Guru Granth Sahib has a deep connection with classical music

Gaiety Theater in Shimla was recently the venue of an unusual commemorative concert. Established in 1887, it is the oldest existing venue for theater in India. But this time it hosted a concert of Bhai Baljit Singh’s ‘Gurbani’. Though they live in Delhi, they originally belong to the Namdhari tradition of Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana.

The 10 Sikh Gurus were deeply involved in classical music – each of the approximately 6,000 verses in the Guru Granth Sahib is based on a raga. Maybe he felt the verses would have a profound effect on the mind and soul.

Today, the Guru Granth Sahib serves as an invaluable source of some of the rare and popular Hindustani ragas of the 15th to 17th centuries. It also includes a ragamala that lists these ragas and the link between them. The opening line confirms that Bhairav ​​was the first raga composed; Each of the six primary ragas was associated with other ragas similar in construction, or more importantly, similar to the mood they produced. Sadly, this theory was discredited over time, and in this author’s view it was wrongly believed that a new form of classification was needed, resulting in the currently used ‘that’ system was.

The ragas listed in the Ragamala such as Bengali, Gandhari, Devgandhari, Shyama, Jaldhara are now almost extinct; Or only used in conjunction with other ragas like Jaldhara Kedara, Shyam Kalyan and Bengali Bhairav. The composition of the prevailing ragas in the Sikh tradition is also different; The Dhanashree mentioned in the Guru Granth does not actually match the two types of Dhansri practiced today. Other ragas such as Asa, Sindhura and Sorath, which are specific to Punjab and frequently mentioned in sacred texts, are known, but are rare today. In fact the raga Sorath, which is very similar to Des, but for a specific phrase not used in Des, has in living memory only been sung by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and his disciples. Incidentally, Pt. Senia Pratyush Banerjee of the Shahjahanpur tradition is familiar with two or three ancient instrumental compositions in Sorath. One wonders about the link between his gharana and Punjab.

connect with guru

Bhai Baljit Singh began his concert with a composition by Sufi Baba Farid (after whom the then princely state of Faridkot was called). He composed a verse talking about the association with the Guru in Kedar. His second part, the hymn ‘Jo har ka pyar, toh sab na ka pyar’ (He who is dear to Hari, is dear to all) was in the raga Bihgada, as prescribed in the holy book. Lovingly detail each piece with care; Bhai Baljit concluded his singing with Guru Gobind Singh’s ‘Jai Jai Jai Jagkaran, Srishti Uphaar’, which was sung during the aarti at Gurdwara Patna Sahib. Sadly, this tradition has now come to an end. Demonstrating his creativity again, he sang it in Sorath, in a rhythm, with vigor and vigor, leaving the younger audience in amazement.

“When we work for Jehovah; Merely singing ‘Permanent Difference’ won’t do justice, we like to slowly explore poetry with music and soulfulness,” he explained.

Brother Baljit Singh was accompanied by his daughter Lakshmi on vocals, tabla by his son Fateh Singh, who is currently Pt. being trained by. On the tarshehnai by Yogesh Samsi of the Punjab Gharana, and a disciple from the UK, an instrument peculiar to the Sikh tradition, which looks like a fret accompanied by a trumpet.

The Delhi-based critic specializes in classical music.