Alahania (Mahala 3)

Rag Vadahans 
Of the thirty-one principal rags in the Guru Granth Sahib, Rag Vadahans (a musical mode) has been designated the eighth place in the sequence. Under this rag, the Bani of four Gurus is recorded from pages 557 to 594 of the Guru Granth Sahib. It includes thirteen Sabads by Guru Nanak Sahib, sixty-one by Guru Amardas Sahib, thirty by Guru Ramdas Sahib, and sixteen by Guru Arjan Sahib.

Rag Vadahans has a prominent place in Gurmat Sangit (Sikh Devotional Music). The Gurus have used this rag in its classical form and tunes related to folk-poetry (Ghorian, Alahania, etc.). By using this rag in ‘Alahania,’ the poetic form related to death, and ‘Ghorian,’ the poetic form related to weddings, the Gurus have treated ‘joy and sorrow’ alike in the Guru Granth Sahib.

In the Sanskrit texts, Rag Vadahans is written as ‘Vadahansika,’ and it is considered a ragini. In the Guru Granth Sahib, two forms of this rag are recorded: Vadahans and Vadahans Dakhni. But there is no mention of this rag in ‘Ragmala’ recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib.

In Rag Vadahans, flavors of Rag Tilak Kamod, Rag Barva, and Rag Des can be found. Scholars of music have categorized this rag under Khamaj that. In this rag, when the notes ‘DhaMa PaNiSa (tar saptak - upper octave)’ are used, listeners get a taste of Rag Barva. But after this, when the singer uses the combination of the notes ‘Re (tar saptak - upper octave) Ni (komal - flat) DhaPa, Dha Ma GaRe,’ the feel of Rag Barva goes away. The rag that resembles the latter tune is Rag Des.

According to Bhai Vir Singh, Rag Vadahans is considered the son of Sirirag in the Bharat school of thought, ragini of Rag Pancham in Shiva school of thought, ragini of Rag Megh in Ragaranav school of thought, and the son of Rag Malkauns in the ‘Sur Tal Samuh’ Granth. Rag Vadahans is formed by a combination of Rag Maru, Rag Gaurani Durga, Rag Dhanasari, and Rag Jaitsari.

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha is of the opinion that the form of Rag Vadahans belongs to Khamaj that. In this rag, both Ni are used, and the remaining notes are shudh (natural). Pa is vadi (prominent note) and Re is samvadi (sub-prominent note). This rag has a strong resemblance to Rag Barva.

Scholars of Gurmat Sangit, S. Gian Singh Abbottabad, Bhai Avtar Singh and Bhai Gurcharn Singh, Prof. Tara Singh, and the Rag Nirnayak Committee, etc., are unanimous about the following form of Rag Vadahans:

Description of Rag Vadahans
That: Khamaj.
Svar (notes): Both Ni, rest all notes are shudh (natural).
Varjit Svar (forbidden notes): Ga (in aroh - ascending scale).
Jati (class): sharav-sampuran.
Vadi (prominent note): Pa.
Samvadi (sub-prominent note): Re.
Aroh (ascending scale): Sa Re Ma Pa, Dha Ni (komal - flat) Pa, Ni Sa (tar saptak - upper octave).
Avroh (descending scale): Sa (tar saptak - upper octave) Ni (komal - flat) Pa, Dha Ma Ga Re, Sa Ni (mandar saptak - lower octave) Sa.
Mukh Ang/Pakar (main part): Sa Re Ma Pa Ni (komal - flat) Pa, Dha Ma Ga Re, Sa Ni (komal mandar saptak - flat lower octave) Pa (mandar saptak - lower octave) Ni (mandar saptak - lower octave) Sa.

Singing Time
The third quarter of the day.