View source for Asa

(Aasaa) This is an Indian musical [[raga]] (composition) that appears in the [[Sikh]] tradition from northern [[India]] and is part of the Sikh holy scripture called [[Sri Guru Granth Sahib]] Ji or [[SGGS]] for short. 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 [[SGGS]], the Sikh holy Granth (book), there are a total compositions of 60 ragas and this raga is the first raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appears again on 142 pages from page numbers 347 to 489. 

Raag Aasaa (ਆਸਾ) – Aasaa has strong emotions of inspiration and courage. This Raag gives the listener the determination and ambition to put aside any excuses and to proceed with the necessary action to achieve the aim. It generates feelings of passion and zeal to succeed and the energy generated from these feelings enables the listener to find the strength from within to achieve success, even when the achievement seems difficult. The determined mood of this Raag ensures that failure is not an option and motivates the listener to be inspired. 

[[Raga Asa]] was used by [[Guru Nanak]] Dev Ji, [[Guru Angad]] Dev Ji, [[Guru Amar Das]] Ji, [[Guru Ram Das]] Ji, [[Guru Arjan]] Dev Ji, and [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] Ji. 

The following represents the order of notes that can be used on the ascending and descending phase of the composition and the primary and secondary notes.

{|style="width:70%; background:#f5f5f5; " border="1" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0"
|width=20%| '''Section'''
|width=40%| '''Punjabi'''
|width=40%| '''English'''
|-
| [[Aroh]]: || ਸ ਰ ਮ ਪ ਧ ਸ ||  Sa Re Ma Pa Dha Sa
|-
| [[Avroh]]: || ਸ ਨ ਧ ਪ ਮ ਗ ਰ ਸ  || Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa
|-
| [[Vadi]]: || ਮ || Ma
|-
| [[Samvadi]]: || ਸ || Sa
|}

Aasaa is a crooked (vakra) raga in that approaches to certain notes have to be made from a set position. Its variants as given in the [[SGGS]] are Kafi and Aasaavari, both of which have many features in common with Aasaa. This raga may have originated in Maharashtra, about the time of the major [[Muslim]] invasions. Its pleasing sound made it suitable for bhajans by the [[Hindu]] devotees. 

'''[http://gurmatgiangroup.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/darshan-kee-man-aas-ghanaere-raag-asa/ Gurbani Keertan in Raag Asa]'''

==See also ==

* [[Ragas in the SGGS]]
* [[Kirtan]]
* [[Raga]]
* [[Sikh Kirtan]]
* [[Taal]]

==External links==

* [http://gurmatgiangroup.com/ Gurmat Gian Group]
* [http://www.gurmatsangeetproject.com/  Gurmat Sangeet Project]
* [http://www.gurmatsangeet.org/ Gurmat Sangeet]
* [http://www.gurmatsangeetdarbar.com/ Gurmat Sangeet Darbar]
* [http://www.rajacademy.com/  Raj Academy of Asian Music]
* [http://www.sikhnet.com/GurbaniKirtan/ Sikhnet: Shabad for Printing]<br><br>

{{Kirtan}}
[[Category:Raga]]
[[Category:Kirtan]]
[[Category:Glossary of Sikh Terms]]
[[Category:Sikhism]]