Ragmala, alternatively spelt as Raagmala or Ragamala ( Punjabi: ਰਾਗਮਾਲਾ ; pronounced rāgmālā,) is a composition of twelve verses (sixty lines) that names various

raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

''.'' These raga appear in the ''saroops'' of

Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...

, after the compositions of Guru Arjan entitled ''Mundavani'' (ਮੁੰਦਾਵਣੀ; meaning "The Royal Seal".) The title literally means a 'Garland of

Raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

’, or a ‘Mode of Musical Melodies’ - "mala" means "garland", while "raga" means “musical composition or mode.” This work has inspired the series of

Ragamala paintings Ragamala paintings are a form of Indian miniature painting, a set of illustrative paintings of the ''Ragamala'' or "Garland of Ragas", depicting variations of the Indian musical modes called ragas. They stand as a classical example of the amalg ...

. The list differs according to the author and the music school it is based upon. Variations on these lists can be found in the music text books of India. Bhagat Singh (1718), a contemporary of Bhai Mani Singh illustrates in Gurbilas Patshahi 6, that the Ragas where distressed as artists were singing daughters with fathers, cousins together, mom and son together breaking the relations as well as not singing them on their right timing and approached Siri Guru Arjan with this problem who then added this composition.

Controversy

Illuminated and illustrated Sikh scripture folio 04

There are eight raga used in Guru Granth Sahib that have not been mentioned in the Ragmala. These are: Bihagara, Wadahans, Manjh, Jaitsri, Ramkali, Tukhari, Prabhati and Jaijawanti. Mali-Gaura is not included in Raagmala but Gaura is.

“The last pages of the Kartarpur Beerh do not suggest, either because of the presence of blank spaces, or scoring out, or obliteration hortal, or otherwise, that there was or could have been the least intention to write these hymns in the Granth. The Mudaavni is on page 973/1. Pages 973/2 and 974/1 are blank, and on page 974/2 is Raagmala. As such, there could never have been the possibility, nor could it ever have been contemplated that these three writings requiring a space of over four pages could have been accommodated on the two blank pages 973/2 and 974/1.” - Professor Sahib Singh

According to Dr. S. S. Kapoor, the Sikh scholars differ in their opinion about its inclusion in the Granth. The traditional school thinks it to be a part of the Guru Granth Sahib and asserts that it is an index of raga used in the Guru Granth Sahib. This argument can be challenged on the grounds that the contents do not fully match. Another argument of the traditional schools ( sampardai) that the Ragmala belongs to the original copy (written in the same ink and the same pen as the other parts) of the Granth. Various Sikh Sampardas (traditional lineages of knowledge) allege that the Ragmala is not just a rosary of the Raags of the Guru Granth Sahib, but has a deeper spiritual meaning.

Official Sikh standpoint on the Raagmala

Article XI (a) of the Sikh

Rehat Rehat (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ਰਹਿਤ, alternatively transliterated as Rehit, Rahit, or Rahat) refers to the rules and traditions which govern the unique Sikh lifestyle and determines correct Sikh orthodoxy and orthopraxy. The Sikh Rehit ...

Maryada (SRM):

"The reading of the whole Guru Granth Sahib (intermittent or non-stop) may be concluded with the reading of Mundawani alone or the Rag Mala according to the convention traditionally observed at all the concerned places. (''Since there is a difference of opinion within the Panth on this issue'', nobody should dare to write or print a copy of Guru Granth Sahib excluding the Raag Mala)."

Gallery

File:Mul Mantar and end of Ragamala from the Kartarpur Bir (manuscript or codex) of the Guru Granth Sahib.jpg,

Mul Mantar The Mūl Mantar (, ) is the opening verse of the Sikh scripture, the ''Guru Granth Sahib''. It consists of twelve words in the Punjabi language, written in Gurmukhi script, and are the most widely known among the Sikhs. They summarize the essen ...

and end of Ragamala from the ''Kartarpur Bir'' (circa 29 August 1604; the word "bir" means manuscript or codex) of the Guru Granth Sahib File:Page showing the Ratanmala, Hakikat Rah Mukam Raja Shiv Nabh Ki, and Ragamala from a Guru Granth Sahib manuscript attributed to Baba Natha Singh.jpg, Page showing the Ratanmala, Hakikat Rah Mukam Raja Shiv Nabh Ki, and Ragamala (the first two being unauthenticated compositions, known as ''kachi bani'') from a Guru Granth Sahib manuscript attributed to Baba Natha Singh, pre-1708

References

External links

Raag Mala in Punjabi, Hindi and English

{{Sikh Ragas * Indian classical music Indian religious texts Indian music history Musical terminology

Controversy

Official Sikh standpoint on the Raagmala

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links