Amritsar, May 27: In a bid to revive the traditional “tanti saaz,†the 85-year-old SGPC-run Shaheed Sikh Missionary College here has made special arrangements to impart its training to pupils.
The Shaheed Sikh Missionary College was established in 1923 by Master Tara Singh, the legendary president of the Shiromani Akali Dal who ruled the hearts of the Sikhs for about half a century, in the memory of the martyrs of Nankana Sahib.
Interestingly, apart from Sikhism, the college teaches, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and other religions and their comparative study.
According to Prof Suba Singh, principal of the college, who has dual charge of Sikh Missionary College, Gurdwara Budha Johar (Rajasthan), 95 students of the local college were getting training in traditional “tanti saaz†these days.
The recent performance of “tanti saaz†by Dr Gurnam Singh, head, Gurmat Sangeet, Punjabi University, Patiala, in the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple had made headlines of newspapers. The SGPC showed keen interest in the revival of “tanti saaz†while performing kirtan in the traditional raagas.
The principal said there were seven teachers in the local college who produced preachers for the SGPC and other Sikh institutions. Its students had brought laurels to the institute with their grip over the Sikh studies, all over the world. Prof Suba Singh said the college also taught Gurmukhi script to those interested in learning the Punjabi language.
