Singing Guru Nanak for a Year

I decided to spend a year to spend a year working on compositions of Guru Nanak for #GuruNanak550.  Someone asked me write about this experience and this is what I said:

Singing Guru Nanak For a Year

As long as I sing, I live. As soon as I forget, I die

(So Kyon Visrai)

- Guru Nanak, Raag Asa

On the momentous occasion of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary celebrations, I decide to spend a year meditating upon the words and music of Guru Nanak. Its exciting ... For many years Bhai Gurdas has reminded me how Guru Nanak lighted his life, Kal Taaran Guru Nanak Aaya. I commence excitedly, focusing on the light that is brighter than one hundred moons and one thousand suns combined, the light of Guru Nanak’s prayer, the universal Aarti with the stars studded in the sky’s platter.

I decide to sing Guru Nanak completely this year. The initial plan is to record 55 new compositions. I think this to be momentous because normally I can only do 10-12 compositions in a year. This is also momentous because I will sing shabads that are rarely heard and expound raagas rarely explored. But mostly it is momentous and exciting because I will live with the sweet words of the Guru and have them recorded for myself to hear for the rest of my life.

I start out with a live recording of an album. I invite 5 musicians to my home to record an improvisation album of the Mool Mantra. Musicians from three continents come together for 2 hour of bliss. 

And then I move on to Guru Nanak's shabads, from Vadde Mere Sahiba in Raag Asa to Har Bin Jio in Raag Sri to Haun Dhadi in Raag Majh and so on. Like Rang Rataa, the universal power he sings for, Guru Nanak songs are multicolored. They are filled with humility and love, courage and fortitude, truth and bliss. The words are so apt for me. Every one touches the heart. I find it truly amazing that the Guru writes these shabads for me. Often I am just left in wonder. Waheguru Satnam!

Days go by, weeks and then months. I am enjoying this a lot compared to previous years. Instead of meandering through the various colors of the oneness randomly. Through singing Guru Nanak, I am focused on singing One, singing Ek Onkaar, singing Naam.

Within a few months, I realize things are going really well, and music is descending upon me faster than it ever has. I am loving it, and I don’t want to count where I am to see if I am done with 55. That would be very sad. I don’t want it to end. So, I remove the numbered list on my laptop. I stop counting my compositions. Singing Guru Nanak cannot be caged in limits. Akaal!

Now with about a month left for Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary, I have far exceeded my original number of compositions. But I feel like I have not even the scratched the surface of the Guru's ocean. I have not even begun the sing Guru Nanak.

His message is precipitating upon me. San Ramon has the sweet fragrance of Dharamsaal Kartarpur.
Singing is his life and singing is his lesson. Different shabads and raags are amalgamating into one. The simplicity of his message is amazingly elegant. Remember Naam sings Baba Nanak. That is his only message. Just that one. One! No other ritual is needed, no higher prayer, no sweeter song, no farther travel, no purer cleansing, no quieter silence, and no fuller symphony.

Remember Naam is the incessant song weaved through all Remember Your True Essence he chants in all his words. In all kinds of darkness, the best answer is to sing the true essence. And no one is bereft of this true essence. At the Guru’s gate everyone is singing. Everything is singing. The wind singing in its blowing. The water sings in its flowing. The fire sings in its burning. The planets sing in their revolving. Because the Guru makes them. 

Likewise, in acceptance, I sing too. I sing because what better purpose of life there is. I sing Tere Gun Gaavaan as it was sung by Bhai Samund Singh a hundred years ago. Like Guru Nanak did 500 years ago. Or do I? 

I used to think I sing, but with the Guru’s grace the singing just happens. The Guru just sings and I float in his boat. He takes me across ... Gur Taar Taaranhareya like he did in Ramkali 50 years ago. The decision is not mine. The singing is not mine either. All power is His. Aakhan Jor Chupai Na Jor. Singing Guru Nanak for a year is impossible. This singing continues and promises never to end. Such grace upon me is momentous. 

Playlist of recordings related to this project: