Guru Nanak's Aarti composed by Aruna Sairam with the help of Pricipal Sukhwant SIngh in Raag Dhanasari is brought to life through the exceptional talents of four renowned artists - Anantvir Singh, Amrita Kaur, and Zeeshan Ali. This unique collaboration brings together diverse musical traditions and vocal excellence, creating a harmonious blend that transcends boundaries and speaks to the universal spirit of devotion.

*Guru Nanak’s Message of Peace through Music* is part of Darbar’s ‘Liberators of Humanity’ series of events that celebrate the great spiritual masters which used sacred text and Indian classical music to for Sufi, kirtan and bhajans to elevate the human spirit.

Gagan mein thaal rav chand deepak banay
The sky is the platter, the sun and moon are the lamps
Taarikaa mandal janak motee
The stars in the heavens are the pearls
Dhoop malaanlo pavan chavro karay
Sagal banrai phoolant jotee
The fragrant winds are the incense, all forests the flowers
Kaisee aartee hoay bhav khandanaa
What a beautiful aarti this is, O Destroyer of fear!
Teree aartee anhataa shabd vaajant bhayree
The unstruck melody resounds like the sound of temple drums
Sahas tav nain nan nain hai tohi kau
You have thousands of eyes, yet no eyes
Sahas moorat nanaa ek tohi
Thousands of forms, yet no form
Sahas pad bimal nan ek pad
Thousands of feet, yet no feet
Gandh bin sahas tav gandh
Thousands of fragrances, yet no fragrance
Iv chalat mohi
In all creation, Your divine light shines
Sabh meh jot jot hai soay
Tis kai chaanan sabh meh chaanan hoay
Gur saakhee jot pargat hoay
By this illumination, everything is illuminated
Through the Guru’s teachings, this divine light is revealed

Historical context and significance of the Aarti
When Guru Nanak visited the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri around 1506, he witnessed the evening aarti ceremony - a Hindu ritual involving lamps, flowers and incense for the deities, accompanied by bells and the sound of the conch. Instead of joining in with the congregation, Guru Nanak contemplated the aarti from a distance. When asked why he wasn’t taking part, he recited his own version, which was expanded to include the whole cosmos in continual divine worship. Guru Nanak, through this aarti, challenged orthodox ritualism and presented a revolutionary vision of worship.

About Raag Dhanasari:
Dhanashree creates an atmosphere of deep devotion and contemplative peace through its distinctive melodic structure. Traditionally performed during the early evening, this raag is characterised by its somewhat serious mood, the prominent use of komal ni (flat seventh) and komal ga (flat third) and its ability to evoke spiritual sentiment.

About the project:
Performance Date: 6th April, 2025
Venue: Recorded at the Barbican Centre on 6 April 2025, as part of the artistic collaboration titled ‘Guru Nanak’s Message of Peace through Music’.
‘Guru Nanak’s Message of Peace through Music’ was dedicated to exploring how Guru Nanak’s timeless message of equality, compassion, and spiritual awakening continues to resonate through the musical traditions he helped to establish. Music was integral to Guru Nanak’s mission. He travelled extensively with his faithful companion, Bhai Mardana, a Muslim rababi (rabab player), and together they used music to convey profound spiritual truths in a form accessible to all, regardless of caste, creed, or social standing. The concert was set to honour that tradition of inclusivity and spiritual elevation through music.

Musicians
Aruna Sairam (carnatic vocals)
Zeeshan Ali (sufi vocals)
Bhai Anantvir Singh (kirtania)
Amrita Kaur (kirtania)
Momin Khan (sarangi)
Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam)
Giridhar Udupa (ghatam)
Surdarshan Chana (tabla & jori)
Gurdain Rayatt (tabla)
Beibei Wang (da ga drum)

Darbar Team:
Sandeep Virdee OBE (Artistic Director)
Simrat Lall (Darbar Festival Manager)
María Guardiola (Festivals and Events Manager)
Depesh Patel (Events Manager)
Esther Trienekens (Head of Programmes & Partnerships)
Priyanka Godinho (Administrator and Accounts)
Harpal Manku (Academy Manager)
Divya Kulkarni (Academy Administrator)
Jamie Craven (Head of Design)
Rahul Ravindran (Creative Video Editor)
Sana Ejaz (Marketing Executive)
Zahabiya Patharia (Marketing Executive)
Christoph Bracher (Head of Sound)
Rehmat Rayatt (Photographer)
Pritpal Sagoo (Head of Production)
Gurwinder Soor (Techical Production)
Tom Grancia (Technical Production)
Carl Owen (Camera Operator)
Chris Connel (Camera Operator)
Anup Parmar (Camera Operator)
Nick Morchang (Camera Operator)