About! Raga Sorath

Raag Sorath:

This is an India 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 (SGGS.) 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 Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total of 31 raga compositions and this raga is the ninth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 65 pages from page numbers 595 to 660.

Raga Sorath appears in the Ragmala as a ragini of Raga Megha; today it belongs to the Khamaj thata. Besides Guru Nanak, Sorath was used by Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar for a total of 150 hymns plus numerous slokas. Sorath belongs to the cold season and is performed in the first quarter of night. The mood is light and cheerful, with a pleasing sound resembling Raga Desh. The texts composed to this raga show how the words of the Guru can enlighten the mind. All fears vanish and one is filled with bliss.
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:
Aroh: Sa Re Ma Pa Ni Sa
Avroh: Sa Re Ni Dha, Ma Pa Dha Ma Ga Re Ni Sa
Vadi: Re
Samvadi: Dha
The melodies are characterized by sweeping phrases with glides connecting all leaps, even the shorter ones. Movement is moderately fast.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorath)


Mallikarjun Mansur sings Raga Sorath!

About Raga Sorath, from "What the Raags Told Me" written by Vasudev Murthy:

"How beautiful the focused, calm mind is. No thought dares disturb
the mind that has found peace through singing me. The eternal
truths are twined within every phrase you make and create within
me and they do not see the need to hide or be elusive. Why be
reborn?  You can commit no evil when you sing me. Your sins melt
and drip away as you go past Nishad and into the next octave,
exploring, exploring, asking the same questions over and over and
waiting to listen to the answers again and again because they are
so clear. Your mind will dive deeper and deeper into the depths of
your soul, finding more and more and yet returning effortlessly to
the present, understanding that the restlessness of the outer world
is an illusion that has to be endured till your soul is ready to move
on from its temporary home. Your body does not seek your attention
anymore. Your mind becomes the incense for the outside world.
After singing me, listen to silence and see that there was no
difference after all."