Ginans in Music

Ustad-Bahadur-Singh · Post by **Ustad-Bahadur-Singh** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:50 am

Ya Ali Madad!

As my login name suggests I am a Sikh. I have a question regarding the Ginans and the use of music. I have read in some posts that these ginans used to be sung according to specific Hindustani ragas. I have met an Ismaili in Paris who sang one of them according to a raga in a capella mode but I have also listened to Ginans in music in FAIR section of this website. Could someone elaborate on the role of ragas in the Ginans? I have read in another post that the use of this ragas has been abandoned and I would like to know why.

kind regards

Ya Ali Madad

yaali101 · Post by **yaali101** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:45 pm

Hi,

I think the purpose of ragas in ginans were to help the ginan flow easily. The main purpose is obviously the meaning.

nagib · Post by **nagib** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 1:13 am

Ginans are more than the words, they create spiritual awarness and knowledge through rythm and raagas, they can make cry, they can render you happy and they can make rain fall.

They can give you access to spiritual salvation. To deprieve the ginans of any of their component would destroy all of these at the same time, so would changing on any of the wordings.

Ustad-Bahadur-Singh · Post by **Ustad-Bahadur-Singh** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:32 am

Thank you for the responses. The ragas in which our gurbani is composed fulfill the same purpose.

I have read in another post that ginans in music were now prohibited. If that's true please tell me why.

kind regards

nagib · Post by **nagib** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:07 pm

Yes we have a common heritage in the teachings of Pir 's teaching and part of the Khojki Language with the Sikh community though the subject is not wll documented yet.

About ginan on Music, they have never been prohibited, in fact I have seen myself a written communication of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah praising this in so far as it is conducted outside the prayer hall as musical instruments are not allowed during formal prayers times.

Hope this clarifies.

nagib.

Ustad-Bahadur-Singh · Post by **Ustad-Bahadur-Singh** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 8:03 am

You mentioned musical instruments being prohibited in prayer halls. Is this a recent thing or has it always been like that and what is the reason for it.
Again thank you for your answers.

kinnare786 · Post by **kinnare786** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:29 pm

Every thing depend on how you see; undestand things. Begum Imam Begum use to play sitar. All ginan have been written with soor and can be played with musical instrument. Only reason they are not allowed is modern times. Garbi of pir shams would make our heart full of joy if played with muscial instrument that does not mean it does not without them. But the point is that we dont know how to. Knowledge is lost. Their is interesteing story about music in Idrees Shah's book Dream of Caravan. I hope every one read it before commenting about my post. kinnare2001@yahoo.com