| Bhai Mardana |
| Written by Administrator | ||||
Page 3 of 3 The founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) established the -Rebabi- tradition in Sikhism. Bhai Mardana, the life long companion of the Guru belonged to a cline of BARDS known in those days as MIRASIS. They commanded a very high respect in all communities throughout the Northern India. A -Mirasi- was supposed to be the custodian of -MIRAS- i.e. The Heritage. They would orally recite long poems about the ancestral heritage of a particular family at the time of birth, marriage and death and indeed on all occasions of celebrations both locally and widespread. The cultural degeneration of Indians, especially Panjabi heritage defamed the title -Mirasi- and reduced its connotation to a beggar poet. The Rebab (Rebec) is an Arabic name. In Baghdad there is an interesting story about Rebab: It is written in -Tarikh-ul-Hukma- and -Mashahir-e-Alam- that about a thousand years ago, a -Hakim- of Bukhna, Abu Nasir Farsi, who was an accomplished singer and instrumentalist, played an instrument in a social gathering of a rich -Amir-. The gathering initially laughed, then cried and lastly was stimulated with the sound of the instrument. This was the Rebab, which completely overwhelmed the audience with its captivating sound..(ref: Dr. Balbir Singh, -Lammi Nadar- 1959) Mardana at the lotus feet of Guru Nanak, with Bhai Bala standing reveredly with clasped hands.A masterpiece of artist Sobha Singh. Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, writes in his -Mahan Kosh-, that the Rebab was previously known as "Narad Veena" or "Ravan Veena". It is the favourite instrument of the sage Narad and Goddess Saraswati. Although this instrument may have divine background, but Guru Nanak and the Sufi Fakirs have brought this instrument down to the level of the general public. For Guru Nanak the divine singer with this divine instrument was Bhai Mardana. Bhai Mardana was the first person from his childhood who started playing the divine gurbani music with the Rebab, and accompanied Guru Nanak on all his travels with earnest devotion. Guru Nanak Dev renovated the Arab/Iranian string instrument REBAB and activated his friend Bhai Mardana to master it and sing the hymns of divine grace. That is how the celebrated -Rebabi- Tradition came into being. There are 22 Vars in the scriptures to be sung on the specific tunes by the -Rebabis-. For example the Asa Di Var is to be sung in Raag Bhairvi on -Tunde Asraje ki Dhuni- (ref: -Guru Arjan Dev, Prophet & Poet- by H.L.Agnihotri). During the times of the 6th Master the Rebab music was supplemented by -Dhadi- singing of chivalrous Vars while Guru Gobind Singh combined the folk of Dhadi and Classical tradition of Rebabi and patronised a new school of Sikh Holy Music. In Sri Anandpur Sahib-s town planning a -Muhalla of Rababis- came into being. Bhai Nand Lal Goya (The great Persian poet and musician) was the head of this school. A famous Rebabi DAULAT ALI was there to assist him. The Master sent Bhai Nand Lal Goya and all the Rebabis to Multan to establish a Rebabi School over there. After that the city of Anandpur Sahib was besieged and destroyed. It is said that Daulat Ali, known as DAULTI Rebabi continued reciting the Sikh Holy Music.(Article courtesy Sikh Heritage Museum U.K. ref: Iqbal Namah (Persian) by Raja Ram Tota of Kashmir, the Royal scribe of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh). |
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