Revealed by Guru Arjan Sahib (1563-1606), ‘Basant Ki Var’ is recorded on page 1193 of the Guru Granth Sahib. This is the shortest
var among all
vars recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib. In this
var, there are only three
pauris (stanzas). No
salok has been recorded along with them. Every
pauri consists of five lines each. Instead of the word ‘
mahalā,’ ‘mahalu’ appears in the title of this
var. “In several manuscripts, ‘mahalā’ is written in place of ‘mahalu’ as the title of this
var.”
Dr. Amar Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dian Hath Likhat Biran De Darshan, page 53.
“During the time between Maghi
The sangrand (beginning of the solar months of Indic and Panjabi calendars) of month Magh (mid-January to mid-February), which comes the next day after Lohri (a North Indian festival), is called Maghi.
and Hola Mohalla,
Parallel to the traditional festival of Holi, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib started the tradition of celebrating ‘Hola Mohalla’ to train the Khalsa in warfare. The Guru started this tradition in 1700 (1757 VS Chet Vadi 1) at fort Holgarh, Anandpur Sahib. Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, Bhai Vir Singh, etc., have interpreted ‘Hola Maholla’ as ‘attack’ and ‘place of attack’ or ‘artificial attack.’ According to Dr. Ratan Singh Jaggi, “By changing Holi (feminine form) to Hola (masculine form), the act of attacking fiercely on that day has been expressed through this word.” Poet Sumair Singh has written about this tradition started by the Guru as: ‘auran kī holī mam holā. kahyo kripānidh bacan amolā’ (we play Hola during the Holi of others. The graceful uttered these precious words). Now, it has become a festival of three days which is celebrated from a day before Holi to the day after it. -Dr. Ratan Singh Jaggi, Sikh Panth Vishvakosh, volume-two, page 508-509.
along with the tradition of singing
kirtan
Singing of spiritual compositions in prescribed musical modes (rags).
in Rag Basant during congregational gatherings, there is also a custom of singing “Basant Ki Var.”
Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara, Stik Ramkali Ki Var (Rai Balvand Tatha Satai Doom Aakhi) Ate Basant Ki Var Mahal 5, page 92.
Dr. Amar Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dian Hath Likhat Biran De Darshan, page 53.
