Basant : Introduction
Basant is a raga (a South Asian musical melody) that appears in the Sikh tradition from northern India and is part of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Raga
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, there are a total of 31 raga compositions and this raga is the twenty-fifth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 29 pages from page numbers 1168 to 1197.
Origin
Basant is Pali/Punjabi word for “spring”. The word is much older than the Sikh religion and any usage of the word in relation to melody or Sikh tradition is a later rendition of the word.
| Thaat | Poorvi |
|---|---|
| Vaadi/Samvaadi | S/P |
| Prahar | 8 (3 am - 6 am) |
| Important Anuvaadi | |
| Aaroha | S-G-M-d-r'-S' |
| Bhaav | Shadj-Pancham |
| Avaroha | S'-N-d-P-M-G-M-G-r-S |
| Saptak-pradhaanata | Madhya-Tar |
| Pakad | M-d-r'-S'-N-d-P-M-G-M-G |
| Tanpura Tuning | N |
| Jaati | Audav-Sampoorn |
| Other Characteristics | Re is taken only in tar-saptak.Shuddh Ma is vivadi, but allowed for embellishment.Often performed in spring season. |
| Similar Raagas | Poorvi Sohni |
| Popular Film Songs | 1. Ketaki gulab joohi champak ban phoole Film: Basant Bahar Singers: Manna Dey Bhimsen Joshi Taala: Ek-taal Music Director: Shankar Jaikishan Poet: Shailendra |
| Non-Film Songs |