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Sikh Musicology


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Specifications and indications in the Sikh sacred scripture, Guru Granth Sahib © Inderjit N Kaur The basis of Sikh musicology comes from the specifications and indications in the Sikh sacred scripture, Guru Granth Sahib. A compilation of over 5000 shabads, it is organized by musical parameters, indicating the importance the Sikh Gurus assigned to music. Apart from authorship, every organizing principle in the headings of shabads relates to music. Indeed, some headings specify the dhooni (melody) in which the shabad is to be sung. The main organizing principle is raag, a musical mode defined by its structure of notes and their movements. The shabads in Guru Granth Sahib are arranged by the 62 raags in which the Sikh Gurus sang them. The heading of each shabad first states the raag, even before the shabad’s authorship. Such was the importance attached to raags by the Sikh Gurus. Another major organizing principle is the concept of ghar. While the consensus among scholars is that this is a musical sign, views differ on its meaning, and there is no complete and coherent explanation of what ghar refers to. In the headings of shabads ghars vary in number from 1 to 17. The knowledge of the precise meaning of these is lost. It is an unfortunate and tremendous loss of the Sikh music tradition that this major musical concept has fallen into complete disuse. Another key organizing principle is the poetic structure of the shabads, which has a direct bearing on the musical form in which it is sung. The headings specify various poetic structures, such as chaupaday (chau-puday), ashtpadian (usht-pudiaan), partaal, chhunt, vaar, and saloke. The verse forms that are sung in the classical style, such as chaupaday and ashtpadiaan, precede (in the arrangement within each raag) and outnumber those sung in folk forms, such as chhunt and vaar, indicating that the Sikh Gurus sang predominantly in the classical style, in particular, the dhrupad musical style from the medieval period. Further, there are signs within each shabad that provide guidelines for singing. The lines that form the central idea of a shabad are specified as rahaao. These are to be sung as the sthaaee (chorus). The other verses are numbered, indicating the sequence in which they must be sung. There are old shabad melodies still available, which are based on sthaaee, antaraa, sanchaari and aabhog, the components of a dhrupad composition.

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Why raag (Based on Inderjit N Kaur’s 2004 paper in Perspectives on Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India) © Inderjit N Kaur That Baani (mystical poetry) was revealed to the Gurus in raag is not accidental. We propose that there are two essential aspects of raag music that earned it natural and complete affirmation from the Gurus. First, the enlightened svar, which is the basic medium of expression of the raag system, and in particular of the devotional dhrupad tradition, makes this music most suitable for experiencing connection with the Eternal. The enlightened svar is not merely a musical note, but a musical entity carved in the depth of one’s consciousness. The raag system of music entails a cultivation of the self - an awakening of the inner self. The musician is required to delve deep into her/his consciousness, and express the feelings in notes called svars. To qualify as raag music, the svars must be the result of inward exploration and emerge from the depth of one’s soul. In other words, the musician must recognize her/his own essence and instill the music with this self. This makes raag music particularly suitable for connecting with the Universal Essence. Raag is an inward journey to the Ghar (home) within us, reinforcing the purpose of Baani - to take us to that same Ghar, where the Divine dwells. The very process of imbibing this music, as a singer or listener, draws the mind to its Ghar, as in, m[r[ mn prw[sI v[ ipAar[ Aaxu Gr[ . Mayray mun pur-daysee aa-o ghuray. O my dear beloved stranger mind, please come home! hir gurU imlavhu m[r[ ipAar[ Gir vs{ hr[ . Hur Gooroo milaavo mayray pyaaray ghur vussai huray. Meet with the Lord-Guru, O my dear beloved, and the Divine will dwell in the home of your self. (Guru Granth Sahib, page 451, Chhunt, Aasa, Guru Ram Das) The enlightened svar thus reinforces the message of , mn tU; j]it srUpu h{ AapNa mUlu pCaNu . Munn too(n) jote suroop hai aap-naa mool puch-haan O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin. (Guru Granth Sahib, page 441. Chhunt, Aasa, Guru Amar Das) It was the enlightened svar, and no ordinary note, that formed the seat for the Baani of the Sikh Gurus. The second aspect of raag music is that raag is essentially an emotional expression. For raag, by definition, is that music which colors the mind with the emotions it expresses. A

raag is a melodic form with an emotional personality. A raag’s moods are expressed through the use of specific svars, and their shades, i.e., shrutis (shrootees, microtones) and the arrangements and context of the svars. The raag’s dominant note, its harmonic relationship to the tonic (reference note), its relationship to the other notes of the raag, and the use of shrutis, all determine the mood expressed. By staying within the precincts of a specified arrangement of svars and shrutis, a raag centers on a particular emotion, cultivating it and impressing it upon the mind of the listener. The musician and listener become immersed in the ras (russ, emotion) generated by the raag. This power, when harnessed to express devotion for the Divine, becomes ideal for singing Gurbaani. Thus, the value of raag in Sikh music (shabad keertan) lies in its roles in the inculcation of a deep consciousness and in the intense expression of devotion. It is no surprise then that it was the medium of raag that came most naturally to the Sikh Gurus to express the surge of devotion and the ensuing mystical poetry.

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Partaal nonpareil © Inderjit N Kaur A unique variant of the dhrupad style, Partaal, was developed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. Partaal is a distinct feature of Sikh music. This type of shabad is rich in metric variation in the poetry, which is highlighted in the singing through rhythmic variations - both of taal (metric cycle) and laiy (tempo). Different verses are sung in different taals and/or laiy. The rhythmic variations draw the listeners’ attention to changes in emphasis in the shabad, and are a powerful way of tuning into the nuances of the shabad. The appropriate choice of taal and laiy is a matter of great importance. Rhythm has a direct relationship to the pulsations in our being. It can excite or calm the body and mind. The aptly used rhythm recognizes the spirit of the composition and aids the shabad and the raag in generating the intended atmosphere.

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