For this reason, Sikh devotional singers, known as ragis (exponents of raga) perform only in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, whether in a gurdwara (Sikh temple) or a private house. A total of 31 shuddh (pure) ragas and another 30 or so mishra (mixed or composite) ragas, many in common use in North Indian classical music, are contained within the Sikh holy scriptures, making it also a very useful musicological document.Īfter the 10th and final Guru, Gobind Singh (d.1708), an exceptionally talented poet of Punjabi as well as Farsi, the book of mystical verse itself came to be regarded as the Guru. The compilation was gradually extended by subsequent gurus – all of whom were poets as well as musicians – adding more verses with a clear indication of the various ragas prescribed for each of the poems. The poetry was initially compiled by the Sikh’s 5th Guru, Arjun Dev, (1563-1606) and consisted of verses from Guru Nanak as well as the poetry of other mystics such as the Muslim Sufi 'Baba' Farid (1173-1266), the mystic-poet Kabir (1440-1518) and numerous Hindu figures including the famous 12th century bard Jayadeva. The shabads have evolved over the past 500 years, absorbing influences from North Indian classical – Dhrupad as well as khayal – and Punjabi folk traditions. There are numerous ways of singing shabads and any number of musical styles can work well as long as the performers have a good feel for the words – the word being God in this case. The word shabad relates more to the actual verses in the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scriptures revered as the living eternal Guru) than to the musical style in which they are performed. Sikh dharma is among the youngest of world religions and was founded by Guru Nanak (born in 1469). Shabad kirtan, literally meaning ‘word chant’, is the central communal worship ritual of the Sikhs – a religion based on the realisation of the oneness of God through singing and listening to mystical poetry.