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GNDU Question Paper-2021

B.A 1

Semester

MUSIC (Vocal)

Time Allowed: Three Hours Max. Marks: 50

Note: Attempt Five questions in all, selecting at least One question from each section. The

Fifth question may be attempted from any section. All questions carry equal marks.

SECTION-A

1. Draw a diagram of Tanpura and explain the method of its tuning.

2. Write in brief about the following terms:

(a) Jaati

(b) Sangeet

(d) Naad

SECTION-B

3. Throw light on the contribution of Tansen ji in the field of Music..

4. Explain in detail about the wedding songs of the Punjabi culture keeping in mind the

Ghorian and Suhag.

SECTION-C

5. Write notation of fast Khayal of Raga Bhopali with two tanas.

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6. Write single and double Laykari of Taal Teentaal.

SECTION-D

7. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's contribution in the field of Music is unforgettable. Comment.

8. Write short notes on the following:

(a) Rababi

(b) Mohalla.

GNDU Answer Paper-2021

B.A 1

Semester

MUSIC (Vocal)

Time Allowed: Three Hours Max. Marks: 50

Note: Attempt Five questions in all, selecting at least One question from each section. The

Fifth question may be attempted from any section. All questions carry equal marks.

SECTION-A

1. Draw a diagram of Tanpura and explain the method of its tuning.

Ans: 󷘖 What Is a Tanpura?

Imagine a singer standing on stage, their voice deep and clear. Behind them, you hear a soft,

continuous “naaa naaa naaa” — this soothing background sound doesn’t distract but

supports the singer beautifully. That sound is created by the Tanpura, also known as

Tambura.

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Unlike instruments like the sitar or violin, the Tanpura doesn’t play melodies. It only plays a

continuous background drone of selected notes — and that’s exactly its job: to give the

pitch base for the singer or main instrument.

󼳊󼳋󼳌󼳒󼳍󼳓󼳎󼳏󼳔󼳐󼳑 A Short Story to Begin

Once upon a time, in a small village in India, there lived a boy named Arjun who loved to

sing. He had a strong voice and learned ragas quickly. But whenever he sang, his teacher,

Guru Shastri, would stop him and say, “You are singing without your shadow.”

Arjun was confused. “Shadow?” he asked.

“Yes,” smiled the Guru. “Every voice has a shadow. It is the Tanpura. Without it, your voice

is hanging in the air. With it, it stands firm, like a tree with roots.”

So, Arjun began learning not just to sing — but to tune and play the Tanpura too. That was

the moment he truly connected to his music.

Diagram of Tanpura

󷘰󷘱󷘲󷘳󷘴󷘵󷘶󷘸󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘹 Structure of the Tanpura

The Tanpura is a long-necked, stringed instrument usually made of tun wood and a

resonating gourd (tumba). It’s elegant, often around 3 to 5 feet tall, and has 4 or 5 metal

strings.

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Main Parts of a Tanpura:

1. Tumba (Resonator): Large, hollow gourd at the base that amplifies the sound.

2. Neck (Dandi): Long wooden section where the tuning pegs are attached.

3. Strings (Tar): Usually 4 or 5 metal strings.

4. Tuning Pegs (Kunti): Wooden pegs used to tighten or loosen strings.

5. Bridge (Jawari): Made of bone or ivory where the strings rest — crucial for that

buzzing, magical sound.

6. Beads (Mankar): Small beads under the strings used for fine-tuning.

󷘺󷘻󷘼 Importance of Tuning

Now comes the real art — tuning the Tanpura.

You might think: Why does tuning matter so much?

The answer is: Without proper tuning, the drone sounds harsh and flat, and the singer

cannot stay in pitch.

󷗭󷗨󷗩󷗪󷗫󷗬 Standard Tuning Method – Step by Step

The tuning of Tanpura depends on whether the performer is male or female, and also on the

raga or scale being sung.

Let’s consider the most commonly used 4-stringed Tanpura. The strings are tuned from top

(thickest) to bottom (thinnest) like this:

Pa – Sa – Sa – Sa (or Pa – Ni – Sa – Sa)

Or simply: P – S – S – S

In Hindustani music:

• Sa is the tonic (first note of the scale).

• Pa is the fifth note (perfect fifth).

• Some ragas use Ni (7th note) instead of Pa.

󹳴󹳵󹳶󹳷 Step-by-Step Guide to Tuning:

1. Start with the Middle String (Second One):

o Tune it to Sa – the base note of the raga.

o This becomes your reference note.

2. Tune the First String (Thickest One):

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o Tune this to Pa – the fifth note above Sa.

o For example, if Sa is C, then Pa will be G.

3. Tune the Third String:

o Again tune to lower Sa (same as middle string).

4. Tune the Fourth String (Thinnest One):

o Also tuned to lower Sa or Ni, depending on the raga.

󼮲󼮱 Practical Example

If you're a female singer and you choose your Sa = G, then:

• 1st string → D (Pa)

• 2nd string → G (Sa)

• 3rd string → G (Sa)

• 4th string → G or F♯ (Sa or Ni)

For a male singer, if Sa = C, then:

• 1st string → G

• 2nd → C

• 3rd → C

• 4th → C or B

󹱏󹱐 The Jawari – Secret of the Buzzing Sound

Have you heard that magical, buzzing, harmonic-rich sound that lingers after each pluck?

That’s due to the jawari – the curved bridge of the Tanpura. The string gently touches this

bridge and creates sympathetic vibrations.

But be careful! If strings are not set properly, the sound becomes harsh. This is why

musicians often slide tiny cotton threads under the strings to adjust the contact angle and

create the perfect tone.

󼖻󼖼󼖽󼖾󼖿󼗀󼗁󼗍󼗎󼗂󼗃󼗄󼗅󼗆󼗇󼗈󼗉󼗊󼗋󼗌 The Role of Tanpura in Performance

Even though the Tanpura doesn’t play melodies, it is never ignored. It creates the sonic

atmosphere. The listener doesn’t focus on it, but without it, the whole performance feels

empty.

