Gurbani: Kirtan Styles

Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan
by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982

Kirtan Styles

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Kirtan Styles

CLASSICAL STYLE

The important question that needs to be answered is: “In what classical style did the Gurus sing their hymns ?” Was it dhrupad style or khayal style of some other mode of singing ? According to scholars, dhrupad style was popular ever since Raja Mansingh Tomar (1486-1516) gave it a place of pride. Guru Nanak and his successors generally adopted the dhrupad style in his hymns of revelation and discipleship. Dhrupad singing is divided into four parts: asthai, sanchari, antra and abhog. Take an example of Guru Arjan’s hymn in Suhi-raga given below[5]. The first two lines are to be sung in asthai, the nexty two in sanchari, the next two in antra and the last two in abhog:
(a) Buray kam kau uth khaloiya....rung laptana---Asthai
(b) Lobh lohar kau bigas fool baitha....laptiyo janjara----Sanchari
(c) Bikhai nad karam sun bheena....subh dhandhay----Antra
(d) Kah Nanak prabh bakash karijai.....Nam laina----Abhog
Dhrupad singing is done in the appropriate tala and laya.
Later, the khayal style was introduced by Muslim musicians and then some of the rababis at the Gurus’ court sang in the same style. Guru Gobind Singh sang some of his compositions in khayal style.

FOLK STYLE

As stated earlier, some parts of the Scripture, specially the vars are directed to be sung according to folk tunes or dhunis or taraz. These were meant for simple rural folk. Folk music should not be regarded as inferior to classical music. Both speak the same language, but at different levels. The base is the classical raga but the dhuni--often indicated-is the folk tune. The vars containing salokas and pauris are generally sung in the raga indicated at the top. The marital tunes (dhunis) of nine vars [6] indicated in the Scripture were known to the singers of that period. The dhunis of vars mentioned in the Adi Granth are as follows:

(1) Manjh ki Var, Mahala I
Malak Murid Tathha Chandrahara Sohiya di Dhuni
Text of the original tara: Kabul wich Murid Khan faria wad jor.
Beinning of Gurbani: Tu karta purkh agam hai aap srisht upati (p. 137)

(2) Gauri ki var, Mahla V
Rai Kamal di Mouj, Ki var di dhuni
Text of the original taraz: Rama rai kamal see run bhara bahin.
Beginning of Gurbani: Jo tudh bhavay so bhalla sach tera bhana (p. 318).

(3) Asa-di-Var, Mahl I
Tunday Asrajay ki Dhuni.
Text of the original taraz: Bhabhikiya sher sardul rai run maru wajay.
Beginning of Gurbani: Aapeenay aap sajiyo aa peenay rachio nav (p.462)

(4) Gujri ki Var, Mahala III
Sikandar Birahan ki var ki dhuni
Text of the original taraz: Paapi khan bahram pur chariya Sikhandar.
Beginning of Gurbani: Aapna aap upaaon tadah hor na ko (p.508).

(5) Wadahans ki var, Mahla IV
Lallan Bahlima ki dhuni
Text of the original taraz: Kal lala day desh daa khoiaa bahlima.
Beginning of Gurbani: Tu aapayhi aap aap hai aap karan keeaa (p.585).

(6) Ramkali ki var Mahla III
Jodhay Veeray Poorbani ki dhuni.
Text of the original taraz: Jodh beer dohay sannay do gallan karay karaaria.
Beginning of Gurbani: Sachay takhat rachaiya baisan kou jaaee (p.947).

(7) Sarang ki var, Mahla IV
Rai Mah-may Hasnay ki dhuni.
Text of original taraz: Mahma hasna rajpoot rai bharay khatti.
Beginning of Gurbani: Aapay aap niranjana jin aap upaaiya (p. 1237).

(8) Malar ki var Mahla I
Ranay Kailash tatha Malday ki dhuni.
Text of the original taraz: Dharat ghora parbat palan sirr tattar umber.
Beginning of the Gurbani: Aaapeenay aap saaj aap pachhaniya. (p. 1278).

(9) Kanray ki var, Mahla IV
Musay ki var ki dhun.
Text of the original taraz: Tirai sau sath murataba ik ghuriay dagay.
Beginning of Gurbani: Tu aapay hi sidh sadhku, tu aapay hi jag jogia (p. 1312)

In addition to the vars, most of the folk hymns are in praise of God. However, there are a few folk hymns on death (alahnian), marriage (ghorian) and festive occassions. It may be noted that folk music has a wider appeal and it acquires a refined character when it is welded with classical Hindustani music. Those who do not know raga can sing hymns in sadharan or jotiyan tune.
Asa-di-var is to be sung in raga Asa which is classical, while the dhuni is that of the popular var of Tunday Asraja [7]. A var is generally intended to produce a heroic and martial feeling-Bir rasa. Its diction is simple but emotional. Asa-di-var contains pauris (of Guru Nanak) of five line each, along with his salokas. The salokas of Guru Angad were added later on to it by Guru Arjan. Chhants of Guru Ramdas were directed to be sung with Asa-di-var of Guru Nanak, by Guru Arjan on account of the similarity of contents. Just as the theme of the var of Tunday Asraja is the victory of good over evil, in the same way, the subject of Asa-di-var is spiritual evolution and fulfilment. Hurdles in the path of divinity, like ego, hypocrisy and evil thoughts are conquered by following the path of truth and meditation and the earning of God’s grace.
The musical effect of this ‘Ballad of Hope’ is extremely blissful. Krishna Chaitanya, an Indian musicologist observes in this connection: “In musical impact, it is like the plaint-chant of European Christianity. It is a recitative, which has taken wings, rather than abstract arabesque of sound. But in musical texture, it is wholly different from plaint-chant. This is because plaint-chant comes early in the evolution of European music, whereas the melodic pattern of the Asa-di-var is derived by simplification from a nature classical tradition” [8].
Instead of the clash of arms, we find in the vars of the Gurus the clash of ideas. The vars are spiritual content though they follow the tune of a current folk tale. There is a clash between truth and ritual, piety and hypocrisy. In the Asa-di-var, Guru Nanak condemns the rituals of bathing, burial, sacred thread and Ras Leela (dramatic performances) of the lives of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Vars have not been reduced to notation. There is no special tala with a theka (syllables) for it. Var has a simple rhythm-a folk tala-pattern.
The essence of the var lies in the pauris. As per tradition, the pauri is first sung and thereafter recited, to enable the sangat to grasp the meaning and significane thereof. It is not necessary to give any parallel quotations from Gurbani while singing Asa-di-var.

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