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 31 ragas and this raga is the fourth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appears on 142 pages from page numbers 347 to 489.
Aasaa is a very old raga which was once popular in Punjab (northern India) but is seldom heard in concerts today. In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Ragmala, this is a ragini (subset) of raga Megha. However, today it is assigned to the "Bilaval" thata ("set"). Aasaa is a devotional raga for the cold season and is performed in the early morning just before sunrise. However, it is also known as a twilight melody with a calm and mystical mood. 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.
| Section | Punjabi | 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.
See also
External links
- Gurmat Gian Group
- Gurmat Sangeet Project
- Gurmat Sangeet
- Gurmat Sangeet Darbar
- Raj Academy of Asian Music
- Sikhnet: Shabad for Printing
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| Ragas: | Asa · Bairari · Basant · Bhairon · Bihagara · Bilaval · Devagandhari · Dhanasari · Gauri · Gond · Gujari · Jaijavanti · Jaitsri · Kalian · Kanara · Kedara · Maajh · Malaar · Mali Gaura · Maru · Nat Narain · Prabhati · Ramkali · Sarang · Sri · Sorath · Suhi · Tilang · Todi · Tukhari · Vadahans |
| Ragis: | Harjinder Singh · Maninder Singh · Amolak Singh · Darshan Singh · Balwinder Singh · Harbans Singh · Anoop Singh · Niranjan Singh · Amrik Singh · Avtar Singh · Snatam Kaur ·Kamaljit Kaur · Dileep Kaur · Joginder Singh · SS Maskeen |
| Saaj: | Harmonium · Tabla · · Tanpura · Taus · Rabab · Sarangi · Dilruba · · Saranda · Sarode · Sitar · Santoor · Pakhawaj · Dhadh · Dholak · Dool |