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It:

• Stabilizes pitch for the vocalist or instrumentalist.

• Provides a continuous drone — like a canvas for painting.

• Helps in maintaining the mood of the raga.

Just like how a dancer needs a stage, a singer needs a Tanpura.

󷆊󷆋󷆌󷆍󷆎󷆏 Riya’s Final Lesson (Story Close)

Weeks passed. Riya learned how to tune the Tanpura by ear — sometimes by using a

Tanpura app, sometimes using a harmonium as reference. She realized tuning wasn’t just

technical — it was emotional. When her Tanpura was in tune, her voice naturally followed.

Her music began to touch the hearts of her listeners.

One day, her teacher nodded and said, “Now your voice has its shadow.”

󹴷󹴺󹴸󹴹󹴻󹴼󹴽󹴾󹴿󹵀󹵁󹵂 Conclusion – The Tanpura: Silent but Soulful

In the world of Indian classical music, the Tanpura is like a silent companion — never in the

spotlight but always essential. Learning to tune it is like learning to breathe correctly in yoga

— subtle, but transformative.

For students, remember:

• Tuning a Tanpura is not difficult; it just needs practice, patience, and listening.

• The more accurate the tuning, the more powerful and pleasing the performance.

• Always tune before every practice session — even if it's just for 10 minutes.

And just like Arjun and Riya, once you master the Tanpura’s tuning, your music will never be

alone again.

2. Write in brief about the following terms:

(a) Jaati

(b) Sangeet

(d) Naad

Ans: Introduction: Music is More Than Sound—It’s a Language of the Soul

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Once upon a time, in a quiet village nestled in the heart of India, there lived a boy named

Aarav. Aarav was fascinated by the melodies that floated from the temple every morning.

He didn’t know the terms, the theory, or the grammar of music, but he knew one thing—

whenever he listened to those divine sounds, his heart felt full. One day, the village guru

noticed Aarav’s curiosity and said, “Music is like a universe, and just like any universe, it has

its own laws and elements. Come, let me explain to you what lies behind these magical

sounds.”

And from that day onward, Aarav began to explore the beautiful world of Indian classical

music. Let's join him on this journey, where we understand four key concepts: Jaati,

Sangeet, Saptak, and Naad—not as dry definitions, but as living, breathing parts of the rich

musical heritage of India.

(a) Jaati (): The Family of a Raag

Let’s begin with Jaati. The word "Jaati" means type or category. In Indian classical music,

every Raag (melodic framework) has a Jaati, which is based on how many swaras (notes) are

used in its Aaroh (ascending scale) and Avroh (descending scale).

There are seven notes (swaras) in total: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni. Now, every Raag

doesn’t always use all seven. Sometimes it may use five, sometimes six, sometimes all

seven.

Based on the number of swaras used, we have five types of Jaati:

1. Audav () – 5 notes

2. Shadav () – 6 notes

3. Sampoorna (



) – 7 notes

The Jaati of a Raag is written as a pair: one for Aaroh and one for Avroh. For example:

• A Raag with 5 swaras in Aaroh and 7 in Avroh is Audav-Sampoorna Jaati.

• One with 6 in both is Shadav-Shadav Jaati, and so on.

Why is it important?

Jaati helps musicians know how to structure the raag. It’s like telling a painter which colors

are allowed on the canvas.

(b) Sangeet (): The Trinity of Music

Now let’s come to Sangeet, which means music in the broader sense. But in classical Indian

music, it’s not just about singing songs. Sangeet is made up of three essential elements:

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1. Geet (Vocal Music) – Singing

2. Vadhya (Instrumental Music) – Playing instruments

3. Nritya (Dance) – Expressing music through movements

So, Sangeet is not just a single form—it’s a combination of voice, instruments, and

movement. These three together make up the full picture of Indian performing arts.

In fact, let’s take a short story from history:

In the royal court of King Bhoj, three artists came to perform. One sang, one played the

veena, and the third danced. When they performed separately, the king was pleased. But

when they came together in unison, the court was mesmerized. The music, rhythm, and

expression were complete. This harmony of Geet, Vadhya, and Nritya is what we call

Sangeet.

So remember: Sangeet = Geet + Vadhya + Nritya. All three are equal pillars, giving life to

Indian musical tradition.

The next concept is Saptak, which literally means a group of seven. In music, it refers to the

collection of seven swaras (musical notes):

Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni

These are the basic sounds of Indian classical music, much like Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti in

Western music.

These seven notes form a scale, and that scale is called Saptak.

There are three types of Saptaks:

1. Mandra Saptak (Low Octave) – Deep and heavy sound

2. Madhya Saptak (Middle Octave) – Normal vocal range

3. Taar Saptak (High Octave) – High and sharp notes

Just like a staircase has different floors, the Saptaks let the singer explore different levels of

pitch. The beauty of Indian classical music lies in how smoothly one can move across these

Saptaks.

Fun Fact:

When a trained singer begins practice, they often start from Mandra Sa and go up till Taar

Ni, and then back. This warm-up is known as Sargam practice.

(d) Naad (): The Soul of Sound

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Finally, we reach the most fundamental concept—Naad.

Naad means sound, but in music, it’s more than just any noise. Naad is a musical sound that

is pleasing and meaningful. It has both pitch and quality.

There are two types of Naad:

1. Ahata Naad ( ) – Sound produced by striking or playing an instrument,

singing, clapping, etc. (i.e., physical source)

2. Anahata Naad ( ) – The divine or internal sound that yogis experience in

deep meditation. It is said to be spiritual and not physically heard.

Why is Naad so important?

Without Naad, there is no music. It’s like saying—without light, there’s no vision. Every

swara, every raag, every melody is a form of Naad.

Imagine a tanpura (a string instrument). When it’s plucked, it produces a continuous,

soothing hum. That pure tone is Naad—the soul of Indian music.

