The Taus.
Approximately 16:20. 24 July 2006. For the first time I played the Taus.
The very next day it had one string less....
So I joined the regular classes the 24th July. The accommodation wasn't the nicest.. Was staying with the taus/dilruba lecturer...with spiders and spider web on the ceiling.
What surprised me was the extent the lecturers/teachers use their students. The teacher I was staying with had just shifted so the new place was a bit messy.... The lecturer asked his students to clean his apartment (clean all the dust and everything)... and to bring his lunch everyday…
Students who were doing their master degrees in Gurmat Sangeet....:s...
Of course all of this is for the students is under the name of: "respecting the ustad"...
Its now that I realize why very few people decide to for phd's here.. since the tutors use their students to such an extent....
Anyway... I'm not very used to the University system in Punjab, where they (students and some lecturers) eat the same breakfast (paronthe + cha) everyday.....students bringing lunch for each others and some teachers who demand food....and dinner at some really cheap dhaba.
Really hard to adjust…
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ
Wanted to post about something really cool that happened a few weeks ago...
While I was doing Paath in the morning some doubt-thoughts appeared in my mind..about the existance of God. Not that God doesn't exist..but some other issues that hunted me for several weeks regarding God's existance.
Ironically the answer to the doubts lay in the Paath I was doing...but since I couldn't understand it, there wasn't much I could do at the time.... (which means I should start reading interpretations and translations of the nitnem banis...)
Went to the Gurdwara after Nitnem and this is the Hukamnama that Guru Ji blessed me with...:
ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਘਰੁ ੨ ਚਉਪਦੇ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਇਹੁ ਧਨੁ ਅਖੁਟੁ ਨ ਨਿਖੁਟੈ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਦਿਖਾਇ ॥
ਅਪੁਨੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਸਦ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ ॥੧॥
ਸੇ ਧਨਵੰਤ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਧਨੁ ਪਰਗਾਸਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅਵਗੁਣ ਕਾਟਿ ਗੁਣ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸਾਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
ਸੁਖ ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥੨॥
ਏਕੁ ਅਚਰਜੁ ਜਨ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਅਮੋਲਕੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥੩॥
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਵਸੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੋ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਘਟਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਹਜੇ ਜਿਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਣਿ ਪਛਾਣਿਆ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੪॥੧॥
663-664
Click here for translation
Really crushed the doubt. Although the Shabads doesn't explain what I was having doubts about it was like a tap on my head from Guru Ji.. with him saying:
"My Son, trust me.. trust....by following the Shabad Guru your doubts WILL be removed"...
Simplying reading my mind...knowing the doubts existed...he gave me the path to remove these doubts... he spoke to me through the Hukamnama...Now comes the hard part: following these instructions..
I know this means very little for others... just as little as ..someone telling me about them personally seeing someone elevating while doing pagti...meant to me...
Anyway..this shabad has kept the candle lit for a few weeks..and filled my required quota of inspiration for quite a while....
Trust the Guru. Experience and talk to your Guru. He is not a book, or someone to be feared. Go forward and talk to him....
ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ...
While I was doing Paath in the morning some doubt-thoughts appeared in my mind..about the existance of God. Not that God doesn't exist..but some other issues that hunted me for several weeks regarding God's existance.
Ironically the answer to the doubts lay in the Paath I was doing...but since I couldn't understand it, there wasn't much I could do at the time.... (which means I should start reading interpretations and translations of the nitnem banis...)
Went to the Gurdwara after Nitnem and this is the Hukamnama that Guru Ji blessed me with...:
ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਘਰੁ ੨ ਚਉਪਦੇ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਇਹੁ ਧਨੁ ਅਖੁਟੁ ਨ ਨਿਖੁਟੈ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਦਿਖਾਇ ॥
ਅਪੁਨੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕਉ ਸਦ ਬਲਿ ਜਾਈ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ ॥੧॥
ਸੇ ਧਨਵੰਤ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਧਨੁ ਪਰਗਾਸਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅਵਗੁਣ ਕਾਟਿ ਗੁਣ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸਾਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
ਸੁਖ ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥੨॥
ਏਕੁ ਅਚਰਜੁ ਜਨ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਅਮੋਲਕੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥੩॥
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਵਸੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੋ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਘਟਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਹਜੇ ਜਿਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਣਿ ਪਛਾਣਿਆ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੪॥੧॥
663-664
Click here for translation
Really crushed the doubt. Although the Shabads doesn't explain what I was having doubts about it was like a tap on my head from Guru Ji.. with him saying:
"My Son, trust me.. trust....by following the Shabad Guru your doubts WILL be removed"...
