Kirtan Seva

[Guest Moorakh]

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa, Vaheguru ji ki fateh!

The following, has been building all up inside of me and I have decided to let it all out to the sangat to think about. The things daas sees happening in kirtan darbars, smagams, raensbaayees nowadays needs to be addressed!

Why do you do kirtan?

Who do you do kirtan for?

koun s chaal jith paarabreham dhhiaaeae kin bidhh keerathan gaaeae jeeo ||4||

What is that lifestyle, by which we may come to meditate on the Supreme Lord?

How may we sing the Kirtan of His Praises? ||4||

The answer should be simple, no? For guru saahib and the sadh sangat!

But, what I see now are both youth and elders focusing on the tunes. They are adapting to more what pleases the ear and not what the heart wants to hear. We come to kirtans and want to only sit for kirtanees that 'pump' the diwaans, or with our friends, but when the kirtan seems to change 'momentum' it is automatically a hint for everyone to get up, goto langar hall for a break or gossip time!

These are just SOME problems that are growing very rapidly in this time. We are missing that push to join the sadh sangat. We are missing the pyaar and passion that puraatan singhs/kaurs use to have, when they use to come to guru sahibs diwaans. Everyone use to come to sangat and share each others wealth. Wealth of NAAM!!

dhhanava(n)th naam kae vanajaarae ||

Those who deal in the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are wealthy.

saa(n)jhee karahu naam dhhan khaattahu gur kaa sabadh veechaarae ||1|| rehaao ||

So become a partner with them, and earn the wealth of the Naam. Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||

We are forgetting that the only reason we should be at the gurdwara, at these kirtans, is to be one with guru sahib. To beg guru sahib to take us over this terrifying ocean! Beg guru sahib to free us from the evils of this world! Beg guru sahib to give us the nimarta and sharda to sit in sangat with 'ik mun ik chitth' naal and get attached to the beauty of bani! Beg guru sahib to bless us with NAAAM!!

milo sa(n)than kai sa(n)g mohi oudhhaar laehu ||

Let me join the Society of the Saints - save me, Lord!

bino karo kar jorr har har naam dhaehu ||

With my palms pressed together, I offer my prayer: give me Your Name, O Lord, Har, Har.

Nowadays, the focus is more on the instruments and less on bani. Majority are engrossed in what type of tune the kirtanee is singing for this shabad. Have they heard it before? Is it a copy of another kirtanee? Is it new? Has he/she done it before at another smagam?

Or what about tabla seva? How many times have we heard that kirtanee was amazing, but the tabla player 'sucked'! Are we really paying attention to the shabad or really attached on the fact that the tabla player wasn't good and therefore when we play these kirtan tracks in our car audios or i-pods, there will be no bass and the track will 'suck'! :S

What are we doing? Where is our concentration? Where is our FOCUS !?

Benti to everyone, we (kirtanees) should be coming to programs, asking for one humble bentee from guru sahib: please give us nimartaa. The nimartaa to come to kirtan, do kirtan and sing with others while kirtan is going on. Guru sahib says, everyone is our brothers/sisters, so why are we picking and choosing who we wish to sit with and who we need to sing with? We should have that push to sit with everyone and make everyones kirtan as enlightening as the other where we reach the point that we do not see a difference between any kirtanee. And the only thing we take back with us is the message of what guru sahib is telling us in bani!

Keertanee veero/bhaino, do not forget that you are blessed with this great seva.

Do seva with pyaar, with nimartaa.

Let go of jealousy!

bisar gee sabh thaath paraaee ||

I have totally forgotten my jealousy of others,

jab thae saadhhasa(n)gath mohi paaee ||1|| rehaao ||

since I found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||

Another focus nowadays, is to bring kirtanees from abroad. Yes that is wonderful! The company of gursikhs is ever so priceless! But we are forgetting one major thing! There are TONS and NUMEROUS gursikhs in around the world, but we focus to bring 'popstar' kirtanees that rip it in sangat. Have competitions with cities on who can have the more successful smagams just because a certain 'named' kirtanee will be present. What about elder gursikhs that we can learn from who are willling to share their wealth and naam khajana they have with other pyare gursikhs brothers/sisters.

These are just SOME problems that are growing very rapidly today that we should take note of. I hope this has not come off negative and everyone that is reading it will only take out the positive and leave the negative behind. I hope I have not said anything wrong but rather just few things to think and ponder about. If I said anything that upset anyone, please forgive me.

- daas

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa, Vaheguru ji ki fateh!

[Guest Bloom]

In My Opinion,

Guru Sahib Gave Us Raags! Guru Sahib Gave Us Instruments! Guru Sahib Gave us Melodies! Guru Sahib Gave us Taals!! Guru Sahib Gave Us Rhythms! Guru Sahib Gave Us Everything! Guru Sahib Explained To Love Guru and Sing for Akal Purakh! Everything Else is Ego!! Samagams, Gurdwaras, "Gursikhs", Stages, You Name It! ALL FILLED WITH EGO!! Nobody Wants to Follow the Gurus' Instructions! Nobody Loves Gurus' Instruments! Nobody Wants to Sing for Akal Purakh! Everybody Thinks They are Right!! Well! Only the Guru is Right! Everything Thing Else is Ego!! That's My Belief.