SECTION-B

3. Throw light on the contribution of Tansen ji in the field of Music..

Ans: 󷇴󷇵󷇶󷇷󷇸󷇹 A Voice that Could Light Lamps and Bring Rains: The Story of Tansen's Musical

Legacy

In the heart of medieval India, where kings ruled from grand forts and art was nurtured like

a sacred flower, there lived a boy named Ramtanu. Born in the village of Behat near Gwalior

in the early 16th century, no one imagined that this simple child would one day be known as

Tansen, the jewel of Indian classical music. His name would become so powerful that even

centuries later, people would still speak of him with reverence and awe.

But how did a village boy become the most legendary musician in the court of Emperor

Akbar? Let’s take a musical journey into the life and contribution of Tansen ji.

󷘗󷘘󷘙 Early Life and Training: The Roots of Genius

Tansen's musical talent didn’t appear overnight. As a child, he showed signs of extraordinary

ability—his voice, even at a young age, had a magical quality. Recognizing this rare gift, his

father, Mukund Pandey, a poet and musician himself, sent him to learn under Swami

Haridas, one of the most respected music teachers of the time.

Swami Haridas belonged to the Bhakti tradition, and his teachings were deeply spiritual.

Under his guidance, Tansen didn’t just learn music as an art form but also as a divine

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offering to God. He learned Dhrupad, one of the oldest styles of Hindustani classical music,

and began to master not just the ragas but the emotions behind each note.

󷖤󷖢󷖣 Tansen at Akbar’s Court: The Navratna

Tansen’s fame spread far and wide. His voice could melt hearts, and his ragas could stir

emotions that even words could not express. Eventually, news of his brilliance reached

Mughal Emperor Akbar, who immediately invited him to join his royal court.

Tansen became one of Akbar’s Navratnas (Nine Gems)—a group of nine extraordinary

talents. Akbar honored him with the title “Mian Tansen”, a rare mark of royal respect.

But Tansen was more than just a court musician. He became a symbol of cultural unity—a

Hindu musician in a Muslim emperor’s court, performing music that blended devotion,

creativity, and soul.

󹺁󹺂󷈓󷈔󷈑󷈕󷈒 The Power of Raga: Music That Moved Nature

Tansen’s deep understanding of ragas was so advanced that legends say he could control

nature through his singing.

Let’s hear one of the most famous stories:

The Tale of Raga Deepak and Raga Megh Malhar:

Once, some jealous courtiers of Akbar plotted against Tansen. They knew that Raga Deepak,

if sung correctly, could produce such intense heat that it could burn the singer. So, they

requested Akbar to ask Tansen to sing it.

Bound by his respect for the emperor, Tansen agreed. But he knew the risks. So, he trained

his daughter Saraswati and her friend to sing Raga Megh Malhar, a raga known to bring rain.

On the day of the performance, Tansen sang Raga Deepak. The lamps around began to light

up on their own. The atmosphere grew warm. People began to sweat. But just then, his

daughter and her friend started singing Raga Megh Malhar—and soon, clouds gathered, rain

poured, and the fire was extinguished.

Tansen had shown not only his mastery but also his wisdom and humility.

While this may be part legend and part truth, it reflects how deeply people believed in

Tansen’s divine connection to music.

󷘖 Musical Innovations: A Legacy that Lives On

Tansen wasn’t just a performer—he was also a creator. His contributions laid the foundation

for much of Hindustani classical music as we know it today.

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Here are some of his notable contributions:

1. New Ragas:

Tansen created several ragas that are still sung today. Some of them include:

• Miyan ki Todi

• Miyan ki Malhar

• Miyan ki Sarang

• Darbar Kanada

These ragas combined technical brilliance with deep emotional expression. Even today,

classical musicians consider performing these ragas a mark of respect to Tansen.

2. Popularizing Dhrupad:

Tansen gave new life to Dhrupad, a style that is devotional and deeply meditative. He made

it popular in royal courts, blending the Bhakti tradition with royal grandeur.

3. Gharana Influence:

Tansen's disciples formed the base of the Gwalior Gharana, one of the most prominent

schools of Hindustani music. This gharana became a training center for future musicians for

generations.

4. Bridge Between Bhakti and Royal Art:

Tansen is credited with bringing devotional music into the mainstream royal culture. His

music wasn’t just entertainment; it was spiritual, emotional, and intellectual.

󹻓󹻔󹻕󹻖󷉪󷉫󷉬󷉮󷉭󷉯󷉰󷉱󷉲󷉳 Unity Through Music: A Spiritual Contribution

Tansen lived during a time when India was deeply diverse—different religions, cultures, and

languages. But his music brought people together. Whether Hindu or Muslim, noble or

peasant, people came to hear his songs.

His friendship with Akbar and his acceptance in a Muslim court as a devout Hindu artist

shows how music can transcend boundaries. It became a universal language of love,

devotion, and peace.

󹴷󹴺󹴸󹴹󹴻󹴼󹴽󹴾󹴿󹵀󹵁󹵂 Tansen’s Death and Immortal Legacy

Tansen passed away around 1586 AD, but his music never died.

Akbar is said to have deeply mourned his loss. Today, Tansen’s tomb in Gwalior, located

near his guru Swami Haridas’s place, has become a site of musical pilgrimage.

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Every year, the Tansen Music Festival is held in Gwalior, where musicians from across India

come to pay tribute by singing his compositions under the open sky. His spirit seems to live

on in every note, every raga, and every performance.

󼮈󼮉󼮊󼮋󼮌󼮏󼮍󼮎󼮐 Conclusion: A Flame That Still Glows

Tansen was not just a court musician or a talented singer. He was a visionary, a spiritual

seeker, a cultural bridge, and a musical architect. His contribution lies not only in his

performance but in shaping an entire system of classical music that still resonates in modern

India.

From temples to concert halls, from villages to cities, his influence flows like an eternal

raga—sometimes calm, sometimes stormy—but always beautiful.

