Bani Mahala 9 - Rag Maru

Rag Maru
Out of the thirty-one principal rags in the Guru Granth Sahib, Rag Maru (a musical mode) has been designated twenty-first place in the sequence. Under this rag, the Bani of six Gurus and four Bhagats is recorded from page 989 to 1106 of the Guru Granth Sahib. It includes sixty-five Sabads by Guru Nanak Sahib, one by Guru Angad Sahib, seventy-five by Guru Amardas Sahib, thirteen by Guru Ramdas Sahib, one hundred forty-eight by Guru Arjan Sahib, three by Guru Teghbahadar Sahib, eleven by Bhagat Kabir, two by Bhagat Ravidas, and one each by Bhagat Namdev and Bhagat Jaidev.

One of the meanings of ‘Maru’ is barren land, desert, or sandy area. Perhaps that is why Rag Maru is considered the rag of the deserts. Guru Nanak Sahib also use the word Maru in his Bani in the same sense:
mārū mīhi na triptiā agī lahai na bhukh. -Guru Granth Sahib 148.

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, while associating the Rag Maru with enthusiasm and zeal, writes that Rag Maru is a rag by the effect of which the warriors are ready to die. For this reason, many scholars consider Rag Maru to be a special rag of war. He quotes the line ‘ummal lathe jodhe mārū vajiā’ from Chandi Di Var (pauri 16) and interprets Maru as ‘war-drum, a large kettledrum with loud noise’ (jangi nagara, uchi dhuni vala dhonsa). But, in both these interpretations, the meaning of the word Maru is connected to war.

The effect of Rag Maru is such that when a melody of this rag is played, the cowards run away: suṇ ke sudh nā rahe kāiar kī, jab bājai dhun mārū. It seems, Guru Arjan Sahib recorded the following passion-filled salok of Bhagat Kabir under Rag Maru because of the enthusiastic nature of this rag:
sūrā so pahicānīai ju larai dīn ke het.
purjā purjā kaṭi marai kabhū na chāḍai khetu. -Guru Granth Sahib 1105.

The Rag Maru that is popular in Gurmat Sangit (Sikh music) has its own distinct form and effect. As per some scholars, Rag Maru, along with enthusiasm, is also a rag associated with a sense of separation. Therefore, this rag is sung, both during war and at the time of someone’s death. The tradition of singing Sabads in this rag during ceremonies related to death is very old. The notes of this rag create an environment that conveys a sense of separation or detachment. Gurpartap Suraj Granth also contains references to the singing of Rag Maru during the cremation of Guru Harigobind Sahib’s body and Guru Teghbahadar Sahib’s head. For example, the time of the cremation of Guru Hargobind Sahib’s body is described as follows:
sabad rabābī gāvan gavaiṁ. mārū ar vaḍhans sunāvai.

In the idiom of Nihang Sikhs, the meaning of ‘mārū gāuṇā’ (singing Maru) is to cry or call out in pain. Therefore, the acts of crying, wailing, lamenting, etc., are also called ‘mārū gāuṇā.’ It seems that Nihang Sikhs may have coined this idiom for crying and wailing from the tradition of singing Sabads from Rag Maru, which are filled with the feeling of separation or detachment at the time of someone’s death.

Rag Maru is a popular and old rag. This rag is also known as Malav, Maruv, Maruva, or Marvika, and is sung in many ways. In the Guru Granth Sahib, under Rag Maru, Bani is recorded in two more forms of the rag, namely Maru Kafi and Maru Dakhani.

As per the Hanuman belief in Hindustani music, Rag Maru is considered the son of Malkauns. In Bharat belief, it is considered the son of Hindol. In Shiv belief it is considered the son of Srirag. In ‘Ragmala’ recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib, it is considered the son of Malkauns:
mārū mastaaṅg mevārā. prabalcanḍ kaüsak ubhārā.
khaükhaṭ aü bhaürānad gāe. asṭ mālkaüsak saṅgi lāe.1. -Guru Granth Sahib 1430.

As per Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, the class (jati) of Rag Maru is sharav. The note Pa is forbidden (varjit) in this rag. Sa, Ga, Dha, and Ni are natural (shudh), Re is flat (komal), and Ma is sharp (tivar). Its prominent (vadi) note is Ga and sub-prominent (samvadi) note is Dha.

Prof. Tara Singh has mentioned three types of this rag: the first belongs to Marva that, the second to Bilaval that, and the third to Khamaj that. In the first one, Sa and Re are flat (komal), Ma sharp (tivar), Pa forbidden; the remaining notes are natural (shudh). In the second type of this rag, all notes are natural (shudh). Its prominent note (vadi) is Ga, and sub-prominent note (samvadi) is Ni. The class of this rag is aurav-sampuran. In the third type of this rag, both Ni are used, and the remaining notes are natural (shudh). In this rag, it is tradition to forbid Re and Dha in the ascending scale (aroh), while all seven notes are used in descending scale (avroh). The class of this rag is aurav-sampuran.

Dr. Gurnam Singh has also mentioned three types of this rag. In the first type, Marva is considered Rag Maru. It is believed that the second type is derived from Khamaj that, and the third from Bilaval that. Sardar Gian Singh Abbottabad, and Bhai Avtar Singh, and Gurcharan Singh consider Rag Maru to be from Khamaj that.

Therefore, scholars have different viewpoints about Rag Maru. But here, only that form of Rag Maru is being given which is accepted by Rag Nirnayak Committee. It is as follows:

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

Singing time
Third quarter of the day.