An Album to Celebrate the Opening of the Kartarpur Corridor

This album is in celebration of the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free access for the lovers of Guru Nanak to go from India to the Pakistani town of Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life. Much thanks to Janapriyan Levine who helped arrange a couple of the shabads in this album, and also to Jeremy Marais and Abhijit Chakraborty for playing the Saxophone and Bass respectively in one shabad each.

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Khasam Ki Bani

Khasam Ki Bani, a phrase used by Guru Nanak to describe his own poetry, means "Words of my Love". The project started off as a musical celebration of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary and now continues because I did not have the heart to stop. [from - Feb/Mar 2016] "Jaisi Main Avai Khasam Ki Bani" is one of the four poems included in what is called "Babarvani" describing the four invasions by Mughal Emperor Babar (1483-1530). While three of these poems are in Raag Asa (the color of Hope), this poem is in Raag Tilang (the color of Mideast). Read More: Complete Babarvani Babar and Guru Nanak in 1520-1521 Before I share the translation, some brief history for you based on what I have gathered from several sources including Babar's Autobiography in the past few days. The year was 1520. The season was winter. Babar made his third invasion into India and easily subdued several cities including Sialkot. He...

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...

Saajan

Today is my little sister Simer’s wedding in India. While I couldn’t attend in person, I am celebrating with the release of “Saajan” - an album with 5 shabads. Saajan means “Beloved”. The cover concept and design is by my 13 year old daughter Jania. It shows Guru Nanak and his Rebab playing bard, Bhai Mardana. Superimposed on this is Simer’s wedding dress. The colors coordinate with the Raags in the album. I’m grateful to five musicians have contributed to this: Ahsan Ali (Sarangi and vocals), Rajesh Prasanna (Bansuri), Jeremy Marais (Saxophone), Rajvinder Singh (Tabla), and Abhijit Chakraborty (Bass). Here is the first shabad from this album:

Khasam Ki Bani - #GuruNanak550

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