Amrit Keertan
Amrit Keertan or Amar Kirtan is a Gutka consisting of a collection of shabads (sacred verses) from Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other sources which are used to perform kirtan (Congregational singing) traditionally sung in the Sikh sangat (community) in Gurdwaras and other religious gatherings. The poetry of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is held to be worthy of the highest consideration in the Sikh tradition and the singing of the hymns is considered of paramount importance in this era - "Kaljug mah kirtan pardaana" - "in the era of kaljug, kirtan is supreme".
Music forms the basis of the rhythms and classification of the hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They follow a definite metrical system called raags. A raag in Indian classical music means a pattern of melodic notes. This form is not only used to preserve the originality of the composition, as the poetry written in this form is difficult to imitate, but more so to provide the divine experience through the medium of music and the sounds of God’s creation. The total number of ragas is 31. The gurus themselves invented some of those. Under each Raag, the hymns are arranged in different meters as Chaupadas and Ashtapadas; long poems include Chhands, Vars, and Bhagat verses.
