The role of religious music in Sikhism

On March 18th 2010,the faculty of Theology,KU Leuven organised a lecture at Maria Therisia College on The role of religious music in Sikhism ,delievered by Lili Van Heers who taught Sikhism more than thirty years ago in Asia. She is an author of the book "The Sikhism and the Sikhs' (2008, published in-house, see Coverage in MO * by Gie Goris Editor). An agenda of this lecture was to discuss the origin and historical evolution of the Sikh faith considering the relative unfamiliarity of Sikhism in Belgium.


Two Sikh Kirtan Singers ;Parminder Singh & Sukhdev Singh introduced European students to Sikh religious Music (Kirtan). They migrated from Punjab and live in Sint-Truiden,Belgium. Both Ragis (musicians) also contributed to the CD called ‘Profundo’ containing religious music from various major religious traditions in Belgium.

Lotte Beernaert : Excerpts from the beautiful message received from Lotte Beernaert who is a third year student of Theology in KU Leuven:

First the Kirtan-singers and Lili Van Heers were introduced and then Lili gave us briefly a summary about Sikhism. We, the third bachelors do already know the theory and the story of Sikhism because we saw that last year, but for the second bachelors it was new, I think. She told us about the ten Guru's, about the Guru Granth Sahib. Though we already knew it, but sometimes that is good for wakening up the mind . She also told us about Indira Gandhi and the cruel attack on Golden Temple.

She told about the Golden Temple and it brought a nice feeling back, remembering the days we spend there. The Golden Temple was for me one of the highlights in India, on our trip. After her twenty minutes of explanation about the founding of Sikhism and the important facts, then the Kirtan Singers song for us Bilaaval Mehlaa 5 (GGS 820). While listening my mind were filled with memories of last August. If I could I took the plane immediately, and I wasn't the only one with that feeling but all Bachelor (Graduate)students who went to India shared that feeling.

After the prayer, we listen another fourteen minutes to Lili Van Heers. Now it was more specific about the structure of the Guru Granth Sahib, and that was new to me. With the different parts in the Holy Book and the explanation on which way it is structured the importance of music came up. We already knew that music was special to come closer to God and pray, but by knowing where the structure is based on and that Guru Nanak was a singer and travelled a lot and sings a lot of prayers, the importance of music in Sikhism become more and more clear. Though, in every religion music has an important place, but in Sikhism it has that little bit more of importance. Music (Kirtan) is really fantastic and tonight by learning more about the Guru Granth Sahib than that we already knew and also because we were witness of three prayers song by Kirtan with Tabla and Harmonium, we could feel its impact within Sikhism.

Lili used in her explanation a lot of quotes of the Guru Granth Sahib or some saints. It was a comprehensible lecture and she knew what she was talking about. The Kirtan with their prayers gave an extra dimension on the lecture. An important dimension within Sikhism that may not be undervalued when we are learning about the world Religion.I liked this lecture very much, because it recalled memories that we won't forget. I discovered that with the experience of Tine; her death; we didn't talk a lot about our experience in India. We don't forgot, but actually we didn't like to talk about it.But tonight we did after the lecture;when we go drinking something in 'De Werf'. It was the first time that we shared our experience, especially about the Sikhs in India, with our fellow students. It was a beautiful day today, because the Spring is in the air for one of the first times this year and the lecture was as nice as warming closure of the day!

Greetings,
Lotte