Simplying reading my mind...knowing the doubts existed...he gave me the path to remove these doubts... he spoke to me through the Hukamnama...Now comes the hard part: following these instructions..
I know this means very little for others... just as little as ..someone telling me about them personally seeing someone elevating while doing pagti...meant to me...
Anyway..this shabad has kept the candle lit for a few weeks..and filled my required quota of inspiration for quite a while....
Trust the Guru. Experience and talk to your Guru. He is not a book, or someone to be feared. Go forward and talk to him....
ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਸਾਈ...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Sorted
Everything has finally been sorted.
Went to Punjabi University in Patiala after being recommended by Prof Kartar Singh Ji. Met with a really nice person who is to teach me and the principle of the Gurmat Sangeet Department at the University, Dr Gurnam Singh.
Although he seemed quite strict and everything and it seemed like a formal interview he would use phrases that would relax you, like: "phikar na kar puttar, apa solve kar dange"
My case was a bit obscure since I'm not going to study at the University for a few years, but only a short time course...
I'm a bit nervous though..since I'm going to have to stay at the hostel (halls) at the Uni, and wonder what it's going to be like... being surrounded by a bunch of freshiesss..haha...
So everything is sorted and my lessons are going to start next Monday.... The only probelm is sorting an instrument... I really want to learn the Taus...and although the technique of using the Dilruba is the same....it's not the same......But the Taus is really expensive...
It costs about as much as the flight ticket to Punjab!
Pretty dissappointing how learning to sing raag kirtan has become a class question. I mean, we're doing quite fine and can afford one..but what about those who really want to learn..but don't have the money to sort an instrument and everything. I really don't think these instruments were meant to be so expensive....
Anyway, they've got ONE Taus in Patiala which I'll be aloud to use until I get my own (still looking for a good one...where it will take little time to construct it..)
Hope everyone is having a nice time....and enjoying their summer.
P.s Those looking for inspiration: www.sikhstudent.net =)
Went to Punjabi University in Patiala after being recommended by Prof Kartar Singh Ji. Met with a really nice person who is to teach me and the principle of the Gurmat Sangeet Department at the University, Dr Gurnam Singh.
Although he seemed quite strict and everything and it seemed like a formal interview he would use phrases that would relax you, like: "phikar na kar puttar, apa solve kar dange"
My case was a bit obscure since I'm not going to study at the University for a few years, but only a short time course...
I'm a bit nervous though..since I'm going to have to stay at the hostel (halls) at the Uni, and wonder what it's going to be like... being surrounded by a bunch of freshiesss..haha...
So everything is sorted and my lessons are going to start next Monday.... The only probelm is sorting an instrument... I really want to learn the Taus...and although the technique of using the Dilruba is the same....it's not the same......But the Taus is really expensive...
It costs about as much as the flight ticket to Punjab!
Pretty dissappointing how learning to sing raag kirtan has become a class question. I mean, we're doing quite fine and can afford one..but what about those who really want to learn..but don't have the money to sort an instrument and everything. I really don't think these instruments were meant to be so expensive....
Anyway, they've got ONE Taus in Patiala which I'll be aloud to use until I get my own (still looking for a good one...where it will take little time to construct it..)
Hope everyone is having a nice time....and enjoying their summer.
P.s Those looking for inspiration: www.sikhstudent.net =)
Sunday, July 02, 2006
More non-productiveness
The first two weeks have been quite unproductive. Although I've met some really nice people, including Bhai Balbir Singh Raagi...and some other people.. I still haven’t started doing what I came here for. I'm going to meet a teacher tonight and see how it goes. The biggest difficulty isn't in getting a teacher, but a saaj sorted. I've been to one shop that Bhai Balbir SIngh JI recommended... He told me to call him when I'm in the shop so that he could speak to the owner himself to give specifications of how the saaj should be. Bad luck. After speaking to the instrument maker Bhai Sahib called me and told me that he was giving a really high price and told me not to buy from him. He said he would look on his next journey to Delhi if he could get a nice saaj (taus) sorted for me.... Bhai Sahib is a really sweet person... He's helping me to get stuff going...which reminds me that I should call him soon to find out what he's found out...
