Author Topic: Ragas in Shri Guru Granth Sahib (Read 3453 times)

rabbdabanda · « **on:** July 19, 2014, 02:19:35 PM »

A raga is a complex structure of musical melody used in the Indian classical music. It is a set of rules of how to build a melody which can ignite a certain mood in the reciter and listeners. The Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, is composed in and divided by 31 ragas. Each raga is a chapter or section in the Guru Granth Sahib starting with Shree raag, and all the hymns produced in Shree raag are found in this section ordered chronologically by the Guru or other Bhagat that have written hymns in that raga.

Ragas have a direct relationship to human moods and the following are the connections between Ragas and feeling:

Raga Asa is an Indian musical raga (composition) that appears in the Sikh tradition from northern India and is part of the Sikh holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib. Every raga has a strict set of rules which govern the number of notes that can be used; which notes can be used; and their interplay that has to be adhered to for the composition of a tune. In the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total composition of 31 ragas and this raga is the fourth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on 142 pages from page numbers 347 to 489.
Asa translates to hope. It gives the mood of making effort and provides the feelings of inspiration, courage, determination, ambition, passion, and zeal to the reciter and listeners.
Asa is a very old raga which was once popular in the Punjab (northern India) but seldom heard in concerts today. In the Guru Granth Sahib's Ragmala this is a ragini (subset) of raga Megha. However, today it is assigned to the "Bilaval" thata ("set"). Asa is a devotional raga for the cold season and is performed in the early morning just before sunrise. However, it is also known as a twilight melody with a calm mystical mood. Raga Asa was used by Dhanul Laskangadas, Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur

Raag Bairari (ਬੈਰਾੜੀ)
This raga is the ninth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of only 2 pages from page numbers 719 to 721.
This raga appears in the Ragmala as the first ragini ("subset") of Sri raga. In the Mesakarna Ragmala (1509), which is almost the same as that of the Guru Granth Sahib, the first ragini of Siri Raga is given as Vairati. However, modern sources do not give Bairari nor Vairati but Barari and Varari as well as Varati are listed. Kaufmann believes that all of these names refer to the same raga, Barari. Whether this is the same as the old Bairari is open to question. The possibility always exists that Bairari was a regional tune. It was used by Guru Ram Das for six short hymns and by Guru Arjan for one. This raga is performed during the evening and it is currently assigned to the Marva thata ("set"). It resembles Purva Kalyan, the main difference being the use of Pa which is strong in Bairari and weak in Purva-Kalyan. Popley places Bairari in the same group as Sri Raga and this would agree with the Ragmala.

Raag Basant (ਬਸੰਤੁ)
During spring season of the year Basant may be performed at any time of the day or night. Otherwise, it is reserved for the time between 9 p.m. and midnight. The Ragmala gives Basant as a putra (son) of Hindol, also a spring raga. Today it belongs to the Purvi thata. The only variant noted in the Holy Book is Basant-Hindol. Basant is a very old raga dating from the 8th century. Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar composed Shabads in this raga. Performed in slow tempo, this gentle melody depicts quiet joy

Raag Bhairon (ਭੈਰਉ)
In the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total of 31 raga compositions and this raga is the twenty-fourth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 43 pages from page numbers 1125 to 1168.
Bhairav was an important raga at the time of Guru Nanak and has continued to retain its significance and popularity. Bhairav (not to be confused with Bhairavi) appears in the Ragmala as husband/wife of Bhairavi and four other raginis. Today it is the head raga for one of the ten thatas. The "Raga Sagara", a journal of circa 8th century, describes this raga as awe-inspiring and as expressing the "fulfilment of the desire to worship." Mesakarna (1509) calls this morning melody of the autumn season one of awesome grandeur. Performed before sunrise, this raga was used by Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, and Guru Arjan for 99 hymns.

Raag Bihagara (ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ)
Bihagara is the seventh raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on 20 pages from page 537 to 557. Bihagara is very similar to the modern and very popular raga Bihag. The resemblance is so close that many performers have trouble maintaining the significance of each. Bihagara is not given in the Ragmala. Today it is classified under the Bilaval thata. Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar set a total of 17 Shabads (hymns), chhants and a var to this raga. This raga is performed during the early night time between 9 p.m. and midnight, and it creates a devotional mood and has a tranquilising effect. The texts composed to this raga describes how complete peace and satisfaction comes to the person who surrenders everything to the Lord.

Raag Bilaval (ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ)
Bilawal is the sixteenth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 64 pages from page numbers 795 to 859.Bilawal had become the basic scale for North Indian music by the early part of the 19th century. Its tonal relationships are comparable to the Western music C major scale. Bilawal appears in the Ragmala as a ragini of Bhairava, but today it is the head of the Bilawal thaat. The Ragmala gives Bilawal as a putra (son) of Bhairav, but no relation between these two ragas is made today. Bilawal is a morning raga to be sung with a feeling of deep devotion and repose, often performed during the hot months. Over 170 hymns were composed to this raga by Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar.

Raag Devagandhari (ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ)
this raga is the sixth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 10 pages from page numbers 527 to 537.Today Devagandhari is a rare, little known, ancient raga. Its performance time is the morning hours. Historically it has had three forms; the less ornamented type is described here. In the Ragmala, Devagandhari is a ragini of Malkaunsa. Today it belongs to the Asavari thata. Its mood is one of prayerful supplication presenting a heroic effect. The texts set to this raga reveal a heroic search for these qualities which lead one to the Lord. This raga was used primarily by Guru Arjan. Forty-Seven hymns were composed to it including three by Guru Tegh Bahadar and six by Guru Ram Das.

Raag Dhanasari (ਧਨਾਸਰੀ)
Raga Dhanashree appears in the Ragmala as a ragini of Malkauns and currently is a member of the Kafi thaat. It closely resembles Bhimpalasi in musical content but the vadis and moods are different. Dhanashree is performed in the early afternoon and presents a cheerful, happy mood. It provided the setting for hymns by Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar for a total of 101 hymns

Raag Gauri (ਗਉੜੀ)
This raga is the third raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 196 pages from page numbers 151 to 347. Gauri is one of several ragas that appears in the Ragmala as a ragini (subset) of Sri Raga. This is an evening raga assigned to autumn and its mood is contemplative. The composition in Gauri is very voluminous. Gauri was used by Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur. Several forms of Gauri Raga exist historically and this probably accounts for the large number of variants: Gauri Cheti, Gauri Bairagan, Gauri Dipaki, Gauri Purbi-Dipaki, Gauri Guareri, Gauri-Majh, Gauri Malava, Gauri Mala, Gauri Sorath, Gauri Dakhani.

~~To be Continued..~~

Author Topic: Ragas in Shri Guru Granth Sahib (Read 3453 times)

rabbdabanda

Ragas in Shri Guru Granth Sahib

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