Even centuries later, when we hear the strains of a raga he composed, it feels as if Tansen is

still singing—reminding us that music, when touched by soul and devotion, becomes

immortal.

4. Explain in detail about the wedding songs of the Punjabi culture keeping in mind the

Ghorian and Suhag.

Ans: 󷉥󷉦 Melodies of Marriage: The Ghorian and Suhag Songs of Punjabi Weddings

One crisp afternoon in Amritsar, the air danced with the sound of dhol beats and laughter

spilling from a courtyard where women sat in vibrant phulkari shawls. Among them, an

elderly woman hummed a soft tune while others chimed in—it wasn’t rehearsed, yet it

flowed like water. As the bride blushed in a corner, someone whispered, “This is a Ghorian.

Tomorrow, they’ll sing Suhag too.” These weren’t just songs—they were centuries of culture

wrapped in melody.

Welcome to the soulful universe of Punjabi wedding songs, especially the two treasured

genres: Ghorian and Suhag. These aren’t formal hymns or pop numbers—they’re heartfelt

narratives shared in rhythm by generations, echoing stories of love, hope, tears, and

celebration.

Let’s unfold this beautiful tradition with clarity, warmth, and just a touch of storytelling.

󷘗󷘘󷘙 The Role of Traditional Wedding Songs in Punjabi Culture

In Punjabi society, songs are the emotional backbone of weddings. Long before the priest

arrives or legal documents are signed, the ceremonies truly begin with singing. Women

gather to perform these songs in homes, courtyards, and community centers, passing down

verses orally. Men may play instruments like the tumbi, but it’s the women who weave

emotions into lyrics.

These songs are not merely decorative—they help:

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• Express cultural values and beliefs.

• Preserve oral history and folklore.

• Guide emotional transitions for the bride and her family.

• Strengthen community bonds through shared performance.

Among all the genres, Ghorian and Suhag are considered the most essential.

󷮘󷮙󷮚󷮛󷮜󷮝󷮞󷮟 (a) Ghorian: Songs of the Horse-Riding Bridegroom

󷘺󷘻󷘼 What is a Ghorian?

Ghorian (plural of Ghorhi) are pre-wedding songs sung in anticipation of the arrival of the

groom on horseback (ghora means horse). These songs celebrate the joy, excitement, and

sometimes playful nervousness of a bride waiting to be united with her suitor.

Traditionally performed by women, Ghorian are sung during ceremonies like:

• Mayian (pre-wedding ritual)

• Choora ceremony

• Jaggo (night-long celebration)

• Mehndi (henna night)

These songs are upbeat, teasing, and celebratory—filled with vivid imagery of the groom’s

attire, his horse’s grandeur, and the procession (baraat) arriving in style.

󷖳󷖴󷖵󷖶󷖷 Themes and Style

• Playful teasing of the groom and his family “Tera lehnga ni laal laal, ghora vi lagda

kamaal kamaal” (Your lehnga is red and bright, your horse looks quite a sight!)

• Admiration of the groom’s looks and family status

• Descriptions of wedding ornaments, gifts, and preparations

• Hope and prayers for the couple’s future

The tone is joyful and light-hearted, often layered with humor.

󼪀󼪃󼪄󼪁󼪅󼪆󼪂󼪇 Storytime: A Village Ghorian Memory

In a village near Ludhiana, the groom's procession was late. While waiting, the bride’s

grandmother led a Ghorian that humorously mocked the groom’s horse for being lazy.

Everyone erupted with laughter—when the procession finally arrived, they sang it again,

now praising the horse’s decorations. It was community comedy woven into melody.

This illustrates that Ghorian are not fixed—they evolve with the moment, capturing

spontaneous joy.

󼨚󼨛󼨜󼨝󼨘󼨙 (b) Suhag: Songs of Emotion and Transition

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󷘺󷘻󷘼 What is Suhag?

Suhag (meaning marital bliss) songs are more introspective and emotional, sung during or

shortly before the vidaai (departure of the bride). These songs reflect the bride’s journey

from her parental home to her husband’s house—a bittersweet moment marked by mixed

emotions.

Unlike Ghorian, Suhag songs are slower and more solemn. They’re rich with metaphors,

often speaking in the voice of the bride or her family members.

󷖳󷖴󷖵󷖶󷖷 Themes and Style

• Longing and separation “Ve meri maa diyan akhiyan rul gayiyan...” (My mother’s

eyes have wept endlessly…)

• Blessings and prayers Wishing for a happy married life and kind in-laws.

• Emotional portrayal of maternal love Highlighting how hard it is for parents to let go.

• Philosophical acceptance of change Recognizing that marriage is a rite of passage.

The tone is gentle, often tearful, but also dignified.

󹵅󹵆󹵇󹵈 Lyrics and Symbolism

The bride is often compared to:

• A bird leaving her nest.

• A flower picked from the garden.

• A daughter like Laddoo (sweet), leaving bittersweet memories.

These songs provide a safe outlet for emotional release, especially for women in families

who may not express their sorrow openly. In many homes, even stoic elders allow their

tears to fall with Suhag.

󷗛󷗜 Ghorian vs. Suhag: A Comparison

Feature

Ghorian

Suhag

Occasion

Pre-wedding celebrations

Wedding departure (vidaai)

Tone

Cheerful, teasing, light-hearted

Emotional, reflective, solemn

Performer

Group

Mostly female relatives and

friends

Usually mothers, sisters, older

women

Focus

Groom, his family, wedding

preparations

Bride’s emotions, parental home,

blessings

Symbolism

Horse, ornaments, festivities

Nest, tears, acceptance

Both serve as emotional anchors to key wedding moments—but from contrasting angles.

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󷉪󷉫󷉬󷉮󷉭󷉯󷉰󷉱󷉲󷉳 Cultural Importance and Preservation

Ghorian and Suhag aren’t just songs—they are oral history, passed through voices, not

books. Today, modern DJs and Bollywood numbers often dominate weddings, but many

families still begin their celebrations with these time-honored melodies.

