This is an India musical
raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
(composition) that appears in the
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
tradition from northern
India and is part of the Sikh holy scripture called
Sri Guru Granth Sahib or
Guru Granth Sahib for short.
Every raga has a strict set of rules which govern the number of notes that can be used; which notes can be used; and their interplay that has to be adhered to for the composition of a tune.
In the
Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total of 31 raga compositions and this raga is the ninth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of only 2 pages from page numbers 719 to 721.
This raga appears in the
Ragmala as the first ragini ("subset") of
Sri raga. In the Mesakarna Ragmala (1509), which is almost the same as that of the
Guru Granth Sahib, the first ragini of Siri Raga is given as Vairati. However, modern sources do not give Bairari nor Vairati but Barari and Varari as well as Varati are listed. Kaufmann believes that all of these names refer to the same raga, Barari. Whether this is the same as the old Bairari is open to question. The possibility always exists that Bairari was a regional tune. It was used by
Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 24 September 1534 – 1 September 1581) was the fourth of the ten Ten Gurus of Sikhism, Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in a family based in Lahore. His birth n ...
for six short hymns and by
Guru Arjan for one. This raga is performed during the evening and it is currently assigned to the
Marva
Marva (Hebrew: מרווה) is a two-month Israel Defense Forces basic training program for young Jews from the Diaspora which offers an opportunity to experience the IDF and Israeli life. The program is based at Sde Boker. History
Marva, origina ...
thata ("set"). It resembles Purva Kalyan, the main difference being the use of Pa which is strong in Bairari and weak in Purva-Kalyan. Popley places Bairari in the same group as
Sri Raga and this would agree with the Ragmala.
The following represents the order of notes that can be used on the ascending and descending phase of the composition and the primary and secondary notes:
* Aroh: Ni Re Ga Pa, M'a Ga, M'a Dha Sa
* Avroh: Sa Ni Dha P'a, M'a Ga, Pa Ga, Re Sa
* Vadi: Ga
* Samvadi: Dha
In the
Guru Granth Sahib there are 2 pages dedicated to this raga from page 719 to 721.
See also
*
Kirtan
Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts ...
*
Raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...
*
Taal
References
External links
Gurmat Sangeet ProjectRaj Academy of Asian MusicSikhnet: Shabad for Printing
{{Sikh Ragas
Hindustani ragas
Ragas in the Guru Granth Sahib