We Should Bring Back Tat-Gurmat Keertan! Tat Refers to The Time from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh Ji! Period. Only Those Raags should be Sung and Only Those Instruments should be Used, of Tat-Gurmat! The Blessings of Tat-Gurmat Keertan are Eternal!; For Those That Believe Guru Sahib To Be Truth!! For Everyone Else who Do Not Take the Shabads and Hukams of Raags of Guru as Eternal; What Can I Say To You? Besides Go to Hell! LOL!!

Lets Not Argue With My Opinions. Lets Just Agree That Guru Sahib Has Hukamed Us Raags and Guru Sahib Has Given Us Instruments!

Chardi Kala!!

Dhan Dhan Gurus' Raags!!!!!

Dhan Dhan Gurus' Instruments!!!!!

Dhan Dhan NishKhaam Seva of Keertan by Khalsa!!!!!

[Guest Moorakh]

That isn't exactly what i meant. I actually enjoy ALL types of kirtan be it raag or no raag. What bothers me is just the politics that are beinging to surround the kirtan darbars and gurdwaras and all that stuff. The mind set of teh so called guru ka kirtanee, the "i will only do kirtan at PRIME TIME. and only this person can play tabla with me and this person can play second vaja and so forth."

IT JUST ISN'T RIGHT!!

I FELT LIKE I HAD TO SAY IT!!

THAT IS ALL!!

im not saying raag is better or doing cool tunes is better... i am just stating that we should go to these kirtans with the right mind set and leave our ego's behind... you can re-read my previous post and you'll understand what im trying to say

bhul chuk maaf

VaheguruJiKaKhalsaVaheguruJiKiFateh

[KhalsaRaj 89]

to Moorakh ji (original poster)

nice post... n yep ur certainly right, ive seen that happen many times myself,

but this might sound contradictive, but the 'tunes' which us youth use, for me atleast they like help me connect with the gurbani thuk, not only that but its just the sangat all singing away.

however on a level, i agree with what your sayin, i might be contradicting myself, but yes you are right.

most people complain how rainsabhis are now 'dry' they think its because of the kirtani, but really its because the majourity of the sangat leaves and this tends to affect the atmosphere.

anyone else got any thoughts they would like to share?

[Guest gupt]

this is one thing that hurts me alot aswell. Moorak Singh I agree with you 110%. the sikh channel often plays ranjit singh over and over`agiain, I remember 2 nights in a row i stayed up all night and he was mainly on.

These people coming from overseas and the gurwarra getting packed to see them is so sickening, it actually makes me sick to the stomach. They are truly the POPSTARS of alot of sikhs. In my eyes it is a sin to go and see one peson doing kirtan when a person singing with loving devotion to lord is that and no different to another doing the same thing.

Gurdwarras should be that full all the time, it is compete hypocrisy.

I also agree with bloom, I don't know when kirtan changed like this from the pure amazing form it was sung in during our gurus times. Surely if the gurus sang and played it the way they did and it was therefore the perfect way we should also aim to achieve this perfection, not go away from it by changing it so much.

[Harsimrat Singh]

this is one thing that hurts me alot aswell. Moorak Singh I agree with you 110%. the sikh channel often plays ranjit singh over and over`agiain, I remember 2 nights in a row i stayed up all night and he was mainly on.

These people coming from overseas and the gurwarra getting packed to see them is so sickening, it actually makes me sick to the stomach. They are truly the POPSTARS of alot of sikhs. In my eyes it is a sin to go and see one peson doing kirtan when a person singing with loving devotion to lord is that and no different to another doing the same thing.

Gurdwarras should be that full all the time, it is compete hypocrisy.

I also agree with bloom, I don't know when kirtan changed like this from the pure amazing form it was sung in during our gurus times. Surely if the gurus sang and played it the way they did and it was therefore the perfect way we should also aim to achieve this perfection, not go away from it by changing it so much.

err.. no

I think I smell jealousy. (sniff) (sniff)

It is not the fault of individual(s) doing Keertan/Katha Seva that Sangat comes to Darbaar when they are there, instead of blaming Kamayee wale Gursikhs educate the Sangat to take laha of all kirtan. I agree with the original post, but this last post has gone a bit off track. Don't convey your jealousy behind a guest name.

[Guest Guest]

Jealousy?

Unfortunately I have never done kirtan in a gurdwarra before, I don't have the voice or the musical knowledge for it.

I am simply stating what I have seen, normally when i go to the gurdwarra in the morning and evenings it is virtually empty, but the minute one of these famous kirtan singers come to visit it is packed. It saddens my heart to think that people go esp. to see them when my guru is sitting there all the time and his servants are doing beautiful kirtan every day.

