Friday, August 04, 2006
Folllowing the footsteps of Baba Gurpal Singh Ji
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!Like Baba Gurpal Singh Ji I have decided to move to Wordpress as it is much easier to sort the posts out by topic. I intend to write about some of the books I have read in addition to sharing about kirtan so I thought it would be best to move to a more organized blog.
Please make the necessary changes to your book marks.
http://www.singhangad.wordpress.com/ is my new blog address
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Gurmat Sangeet: Bhai Davinder and Mohinder Partap Singh - entire collection
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
In my last post I spoke a little bit about the jatha of Bhai Mohinder and Davinder Partap Singh Ji. Amardeep ji gave me some information about them and I would like to share it with you.
In these recordings you will get a chance to listen to lovely puratan compositions. Some of them are played in the lesser know taals like Madh taal ( 9 beats), Char taal ki Savari( 11 beats), Jai taal( 13 beats) and Inder taal ( 19 beats). In addition to singing well, the jatha also made it a point to explain the shabad and the reet.
To download the collection please click here.Please download them and share them with the sangat.
Guru Fateh!In my last post I spoke a little bit about the jatha of Bhai Mohinder and Davinder Partap Singh Ji. Amardeep ji gave me some information about them and I would like to share it with you.
Bhai Partap Singh, the father accompanied his three sons in this tour. He used to do keertan in Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib at Delhi before migrating to US with his sons. Now his son Bhai Davinder Partap Singh is the lead voice of the Jatha. In these recordings you can hear a shivering voice in the background and this is of their father Bhai Partap Singh.Inspite of this frustration the jatha went on to sing their hearts out. In one of the tapes Bhai Mohinder Partap Singh Ji says it does not matter if people listen or not its our job to do kirtan the way the guru sahib has ordered us as we will continue to do so with his blessing.
They did keertan at Gurudwara Katong Sahib in Singapore for a whole week and the sangat consisted of barely 8-10 people on every day. One day I requested Bhai Sahib to play the Dilruba instead of the Violin (which he plays very well) and it was sad to hear him pour out his frustration at the attendance of sangat in Katong Gurudwara. His reply was that what difference would it make if he did play the Dilruba? After all the 8-10 who were regularly attending were already aware of Dilruba. I could understand his sense of frustration and agreed that I should only be a silent listener and enjoy the keertan the way they best felt to present.
In these recordings you will get a chance to listen to lovely puratan compositions. Some of them are played in the lesser know taals like Madh taal ( 9 beats), Char taal ki Savari( 11 beats), Jai taal( 13 beats) and Inder taal ( 19 beats). In addition to singing well, the jatha also made it a point to explain the shabad and the reet.
To download the collection please click here.Please download them and share them with the sangat.
Angad Singh
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Gurmat Sangeet : Bhai Davinder and Mohinder Partap Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!Couple of years ago a father and his three sons came to do kirtan in singapore. They live in the US but I am not certian where. I have not seen them do kirtan, nor have i met them. I have only heard recordings of them doing kirtan. They have an amazing style.
The Tanti Saaz in these files is a Violin which is played by the Father Bhai Partap Singh Ji.
Today I intend to share with you some of the shabads they sang while they were in Singapore.
Ram Bol Ram Ram, Bhai Re Ram Kaho, Niamk Na Bisro Tum Kau
Amrit Bani Har Har Teri, Sun Vadhabgia, Aao Sajana Dekha Darshan
If anyone has information about them and or their pictures pleas email me.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Satwant Kaur - Another Novel by Bhai Vir Singh Ji
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
As mentioned in my earlier posts I would like to share with you about another novel that was written by Bhai Vir Singh Ji.
This novel, like Sundri is based around the late 1800 and its about this girl who is kidnapped and is taken away by the afghans to Kabul, how she lives there and returns home and brings fellow sikhs back with her.
I would like to share some of the instances narrated by Bhai Sahib which highlight the character of the Sikhs. Since this book is rather detailed I will talk about it in 2 posts. In this particular post I will narrate some instances that show how united the Sikhs amongst themselves and how much they loved and cared for their dear ones.
An afghan once saw a group of Sikhs sitting and discussing. He asked them what they were upto. They explained that two Sikh brothers had a difference of opinion and they were helping them sort it out. The afghan said thats their issue let them settle it why leave do you want to interfere. The Sikhs added saying that is how we are we ensure that all issues are sorted out so that we remain strong as one and dont get divided amongst ourselves. This shows how the love and concern the Sikhs back then had for each other. Today..the lesser said the better it is..
