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- Sep 16, 2004
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Taken from http://www.punjabnewsline.com
Rababi kirtan can only be revived in India: Bhai Lal
Manpreet Kaur Wednesday, 15 March 2006
Manpreet Kaur
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:9wkBI6QYbtM_4M:www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041019/pun2.jpg
PATIALA: "At the time of partition no body was ready to allow a Muslim Rababi to stay in India, and in Pakistan there are no Sikhs, aware of the value of Rababi Kirtan, so this ancient tradition made by Guru Nanak and Mardana is moving towards threshold of its end. Only India can revive this ancient tradition." Said Bhai Lal, descendant of Mardana. Bhai lal leads to 17th generation of Mardana.
He was born in Goindwal Sahib, District Amritsar and after Partition immigrated to Lahore. According to him a Rababi is who praises the God with Rabab.
Talking about singing of Gurbani in present era he said that what is going on these days in Gurdwara Sahibs is 'Shabad Katha' and not 'Shabad Kirtan'. Nayeem Tahir, son of Bhai Lal further added that in the times of Gurus the kirtan was having such melody in it that the listeners could not think of any thing else at that time and there was pin drop silence among Sangat during Kirtan. The Gurbani was chanted in so melodious and clear words that there was no need to tell the meaning of lines to people. But these days that sanctity is absent in Gurbani Ras.
Bhai Lal gives the reason of Lack of Melody in Kirtan of current times that these days Kirtankars are singing Gurbani just for earning money; no body bothers about loyalty towards God, but is worried about his commission only. As these days most of the Raagis are eager to go abroad. Bhai Lal also disclosed that he never takes money for Rababi kirtan. He has also performed this ancient tradition in Canada, England and Hong Kong and India.
Bhai Lal likes to perform at the place where people can appraise the importance of this Rababi Kirtan of Mardana and can understand the message of Guru Nanak hidden in the Gurbani, he sings. He also expressed his grief about that in Pakistan no body takes interest in listening to or learning about Rababi Kirtan, but it is being liked most in the western countries. He also lauded the effort in Golden Temple to apprise the old Traditions of singing of Gurbani.
Bhai Lal Singh is teaching the original forms of Rababi Kirtan to the students of Gurmat Sangeet in Punjabi University. It is the first time that he is teaching this art to the next generation. His son Nayeem says that it takes many years to sing like Bhai Lal as even he is not expert in that till now.
The great thing to worry about is that after Bhai Lal, there will be nobody who has expertise in this ancient art. That’s why the Rababi Kirtan by Bhai Lal is been recorded and will be preserved in the Sant Sucha Singh Archive of Punjabi University for the coming generations.
Rababi kirtan can only be revived in India: Bhai Lal
Manpreet Kaur Wednesday, 15 March 2006
Manpreet Kaur
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:9wkBI6QYbtM_4M:www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041019/pun2.jpg
PATIALA: "At the time of partition no body was ready to allow a Muslim Rababi to stay in India, and in Pakistan there are no Sikhs, aware of the value of Rababi Kirtan, so this ancient tradition made by Guru Nanak and Mardana is moving towards threshold of its end. Only India can revive this ancient tradition." Said Bhai Lal, descendant of Mardana. Bhai lal leads to 17th generation of Mardana.
He was born in Goindwal Sahib, District Amritsar and after Partition immigrated to Lahore. According to him a Rababi is who praises the God with Rabab.
Talking about singing of Gurbani in present era he said that what is going on these days in Gurdwara Sahibs is 'Shabad Katha' and not 'Shabad Kirtan'. Nayeem Tahir, son of Bhai Lal further added that in the times of Gurus the kirtan was having such melody in it that the listeners could not think of any thing else at that time and there was pin drop silence among Sangat during Kirtan. The Gurbani was chanted in so melodious and clear words that there was no need to tell the meaning of lines to people. But these days that sanctity is absent in Gurbani Ras.
Bhai Lal gives the reason of Lack of Melody in Kirtan of current times that these days Kirtankars are singing Gurbani just for earning money; no body bothers about loyalty towards God, but is worried about his commission only. As these days most of the Raagis are eager to go abroad. Bhai Lal also disclosed that he never takes money for Rababi kirtan. He has also performed this ancient tradition in Canada, England and Hong Kong and India.
Bhai Lal likes to perform at the place where people can appraise the importance of this Rababi Kirtan of Mardana and can understand the message of Guru Nanak hidden in the Gurbani, he sings. He also expressed his grief about that in Pakistan no body takes interest in listening to or learning about Rababi Kirtan, but it is being liked most in the western countries. He also lauded the effort in Golden Temple to apprise the old Traditions of singing of Gurbani.
Bhai Lal Singh is teaching the original forms of Rababi Kirtan to the students of Gurmat Sangeet in Punjabi University. It is the first time that he is teaching this art to the next generation. His son Nayeem says that it takes many years to sing like Bhai Lal as even he is not expert in that till now.
The great thing to worry about is that after Bhai Lal, there will be nobody who has expertise in this ancient art. That’s why the Rababi Kirtan by Bhai Lal is been recorded and will be preserved in the Sant Sucha Singh Archive of Punjabi University for the coming generations.