Efforts to preserve them include:

• Community-led folk music workshops.

• Recordings by Punjabi folk artists like Surinder Kaur and Narinder Biba.

• Inclusion in school and cultural curricula.

Many Punjabi NRIs abroad invite elder women to weddings just to keep these traditions

alive—proof that emotion and authenticity never go out of style.

󷇴󷇵󷇶󷇷󷇸󷇹 Final Reflection

The wedding songs of Punjab—especially the joyful Ghorian and the heartwarming Suhag—

transform ceremonies into soul-stirring experiences. They offer laughter, healing, tradition,

and timeless wisdom, making the bride’s journey not just ceremonial, but spiritual.

So when Meher, another modern bride from Amritsar, sat amid the wedding crowd listening

to a Suhag about her mother’s love, she whispered, “I won’t forget this tune. I’ll sing it for

my daughter one day too.”

SECTION-C

5. Write notation of fast Khayal of Raga Bhopali with two tanas.

Ans: 󷅰󷅱󷅵󷅲󷅳󷅴 A Morning at the Gharana: How Raga Bhopali Comes Alive

It was a calm early morning in Varanasi. The Ganges flowed gently, birds chirped softly, and

the air was filled with the divine sounds of tanpura. In a small room with old wooden walls

and hanging tanpuras, sat young Aarav, a disciple of Pandit Haridas, one of the most

respected classical vocalists in the city.

Aarav had been practicing music for years, but today was special. It was his turn to sing a

fast Khayal in Raga Bhopali – one of the most graceful and emotionally uplifting ragas in

Hindustani Classical Music.

Let’s now walk through the world of Raga Bhopali, the essence of fast Khayal, and how two

tanas (fast musical patterns) are constructed, not just with knowledge, but with

understanding.

󷘗󷘘󷘙 Understanding Raga Bhopali – The Essence of Simplicity

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Raga Bhopali is like a peaceful hill under the moonlight – simple yet majestic. It belongs to

the Kalyan thaat and is sung mostly in the evening. It uses only 5 notes (swaras), making it a

pentatonic raga (Audav-Audav: five notes in both ascent and descent).

Let’s note the important features:

• Aroha (Ascending): Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Sa

• Avaroha (Descending): Sa Dha Pa Ga Re Sa

• Vadi (Most important note): Ga

• Samvadi (Second most important note): Dha

• Jaati: Audav - Audav (5 swaras in both aroha and avaroha)

• Time of Singing: Evening (6 PM – 9 PM)

• Mood: Peaceful, devotional, and light

Also, Ma and Ni are not used in this raga, which gives it a very pure and open sound.

󷖤󷖢󷖣 What is a Fast Khayal?

Before jumping into the notation, let’s understand what a fast Khayal is.

• Khayal is the most popular form of vocal music in Hindustani classical. It gives the

singer freedom to express.

• In a fast Khayal, the tempo is quick, the taal is fast (usually Teentaal), and the artist

explores the raga with improvisation such as alap, taans, sargam, and bol-taans.

• It demands skill, creativity, and command over rhythm and swara.

󼪺󼪻 Notation of Fast Khayal in Raga Bhopali (with Two Tanas)

Let us now write the notation, step by step. The taal used is Teentaal (16 beats).

Teentaal Structure:

󷉥󷉦 Bandish (Composition): “Mahadev Deva Maheshwara”

Sthayi (First part – lower & middle octave):

Mahadev Deva Maheshwara

Mahadev Deva Maheshwara

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Antara (Second part – higher octave):

Trilochana Bhola Bhandaari

Mahadev Deva Maheshwara

󷓉󷓊󷓋󷓐󷓑󷓒󷓓󷓔󷓕󷓖󷓗󷓌󷓍󷓎󷓘󷓙󷓚󷓏 Tanas (Fast Patterns in Swaras)

Now we’ll add two different tanas to show how the artist can creatively explore Raga

Bhopali.

Tana 1 – Straight and Fast (Sapat Taan style):

• Sa Re Ga Pa Dha | Sa' Dha Pa Ga Re | Sa Re Ga Pa Dha | Sa' Dha Pa Ga Re | Sa -

This taan shows a simple ascending and descending pattern in a linear flow. It matches the

tempo of a fast Khayal and stays within the raga rules (no Ma and Ni).

Tana 2 – Vakra (Zig-zag and Creative Style):

• Ga Pa Dha | Ga Re Sa | Pa Dha Sa' | Dha Pa Ga | Re Sa -

This taan is more decorative, involving jumping movements and playing with the emotional

touch of the raga. It’s not straight but artistic – which is the beauty of a Khayal performance.

󼮖󼮗󼮘󼮙󼮚󼮛󼮜󼮝󼮞󼮟󼮠󼮑󼮒󼮓󼮔󼮕 Story of the Mountain Call – Why Tan and Khayal Matter

Let’s return to the story of Aarav. On the day of his performance, Pandit Haridas asked:

"Aarav, can you tell me what a taan is, not in words, but with feeling?"

Aarav closed his eyes and said:

“Guruji, imagine a shepherd on a high mountain. When he calls out to his goats in the

valleys, his voice echoes with fast patterns – Sa Re Ga Pa Dha Sa'… The taan is like that echo

– quick, rising, falling, always staying true to the mountain’s shape. That mountain is our

raga. That voice is the taan.”

Haridas smiled. Aarav had understood the soul behind the technique. And this is what fast

Khayal with tanas really means – not just speed, but expression, emotion, and musical

storytelling.

