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Ramkali is not given in the Ragmala but is one of the most
important rdgas of the Guru Granth Sahib. All Gurus, including Guru Tegh Bahadur, have
composed verses to this rdga. The total number of sabdas comes to over three hundred.
Ramkali is a morning rdga performed after sunrise usually during the hot season. The
mood is such as to inspire lofty thoughts. In the Guru Granth Sahib, a number of hymns
in Rainkah expound True Yoga and other spiritual issues. Some celebrated compositions
such as Sidha Gosti, Anandu, Sadd, Oarikdr and the Vdr by Satta and Balvand are composed
to this raga. Some of the verses also contain analogies to music and musical
instruments. Four forms of this raga are recognized, although only two are in general
use today. The raga belongs to the Bhairav thata.
Ramkali is popular with Yogis, and therefore Guru Nanak has composed
Sidh-gosht in this raga. The third Guru has also referred to the
paraphernalia of Yogis and particularly the harp (kingri) used by them:
“Strike such strains on your harp, O Yogi, that it may produce the
celestial strain and you may remain absorbed in God’s love....
Fix the fear and love of the Lord as the two gourds of your harp and make your body its
frame.
If you become virtuous, then shall the string play. In this way your desire shall de
part”
Aroh : Sa Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
Avroh : Sa Ni Dha Pa, M'a Pa Dha Ni _Dha Pa, Ga Ma Re Sa
Pakar : Dha Pa, Ma Pa, Dha Ni Dha Pa, Ga, Ma Re Sa
Vadi : Pa
Samvadi : Re
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Introduction
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According to one school of thought this raga is a ragini of Bhairav thath. This
raga is
not mentioned 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 ga pa dha sa
Avrohi (descending scale) - sa ni dha, ni dha pa, ma ga, re sa
The vadi (most popular) note is 'pa' and samvadi (second most popular) note is 'sa
'.
This raga is sung at the first part of the day i.e., from 6 a.m. to 9 a..m. The
season
of its recitation is spring (basant) i.e., during February, March. In Guru Granth Sahib it has
hymns
from pages 876 - 974 (99 pages).
The Composers:
The composers of bani (hymns) in this raga are:
Gurus
- Guru Nanak
- Guru Angad
- Guru Amardas
- Guru Ramdas
- Guru Arjan Dev
- Guru Tegh Bahadur
Bhagats:
- Kabir
- Namdev
- Ravidas
- Beni
Other Devotees:
- Satta & Balwand
- Baba Sundar
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)
- Specialist compositions
- Var
Matrix
VISUAL ANALYSIS
Count of the use of Managals:
- Complete Mool Mantar = 1 at page 876
- Ik-ongkar Satgur Prasadh = 25
Placement and count of rahau verses:
First 54 shabads have rahau verses with numeral, placed at the end of the first
padas
(except shabad 53); rest all the shabads have rahau verses at the start of the first pada. In
Ashtpadis, the rahau verses, with numerals are placed at the end of the first padas of the
ashtpadis. In the specialist banis the position is as follows:
- Anand Shib - no rahau verse
- Sadh - no rahau verse
- Dakhni Onkar and Sidh Ghosht - one rahau verse at the end of the first pada. In
Bhagat Bani there are rahau verses, with numerals placed at the end of the first padas of the
shabads.
Diversification of headings & subheadings in
this raga:
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Page number
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Heading/Subheading
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876
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Ramkali Mehla 1 Ghar 1 Chaupadas
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886
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Raga Ramkali Mehla 5 Ghar 2
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901
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Raga Ramkali Mehla 5 Partal Ghar 3
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Composers Structure of Bani
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Padas
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Ashtpadis
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Specialist
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Chts
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Specialist
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Var
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Sloaks*
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Gurus
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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8 (padas)*
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untiled
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Titled
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Nanak
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1
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10
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9
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Dakhni
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19
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1-3,5,6= 8
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Onkar
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padas;
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=54 pds,
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4=9 pds
7=12 pds
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Sidh
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8=10 pds
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Ghost=
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9=25 pds
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73 pds
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Angad
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7
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Amardas
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1
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5
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Anand,
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1, 21
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24
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1=12 pds
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40
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pauris
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2=27pds
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pauris
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3=21pds
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4=30 pds
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5=21pds
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Ramdas
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5
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1
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Arjan Dev
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4
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1
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53
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2
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8*
1-5,7,8
=8pds
6=21pds
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Ruti, 8
sub
chhants,
16 sloaks
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6
(inclu-
ding
Ruti)
3=no
cloak 4th
Chhant
has four
further
;hhants
within
this
.hhant.
Each sub
chhant
precedes
with a
cloak. A
further
hymn
of two
line
'ollows
the
chhant
and is
: punted
as a
chhant
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1, 22
pauris
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44
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Tegh
Bahadur
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3
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Bhagats
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Kabir
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2
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4
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2
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2
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1
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1**
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Namdev
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1
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3
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2
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Ravidas
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1
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Beni
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1***
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Others
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Satta &
Balwand
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1, 8
pauris
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Baba
Sundar
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Sadh, 6
padas
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- Pds= padas
- Chts = Chhants
* 7th Ashtpadi opens with a sloak.
** 9th shabad is of 8 padas, and is counted as an ashtpadi.
*** This shabad is of a 9 padas and can be counted as an ashtpadi, though there is
no
such title given in the Granth
* Long compositions have one 'Tuka' (single line) padas
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Excerpts taken from:
Guru Granth Sahib: An Advance Study
Dr Sukhbir Singh Kapoor
Vice Chancellor World Sikh University, London
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