Another instance which shows how united the Sikhs back then were: Gurmatta - There were numerous times when important decisions had to be made like deciding whom to attack, when to attack, how to protect ourselves etc. Even though the Sikhs were divided into small groups and lived independently. However, they were a united lot. When the time to make an important decision came, all the important people were called and the met at a place sat down and discussed after which aardas was done. Hukamnama was taken and then the decision was announced to the others. All groups came together as one and stayed united. Today forget taking decisions, people refuse to talk to other Sikhs saying that the other aint good enough and it could be cause of the color of their turban and shape of their turban or where they sit while eating langar?
Finally in this book Bhai Sahib narrates how sikhs never give up looking for their lost ones and always pray for their safety. Bhai Vir Singh Ji goes on to explain and narrate the meeting of Satwant Kaur with her parents who have been hunting high and low for their daughter of whom they had not heard about for a decade now. The had total faith that if their daughter is alive she will remain a Sikh and will come back to them and if she is not alive she would have died a Sikh.
In a seperate post I shall speak about how the Sikh's helped and supported each other emotionally during the tough times in the late 1800s. This book is rather detailed in its narration of various events. What really captures my attention is that like Sundri, the it highlights what a Khalsa ought to be like. Like Sundri, this too is a must read.
You can get a copy from www.singhbrothers.com or from Bhai Vir Singh Sadan in Delhi.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A note from my own manja
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
I am finally back home after a good 8 weeks in India. My internship was real good. I learnt a lot not only about the advertising industry but also got a chance to see India and the corporate culture thers as a grown up.
My main clients were PVR Cinemas and Xerox International and thanks to my very caring boss Mr Abhoy Kumar I was given opportunities not only to meet with clients but also to present some of my research findings and recommendations to them.
My job required me to do numerous studies/research/surveys and then make recommendations based on them. As a result I was able to interact with people from all walks of life. This was really good as I learnt a lot of the work culture and attitudes of the people in India.
In addition I was fortunate to meet and spend time with some really blessed souls and I look forward to meeting them in this part of the world as well.
As for my reaaz well its going good I can do one shabad on the dilruba and I am working on the next one.
Sorry I have not been updating as I have been really busy during my last week in India and I am getting things back in order here so that I can be fully functional by next week as I start college on the 24th of July.
In the next few weeks I intend to share about some of the novels written by Bhai Vir Singh ji.
Before I leave I would like to share with you some shabads that Taranjeet Singh from India gladly passed to me. These are recordings for kirtan from Hariminder Sahib. He has painstakingly recorded then and passed them to me.
Prof Kartar Singh Ji - Nai Chodu Re Baba Ram Nam - Raag Basant - Taal Choti Teen Taal ; Basant Ki Var
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Sundri - A Novel by Bhai Veer Singh Ji
Whaeguru Ji Ka Khalsa Whaeguru Ji Ki FatehAs I mentioned in my earlier post I was reading Sundri on my way back to Delhi from Hariminder Sahib.
Today I plan to share about Sundri with all of you. This book, the 1st of Bhai Vir Singh ji work was written at the time when Sikhs were at the lowest ebb of their moral after the fall of their empire ad the aexation of the Punjab by the British.
The reason why he wrote Sundri was to remind the Sikhs of their glorious past and to capture the divine spirit of the Khalsa - spiritually elevated people who are blissfully cheerful, fearless invincible but non-aggressive.
This story highlights the glorious manner in which the Khalsa remained stead fast to its high principles even when faced with the greatest odds.
The novel is based on a girl by the name of of Surasti who was kidnapped by a Moghual on the day of her Muklawa. As she was already married she pleaded. Her father and husband came as well and offered to give the moghual lot of jewls instead. When the moghual threatened to arrest them both the men ran away.
Her brother who was now a Sikh came to know and he rushed to save his sister who was on the verge of burning her alive. After she was saved. She refused to go to her parents house or her husband's house as they had left her at her fate and ran away to save themselves. She told her Sikh brothers that she would want to serve them in whatever way she could. Soon afterwards Surasti became Sukhmani Kaur and was called Sundri out of affection.
