰਧ ਤੇ ਪਾਸਾਰ, ਗੁਰਨਾਮ ਸਿੰਘ (ਡਾ.), ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ, ਪਟਿਆਲਾ, 2000. (in Punjabi)
18. "Musical Instruments in Gurbani Sangeet- SearchGurbani.com". www.searchgurbani.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
19. "Stringed Instruments in Gurbani Sangeet- SearchGurbani.com". www.searchgurbani.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
20. "Seni Rabab". chandrakantha.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
21. "Rabab". Sikh Musical Heritage – The Untold Story. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
22. "Raj Academy | Rabab". Raj Academy. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
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25. "Learning of Gurmat Sangeet >> Musical Instruments of Gurmat Sangeet". gurmatgyanonlinepup.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
26. Bharat Khanna (Nov 1, 2019). "Punjabi varsity's Firandia rabab helps revival of string instrument | Ludhiana News – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
27. Singh, Baldeep (2012-06-27). "Rabab goes shopping…". The Anād Foundation. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
28. "Saranda". SIKH SAAJ. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
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30. "Sikh Instrument-The Saranda". Retrieved 2022-08-30.
31. "Raj Academy | Saranda". Raj Academy. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
32. "Saranda". Sikh Musical Heritage – The Untold Story. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
33. "Kirtan: Singing to the Divine – Esplanade Offstage".
34. "Canadian Sikh Heritage | Sikh Music".
35. "Saaj (Musical Instruments) | Discover Sikhism".
36. "Classical Indian Musical Instruments for Kirtan".
37. https://www.sikhsaaj.com/
38. "Raj Academy | Instruments".
39. "Canadian Sikh Heritage | Sikh Music". Retrieved 2022-08-31.
40. "Percussion Instruments in Gurbani Sangeet- SearchGurbani.com". www.searchgurbani.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
41. "Raj Academy | Jori". Raj Academy. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
42. "Jori | Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
43. "Sikh Reht Maryada, the Definition of Sikh, Sikh Conduct & Conventions, Sikh Religion Living, India".
44. "Wind Instruments in Gurbani Sangeet- SearchGurbani.com". www.searchgurbani.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
45. "Sikh Saaj | Other | Tabla – Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.

External links

• The 31 Raags of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
• raag-melodies