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󼨐󼨑󼨒 Breakdown for Memory & Practice

Here’s how you can practice and memorize fast Khayal in Raga Bhopali:

󼳊󼳋󼳌󼳒󼳍󼳓󼳎󼳏󼳔󼳐󼳑 Step-by-Step Practice Plan:

1. Learn the Aroha and Avaroha by heart – It’s your map.

2. Understand the Bandish – Try to sing slowly first, then increase tempo.

3. Master the taal (Teentaal) – Use claps and waves to understand the cycle.

4. Practice Alap slowly – Create phrases like:

o Sa Re Ga

o Ga Pa Dha

o Re Ga Pa Dha Sa'

5. Try Tanas one by one

o Start with straight tanas

o Then experiment with vakra (zig-zag) patterns

6. Record yourself – This helps in reviewing speed, clarity, and sur.

󽄻󽄼󽄽 Summary

• Raga Bhopali is a 5-note evening raga full of peace and light.

• Fast Khayal in Bhopali uses Teentaal, explores raga through improvisation.

• We wrote a bandish “Mahadev Deva Maheshwara” with proper notations.

• Two types of tanas:

o One simple (Sapat style)

o One decorative (Vakra style)

• Singing fast Khayal isn’t just about speed – it’s about emotion, clarity, and

understanding the mood of the raga.

󷑢󷑣󷑤󷑥 Final Thought

Music is not only made of notes. It is made of the spaces between the notes, the emotion in

the voice, and the stories it tells. When you sing a fast Khayal in Bhopali, imagine telling a

story to the sky, where each taan is a bird flying free – but within the sky’s boundaries.

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6. Write single and double Laykari of Taal Teentaal.

Ans: 󷘖 A Journey into the World of Rhythm: Understanding Laykari through Teentaal

Let us imagine two curious students—Ravi and Meena—visiting a Gurukul to learn Tabla

from the great Ustad Rahim Khan. They are excited but also confused about one topic:

Laykari, especially in Taal Teentaal.

As they sit before their guru, he smiles and says,

"Rhythm is not just about beating the drum—it is about dancing with time. Today, I will take

you into the magical world of Laykari."

󻎅󻎆󻎇󻎈󻎉󻎊󻎋 What is Teentaal?

Before we dive into Laykari, let's understand Taal Teentaal clearly.

Teentaal is the most popular and fundamental taal in Hindustani classical music, especially

for Tabla. It has:

• 16 beats (matras) in one cycle (avartan)

• Divided into 4 Vibhags (sections) of 4 matras each

• Tali (Claps) on 1st, 5th, and 13th beat

• Khali (Wave) on 9th beat

Here is the structure of Teentaal:

Matra No.

Vibhag

Clap

The theka (basic pattern) of Teentaal is:

• Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Tin Tin Ta | Ta Dhin Dhin Dha

Now, let’s explore what Laykari means.

󷘺󷘻󷘼 What is Laykari?

Laykari refers to the manipulation of laya (tempo) in relation to the taal. It is the art of

playing the same composition in different speeds—like singing or playing the same sentence

faster or slower while keeping the rhythm intact.

In other words, Laykari is:

• A rhythmic variation within the structure of a taal

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• It enhances creativity and shows the performer’s control over rhythm

• It gives the audience a taste of mathematical beauty hidden in music

There are mainly three types:

1. Single Laykari (Ekgun Laykari) – 1 note per matra (normal speed)

2. Double Laykari (Dugun Laykari) – 2 notes per matra (double speed)

3. (Others include Tigun, Chaugun, Aad, Kuad etc.)

󼨐󼨑󼨒 Let's Understand with a Simple Analogy

Imagine Teentaal as a road with 16 lamp posts (each lamp post = 1 beat). You have to walk

from lamp post 1 to lamp post 16.

• In Single Laykari, you take 1 step per lamp post (normal walk).

• In Double Laykari, you take 2 steps for each lamp post (you’re walking faster).

But no matter what, you reach the final lamp post in same total time. You are simply

fitting more or fewer steps in the same stretch.

󹻂 Single Laykari (Ekgun Laykari) of Teentaal

This is the basic version of the taal.

One bol (syllable) per matra.

Theka in Single Laykari:

• Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Tin Tin Ta | Ta Dhin Dhin

Dha

󷵻󷵼󷵽󷵾 Here, every syllable is evenly placed on each beat. It's like reciting each word clearly

while walking slowly and rhythmically.

Example with Matras:

Mat

No.

Bol

Dhi

󹻁 Double Laykari (Dugun Laykari) of Teentaal

Now, here comes the excitement.

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In Double Laykari, every matra (beat) will have 2 bols (syllables).

So instead of 16 bols, we now play 32 bols in the same 16 matras. This makes the

performance sound faster, but the taal cycle remains same.

Theka in Double Laykari:

• Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dhin Dhin Dha Dha | Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dhin Dhin Dha Dha |

• Dha Dha Tin Tin Tin Tin Ta Ta | Ta Ta Dhin Dhin Dhin Dhin Dha Dha

Now observe with Matras (2 bols per beat):

Matra No.

...continues till 16

Bol

Dha

Dhin

Dha

...

This requires:

• Clear pronunciation of each bol

• Perfect sense of rhythm and timing

• Full concentration

󹴷󹴺󹴸󹴹󹴻󹴼󹴽󹴾󹴿󹵀󹵁󹵂 A Short Story from the Gurukul

Ustad Rahim Khan now tests his students.

He asks Ravi, “Beta, can you say the Teentaal in single laykari?”

Ravi confidently recites:

• “Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Dhin Dhin Dha | Dha Tin Tin Ta | Ta Dhin Dhin Dha”

Then the Ustad smiles at Meena, “And now you, can you show Dugun Laykari?”

Meena closes her eyes, taps the theka with her fingers, and doubles the pace:

• “Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dhin Dhin Dha Dha...”

When she finishes, Ustad Rahim claps joyfully.

He says,

"Good, my children. You have learned not just the taal, but the balance of time and soul.

That is the essence of Laykari."

󷗭󷗨󷗩󷗪󷗫󷗬 Importance of Single and Double Laykari

Aspect

Single Laykari

Double Laykari

Tempo

Normal speed

Double speed (2 bols per matra)

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Complexity

Basic

Intermediate

Clarity

Easier to play

Requires faster hand & tongue

Purpose

Learning structure

Developing speed, control, and grace

Usage

Used in basic theka or vilambit

Used in compositions, improvisations

SECTION-D

7. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's contribution in the field of Music is unforgettable. Comment.