Sundri not only served in the kitchen, she also fought along side with her brothers. Mean while the search for Sulkahni continued and numerous attempts were made to kidnap her. At times moghuals whom she looked after when they were injured in battle were the ones who would come looking for her. At times they were successful in kidnapping her and for a number of days her brothers would be unable to find her. However, each time they would find her and she would only be waiting to get back to her sangat.
Once she saw a Khatri sitting and wailing outside his house. She went up to him asked him what was wrong. He told her his wife had been kidnapped by the moughals and he did not know what to do so he wanted to commit suicide. She told him that she was a Kaur and her brother’s would help him in recovering his wife. She blind folded him and brought him to the hide out of the Sikh’s. She did this as those were troubled times and the Sikhs had to play safe.
Soon afterwards the Sikhs were successful in helping the kharti get his wife back. The Khatri and his wife knew that going back to the village would be impossible thus they requested the Sikhs that they would want to stay with them and serve them in what ever way they could. The Sikhs agreed and the Khatri and his wife were blessed with amrit and they too became part of the Khalsa.
Sundri continued her brave ways. Even after her Sikh brothers told her not to help any wounded Moghal. She just went on and on relentlessly. The last time she was at battle and was coming back with her brothers she heard a man screaming in pain. She got down to attend to his needs. And after she dress his wounds he asked her if she too was a pathan. She said she was a Kaur. That very moment he stabbed her with his sword and went away.
Her brothers found her and then nursed her but Sundri new her end was near she asked her brothers to have akhand path to be held so that she could listen to bani before her soul leaves her body. After the paath was over and aardas was done she bowed down before Guru Granth Sahib and that is when her soul left her body.
All the instances narrated in the 100 page book highlight the spirit and values of the Khlasa. The Khalsa never says no to anyone in need of help. Nor does the Khalsa tolerate any sort of injustice. The Khlasa respects women and does not believe that they in any manner are inferior to men. They constantly remember Waheguru . They truly are Aakal Purakh Ki Fauj - The Knights of God.
In the next post I intend to share about Satwant Kaur – another novel written by Bhai Vir Singh Ji.If anyone of you has access to a soft copy of this book please pass it to me so that I can upload it. This book is available from Bhai Vir Sigh Sahitya Sadan at New Delhi or www.singhbrothers.com
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
More pics from hariminder sahib
Bricks being baked..
The Khalsa Shall Rule!
A low shot of hariminder sahib
The Akal ThaktWaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Friday, June 23, 2006
Some pics from Hariminder Shab Visit
A Purtan Saranda
Can You spot what does not fit in to this picture
They ve come to meet the Guru
..and so has this kabootar
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Harimander Sahib
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!On the 17th and 18th June I was at Harminder sahib. This time round I learnt something new. I shall share with all of you in a this post.
I went by myself and I had decided that I do not want to go visiting numerous gurudwaras as I wanted to just spend time at Hariminder Sahib.
After having deposited my bag in the gatri ghar I t went to Akal Thakt Sahib to metha take. After that I went to Hariminder Sahib.
As I was going in I saw a dilruba in the hands of one of the ragi jatha. Thanks to Arina that kirtan was recorded. I shall ask her to upload it then you guys can also listen to it.
A lot of young kirtaneas are doing tanti saaz kirtan in harminder sahib and from the looks of it they appear to be students of professor kartar singh ji.
That evening I was in akal thakt for rehraas sahib as I found out they show shastars of guru sahib and puratan gursikhs to the sangat after the path.
After the darshan of the shastars I decided to go eat langar. As I was on my way to langar I saw a group of people singing shabads walking a few steps then stopping then continuing. They were let by an elderly gentleman carrying a sri sahib.
I joined them and asked one of the persons in the group what was this all about. He told me this was a very old tradition started by Baba Budha Ji. He added this kirtan chownki was started by Baba Ji at the hukam of Guru Sahib when he was held captive in the Gwalior fort. The sangat wanted to do darshan of guru sahib so they had asked babaji what they should do. He went to Guru Sahib and asked him what should the sangat do. Guru Sahib said a kirtan chownki should be done and then the sangat will be able to do his darshan.
I was pretty intrigued and said to myself let continue with them after all I had nothing much to do anyways. After the chowki was over I went to that person again and asked him for more details and we sat down and spoke.
