Gurbani Raag Gond

The Ragmala records Gaund and Gund as putras (sons) of Siri Raga, but does not give Gond. The possibility exists that Gone is a regional raga derived from that group of ragas with similar names and characterized by phrases from other ragas e.g. Bilaval, Kanara and Malar. Such names as Gattnda, Gand, Gounda, Gaundi, Goundgiri, and Gunda appear in classifications from the 11 th to the 17th centuries. For those still known today (Gaudi, Goundgiri, and Goud) performance rules are obscure. Performance time is late afternoon or early evening and the mood is contemplative and dignified. Gond was used by Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan (29 hymns). The texts beseech man to depend solely on the Lord for all benefits since it is He who has given him all his blessings.

Aroh : Sa Re Ga Ma, Pa Dha Ni Dha Ni Sa

Avroh : Sa Ni Dha Ni Dha Pa, Ma Ga, Re Sa

Pakar : Re Ga Ma, Pa Ma, Ma Pa Ni Dha Ni Dha Ni Sa, Ni Dha Ni Pa, Dha Ma

Vadi : Sa

Samvadi : Ma

Introduction :

This raga is a very old raga. In religious music it is sung in conjunction with raga Bilawal and is known as 'Bilawal Gaund'.

This raga is mentioned as a son of rag Sri in the Ragamala listed at the end of Guru Granth Sahib.

The scale and notes of the raga are as follows:

Arohi (ascending scale) - sa re ga ma pa dha ni dha ni sa

Avrohi (descending scale) - sa ni dha ni pa ma ga, re sa

The vadi (most popular) note is 'sa' and samvadi (second most popular) note is 'ma'.

This raga is sung at the third part of the day i.e., from 12.00 noon. to 3 p..m. The season of its recitation is winter (hement) i.e., during November, December. In Guru Granth Sahib it has hymns from pages 859 - 875 (17 pages).

The Composers:

The composers of bani (hymns) in this raga are:

Gurus

  • Guru Ramdas
  • Guru Arjan Dev

Bhagats:

  • Kabir
  • Namdev
  • Ravidas

The Structure:

The sequence of the structure of compositions in this raga are:

Gurubani:

  • Shabads (2,3,4, 5 and 6 padas)
  • Shabads (8 padas, Ashtpadis)

Matrix

VISUAL ANALYSIS

Count of the use of Managals:

  • Complete Mool Mantar = 1 at page 859
  • Ik-ongkar Satgur Prasadh = 8

Placement and count of rahau verses:

All shabads and ashtpadis of the Gurus have rahau verse with number (except one shabad at page 868), placed at the end of the first padas of the shabads

In Bhagat Bani a similar pattern is adopted, except one shabad of Namdev (page 874) where the verse is placed in the beginning of the shabads.

Diversification of headings & subheadings in this raga:

Page number

Heading/Subheading

859

Raga Gaund Chaupadas Mehla 4 Ghar 1

862

Raga Gaund Mehla 5 Chaupadas Ghar 1

869

Raga Gaund Ashtpadis Mehla 5 Ghar 2

Composers Structure of Bani

 

Padas

 

 

 

 

Ashtpadis

Specialist

 

Chts

Specialist

Var

Sloaks*

Gurus

2

3

4

5

6

8 (padas)

untiled

Titled

 

 

 

 

Ramdas

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arjan Dev

1

 

21

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bhagats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kabir

 

2

8

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Namdev

1

 

4

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ravidas

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Pds= padas
  • Chts = Chhants

The ashtpadi has been added in the numeral total of shabads.

Total of 49 shabads given of page 875 includes total of Guru-composition and Bhagat-bani. This is the first example of such a total so far.

 

Excerpts taken from:
Guru Granth Sahib: An Advance Study
Dr Sukhbir Singh Kapoor
Vice Chancellor World Sikh University, London

 
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