Went to Gurmat Sangeet Academy (run by SGPC under Prof Kartar Singh Ji)...in Anandpur Sahib...but found out that Prof Sahib had left the academy for his home ten minutes before my arrival. Got his number...spoke to him and he recommended me someone from Patiala..Punjabi University, will meet him tonight. At the academy I found out there's going to be a seminar in Khalsa Collage Amritsar on the occasion of 400 years anniversary of the founding of the Akal Thakhat...thought I'd go there.
On the buss I met a really pervert person who started touching me... (embarrassing)... One thing that I think is important to point out is that the person was a sardar. I am not implying all sardars (which includes me) are perverts... But that you sould stay wary wherever you are. I've meet quite a few sardars who have been responsible for quite a lot of damage.. directly or indirectly. This is not only in India..but also elsewhere. So just because someone seems to be 'chardikala, khula darha, vada chola, 24/7 paath karan vala'..it doesn't mean the inside is as clean. I'm not saying I'm perfect from inside.. cause I'm still being looted by the 5 theives...but all I'm saying is..that one should stay wary…because there’s been cases where so-called gyanis have turned out to be sexual predators... stay wary..
When I finally reached the Collage (I think it's a University now..) there were some scholars who spoke about the concept of miri piri, history of Akal Thakhat..followed by propaganda by Badal (one of the...if not the...corrupt-est politician in Punjab)... So that was a big time waste. Apart from that nothing major going on..except looking for girls for my two cousins.... It's so warm here...everyone’s dying.
On another note..I found a really good cooler which I think would be really popular if sold in Europe..so I've got a business idea..hahaha.
I really want to go to some camp in England this summer.....there's absolutly no inspiration in this country..except the speaches by Sukha Singh, Kirtan by a few 'gupt' individuals (can be found on ektaone.com)...which I've got on my mp3 player...
Hopefully the coming few days will be more productive and efficient...
Enough rambling and complaining for now..
Let's see what’s coming....
Hope you have a nice time wherever you are...
Went to Gurmat Sangeet Academy (run by SGPC under Prof Kartar Singh Ji)...in Anandpur Sahib...but found out that Prof Sahib had left the academy for his home ten minutes before my arrival. Got his number...spoke to him and he recommended me someone from Patiala..Punjabi University, will meet him tonight. At the academy I found out there's going to be a seminar in Khalsa Collage Amritsar on the occasion of 400 years anniversary of the founding of the Akal Thakhat...thought I'd go there.
On the buss I met a really pervert person who started touching me... (embarrassing)... One thing that I think is important to point out is that the person was a sardar. I am not implying all sardars (which includes me) are perverts... But that you sould stay wary wherever you are. I've meet quite a few sardars who have been responsible for quite a lot of damage.. directly or indirectly. This is not only in India..but also elsewhere. So just because someone seems to be 'chardikala, khula darha, vada chola, 24/7 paath karan vala'..it doesn't mean the inside is as clean. I'm not saying I'm perfect from inside.. cause I'm still being looted by the 5 theives...but all I'm saying is..that one should stay wary…because there’s been cases where so-called gyanis have turned out to be sexual predators... stay wary..
When I finally reached the Collage (I think it's a University now..) there were some scholars who spoke about the concept of miri piri, history of Akal Thakhat..followed by propaganda by Badal (one of the...if not the...corrupt-est politician in Punjab)... So that was a big time waste. Apart from that nothing major going on..except looking for girls for my two cousins.... It's so warm here...everyone’s dying.
On another note..I found a really good cooler which I think would be really popular if sold in Europe..so I've got a business idea..hahaha.
I really want to go to some camp in England this summer.....there's absolutly no inspiration in this country..except the speaches by Sukha Singh, Kirtan by a few 'gupt' individuals (can be found on ektaone.com)...which I've got on my mp3 player...
Hopefully the coming few days will be more productive and efficient...
Enough rambling and complaining for now..
Let's see what’s coming....
Hope you have a nice time wherever you are...
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