The chownki starts at about 2030 hours from Babaji's beer and ends at harminder sahib. The time taken to complete the chownki is about an hour and fifteen minutes. The chownki goes on everyday at the same time. There is a Gukta Sahib which containts the shabads that are sung in the chowki.They say the chawnki was even carried out during the time of the mahants and till today the person holding the sri sahib is called mahant and people bow down to him and even give him money.
I had seen people bowing down and all but I did not think about it at that point. I was only later when I was lying down in the parkarma that I thought that it is wrong for people to metha take him in addition at times I feel that the chownki too seems pretty much ritualistic to me.
Basically it’s a tradition that is being carried on for centuries now and I had never even known about it so that is why I am sharing it with you.
By the time I woke up at about 530 or so and then I got ready went to akal thakt and did my nietnem and slept there for a while. After which I went to do some shopping.
I bought a shastar for myself and the my usual stock of kakars. In addition I also bought two books Bandagi Nama and Sundri. I read sundri on the way back on the train. Its an awsome book. I will write more about that in another post.
Before leaving for Delhi I went to the Baba Atal Rai tower only to learn that no one is allowed to the top story as on the 16th of june a girl jumped from there so for the coming week or so no one was allowed to go right to the top. Also the state of the tower is real bad. The beautiful art work is being white washed and being replaced by toilet tiles.!!
For some reason blogger is not letting me post pictures today I have some nice pictures that I took during the trip. I will try to post them up in the next few days or so.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Sunday, June 11, 2006
1000 words ..probabaly more
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!Sorry for not updating earlier. I have had almost no access to the internet for a while. Also I bought metallic tuning heads for my dilruba so I spent 1 entire weekend just on retying the frets and re stringing the instrument.
Anyway, I was at Rajab Ganj Sahib on 26th May and I took some really good shots.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Listening attentively!
What should we make Bhai Avtar sing??
You should sing Raag Maru
Singing his heart out - Bhai Balbir Singh Ji
Can you see the joy on Prof Kartar Singh ji's face
Bhai Avtar Singh Ji singing Ghol Ghumee Lalna in Raag Maru
Thats all for today. In the next post I shall probabaly write about Dinner with Bhai Avtar Singh Ji.I have the recordings for the kirtan progamme. I will upload it when I get back home in 6 weeks!
Till next time..Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Ps: please click on the pics to enjoy!! esp the last 3 ones.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
An evening with Bhai Baldeep Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
On Saturday 27th May, I met Bhai Bladeep Singh ji. Harpreet Singh my friend made this meeting possible. Bhai Sahib is a 13 generation Kirtaneea and belongs to the family of Bhai Avtar Singh ji.
Bhai Baldeep is the person who is responsible for brining the Taus back. The Taus had disappeared from the gurudawaras around 1945, Baldeep Singh ji studied the instrument for years and then made one in 1995. In addition to this he also spent time learning the Sikh style of playing the Pakawaj ; another part of our culture that we had almost lost. To learn and master each aspect of Sikh Kirtan Bhai Sahib studied under different ustaads for over a decade.
I took my dilruba along when I went to visit Bhai Sahib. He invited me to his home and played on my dilruba for a good 30 mins while talking to me about instruments and instrument making.
He also shared with me about his life. He was a top aero modeler and got into the India Air force as well. However, he never joined the air force as he decided that he wanted to dedicate his life in the sewa of the guru ghar.
A lot of people told me Baldeep is very arrogant, he is a snob, he is rude, he does not share etc. Well he might be like that! But we cannot run away from the fact that what Baldeep Singh is doing no one else is. If it was not for him and his ways, we would have never heard the taus being played or uthe jori being played the way it was in the court of Guru Ram Das.
As for why he does not openly share its simple! I am not too sure myself. I hope that in time to come he does share his knowledge else we may never be able to know about the gems he has uncovered.
People complain that bhai baldeep singh charges a lot to teach, it is not right etc?
To these people I ask, do we complain to mercedes why they charge so much more than a toyota? Or do we ask the best doctor in town why does he charge many times more than the normal GP? Or do question harvard why they chare so much more than a state run university.
Many of us do not go to ivy league schools or play the dilruba instead of the taus cause we cant afford it. We don’t go complaining Why is a taus 5 times more expensive than a dilruba!! I feel the same goes with Baldeep, I cannot afford his fees fine then I don’t go to him.