Don't make assumptions, I can't help how I feel, I just want the hypocrisy to end.

[Tera]

_Moorakh_ (original poster) - I completely agree with what you are saying...

However,

For Moorakhs like me, our mind is nowhere close to being under control and is always wandering. It would be amazing to be at that ability where we have no distinction between who is singing Gurbani and immerse ourselves in the shabad but at my current level I find that some Gurmukh pyarey have been blessed with the ability to grab peoples attention whilst doing kirtan / parchaar and this helps me 'join with' the Shabad more. This can be bought down to a combination of Maheraj's Kirpa, charisma, style, tune, voice etc and because of that, you will get 'favourite' kirtani / jathey, some with bigger 'fan base' than others.

My utmost respect to all Kirtaniya / Parchaaraks as with Vaheguru's kirpa they are helping us get closer to Shabad. As written in Bhai Gurdaas Jee's Vaara:

ਧੰਨ ਗੁਰੂ ਧੰਨੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਿਆਰੇ॥

Blessed is the Guru and also blessed are his beloved ones.

At the end of the day, I think we should listen to whatever helps control the mind and brings us closer to the Shabad / Vaheguru. If that happens to be someone with a big 'fan base' already like Baba Ranjit Singh then there is nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

[Harsimrat Singh]

Jealousy?

Unfortunately I have never done kirtan in a gurdwarra before, I don't have the voice or the musical knowledge for it.

I am simply stating what I have seen, normally when i go to the gurdwarra in the morning and evenings it is virtually empty, but the minute one of these famous kirtan singers come to visit it is packed. It saddens my heart to think that people go esp. to see them when my guru is sitting there all the time and his servants are doing beautiful kirtan every day.

Don't make assumptions, I can't help how I feel, I just want the hypocrisy to end.

Then please don't blame the 'famous kirtan singers' if Sangat comes because of them.

[Guest Moorakh]

haha ok i think i need to clarify what i was saying...

I am not saying anything is better than something else. I actually enjoy the tunes because it also helps me concentrate on the shabad better. As for the whole comments about "dry" raensabies I HATE that because we'll the way stage seva is done... I hate the whole concept of "PRIME" time. I have actually seen at kirtans, kirtani getting mad at me because i put them on BEFORE "PRIME" time. I didn't even realize it, i was just giving as many people kirtan seva as i possibly could. When ever i get the opportunity to do stage seva i make sure there is no such thing as a specfic time when the "pumping" kirtani go on. I am not saying i don't put the pumping kirtani on. I can't resist the Kirpa guru ji has blessed on these sikhs who are able to do such amazing kirtan. I just give them kirtan seva when ever. This usually works because the sangat is never aware when the pumping kirtani is going to go on so they end up staying in the diwan hall longer and hopefully get some laha out of it. The atmosphere therefore tends to stay pumped through the night because the sangat stays.

I don't have hatred against Kirtani or anything, I love listening to their kirtan. its hard not to because the way they do kirtan just helps me feel and enjoy guru sahib's gurbani. Everyone has their own "favourite kirtani(s)" i do too but that doesn't mean if that kirtani isn't doing kirtan i get up and leave, or show up to the kirtan program at the time most of the "pumping" or when Prime time is. I try to attend the programs right at teh begining so that all teh little kids or other kirtanis that go on have some support and basically encourage them. As for Gurdwara being filled when kirtani from aboard come, i have so much respect for them because even the sangat that doesn't attend seems to arrive at teh gurdwara sahib. Yes gurdwara should always be like that but the sad truth is the times are difficult people DON'T attend the gurdwara sahib as much (due to different reasons) and if for a reason like to see Ranjit singh get them to go to teh gurdwara sahib then im all for it. yes im sorta contridicting myself because it sorta become prime time and other raagi/parchariks might feel bad. so i dunno what im saying

All i am trying to say is that we need to re-think what was teh real reason for a raensabie was... it wasn't so that everyone can go for all the "good" kirtanis and then leave it was so that there was a continuous time of kirtan going on by different kirtanis. I agree some pyaray have guru sahib's kirpa to get more sangat to join in guru sahib's charan through tunes, and style of kirtan and many more characteristics which make them our favourite kirtani or jatha. If you think about it them being our favourite just means that they have the gift to allow ourself to get intune with guru sahib. Even though they are who we like listening to, we should ONLY go because of them... sometime we miss opportunities to hear amazing kirtan from pyaray who normally wouldn't do kirtan like that.

but yea i believe i have gone on for a really long time, i would like to appoligize. I don't think i made much sense of what i was trying to say. umm i hope someone understand where i am coming from.

keep the simran going... vaheguru!

combination of Maheraj's Kirpa, charisma, style, tune, voice etc and because of that, you will get 'favourite' kirtani / jathey