Veer Rass
Bir Ras or Veer Rass or Heroic Flavour of Singing is one of the prominent features of the singing tradition called Kavishri, a style of (marshall) singing which was developed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is an energetic and very dynamic style of singing where the singer's gusto and enthusiasm compensates for the lack of any musical instruments. Kavishri performers sing about historical events in the form of poetry. There are nine accepted rasas or flavours of singing, out of which four are prominent. These are hasya ras (comic), shant ras (quiet), verag ras (mystic) and veer ras (heroic). Songs of the Veer ras flavor are the ones most commonly sung today. There are innumerable songs, poetic compositions called kavits and the on-the-spot compositions of Kavishris in praise of an individual or an event that are sung under this genre.
In the Malwa region of Punjab, the 'chhandd-band' (rhymed on meter) Punjabi poetry which is sung in loud, fast, yet stretched voice without any musical instruments (somewhat similar to tarannum) is called Kavishri. The people who write and sing Kavishri in Punjabi melas, diwaans, mehfils, weddings, ect., are called Kavishar. Originally started in Malwa, this tradition of Punjabi poetry and singing has spread throughout Punjab although the majority of the Kavishar(s) to this day have been from Malwa. Babu Rajab Ali originally frpm the village of Sahoke near Moga was the un-crowned king of Kavishari.
Raga Malkauns is an example of a type of Raga that is particularly suitable for singing compositions imbued with Veer Ras such as Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s bani. (Many have called Malkauns 'the King of Ragas'.)
A Shabad
ਸੰਗੀਤ ਭਜੰਗ ਪਰਯਾਤ ਛੰਦ ॥
SANGEET BHUJANG PRAYAAT STANZA
ਕਾਗੜਦੰ ਕਾਤੀ ਕਟਾਰੀ ਕੜਾਕੰ ॥
The sounds of the blows of the daggers and swords are being heard.
ਤਾਗੜਦੰ ਤੀਰੰ ਤਪਕੰ ਤੜਾਕੰ ॥
The sounds of the shafts and gunshots are being heard.
ਝਾਗੜਦੰ ਨਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਜੇ ॥
Various sounds of musical instruments are resounding.
ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗਾਜੀ ਮਹਾ ਗਜ ਗਾਜੇ ॥੩੫॥੧੧੨॥
The warriors are roaring and shouting loudly.35.112.
ਸਾਗੜਦੰ ਸੂਰੰ ਕਾਗੜਦੰ ਕੋਪੰ ॥
The great heroes have been struck.
ਪਾਗੜਦੰ ਪਰਮੰ ਰਣੰ ਪਾਵ ਰੋਪੰ ॥
And the brave fighters are belching.36.113.
ਸਾਗੜਦੰ ਸਸਤਰੰ ਝਾਗੜਦੰਗ ਝਾਰੈ॥
The warriors seem pleased on shooting sharp arrows on the bodies.
ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬੀਰੰ ਡਾਗੜਦੰ ਡਕਾਰੈਂ ॥੩੬॥੧੧੩॥
There are loud shouts with profound resounding, and the poets describe them in their verses.37.114.
ਚਾਗੜਦੰ ਚਉਪੇ ਬਾਗੜਦੰਗ ਬੀਰੰ ॥ ਮਾਗੜਦੰਗ ਮਾਰੇ ਤਨੰ ਤਿਛ ਤੀਰੰ ॥
The demons are running away and the heroes are shouting loudly.
ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗਜੇ ਸ ਬਜੇ ਗਹੀਰੈ॥ ਕਾਗੜਦੰ ਕਵੀਯਾਨ ਕਥੇ ਕਥੀਰੈ॥੩੭॥੧੧੪॥
The demons are running away and the heroes are shouting loudly.
ਦਾਗੜਦੰ ਦਾਨੋ ਭਾਗੜਦੰ ਭਾਜੇ ॥ ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗਾਜੀ ਜਾਗੜਦੰ ਗਾਜੇ ॥
The sounds are produced by the striking axes and daggers.
ਛਾਗੜਦੰ ਛਉਹੀ ਛਰੇ ਪਰੇ ਛੜਾਕੇ ॥ ਤਾਗੜਦੰ ਤੀਰੰ ਤਪਕੰ ਤੜਾਕੇ ॥੩੮॥੧੧੫॥
The arrows and the guns are creating their own noses.38.115.
ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗੋਮਾਯ ਗਜੇ ਗਹੀਰੰ ॥ ਸਾਗੜਦੰ ਸੰਖੰ ਨਾਗੜਦੰਗ ਨਫੀਰੰ ॥
The loud noise of drums and the resounding of conches and trumpets is being heard in the battlefield.
ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਜੇ ਬਜੇ ਬੀਰ ਖੇਤੰ ॥ ਨਾਗੜਦੰ ਨਾਚੇ ਸ ਭੂਤੰ ਪਰੇਤੰ ॥੩੯॥੧੧੬॥
The musical instruments of the warriors are being played and the ghosts and goblins are dancing.39.116.
ਤਾਗੜਦੰ ਤੀਰੰ ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਣੰ ॥ ਕਾਗੜਦੰ ਕਾਤੀ ਕਟਾਰੀ ਕਰਿਪਾਣੰ ॥
The noises of the arrows and shafts, daggers and swords are being heard.
ਨਾਗੜਦੰ ਨਾਦੰ ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਜੇ ॥ ਸਾਗੜਦੰ ਸੂਰੰ ਰਾਗੜਦੰ ਰਾਜੇ ॥੪੦॥੧੧੭॥
The music of the musical instruments and the drumming of the trumpets resounds and the warriors and chieftains are doing their job amidst such resonance.40.117.
ਸਾਗੜਦੰ ਸੰਖੰ ਨਾਗੜਦੰ ਨਫੀਰੰ ॥ ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗੋਮਾਯ ਗਜੇ ਗਹੀਰੰ ॥
The conches, clarionets and the drums resounded.
ਨਾਗੜਦੰ ਨਗਾਰੇ ਬਾਗੜਦੰ ਬਾਜੇ ॥ ਜਾਗੜਦੰ ਜੋਧਾ ਗਾਗੜਦੰ ਗਾਜੇ ॥੪੧॥੧੧੮॥
The trumpets and musical instruments produced their sounds and alongwith their resonance, the warriors thundered.41.118.
