Nuances of Sikh Poetics

Sikh Chhand Bandi - The Dying Jewel of Sikh Literature

What is chhand bandi? Everyone has heard of the 52 Kavis of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s court. Legends such as Kavi Santokh Singh and Akali Ratan Singh Bhangu have mastered poetic expressions. Yet, the mastery of the past is now a mystery to most. What are kavita and more particularly chhand bandi? 

Kavita can be directly translated as poetry, whereas Chhand Bandi is a form of poetry in which a meter-system known as chhand is used. Each meter has a unique chaal (rhythm). Popular chhand used by Guru Gobind Singh ji include Bhujang Pryaat Chhand, Chhapai Chhand and countless others. These meters are used to convey emotions, ideas and concepts in a highly effective manner. With Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s poetic mastery, it is of no surprise that the majority of the Guru’s compositions in both Dasam and Sarbloh Granth Sahib are primarily composed in chhand.

Under the patronage of the 10th Master were 52 poets, who produced masterful works of chhand bandi. Prominent examples of these include the Hanuman Natak of Kavi Hirday Ram, the Prem Ambodh of Kavi Hari Das, Anbhau Oulas of Kavi Gopaal, and the Das Gur Katha of Kavi Kankan. The Guru had gathered the poets to inspire Sikh intellectual and scholarly pursuits, which played a pivotal role in Sikh literature, administration and heritage. 

Even after the time of the 10 Gurus, the compositions of the 52 poets helped foster a blossoming field of Sikh literature and spiritual dialogue. Amongst those inspired by the scholarly pursuit was Bhai Santokh Singh, who was so skilled in chhand writing that he earned the title of ‘Kavi Raj’, or King of the Poets. Their magnum opus of the Suraj Prakash Granth continues to be read and studied by historians, preachers and scholars today. It is the most complete and extensive record of the lives of the 10 Gurus. Another prominent writer who arose around this period was Akali Ratan Singh Bhangu, a Nihang of great esteem. Descending from the Akali Mehtab Singh Bhangu family, he chronicled Sikh history in the Sri Gur Panth Prakash. A voluminous collection of episodes of Sikh history from the first Guru to the Sikh Raj. Using chhand, he masterfully imbued the warrior spirit of Bir Ras within the recounts of the martyrs and wars waged through Sikh history. 

The impact of Chhand Bandi within Gurbani.

Within Sikh poetry, two distinct approaches were taken by the gurus. The first approach known as ‘Khuli Kavita’ or Open Poetics, follows no Rhythm, while the second follows the meters prescribed by the particular chhand. The latter is a more structured system. Arising from the South Indian, Telugu system of the chhand outlined in the Pingal Shastar, there are a total of 26 types of chhand. Each chhand follows a meter abiding by a specific rhythm. The space for creativity is so great that there are 134217726 possible combinations.

Within Gurbani and the wider Sikh tradition, this has been effective in illustrating the horror of war, the valour of a duel, and even the tactical movement of a serpent. The rhythm used in chhand bandi brings the reader to the battlefield to experience the anxiety, adrenaline and bloodlust of war. Through the fast-paced Deerag Tribhangi Chhand and Bhujang Pryaat Chhand, Guru Gobind Singh ji conveyed the ire of a sword and the valour of its wielder. Sikhs of the past masterfully used Chands to praise the guru, pass on knowledge and retell stories of old but today we have all but forgotten the craft.

Why is it dying?

So the question is why is such a complex and ancient craft dying? We’ve seen a resurgence in other arts like Raag Sangeet and miniature painting but not in Chhand Kavita. Why’s that? This can be broken down into three reasons. 

1. The Lack of Popularity 

Despite the daily exposure to Chhand in the form of Jaap Sahib, the large majority of Sikhs recite their Nitnem from muscle memory. As with most cases, the mind is somewhere else while the tongue chants. While Punjabi chhand bandi is still relatively popular amongst the Sikhs, Braj chhand bandi has been on a downward depression. The last prevalent writer of Braj Chhand Bandi in Punjab was Sant Giani Gurbachan Singh. Due to the lack of intelligibility, Braj Chhand Bandi cannot afford the same sponsorship and support from the Gurdwara and Punjabi community today. The difficulty of composing Braj chhand bandi is another factor leading to its decline in popularity.   

2. Lack of resources

Unfortunately, there are limited accessible resources on Chhand Bandi composition. The lack of knowledgeable individuals in many Gurdwara makes this form of literature highly inaccessible to the masses. There is also a lack of translations available for Chhand Kavitas which therefore leads to a lack of understanding of these compositions. The other limiting factor is the languages used. Braj has largely fallen out of use in Punjab, except amongst the scholars and academics. The lack of knowledge in poetic vocabulary coming from Braj, Sanskrit, Pali, and Farsi further decreases the opportunities to produce chhand bandi by laymen. But, don’t get your hopes down. Sarb Kala Samrath wants to change this! With your support, we want to create systemized resources for our members. You will be given special access to expertly crafted materials on how you can create your chhand, savaiya, Doha compositions, and a possible workshop to top it off! Be sure to sign up now! The Panth needs you to embark on a revitalization of Sikh scholarship and academia.     

3. Taboo

Due to ignorance and lack of exposure to external literature, some individuals believe that Chhand Bandi is something exclusive to Gurbani. This exclusive mentality means that any attempts at composing Chhand Bandi can be mislabelled as an attempt to imitate Gurbani by the ignorant. With the shadow of beadbi claims looming over the head, it has made the pursuit of Chhand Bandi a more private pursuit by the hobbyist. 

A Final Say 

Yet despite the poetic importance in Sikh literature, there has been a steady decline in the traditions of Sikh poetry. Yet, up until the 19th century, the art of chhand bandi has been preserved by the tradition of the Nirmala saints who have authored and translated Vedantic compositions such as Saruktavali, Bhavarsamrit, Adhyatam Prakash and many more in poetic meters. Other authors such as Sant Giani Gurbachan Singh ji of the Damdami Taksal can be said to be the last scholar to have written extensively in Braj for his original works - Sri Gurmukh Prakash. Yet they represent a final remnant of chhand bandi writers. The overall decline in the general engagement with chhand bandi from the general populace has left the art almost obsolete, and obscure, only pursued by the hobbyist. It is our wish at Sarb Kala Samrath to be able to bring this sacred form of poetry back to life. Please support us by registering on our website or social media page. 

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh