Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982 Longing for Kirtan |
| Longing for Kirtan The Gurus had insatiable thirst for kirtan. Guru Ramdas compared himself to a fish. Just as a fish cannot live without water, in the same way, the devotee cannot survive without kirtan or the Holy Name. His constant prayer to God is that he should always remember Him. This is the main object of his life and his highest achievement. Guru Arjan Dev wanted that he should be doing kirtan till the moment of his death. To him God’s Name was uppermost day and night. A true devotee is engrossed in God’s praises to such an extent that he entirely forgets himself and his physical needs. His mind is attuned to the singing of God’s praises. He seeks those persons and places where he can be imbued with the love of the Lord’s Name. We know of some Sikh musicians like Bhai Sham Singh and Bhai Mansa Singh who devotedly performed kirtan daily and for many years, in the Golden Temple, Amritsar, without any desire for gain or reward. So also Bhai Randhir Singh (1878-1961) performed uninterrupted Gurbani Sangeet (Akand Kirtan) not only for the whole night (Raen-subai), but also for more than twenty-four hours at a stretch. Then his face had a dazzling aura. The author had the privilege of observing his glowing face and listening to kirtan at Dagshahi (Simla Hills) in 1951. Whenever he sat for a kirtan session, there was no time-restriction. He would continue for hours together, while the members of the congregation would come out from time to time for food or rest. |