The making of a Gurmat composition - Raag Majh - Musicology

[shaheediyan]

Prof. Surinder Singh

Introduction

Majha is a region in the state of Punjab in India. Punjab was and even today is divided into three different regions: Majha, Malwa and Duaaba. As with all countries; states and regions develop their own traditions, characteristics and reputations depending on their geographic surroundings, economy etc. The Majhail’s (People of Majha) were famous for their strong build and their hard working attitude because they worked in the army or very far from their homes in farms. A familiar example of this is the U.K (Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England), although part of the same country, they all have very different and varying traditions.

In Gurmatt Sangeet, there are many examples of the Sikh Guru’s using traditions already ingrained in peoples minds, to explain their message. An example of this is Aunsian.

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 notâ€. 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 notâ€.

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 ]

Majh Mahla 5

The author of this shabad is 5th Guru, Guru Arjun Dev ji and this text contains the mood of Raag Majh

qUM myrw ipqw qUMhY myrw mwqw ] qUM myrw bMDpu qUM myrw BRwqw ]

qUM myrw rwKw sBnI QweI qw Bau kyhw kwVw jIau] 1 ]

Tu maira pita tu hai maira maata, tu maira bundhap tu maiera bharata.

Tu maira rakha sabhani thaee, ta bhow kaiha kara jio (1).

Guru’s soul is talking to his mind about the God who cares like a father and loves like a mother, a best friend and like a brother who you can always rely on. God keeps us safe in all situations, O mind and when we meet the truth there is no fear and worry left. The God who is truth but the truth we are far from.

qumrI ik®pw qy quDu pCwxw ] qUM myrI Et qUMhY myrw mwxw ] quJ ibnu dUjw Avru n koeI sBu qyrw Kylu AKwVw jIau ] 2 ]

Tumari kirpa tai tudh pachhana, tu mairee oat tu hai maira maana.

Tujh bin dooja avar nna koee, sabh tiara khail akhara jio (2).

With God’s grace you (mind) and me(soul) found each other and without each other, we are not complete. This is one of reasons why I am always focusing on truth. This truth is everything to us and will give us a respectful place. We look towards God’s kind grace, but this is also God’s way to test our relationship with the truth. Soul is reassuring the mind by talking about God’s greatness, just like when we love someone we always talk about them fondly.

jIA jMq siB quDu aupwey ] ijqu ijqu Bwxw iqqu iqqu lwey ] sB ikCu kIqw qyrw hovY nwhI ikCu AswVw jIau ] 3 ]

Jee Junt sabh tudh upaai, jit jit bhana tit tit laai.

Sabh kichh keeta tiara howai nahee kichh assara jio (3).

O mind, all this universe is created by God, who is the truth. Everything is in its place according to God’s will. Everything is in Almighty’s hand and we are helpless. Everything small to large, living or dead is the creation of God. God has given us a role to play in this life and we act on his script. We in our self, even do not exist.

nwmu iDAwie mhw suKu pwieAw ] hir gux gwie myrw mnu sIqlwieAw]

guir pUrY vjIvwDweI nwnk ijqw ibKwVw jIau] 4 ] 24 ] 31 ]

Naam Dhiayai maha(n) Sukh Paya, Har Gun Gaayai maira Man Seetlaya.

Gur Poorai Wajee Wadhaee, Nanak jita Bikara Jio (4).

If there is a will to do or meet, we will try our best to achieve it, and by God’s grace the result will be sweet and fruitful. Soul is telling Mind, never forget truth and your relation to that truth because it is the only true happiness. Soul tells mind, imagine when we go together to see God, all our sufferings will die and with his grace we will overcome life and death forever.