He has studied each Sikh instrument in depth and used the best material make the instrument under his careful supervision. He spent close to 4 years and about USD 60,000 just gathering the correct tools to make these instruments. Also he has spent years studying from the makers of the best instruments. In order to do all this research he needs funds and he is not being supported by any organization or gurudawara board. So teaching and selling instruments is what gets him the necessary funds.
He then took me to his studio and workshop. I saw the instruments he is currently working on, 2 sarandas,2 dilruba's 1 rabab. They look really beautiful and the workmanship you can see is out of the world. Also he played the taus for me, the one he made in 1995. The sound of that taus was out of this world. Just to good to be true.
In addition to being a top Sikh instrument maker and an exponent of Dhrupad style of singing Bhai Sahib is the head of the oldest school of percussion in the Asian sub continent. Unfortunately I do not remember the exact name of this school. One of his senior students in India, Parminder Singh who has been learning from him for the past three years played some pakawaj bols on his hands ( tali and kahli )whiles bhai baldeep singh ji played the same on the pakawaj. I was awe struck!
With great reluctance did I leave his place. There was so much to learn so much to see that I just could not get enough of it.
On Saturday 27th May, I met Bhai Bladeep Singh ji. Harpreet Singh my friend made this meeting possible. Bhai Sahib is a 13 generation Kirtaneea and belongs to the family of Bhai Avtar Singh ji.
Bhai Baldeep is the person who is responsible for brining the Taus back. The Taus had disappeared from the gurudawaras around 1945, Baldeep Singh ji studied the instrument for years and then made one in 1995. In addition to this he also spent time learning the Sikh style of playing the Pakawaj ; another part of our culture that we had almost lost. To learn and master each aspect of Sikh Kirtan Bhai Sahib studied under different ustaads for over a decade.
I took my dilruba along when I went to visit Bhai Sahib. He invited me to his home and played on my dilruba for a good 30 mins while talking to me about instruments and instrument making.
He also shared with me about his life. He was a top aero modeler and got into the India Air force as well. However, he never joined the air force as he decided that he wanted to dedicate his life in the sewa of the guru ghar.
A lot of people told me Baldeep is very arrogant, he is a snob, he is rude, he does not share etc. Well he might be like that! But we cannot run away from the fact that what Baldeep Singh is doing no one else is. If it was not for him and his ways, we would have never heard the taus being played or uthe jori being played the way it was in the court of Guru Ram Das.
As for why he does not openly share its simple! I am not too sure myself. I hope that in time to come he does share his knowledge else we may never be able to know about the gems he has uncovered.
People complain that bhai baldeep singh charges a lot to teach, it is not right etc?
To these people I ask, do we complain to mercedes why they charge so much more than a toyota? Or do we ask the best doctor in town why does he charge many times more than the normal GP? Or do question harvard why they chare so much more than a state run university.
Many of us do not go to ivy league schools or play the dilruba instead of the taus cause we cant afford it. We don’t go complaining Why is a taus 5 times more expensive than a dilruba!! I feel the same goes with Baldeep, I cannot afford his fees fine then I don’t go to him.
He has studied each Sikh instrument in depth and used the best material make the instrument under his careful supervision. He spent close to 4 years and about USD 60,000 just gathering the correct tools to make these instruments. Also he has spent years studying from the makers of the best instruments. In order to do all this research he needs funds and he is not being supported by any organization or gurudawara board. So teaching and selling instruments is what gets him the necessary funds.
He then took me to his studio and workshop. I saw the instruments he is currently working on, 2 sarandas,2 dilruba's 1 rabab. They look really beautiful and the workmanship you can see is out of the world. Also he played the taus for me, the one he made in 1995. The sound of that taus was out of this world. Just to good to be true.
In addition to being a top Sikh instrument maker and an exponent of Dhrupad style of singing Bhai Sahib is the head of the oldest school of percussion in the Asian sub continent. Unfortunately I do not remember the exact name of this school. One of his senior students in India, Parminder Singh who has been learning from him for the past three years played some pakawaj bols on his hands ( tali and kahli )whiles bhai baldeep singh ji played the same on the pakawaj. I was awe struck!
With great reluctance did I leave his place. There was so much to learn so much to see that I just could not get enough of it.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
PS: Arina thanks for the notations!!!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Note from Delhi!
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!I would like to thank to all of you who wrote in to me and left comments on the blog - wishing me the best for this internship.
Sorry for not posting sooner. I do not have regular access to the internet. In the office I have not been given a connection so the only time I can log on is if another computer is free or I am at home. Besides strictly no blogging from office!!
