Bhai Baldeep Singh - Kirtan at Hofstra University

Event Details

Two New 1 Credit Courses in Sikh Sacred Music for Fall 2008 Most scriptures have a performative (sung, chanted) dimension to them: the Jewish Tehillim of the Torah, the Christian Psalms of the Bible, the Muslim call to prayer and suras of the Koran, the Hindu Sama Veda, the Buddhist Thera- and Therigatha songs of the Khuddaka-Nikaya in the Pali Canon. It is therefore essential to understand the musical, sung and chanted context of scripture to begin to comprehend the 'confessional' ways of engaging with religious texts beyond mere reading. In this regard, and in line with the Religion Department's Mission Statement to encourage students to "migrate between their own worldviews and the those of others", and specifically from its Learning Goal 4(c): "to compare and contrast critical and confessional ways of reading texts”, the Department of Religion has the good fortune to critically engage with the performative context of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture of 5864 verses of poetic songs. This learning experience has been made possible by the introduction of two special 1 credit courses offered by the Center for Continuing Education & Professional Development (CCEPA) in Fall 2008 (and cross-listed in the Religion Department): Bhai Baldeep Singh Sacred Music of the Punjab I. Instructor: Bhai Baldeep Singh (Delhi, India) CCEPA U0200; RELI 140K, CRN 94378, 6.30-8.35 pm TR, from 9/11 to 10/2 Neth 18, North Campus