Silver Spring, Maryland - Little voices filled the gurdwara today for nearly 10 hours with gurmat sangeet during the 6th annual Washington Capital Region Kirtan Sammelan. What started out with about 75 kids in 2005 has grown to 150 participants. While more than half were from the host gurdwara, Guru Nanak Foundation of America, in Maryland, jathaas came from other mid and north Atlantic states.
Updated June 1, 2010, 1:15 a.m.

From Group I, ages 7 to 10, GNFA: Kareena Kaur, Angel Kaur, Jasleen Kaur, Bani Kaur, Japnith Singh and Arjun Singh Sethi. Shabad: rakhaa ek hamara swami. Raag: Bhairo Photo: Sikh News Network.

From Group III, ages 15 to 18, from York, Pennsylvania. Shabad: to kahe garbe bhavali Raag: Basant Photo: Sikh News Network.

Plaques and medals. Photo: Sikh News Network.

Media coverage. Photo: Sikh News Network.

Group I, first place winners. Photo: Sikh News Network.

Group II, first place winners. Photo: Sikh News Network.

Group III, first place winners. Photo: Sikh News Network.

“You may not be aware of this but you are a part of a global renaissance of gurmat sangeet,” said Sarbpreet Singh of Boston, a judge and founder of www.gurmatsangeet.com, to the participants. There have been too many filmy tunes disguised as gurmat sangeet. But within a short time, real gurmat sangeet and classical instruments are now “in fashion.”

One of the main criteria is that the shabad be sung in nirdharit raag, which is the raag designated in the Guru Granth Sahib for a particular shabad. Anything else means a deduction of 20 points from the total of 100 points, and essentially knocks the jathaa out of placing in the top three. Sometimes the difference between first, second and third place is a matter of only one point.

“The importance of following nirdharit raag is that we are following the instruction of the Guru Sahibaan,” said Harsharan Kaur, a member of the gurdwara’s Dharmic Committee that runs the program. “It’s the instruction given before each shabad… Baani was first sung by the Gurus, then written in the particular raag, melody, to fully capture the meaning of the shabad.”

Kids, from ages 7 to 18, made up 37 jathaas. And guest jathas included kids as young as 4 and up to 25. The older ones are kids that had participated in the competition as youngsters come back and contribute.

“We should not think of this event as a kids event,” said Baldev Singh of Chicago, another judge. “The majority of our Gurus were in this age group.

Guidelines were strict, including explaining the raag and shabad in Punjabi, singing a mangalacharan; accuracy of sur, taal and laiya of vocalists; quality of alaap and taan; and emotion of the shabad.

“The measure of gurmat sangeet is: If you are tired, you don’t feel tired. You will not want to walk away,” Baldev Singh added. “The ultimate goal is to use the mechanism of Guru Nanak to communicate.”

Fifty volunteers spent the day making langar, coordinating the flow of jathaas, providing technical support and judging. But the greatest credit goes to the gurdwara’s bhai sahibs: Jugmohan Singh, Harvinder Singh, Harmohan Singh and Sat Parkash Singh, Harsharan Kaur said.

“They are rare jewels,” she said. “The amount of sacrifice that goes into this.” They have to give up every weekday evening for about four months to train all the 21 jathaas.

“They’re so special that kids like learning from them,” she added. They are the “central component” to the success of this event.

The bhai sahibs have been doing this seva for nearly 22 years, since they first came to the gurdwara. “As long as Waheguru gives us strength, we will keep doing it,” Jugmohan Singh said.

All the kids interviewed after the event said they wanted to come back next year. Arjan Singh, 6, said he learned a new taal for this competition. This was the first time he and his sisters, Jasleen Kaur, 8, and Noor Kaur, 4, participated in this event.

Malika Kaur, 9, Saihjleen Kaur, 10, Avneet Kaur, 7, and Jaskiran Kaur, 11, had participated between two to four times before. They walked away with second place this year.

“I love to do kirtan and shabads,” Malika said. Saihleen said she liked to learn new shabads. But Avneet said she does not care for singing, she just likes to play the sumandul and violin.

WINNERS

Group I – Ages 7 to 10

FIRST PLACE

Tara Kaur Khaunja, Satkaran Kaur Khanuja, Preeta Singh and Nihal Khurana

Shabad: hare ek simar pyare.

SECOND PLACE: GNFA, Maryland

Saihajleen Kaur Bahra, Avneet Kaur Bahra, Jaskeerat Kaur Sian, Malika Kaur Ubhi and Nihal Khurana

Shabad: Thakur tum sarnayee aaya.

Raag: Sarang

THIRD PLACE: National Gurdwara, Washington D.C.

Karandeep Singh, Simar singh

Group II – Ages 11 to 14

FIRST PLACE: Bridgewater Gurdwara, New Jersey

Nirmol Jatha: Prachi Makkar, Anmol Kaur, Harjot Singh Sidhu and Surya Makkar Shabad: tera dassan dasa kanhu rai

Raag: Basant

SECOND PLACE: Sri Harmandir Academy, Maryland

Mansimran Kaur, Aman Kaur and Arun Singh

Shabad: terey gun gavan deh bujhayi

Raag: Bilawal

THIRD PLACE: Washington Sikh Center, Maryland; and the Guru Angad Institute of Sikh Studies

Sajjan Singh, Jeevan Singh, Kiran Kaur and Saminder Singh

Shabad: merey lalan ki soba.

Raag: Kalyaan

Group III – Ages 15 to 18

FIRST PLACE: GNFA, Maryland

Ramneek Kaur, Harleen Kaur, Amolak Singh, Nihal Singh and Navraj Singh. Shabad: nar nar namskaran

Raag: Ramkali

SECOND PLACE: National Gurdwara, Washington D.C.

Jasleen Kaur, Sandeep Kaur, Gagandeep Singh, Amandeep Singh and Jolainder Kaur Babra.

Shabad: gun naadh dhun anand baedh

Raag: Kalyaan

THIRD PLACE: GNFA, Maryland

Surjit Singh, Manpreet Gujral and Narjit Singh

Shabad: chetana hai to chet lai

Raag: Tilang

Note: Story by Anju Kaur
Sikh News Network staff journalist
anjukaur@sikhnn.com
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