Delhi has been interesting so far. Work is good as well. I am doing a strategic research in which I have to find if there is any association between the Sensation Seeking Scale and Product experimentation. This research is pretty much like any marketing research. In fact the steps are the same.
I guess I will be learning more about how to do research rather than working on converting a client brief to a creative brief ie understanding the needs of the client, coming up with ideas to meet the needs of the client and the having the creative department work on that idea so that at the end of a day a good campaign is launched.
I haven't really made friends at work but I am sure I will do so by the end of this week. The reason is that I have to work alone on this project so my interaction is reduced to the lunch hour.
As for Kirtan. I have been playing the dilruba almost every day. I have also started reading Spirit Born People written by Puran Singh ji, it is very interesting I must say.
My dear friend Arina has promised to send me 2 notations per month so that I have more than just sargams to practise. She has uploaded one on her her blog. I am sure she will upload the rest after reading this post =p…wei.. U better stick to yr 2 notations per month..
There is a kirtan darbar this Sunday at rakab ganj sahib. Bhai Avtar Singh ji, Bhai Balbir Singh ji, Prof Kartar Singh ji will be doing kirtan. I shall be recording and taking pictures as well. I am not too sure when I can share the recordings but I will try to upload some pictures
Till next time..
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Off to Delhi..
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!A hectic summer term is finally over..
In about 8 hours I leave for Delhi!
No not for a holiday..I will be interning with Rediffusion DYR, an advertising agency for a period of 9 weeks from 22nd May to 20th July. I will be working in the Strategic Planning Department.
Other than my internship I intend to do some reading along with continuing my reeaz. In addition I intend to maintain a journal of my experiences in India. As a result it may happen that the topics I blog about may not necessarily be on or about Gurmat Sangeet.
Those of you who are in Delhi I look forward to meeting you once again and I hope Bhai Avtar Singh Ji is in Delhi for a while so that I would have a chance of listening to him live.
I have just uploaded a live recording of Bhai Balbir Singh Ji singing 10th Guru Sahib's bani - click here to download
This would be my last post from home..more posts from Delhi!!
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Gurbani Gavoh Bhai: Prof Kartar Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
This would be the final post on Gurbani Gavoh Bhai kirtan program that was held in Delhi.
Prof. Kartar Singh ji's sang on the 2nd day of the program. He is the Director of the Gurmat Sangeet Academy which is at Anandpur Shaib. In 1941, he started to learn kirtan from Gyani Gurcharan Singh ji and Bhai Dalip Singh ji. Professor Sahib is about 78 years old and is known to be one of the living legends in the field of gurmat sangeet.
Prof. Kartar Singh ji does kirtan at Anandpur Sahib every wednesday evening for an hours along with his students.
At the kirtan program he sang and his students sat behind him. Most of them were playing the tanpura while there was 1 with the waja. The other insturments being played were the Taus and Dilruba.
The shabads Prof Kartar Singh ji sang at the samagam were
1. Bin Kartar Na - Raag Kalyan Taals: 9.5 matras and 13 matras( jai taal)
2. Koye Jan Harseo Deyveh Jor - Raag Jaitsree , 12 beats
3. Mitre Pyare Nu Taal : 14 beats - Firdoust Taal
Click here to download the kirtan. The sound quality is quite bad so please bear with it. if anyone know how to clean the recording please write in.
Some of the other recordings of the shabads Prof ji has sung:
Nirgun Rakh Liya - Raag Tukhari
Har Ki Gat Neh Ko Hu Jane - Raag Bihargra
Hau Kachu Na Janu Teri Saar -Raag Basant
Mo Ko Koi Na Jaanat - Raag Maru
Prabh Moeh Kab Gal Lavengey - Raag Kalyan
Enjoy!!
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
This would be the final post on Gurbani Gavoh Bhai kirtan program that was held in Delhi.
Prof. Kartar Singh ji's sang on the 2nd day of the program. He is the Director of the Gurmat Sangeet Academy which is at Anandpur Shaib. In 1941, he started to learn kirtan from Gyani Gurcharan Singh ji and Bhai Dalip Singh ji. Professor Sahib is about 78 years old and is known to be one of the living legends in the field of gurmat sangeet.
Prof. Kartar Singh ji does kirtan at Anandpur Sahib every wednesday evening for an hours along with his students.
