Sikh Musicology
Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Hymns of the Human Spirit
The ancient and comprehensive form of the Indian tradition of spiritual music is a years unique asset in the domain of world of music. The systems of folk, classical and years spiritual music developed their respective rich traditions in the main stream of years Indian music. An unending interaction of their mutual exchange has its own years independent existence. Although the musicologists failed to make any substantive years effort in synchronising different forms of Hindustani and Karnataki music patterns years till 13th centrury, yet the message of saint and bhagat poets of southern India years reached every house on the wings of the melodies of music. The traditions of years Kirtan found great acceptability in North and South at the hands of Vairagis and years Saint devotees of Sarguna and Nirguna faiths of Ramanuja sect. Experimentation years in several forms of music is available in the spiritual music of Guru Nanank Sahib’s years times and prior to him also, but in no religious philosophy it has any distinct identity years established according to specified musicological norms. In Sikhism, all the Gurus years made Shabad Kirtan an integral part of the Sikh way of life by endowing it with a years distinct identity. Sikh music in its current traditional form is known as Gurmat years Sangeet. The elevation of Guru Granth Sahib as an embodiment of Guru and the years musicological format of the holy scripture deserve a special mention in this context. years The compilation of the whole Bani in different raagas, raaga-forms, music-signs years and a number of music directives, is a unique example on the world music scenario. years This endeavour is not confined to the written word only. The practical Kirtan years performances made on different occasions in the form of Kirtan Chaukis have years infused life in to this form of music. This practical music tradition based on the years tenets, enshrined in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, has a musicology of its own, years identifiable as Sikh Musicology. Till date, Sikh Music (Gurmat Sangeet) has not years been able to create a niche in the Indian and World music as an independent years branch of Musicology whereas it has all the fundamental characteristics of a full- years fledged musicological system in its comprehensive theoretical and practical years perspective. Music has a multi-dimentional role to play in Sikhism. Beside the years Raagas and Kirtan Chauki tradition of Shabad Kirtan, it also encompasses the years Dhadi tradition, Var-singing and folk style Kirtan traditions {Vaariaan da Kirtan, years Jottian da Kirtan etc.) based on folk music. Here we shall discuss only the Guru years Granth Sahib-based central and fundamental music lore of the Sikh music. A study years of this tradition is possible under Sikh musicology from different angles viz. years theoretical, historical, formative and analytical.
This book is an endeavour to make an elaborate study of the Raaga system years of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in view of the Sikh Musicology. There is a great background years of various movements of Indian music prior to Guru Nanak Dev ji. The classical years music tradition of Indian music and different traditions of spiritual music (Bhakti years Sangeet of Bhakti movement, Kirtan traditions, Sufi music etc.) deserve special years mention, Sarguna (existential) and Nirguna (formless) Kirtan traditions relating to years the Bhakti movement existed before the Gurus period. In particular, the Raga- years governed Bani (Divine recitation) of Nirgunite saint poets was in vogue before years Guru Nanak Sahib. The Guru beside employing several poetic devices, also years established a tradition of Sikh music (Gurmat Sangeet) by assimilating specific years musical devices and a good variety of Indian musical traditions. The Raaga was years accorded a place of central importance in the musicology of this tradition. The years introduction of Sikh music in practice and establishment of Sikh musicology based years on Shri Guru Granth Sahib is a remarkable and laudable contribution in this context. years Sikh music was a contemporary tradition of the Mughal period of Hindustani music, years known as golden age of music of this period, which exists even today. The Raagas years prevailed in both the traditions but due to the difference of spiritual and artistic years purposiveness, a lot of difference in the forms of singing also came to the forefront. years And it was due to this that Sikh music came to be established in its original form. years This Raaga tradition found place in the Rababi Kirtankaras and the Sikh devotees years of the Guru period.
The Kirtaniakaras of the abode of Guru kept the traditional forms of Raagas years intact by keeping themselves immune from the changes that affected Shudh Thaat years from Kafi scale’s notes into Bilawal scale’s notes though in 1850 A.D. and the years controversies over Raagas and Raginis. With the passage of time, these forms got years deviated from the Raagas of Indian music and a vast Raaga-based treasure of years Shabad Kirtan compositions remained in vogue which contributed to the years popularisation of several forms of Raagas. Sixty two Raagas of Sri Guru Granth years Sahib, Raagas from the Dasam Granth and more than 253 Raagas in Sarb Loh years Granth are an ample evidence of a great tradition of Raagas relating to the Sikhism. years In 1991, Sant Sucha Singh of Jawaddi Taksal, Ludhiana, Punjab constituted a years Raaga Nirnayak Committee under the stewardship, of Sangeet Martand Pandit Dalip years Chander Bedi. This committee determined the original Raagas of Shri Guru Granth years Sahib in their authentic form. Thus, the following sources of the Raaga system of years the Sikh musicology came into limelight.
1 . Practical Raaga forms in vogue, travelling down the generations in Gurmat years Sangeet tradition.
2. The Raaga forms mentioned in the Gurus’ contemporary books on Indian years Music
3. The Raaga forms as propounded by different scholars of Sikh Music in years various books.
4. The Raaga forms in the musical notations of the Raagis, Rababis and years other Sikh Kirtankaras.
5. The forms prevalent in the contemporary Indian Classical music.
6. Raaga forms determined by the Raaga Nirnayak Committee.
It was on the basis of the above sources that the author has composed all his years musical creations based on the Raagas of Guru Granth Sahib which have been years prescribed in this book. Apart from the 31 Raagas and 31 Raaga-forms of Sri Guru years Granth Sahib, these compositions have been sung in original style of the Sikh years music tradition. Besides, there is an accompaniment of Sikh Music stringed years instruments with the Shabad Kirtan. The Gramophone Company of India Pvt. Ltd. years (RPG-HMV) has launched these musical compositions in the form of 10 Audio years Cassettes and 6 C.D.s into the horizon of music. Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak years Committee, Amritsar, a premier Sikh institution has described this accomplishment years as unprecedented in Sikh history and the world of music. The main motive behind years preparing these compositions in music notation and the following digital recording years is to establish the identity of Sikh musicology in a distinct manner. Certainly, the years music researchers will be able to enrich themselves with the latent secrets of Sikh years musicology from this herculean task, and for the students of music it will prove to years be a great source of inspiration and learning . This is a humble attempt to identify years the great as well as rare Gurmat Sangeet traditions of Sikh Music for the sagacious years judgement of the music-loving readers and scholars.
GURNAM SINGH (Dr.)
Head, Dept. of Music,
Punjabi University,
Patiala,
Punjab, INDIA.