Three-day Festival of Gurbani Sangeet Charms Delhi

After three days of enchanting devotional music and words of wisdom from the Guru Granth Saheb, curtains came down on the Gurbani Sangeet Samagam where nine singers from across the country enamored an audience looking for spiritual enrichment.

The Gurbani Sangeet Samagam, a special program of Kirtan and Gurbani, was being presented by Department of Art, Culture & Languages and Punjabi Academy, Delhi Government.

On the last day of the Festival, eminent singer Jaspinder Narula joined well-known devotional singers Shri Dalip Singh Fakkar from Patiala; and Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa to deliver some memorable Gurbani renditions.

A unique musical tradition established by the venerated Sikh Gurus, Shabad Kirtan is a musical form used to communicate the divine message. The five-century old practice has become an inseparable part of the Sikh way of life and is cherished by a cross-section of people.

Over the past 11 years, the annual Festival of Gurbani Sangeet has become a much-awaited fixture in Delhi’s cultural life and people look forward to the three-days of love and spirituality rendered in the traditional manner in Raag, as originally composed, ordained and enshrined in the Guru Granth Saheb by the Gurus.

“Gurbani is hence a unique blend of sacred verse and music and is unparalled in beauty. Singing the compositions of the Guru Granth Saheb is a common spiritual practice among Sikhs across the world.  We are happy that this annual Festival of Gurbani is keenly awaited by the people of Delhi, who turn up every year to soak in the spiritual renditions,” says Mr. Jawahar Dhawan, Secretary, Punjabi Academy.

“The Gurbani Sangeet Samagam is a beautiful celebration of the practice of reciting the words of the revered Sikh Gurus; and is an integral part of Delhi’s composite culture. Over centuries many preachers, saints, gurus, bhakts and sufis have walked across the land of India preaching the message of love, brotherhood and enlightenment. This criss-cross has left a rich spiritual legacy in the country, something we are all proud of,” says Ms. Geetanjali Gupta, Secretery, Art, Culture & Languages, Government of Delhi.

Shri Madhup Mudgal from Delhi; Dr. Jasbir Kaur from Patiala; and Ragi Balwant Singh Namdhari from Bhaini Sahib performed on the opening day of the Gurbani Sangeet Samagam, while Bhai Manohar Singh from Delhi; Shri Neele Khan from Mohali; and Ustad Harbhajan Singh Namdhari from Bhaini Sahib sang on the second day.

The Guru Granth Saheb contains the ‘Bani’ of the Gurus as well as the Bani of 15 other Sants and 11 Bhagats. The Bani is sung according to the prescribed Raagas. The entire Bani of Guru Granth Saheb has been codified in 31 Raagas.