At the kirtan program he sang and his students sat behind him. Most of them were playing the tanpura while there was 1 with the waja. The other insturments being played were the Taus and Dilruba.
The shabads Prof Kartar Singh ji sang at the samagam were
1. Bin Kartar Na - Raag Kalyan Taals: 9.5 matras and 13 matras( jai taal)
2. Koye Jan Harseo Deyveh Jor - Raag Jaitsree , 12 beats
3. Mitre Pyare Nu Taal : 14 beats - Firdoust Taal
Click here to download the kirtan. The sound quality is quite bad so please bear with it. if anyone know how to clean the recording please write in.
Some of the other recordings of the shabads Prof ji has sung:
Nirgun Rakh Liya - Raag Tukhari
Har Ki Gat Neh Ko Hu Jane - Raag Bihargra
Hau Kachu Na Janu Teri Saar -Raag Basant
Mo Ko Koi Na Jaanat - Raag Maru
Prabh Moeh Kab Gal Lavengey - Raag Kalyan
Enjoy!!
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Gurmat Sangeet:Taranas
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!In my last post there was a tarana that Bhai Gurmit Singh Shant sang. Today I am posting another tarana. This one is sung by Bhai Balbir Singh and is titled Dani Dani Tum Dani. There are 20 such taranas found in the SarabLoh Parkash Granth.
To me it seems that a tarana is a short poetry that is to be sung at a fast speed. Some of my readers are very knowledgeable in this field so please shed some light on taranas.
Click Here to download the tarana.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Gurbani Gavoh Bhai: Bhai Gurmit Singh Shant
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!Bhai Gurmit Singh Shant who hails from Jalandhar is one of the leading young ragis of the path. He belongs to a family that have been doing kirtan from the time of the gurus.
Bhai Sahib is an extremely hardworking kirtaneea and lovingly shares with others his skill.Bhai Sahib is especially adept i singing Raag Guldastas and taranas from Guru Gobdind Singh Ji's Bani.
To read more about Bhai Gurmit Singh Shant - click here.
At the Samagam in New Delhi, Bhai Sahib sange the following shabads
Sai Naam Amol - Sri Raag - teentaal
Preet Ke preet - Hamir raag - Iktaal
this is not the title raag, as per gurmat sangeet maryarda you should only sing in the title raag, if its Asa melha 5 we should not sing in anything other than asa
Nain Mahinge- Raag Kalyan - Madh taal this is a 9 beat taal
Raag Guldasta of 11 raags - Jhap taal
Itene Baat - Teen taal
He explains the meaning of the tarana.
To dowload the kirtan click here.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Gurbani Gavoh Bhai: Bhai Ashiqe Ali Bhai Lal
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Today I will be posting the Kirtan sung by the jatha of Bhai Ashiqe Ali Bhai Lal at the Talkatora Gardens in New Delhi at the Gurbani Gavoh Bhai program.
Bhai Sahib is the 17th Generation of Bhai Mardana Ji who was Guru Nanak dev ji's companion and rabab player.
The Rababis who stayed in and around Amritsar moved over to Pakistan after partition. Partition did a lot of damage to the Rababi community they lost their only source of lively hood as there were very few sikhs in pakistan. As a result some of them started singing qwalis while others took on other odd jobs.
In 1962 SGPC passed a law that only permitted amritdahri sikh men to do kirtan in the Harminder Sahib, this law ment that the rababis who are muslems would not be allowed to do kirtan where they forefathers had been doing kirtan for generations.
Thanks to the effort of numerous groups and individuals the rababis are back today and are singing kirtan. Today they still sing with a vaja. Thanks to Chris Mooney Singh the rabab is back.
All the shabads Bhai Sahib sang were in Nirdharit Raag. In addition he did a lot of parmans. The shabads are as follows.
Sajan Tere Charan - teen Taal - Raag Kanra
Pabh Jio Khasmana - Dadra - Raag Sorath - Puratan Reet
Khalsa Aakal Purkah Ki Fauh - explains what khalsa is
Main Andhulay Ke Take - Dadra - Phari Dhun - Puratan Reet.
Click here to download the shabads. Please download ASAP as the shabads are up only for a week.
Angad Singh
Monday, May 08, 2006
The Taus
The Taus - Peacock shaped instrument was almost extinct however, due to the efforts of Bhai Baldeep Singh the instrument is still being played and is becoming popular.This instrument is said to have been designed and made by 10th Guru Sahib. The Dilruba which is a derivative of the Taus is said to have been designed by the sikhs during the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji as it was much easier to carry a dilruba in comparison to a taus.
