Raga Asa
Encyclopedia
Raga Asa is an Indian musical raga
(composition) that appears in the Sikh
tradition from northern India
and is part of the Sikh holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib
. Every raga has a strict set of rules which govern the number of notes that can be used; which notes can be used; and their interplay that has to be adhered to for the composition of a tune.
In the Guru Granth Sahib
, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total composition of 31 ragas and this raga is the fourth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on 142 pages from page numbers 347 to 489.
Asa is a very old raga
which was once popular in the Punjab
(northern India
) but seldom heard in concerts today. In the Guru Granth Sahib
's Ragmala
this is a ragini (subset) of raga Megha. However, today it is assigned to the "Bilaval" thata ("set"). Asa is a devotional raga for the cold season and is performed in the early morning just before sunrise. However, it is also known as a twilight melody with a calm mystical mood. Raga Asa was used by Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das
, Guru Ram Das
, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The following represents the order of notes that can be used on the ascending and descending phase of the composition and the primary and secondary notes.
Asa is a crooked (vakra) raga in that approaches to certain notes have to be made from a set position. Its variants as given in the Guru Granth Sahib
are Kafi and Asavari, both of which have many features in common with Asa. This raga may have originated in Maharashtra about the time of the major Muslim
invasions. Its pleasing sound made it suitable for bhajans by the Hindu
devotees.
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
(composition) that appears in the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
tradition from northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and is part of the Sikh holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
. Every raga has a strict set of rules which govern the number of notes that can be used; which notes can be used; and their interplay that has to be adhered to for the composition of a tune.
In the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total composition of 31 ragas and this raga is the fourth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on 142 pages from page numbers 347 to 489.
Asa is a very old raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
which was once popular in the Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
(northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) but seldom heard in concerts today. In the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
's Ragmala
Ragmala
Ragmala or Ragamala , literally means a 'garland of Ragas, or musical melodies'. "Mala" means "garland", while "Raga" is a "musical composition or mode", which has also given rise to the series of Ragamala paintings. This list differs according to the author and the music school it is based upon...
this is a ragini (subset) of raga Megha. However, today it is assigned to the "Bilaval" thata ("set"). Asa is a devotional raga for the cold season and is performed in the early morning just before sunrise. However, it is also known as a twilight melody with a calm mystical mood. Raga Asa was used by Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das
Guru Amar Das was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552.-His life:...
, Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das
Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 30 August 1574.-Early life:Ram Das was born in Lahore, Punjab on 24 September 1534[1] to a Sodhi family of the Khatri clan. His father was Hari Das and his mother Anup Devi. His wife was Bibi Bhani,...
, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The following represents the order of notes that can be used on the ascending and descending phase of the composition and the primary and secondary notes.
- Aroh: Sa Re Ma Pa Dha Sa
- Avroh: Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa
- Vadi: Ma
- Samvadi: Sa
Asa is a crooked (vakra) raga in that approaches to certain notes have to be made from a set position. Its variants as given in the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib
Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
are Kafi and Asavari, both of which have many features in common with Asa. This raga may have originated in Maharashtra about the time of the major Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
invasions. Its pleasing sound made it suitable for bhajans by the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
devotees.