Ans: 󷅶󷅱󷅺󷅷󷅸󷅹 Introduction – The Silent Morning and the Divine Voice

Imagine a peaceful morning in the village of Sultanpur Lodhi. The birds are just beginning to

chirp, the trees are still swaying with dew, and the world is slowly waking up. In this

stillness, a melodious sound arises — not from a temple bell or a flute, but from a human

voice, calm yet powerful, singing praises of the Almighty. This voice belongs to none other

than Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism. His music wasn’t just about melody; it

was about the message — the message of truth, unity, and devotion.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji didn’t just preach through words — he sang his thoughts. His hymns and

shabads weren’t ordinary songs. They were divine expressions, wrapped in deep philosophy

and sung with a heart full of love. His contribution to music is unforgettable because he

changed the way people experienced spirituality — not just through rituals, but through

raag (melody) and bhav (emotion).

󷘖 1. The Language of the Soul – Why Music?

Guru Nanak Dev Ji knew that music touches the soul in a way that plain speech cannot.

Words may enter the ears, but melody enters the heart. That’s why he chose music as the

vehicle for his teachings. While many saints wrote philosophical texts, Guru Nanak Dev Ji

sang his messages using Raags (classical Indian musical scales).

Each Raag in Indian classical music creates a different mood. Some make you feel happy,

some bring peace, while others make you feel the pain of separation. Guru Ji used these

emotions as tools to bring people closer to God. He believed that God is not in temples or

rituals, but inside our own hearts, and music helps awaken that realization.

󷘗󷘘󷘙 2. The Use of Raag in Guru Granth Sahib

One of the most remarkable contributions of Guru Nanak Dev Ji to music is his use of Raags

in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs. He composed his hymns in 19

different raags, each carefully selected to match the emotion of the verse.

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For example:

• When he wanted to express peace and devotion, he used Raag Asa.

• To describe spiritual joy, he used Raag Dhanasari.

• For serious and introspective moods, he selected Raag Maru.

This wasn’t random. He was deliberate and thoughtful, using musical tones as a way to

guide people’s inner feelings toward spiritual truth.

󷘺󷘻󷘼 3. The Rabab – A Sacred Companion

Let’s now talk about a very important companion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji — Bhai Mardana, a

Muslim by birth, a devoted follower by choice, and a talented rabab player. Wherever Guru

Ji traveled, Bhai Mardana was with him, playing the rabab (a stringed instrument similar to a

lute).

Here’s a beautiful story:

󷆫󷆪 A Journey with Music – Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana

Once, during their travels, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana visited a village where people

were suffering from ego and pride. They believed only in material success and mocked

saints and poets. Guru Nanak didn’t argue with them. Instead, he sat under a tree, closed

his eyes, and began to sing a shabad (hymn):

“Kiv Sachiara hoeeai kiv koorai tutte paal...”

(How can one become truthful? How can the veil of illusion be torn?)

Bhai Mardana played the rabab beside him. The villagers gathered out of curiosity. Slowly,

their mocking turned into silence, and then into tears. Something in the divine music and

words pierced their hearts. That day, without any lecture, without any punishment, Guru

Nanak changed lives — with music.

󷖤󷖢󷖣 4. Revolution in Worship Through Music

Before Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s time, religious practices were becoming mechanical. People

were more focused on rituals, fasts, and outer appearances, while the inner connection to

God was fading. Guru Ji challenged this.

He said, “Kirtan karo” — do devotional singing. He made kirtan (singing of hymns) the most

central form of worship in Sikhism. He gave birth to the tradition of “Naam Simran” —

remembering and repeating the name of God through music and melody.

Guru Ji proved that you don’t need temples, rituals, or special conditions to meet God. All

you need is a true heart and a sincere voice.

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󹴷󹴺󹴸󹴹󹴻󹴼󹴽󹴾󹴿󹵀󹵁󹵂 5. Guru Granth Sahib – A Musical Masterpiece

Guru Nanak Dev Ji laid the foundation for what later became the Guru Granth Sahib, a holy

book that is entirely written in verse and raag. It is the only religious scripture in the world

that is organized entirely according to musical structure.

This shows how deeply he believed in the power of music. Even centuries later, when Sikhs

gather in Gurdwaras, they still sing his shabads in the same raags. His music is alive, and it

still heals and guides people today.

󷘰󷘱󷘲󷘳󷘴󷘵󷘶󷘸󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘷󷘹 6. A Unique Blend – Bhakti, Sufi, and Music

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was influenced by both Bhakti saints and Sufi mystics, but he created

something new — a universal musical spirituality. He connected Hindus and Muslims, rich

and poor, young and old — all through the common thread of music.

Whether it was a king or a common man, they would stop and listen when Guru Ji sang. His

voice didn’t belong to any caste, religion, or border. It belonged to humanity.

󹰤󹰥󹰦󹰧󹰨 Conclusion – Why His Contribution Is Unforgettable

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji didn’t just use music — he transformed it into a spiritual revolution.

His music was never about performance or fame. It was about truth, equality, and love. He

sang not to entertain, but to awaken.

Even today, his shabads are sung daily in Gurdwaras, and the tradition of kirtan continues

around the world. His message, wrapped in melody, still flows like a river, soothing hearts

and guiding souls.

So yes, when we say his contribution to music is unforgettable, we truly mean it — because

he didn’t just change music, he used music to change the world.

8. Write short notes on the following:

(a) Rababi

(b) Mohalla.

Ans: 󷉥󷉦 A Different Beginning…

Long ago, in the divine silence of early morning, the golden rays of the sun fell softly on the

steps of a Gurdwara. The air was filled not with noise, but with the soul-soothing sound of a

rabab—a string instrument that echoed with devotion. It wasn’t just a melody; it was

history speaking through music. And behind this sacred sound was not a Sikh, but a Muslim

musician named Bhai Mardana—the very first Rababi.

