Guru Granth Sahib Logo
  

Bani Mahala 9 - Rag Sorathi

Bani Mahala 9 - Rag Sorathi   >   Musical Dimension  
Text_Size
|
Share
Rag Sorath
Out of the thirty-one principal rags
Bani Footnote A rag is a melodic framework for improvisation and composition in Hindustani music akin to a melodic mode in western music. It consists of a specific set of notes and their combination used in a particular order to produce a melody. A rag also provides a framework of rules with the help of which a musician can improvise to produce different melodies by infinitely reordering a given set of notes specifically prescribed for that particular rag. Every rag has an array of melodic structures with musical motifs that is capable of evoking distinct emotions. [https://www.britannica.com/art/raga]
in the Guru Granth Sahib, Rag Sorath (a musical mode) has been designated ninth place in the sequence. Under this rag, the Bani of six Gurus and four Bhagats is recorded from page 595 to 659 of the Guru Granth Sahib. It includes eighteen Sabads by Guru Nanak Sahib, one by Guru Angad Sahib, sixty-three by Guru Amardas Sahib, forty-five by Guru Ramdas Sahib, ninety-seven by Guru Arjan Sahib, twelve by Guru Teghbahadar Sahib, eleven by Bhagat Kabir, three by Bhagat Namdev, seven by Bhagat Ravidas, and two by Bhagat Bhikhan.
Bani Footnote Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara, Bani Biura, part one, page 103-110.


According to Dr. Kirpal Singh, Rag Sorath originated from the Saurashtra region. The area is now part of the state of Gujarat in India.
Bani Footnote Dr. Kirpal Singh (editor), Sri Gur Partap Suraj Granth Vichon Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Da Jivan-Birtant, part two, page 44.
With the references of Janamsakhis, Harpal Singh Pannu writes that while Guru Nanak Sahib was on his missionary travels/journeys (udasis), they reached a human settlement after a journey of several months. Seeing people, Bhai Mardana asked the Guru, what country is this? Neither do they understand our language, nor do we understand their language. The Guru said, we have arrived in Saurashtra. Rag Sorath belongs to this country. Get up Mardana, pick up the Rabab (rebeck). Play the tunes of Sorath.
Bani Footnote Dr. Harpal Singh Pannu, Bhai Mardana Ji, Marasi Kabila Te Bhai Mardana, Ballam Limba (editor), page 93.


Sorath is a very simple and sweet rag. It is a serious rag based on the mood of detachment, which is very suitable for expressing devotional love (bhagti-bhav).
Bani Footnote Dr. Gurnam Singh, Gurmat Sangit Parbandh Te Pasar, page 102.
Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Ramdas Sahib, and Guru Arjan Sahib have mentioned this rag in their Bani in the context of the Nam of IkOankar (the Divine).

According to Guru Nanak Sahib, singing Sorath is always pleasant if, through it, one seeks and praises IkOankar: soraṭhi sadā suhāvaṇī je sacā mani hoi. -Guru Granth Sahib 642.

According to Guru Ramdas Sahib, it is pleasant to sing Sorath only if, through it, one seeks and praises the Nam of IkOankar: soraṭhi tāmi suhāvaṇī jā hari nāmu ḍhanḍhole. -Guru Granth Sahib 642.

Similarly, Guru Arjan Sahib states that one ought to, through Rag Sorath, sip the nectar of the Nam of IkOankar, which never fades: soraṭhi so rasu pījīai kabhū na phīkā hoi. -Guru Granth Sahib 1425.

In the above lines revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib and Guru Ramdas Sahib, the use of the adjective ‘suhāvaṇī’ (pleasant) with the word ‘sorathi’ presents Sorath as a ragini.
Bani Footnote A derivative melody acquired by the modification of a rag (musical mode) in Hindustani music. Its form is closely related to and associated with the rag it has been derived from. In Indic mythology it is personified as the wife of that particular rag.
Bhai Vir Singh has also considered Sorath the ragini of Rag Megh. In the ‘Ragmala’ recorded in the Guru Granth Sahib, Sorath is also described as the ragini of Rag Megh: soraṭhi goṁḍ malārī dhunī. puni gāvahi āsā gun gunī. -Guru Granth Sahib 1430.

According to Professor Kartar Singh, Rag Sorath is the ragini of Rag Megh as per the Hanuman school of thought, while it is described as a ragini of Rag Nat Narayan in other schools of thought. The scholars of Hindustani music believe Rag Sorath to have formed from Khamaj that. Rag Sorath is formed by the combination of Rag Sindhvi, Rag Kanra, Rag Kafi, and Rag Malar. It falls in the category of purvang
Bani Footnote Rag whose vādī (prominent) note falls in the lower part of the octave, that is, Sa, Re, Ga, Ma
vadi rags.
Bani Footnote Prof. Kartar Singh, Gurmat Sangit Darpan, part-one, page 214.


Scholars such as S. Gian Singh Abbottabad,
Bani Footnote S. Gian Singh Abbottabad, Gurbani Sangit, part one, page 103.
Bhai Avtar Singh and Bhai Gurcharan Singh,
Bani Footnote Bhai Avtar Singh and Gurcharan Singh, Gurbani Sangit Prachin Rit Ratanavali, part-one, page 283.
Prof. Tara Singh,
Bani Footnote Prof. Tara Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Rag Ratanavali, page 113.
Dr. Gurnam Singh,
Bani Footnote Dr. Gurnam Singh, Gurmat Sangit Parbandh Te Pasar, page 102.
etc., and the Rag Nirnayak Committee
Bani Footnote Principal Sukhwant Singh (editor), Guru Nanak Sangit Padhati Granth, part-1, page 25.
have approved the following form of Rag Sorath:

Description of Rag Sorath
Rag: Sorath.
That: Khamaj.
Svar (notes): both Ni, rest all notes are normal/natural (shudh).
Varjit Svar (forbidden notes): Ga and Dha in ascending scale (aroh), and the use of Ga in descending scale (avroh) only through mind.
Bani Footnote Vibration of the notes. Production of a trembling sound from the throat or strings.

Jati (class): aurav-sampuran.
Vadi (prominent note): Re.
Samvadi (sub-prominent note): Dha.
Aroh (ascending scale): Sa Re Ma Pa, Ni Sa (tar saptak - upper octave).
Avroh (descending scale): Sa (tar saptak - upper octave) Re (tar saptak - upper octave) Ni (komal - flat) Dha, Ma Pa Dha Ma GaRe, Ni (mandar saptak - lower octave) Sa.
Mukh Ang/Pakar (Main Part): Sa Re, Ma Pa, Ni (komal - flat) Dha, Pa, Dha Ma GaRe, Ni (mandar saptak - lower octave) Sa.

Singing Time
The second quarter of the night.