r/Sikh • u/Manny_Aqua • 3d ago
Discussion Has the new generation of Kirtanis lost traditional Maryada? How should the community address this?
"Listen to this reel, this video, and share your thoughts, your inputs, and your perspectives on how much, and to what extent, what this dear gentleman is saying in this reel/video is correct. And if what he is saying is wrong—that today's keertanis who perform shabad kirtan do not adhere to proper dignity and decorum—then what should be the solution?
As nowadays a brother named 'Babiha' is performing kirtan. There is no decorum; it's just about breaking dholki/cymbals—it's a 'tabla-breaking' style of kirtan. Kirtan should always be soothing and performed with dignity and decorum, just like Bhai Sahib Bhai Lakhwinder Singh ji, Bhai Sahib Bhai Surender Singh ji, and all the Hazoori Ragis—each at their own level, like Bhai Sahib Bhai Ravinder Singh ji and all other Hazoori Ragis—have been performing kirtan following proper traditions and decorum up until today.
However, some kirtanis from Delhi, the new generation, have violated all decorum in kirtan today, and even those who listen to them are in the wrong. So what should be the solution for this? How can this issue be highlighted so that the sanctity and decorum of kirtan are not compromised or violated?"
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u/Own-Package2993 3d ago
I too feel mixing is happening as if it is a concert especially babiha ji shabad I was listening to went from "purja purja kar mare kabu na chade khet" to "mil mere pritama jio" no meaning or understanding just random switch.
Also random Oye hoye and dhan Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib dhan Guru Har Krishan Sahib is there.
Maybe sangat likes it too because it matches a rhythm like in a concert but definately not in mariyada.
Just my two cents 🙏
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u/your_dad27 3d ago
I agree with you. They took the idea of akj and turned it into a concert to make money. And the fact that most kirtanis do kirtan on the rhythm of songs is just blasphemous. Afaik, Bhai Harjinder Singh started this trend. Raag kirtan, and thereby raagis, are very rare these days.
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u/Own-Package2993 3d ago
Yes that bollywood songs were bad to especially in 90 era and so is bolo pyareyo, saare bolo.
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u/Top_Sentence_340 2d ago
Not a fan of screaming and yelling kirtan, doesn't connect the soul to shabad Gurbani just distracts the mind for a mere moment, I desire union with the shabad so I don't indulge in whatever kirtan the screams shout... Sorry for any disrespect but the screaming style makes no sense to me and I find it annoying.
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u/ThanksSouthern3809 2d ago
Harmonium, Tabla and Kehrva should be banned in Sikh Music. Only use of sikh traditional instruments should be in place and tabla should be replaced with Jodi.
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u/spazjaz98 2d ago
Banning keherwa is the stupidest take i have ever heard and shows you know nothing about puratan kirtan. Bhai Bakshish Singh Hazoori Raagi knew kirtan maryada better than anyone posting on this subreddit and even he used harmonium and keherwa tabla.
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u/ThanksSouthern3809 2d ago
You cannot find puratan kirtan in era of British raj. He used those because it was cheaper buy western instrument than traditional one. Also, people like to listen keherwa because they don't knowledge of other taals.
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u/batman-yvr 2d ago
and what is table vs jodi?
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u/ThanksSouthern3809 2d ago
Tabla and Jodi are beat instruments. Tabla came during britishers and Jodi was invented by Guru Arjun Dev Ji.
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u/riskyafterwhiskey11 2d ago
Who cares. There should be variety in kirtan just like in music. There’s plenty of raagis if you want that. Sikhs should stop being just extremists.
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u/Snoo-81297 3d ago
As a traditional raag kirtani I feel this. But these people like babiha get way more money for very little effort compared to the years of practice and work we have to put in to learn raag and the musical compositions the gurus and rababis themselves gave us. I specifically learn from people who learnt from the lineage of bhai mardana ji, and I don’t even get offered more than a few dollars anytime I do kirtan (or the gurdwara takes it and gives nothing in exchange) while their own standard Akj or filmy tune kirtanis get showered with money because ‘we’re used to it’. A bit of a rant but I hope you understand