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Mardanas of the Shabad Guru revive musical Gurbani
Shabad Guru da Saaj Guru de
Jagmohan Singh
 They present a heavenly sight and treat. Guru Nanak Sahib had
Bhai Mardana. Guru Granth Sahib has the modern Mardanas reciting and
singing the Shabads. The troupe of Sikh men and women, young and
old, dressed in immaculate white, playing stringed instruments of
yore and singing in the same pattern and style as the bard Bhai
Mardana -the life-long companion of the first master, Guru Nanak
take the Sangat on the journey of rediscovery of the true heritage
of the Sikh people. The resplendent and true meaning of Gurbani
starts to permeate your being when you are engrossed in Kirtan
rendered with the accompaniment of traditional stringed
instruments.
Led by Prof. Surinder Singh of Raj Academy of England, who
has initiated and developed the strains and syllabi of Sikh
musicology, which is also taught at the Thames Valley University,
talented Sikhs from Turkey, England, France, Taiwan, USA, Italy
rendered Gurbani for close to two hours in Raag Dhanasri, Aasawari
and Suhi to the delight of the Sangat present at Gurdwara
Dukhniwaran in Ludhiana.
As part of the two week journey, this Jatha is traveling all
over Punjab
and India and would also be performing at Takht Hazur Sahib.
The flow of Gurbani swimming on the strings of the
instruments being plucked and bowed in complete devotion was an unparalleled sight. They played many stringed instruments and
have pioneered Gurbani singing in a choir format with members of the
Jatha playing Sarangi-developed by Guru Arjan Dev, the Sikh Rabab
–played by Bhai Mardana, the beautiful Taus and Dilruba –designed
and developed by Guru Gobind Singh and the Jodhi, which has been
replaced by the Tabla.
Prof. Surinder Singh and the troupe performed Kirtan and
Prof. Surinder Singh also did Katha, explaining in detail the
meaning of the Raags, the meaning of the word –Ghar- after the name
of Raags and the significance and importance of doing Kirtan in the
said Raags specified by Guru Sahib.
 In a classical reference, Prof. Surinder Singh regaled the
Sangat by pointing out that on 24 October this year the Sikh people
have completed 500 years of Ek Onkar, for on this day 500 years ago,
Guru Nanak Sahib had emerged from the Kali Vein at Sultanpur Lodhi
and blessed humanity with this Gur Mantar.
The learned scholar recalled that while hiding in the jungles
of Machiwarra, the Sikhs of yore had the bow and arrow and Kirpan on
one shoulder and the other shoulder had the Rabab –even in the thick
of warfare Gurbani through music was not forgotten.
Ace photographer Tejpal Singh Sandhu, industrialist,
photographer and man of arts –Ranjodh Singh, president of Gurdwara
Dukhniwaran –Pritpal Singh were among the Sangat enjoying the Kirtan
and Katha.
Some day the Sikh nation will evaluate and value the work of
Chris Mooney Singh who worked relentlessly for nearly a decade on
the Rabab Revival Project. The contribution of Dr. Gurnam Singh and
his team at the Gurbani Sangeet department of the Punjabi University
Patiala is growing by leaps and bounds. The huge teaching and
learning efforts of the teachers and students of the
Baru Sahib Academy
are an example which other Sikh institutions should follow without
delay.
The efforts of late Baba Sucha Singh Jawaddi for reigniting
the yearning for Tanti-Saaj Kirtan, which tradition is being now
followed by Bhai Sukhwant Singh and the role of Bhai Baldeep Singh
are landmarks in the revival of Gurbani music learning and
teaching.
The least that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
can do is to have all the traditional stringed instruments in the
Sikh Museum
within the precincts of Darbar Sahib and the least that each
Gurdwara committee worldwide can do is to let the Rabab, the Saranda,
the Taus adorn the area around Guru Granth Sahib alongside the
Kirpan and the Khanda.
The Raj Academy
jatha lived upto the unique slogan coined by them –Shabad Guru da –Saaj
Guru de. It is time for all for all of us to follow suit.
25 October 2008
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