Some of the people who play the Taus today are Ranbir Singh, he is the only professional Taus player and Bhai Avtar Singh Ji. There are also numerous people esp. in the UK who are learning the Taus.
In this picture Pyara Singh Padam tuning the majestic Taus at Talkatora Gardens, New Delhi. He played the Taus when Prof Kartar Singh sang...
He is 81 years old and served the Royal Air Force and was stationed at Karachi for a long time. This was pre partition.
I was able to have a quick word with him he told me all the instruments he has are very old and were made in Pakistan. I do not know know if this taus is an old one. Even if it is an old one the wooden pegs for the strings have been replaced metal ones.
Currently he plays and teaches Tanti saaz at the Gurmat Sangeet Academy at Anandpur Sahib.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Angad Singh
PS: He is not the punjabi writer Pyara Singh Padam.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Kambdi Kalaai
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!Today at the Silat Road Gurudawara I watched the screening of Kambdi Kalai .
I must say it was a very well made movie and is a first of its kind. A lot of Sikh movies have been made with a religious background, not thing wrong with that. However, we needed one about our culture - The Sikh culture.
Kambdi Kalai- a tribute to Bhai Veer Singh ji did very well in addressing the kind of problems the youth of today face. Issues about our roop, issues relating with our identity as Sikhs and citizens of a country,sardar jokes,12 O clock jokes, the events of 1984.
In addition, the movie took a very clear stand that a Sikh must have his roop, this stand was very well explained as well. Also they showed how people from different communities showed interest and studied Sikhism in depth. As a result of that they valued and appreciated the teachings of our Gurus more than some of our own people.
To read more about the movie click here.
Those of you who were unable to come/ or did not know about the movie screening, you have another chance to catch the movie
The movie is being screened again at Silat Road Gurudawara in Singapore at 3pm on Saturday 13th of May.
In Singapore, tThe DVD's of the movie will be available tomorrow at Katong Gurudawara and at the Sikh Centre at Silat Road( 0065 - 63272004). The DVD is priced at SGD 15 so please get a copy.
Ish Amtoj Kaur ji, the director will also be visiting Malaysia and maybe Indonesia in the next 1 or 2 weeks so there should be some screenings in Malaysia and Indonesia as well.
Please check with your local gurudawaras , once I get the details I will post them up as well. For those of you who reside in the USA you can buy a DVD here.
In the near future these DVD's will be available in other countries as well.
If any of you have watched the movie please do share your thoughts as well.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
Angad Singh
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Gurbani Gavoh Bhai - Dr. Gurnam Singh
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! This is the 1st of many posts that I will be doing about the various kirtaneeas who did kirtan at the 3 day samagam held at Talkatora Garderns, New Delhi.
Dr. Gurnam Singh
Dr. Singh is the son of Bhai Uttam Singh Ji, a shrimoni ragi. He was introduced to kirtan at an early age by his father. Later on he studied kirtan under the famous Professor Tara Singh of Patiala. Gurnam Singh Ji has written numerous books and edited some of the books written by Prof. Tara Singh ji. In addition he as an album to his credit in which he sung shabads in the vairous raags mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib ji.
Currently he serves as the Professor and Head of the Gurmat Sangeet Chair and Department of Gurmat Sangeetat at Punjabi University Patiala. Also he is a Senior Fellow at Sangeet Natak Academy in New Delhi.
In 2002 he was honored at the Harvallabh Sangeet Samiti. In addtion he also received the Gurmat Sangeet Award.
The shabads which Dr. Gurnam Singh Ji sang at the samagam are as follows:
Kalyan - Hamre Eh Kirpa Kee Jay
Barah Mah Tukhari - Veshak - Nank Veshaki Prabh Paveh
Dhanaasree - Aarti
Malhaar Partal - Prey Ki Sobh Suhavnee Nee Ki
The recording can be downloaded from here. However, it will be pulled down in about 5 days so please download it as soon as possible. The reason is that the akji.org server is not working nor are they responding to my emails.
I apologize for the quality of the recordings. For some reason the organizers would not let us record. I managed to record but the quality aint the best cause I had to hide my recorder.
Guru Fateh!
Angad Singh
