In the gurdwara the scripture is sung: professional and congregational singers (ragis) perform the hymns in their appointed ragas before the Guru Granth Sahib.
Tagged: Community Praise Prayer Sikh
How It Is Practiced
The congregation sits on the floor, women and men together, before the enthroned Guru Granth Sahib, while the ragis sing the day's hymns to harmonium and tabla in the ragas the Granth itself prescribes for them — each hymn headed with its melody and house. Worshippers arrive and leave through the service, bowing before the Granth, offering, and sitting to listen as long as they can. At the end, the sung Ardas (the community's standing prayer) and a random opening of the Granth (vak) give the congregation its hukamnama, the day's order from the Guru.
Purpose and Meaning
Sikh worship is audition: God is approached as the Word sung. The Guru Granth Sahib is organized by rāga — it is a hymnal before it is a book — and kirtan is therefore not decoration on the service but the service: the community does not read its Guru; it listens to him sing.
References
- Kirtan — Wikipedia Free / open access
- Gurdwara — Wikipedia Free / open access
Related Practices
- Kīrtan and Bhajan — Devotional Song — The singing of God's names and deeds, in call and response, with drums and cymbals: the devotion of the bhakti movements that remade Hindu practice.
- Nitnem — The Daily Banis — The Sikh day is built of hymns: Japji Sahib at dawn, Rehras at evening, Kirtan Sohila before sleep — the Guru's word as the day's frame.
- Laṅgar and Sevā — The Sacred Kitchen — Devotion as service: the gurdwara's free kitchen feeds all comers, seated in one line on the floor, cooked and served by volunteers as worship.
Related Across the Site
- Kīrtan and Bhajan — Devotional Song Devotion — The singing of God's names and deeds, in call and response, with drums and cymbals: the devotion of the bhakti movements that remade Hindu practice.
- The Akathist Devotion — An akathist is a long hymn of praise to Christ, the Mother of God, or a saint, sung standing.
- Ardas Prayer or Creed — The formal standing prayer of supplication and remembrance that frames Sikh worship and undertakings.
- Glory Be (Gloria Patri) Prayer or Creed — A short doxology praising the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, used across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant worship.
- Kaddish Prayer or Creed — An Aramaic prayer sanctifying God's name, best known in its form recited by mourners.
- Nitnem Prayer or Creed — The daily banis (hymns) prescribed for Sikh devotion: morning, evening, and night prayers from the Sikh scriptures.
- Te Deum Prayer or Creed — An ancient Latin hymn of praise to God, sung on occasions of solemn thanksgiving in Catholic and Anglican worship.
- Trisagion Prayers Prayer or Creed — The opening prayers of Orthodox services and prayer rules, built around the thrice-holy hymn 'Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.'