Understanding the musical framework of Guru Granth Sahib

[shaheediyan]

Amardeep Singh

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?â€

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

“What is the relation between Shabad and Raag?â€

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

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

“What impact will experimentation have on our future generations?â€

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.