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At the same time, in a small village, people were gathering not in markets or temples, but

around a humble man in a turban. He was no preacher, yet his words had wisdom. This

wasn’t a classroom or a temple service. This was a Mohalla, a traveling congregation where

spiritual wisdom was shared outside the bounds of rituals and temples. And leading it was

Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.

Let’s now break down these two powerful and meaningful concepts from Sikh history:

Rababi and Mohalla, in the most engaging and understandable way.

(a) 󷉪󷉫󷉬󷉮󷉭󷉯󷉰󷉱󷉲󷉳 Rababi: The Musicians of Devotion

󽄻󽄼󽄽 Who were the Rababis?

The Rababis were musicians who played devotional music, especially in the Sikh tradition.

Their role was to sing Kirtan (spiritual hymns) in the presence of the Guru or in Gurdwaras.

The word Rababi comes from the instrument rabab, which they played. These musicians

were not just any performers—they were carriers of divine sound, and their art was deeply

connected to spirituality, not entertainment.

󷘗󷘘󷘙 The Origin – Bhai Mardana’s Story

The first and most famous Rababi was Bhai Mardana, a Muslim by birth and a childhood

friend of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. When Guru Nanak began his spiritual journeys (Udasis), Bhai

Mardana traveled with him everywhere. As the Guru sang hymns composed by him, Bhai

Mardana would play the rabab in harmony. This created a blend of Shabad (word) and Naad

(sound), which helped people connect directly with the Divine.

󽄻󽄼󽄽 Short story snippet: It is said that once Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana were resting

under a tree in the desert. Mardana, tired and thirsty, complained. Guru Nanak asked him to

play the rabab and sing with faith. Mardana did, and miraculously, a spring of water burst

forth. This story shows the power of music and devotion combined.

󹻓󹻔󹻕󹻖 Interfaith Harmony

One of the most beautiful aspects of the Rababi tradition is its promotion of interfaith unity.

Even though the Rababis were mostly Muslims, they served in the Sikh religious settings

without any discrimination. Guru Nanak never believed in dividing people by religion. For

him, a true devotee was someone who remembered God with love and sincerity, no matter

what religion they belonged to. The Rababis proved that music transcends all divisions.

󷘺󷘻󷘼 Contributions through History

After Guru Nanak, the tradition of Rababis continued through various Gurus. Rababis were

trained and respected musicians in the Guru's court. They preserved and performed the

hymns of the Sikh Gurus in Raag (musical modes) as specified in the Guru Granth Sahib.

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However, after the Partition of India in 1947, many Rababis who were Muslim had to

migrate to Pakistan, and slowly, the tradition started to fade in India. But its memory and

value are still honored in Sikh history.

󷇴󷇵󷇶󷇷󷇸󷇹 Importance of Rababis

• Promoters of Kirtan: Helped spread the spiritual messages of the Gurus.

• Symbols of unity: Bridged the gap between religions.

• Cultural Preservers: Carried forward the musical tradition of the Gurus.

• Inspirers of Devotion: Their music touched the hearts of people across faiths.

(b) 󷉸󷉹󷉺 Mohalla: A Journey, Not a Place

󺪿󺫀󺫁󺫂󺫃󺫄󺫅 What does ‘Mohalla’ mean?

The word Mohalla in Sikh history doesn’t mean a street or locality, as in everyday Punjabi or

Hindi. Instead, in Sikh scripture and tradition, Mohalla refers to the succession of the Sikh

Gurus, i.e., which Guru is speaking or whose teachings are being quoted in the hymns.

In the Guru Granth Sahib, you’ll often see hymns starting with "Mohalla Pehla", "Mohalla

Dooja", etc. Here’s what they mean:

• Mohalla Pehla (1st) → Guru Nanak Dev Ji

• Mohalla Dooja (2nd) → Guru Angad Dev Ji

• Mohalla Teeja (3rd) → Guru Amar Das Ji

• Mohalla Chautha (4th) → Guru Ram Das Ji

• Mohalla Panjva (5th) → Guru Arjan Dev Ji

• Mohalla Nauva (9th) → Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji

This system helps readers identify which Guru composed the hymn.

󹴮󹴯󹴰󹴱󹴲󹴳 Why is this important?

Think of the Guru Granth Sahib as a divine songbook with 1430 pages. But it’s not a random

collection. It is well-organized by Raags (musical measures), and within each Raag, the

hymns are arranged according to the Guru who composed them. That’s where Mohalla

helps.

So when you see "Raag Asa Mohalla Pehla", it means this hymn is set in Raag Asa and was

composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

󼨐󼨑󼨒 The Spiritual Meaning

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Each Guru, while continuing the mission of Guru Nanak, had a unique spiritual experience

and expression. The title Mohalla helps us appreciate the diversity of thought within the

same spiritual framework. For example:

• Guru Nanak focused on universal brotherhood and oneness of God.

• Guru Amar Das emphasized social equality, especially abolishing caste

discrimination.

• Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth, bringing together all compositions.

Thus, Mohalla is not just a label. It shows the spiritual legacy, the journey of the Sikh Gurus,

and how each one added a verse to the great symphony of Sikh philosophy.

󷆊󷆋󷆌󷆍󷆎󷆏 Conclusion: A Symphony of Soul and Spirit

Whether it is Rababi, the soulful musician like Bhai Mardana, or Mohalla, the poetic way to

honor the legacy of each Guru—both these concepts are more than just historical terms.

They represent the heart and soul of Sikhism.

The Rababis taught us that music knows no religion and that true devotion is universal. The

Mohallas remind us that while spiritual journeys may have different voices, the destination

is the same—truth, love, and connection with the Divine.

“This paper has been carefully prepared for educational purposes. If you notice any mistakes or

have suggestions, feel free to share your feedback.”