How do we know what music/melody goes with bani?

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How do we know what music/melody goes with bani?

Postby VSAulakh » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:46 pm

I listen to Desi radio every morning (Southall, Hounslow area UK) where they play shabad/bani (not sure what the difference is) - I think they categorise it as spiritual music from across the punjab. What I would like to know is...how do we know what tune should go with the Bani? If the musical notes are not written in the Bani itself, is it open to interpretation and therefore we are just getting someone's version of it ? I want to make my own tunes to the bani so just checking. Please let me know.
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Re: How do we know what music/melody goes with bani?

Postby AS Khalsa » Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:02 pm

VSAulakh wrote:I listen to Desi radio every morning (Southall, Hounslow area UK) where they play shabad/bani (not sure what the difference is) - I think they categorise it as spiritual music from across the punjab. What I would like to know is...how do we know what tune should go with the Bani? If the musical notes are not written in the Bani itself, is it open to interpretation and therefore we are just getting someone's version of it ? I want to make my own tunes to the bani so just checking. Please let me know.


Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

With regards the difference between 'Bani' and 'Shabad', 'Bani' is the hymn when it is written down. 'Shabad' is the hymn when it is sung out loud. Hence Shabad is Bani that is vocalised.

There is a science to music. Our Guru Sahibaan understood this. Certain notes when played together work to inculcate a particular feeling or emotion within us. Each 'Raag' corresponds to a certain feeling, eg. Raag Bhairag makes one feel detachment, Raag Bilaaval makes one feel joyful. Though the musical notes are not written in Bani, the Raag which each shabad is written in is provided, and each Raag is simply a set of notes.

The overwhelming majority of Kirtan performed by Sikhs today simply isn't in accordance with the Raag Maryada. Ironically, even a lot of 'Raagis' abhor the use of Raag by ascribing arbitrary melodies and notes to the singing of a particular shabad. The practice of singing kirtan without reference to the Raags has its origins in the Sikh group known as the Akhand Kirtani Jatha, more commonly known today as the AKJ. Its founder Bhai Randhir Singh sought to make Kirtan accessible to the Sikh masses at large, rather than limited to a few learned individuals who had to spend their whole lives studying Raag and Gurmat Sangeet. The intention was noble, but it diluted one of our most sacred traditions. This also coincided with the phasing out of traditional Sikh stringed instruments [Tanti Saaj], and the swell in popularity of the harmonium, which actually came from Europe.
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Re: How do we know what music/melody goes with bani?

Postby navjot3322 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:00 am

It's a misconception that raags mentioned in the Aad Granth Sahib are meant for singing of gurbani in specific musical notes or tunes.
Not all shabads can be sung in the raag specified.
The Aad Granth Sahib starts with the baani 'Jap', which is without any raag. So that doesn't mean it doesn't induce any emotion.
No common person can tell that a shabad being sung in a specific raag induces which emotion. It's the meaning of the shabad or the gyan within the shabad which does so.
There is no evidence in history also which can point out that any poet of the Aad Granth Sahib (except Satta and Balwand) was trained in classical music (lets face it, classical music has to be learned and practised for years)
So, according to my 'personal understanding', Raag literally means 'Awastha'. In gurbani's case, the emotional and spiritual state of the poet writing the shabad at that very moment. Again its my understanding so far, input from others is welcome and encouraged.
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