Searching for the Lost Rabab
Performing in SIngapore 2001
"In 1999 Chris Mooney Singh found the priceless relic belonging to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th successor of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism on a recent visit to the Indian sub-continent. It was at that time the only example of a musical instrument played by any of the Sikh Gurus – six of whom were poet-musicians. Mooney-Singh spent over ten years documenting the history of the rabab, which had long been out of use in the Sikh sacred musical tradition. In 1999 he was invited to perform with the rabab at the Golden Temple, the leading Sikh shrine at Amritsar. It was the first time the instrument had been heard there for close to 100 years.
Born in 1956 in Canberra, he is a fourth-generation Australian Mooney added ‘Singh’ to his name and became the first Australian to adopt Sikhism in 1989. He grew up in a multi-racial suburb and has been from the age of fourteen deeply attached to Asian art, culture and meditation philosophy. In January 1999 Poetica on National Radio, Australia produced a programme entitled 'Searching for the Lost Rabab', documenting Mooney-Singh's personal journey. During the past decade due to his and others' efforts the rabab and other Sikh traditional string instruments are now being heard once more in India, South-East Asia and the USA. (See the video below, showcasing Akal Academy students performing traditional string instrument Sikh Sacred music with the plucked rabab and a variety of traditional and other classical string instruments.” Adapted from UKPHA.org
Born in 1956 in Canberra, he is a fourth-generation Australian Mooney added ‘Singh’ to his name and became the first Australian to adopt Sikhism in 1989. He grew up in a multi-racial suburb and has been from the age of fourteen deeply attached to Asian art, culture and meditation philosophy. In January 1999 Poetica on National Radio, Australia produced a programme entitled 'Searching for the Lost Rabab', documenting Mooney-Singh's personal journey. During the past decade due to his and others' efforts the rabab and other Sikh traditional string instruments are now being heard once more in India, South-East Asia and the USA. (See the video below, showcasing Akal Academy students performing traditional string instrument Sikh Sacred music with the plucked rabab and a variety of traditional and other classical string instruments.” Adapted from UKPHA.org
"I am from that generation of Australians who have grown up believing they are geographically part of Asia and need to find their cultural identity there too."
Sri Guru Nanak Dev
Guru Nanak, the poet-musician Founder of the Sikh Faith gave a specially designed rabab to his Muslim companion Bhai Mardana. Together, they walked 38,000 kms for over twenty years sharing the message of universal enlightenment and peace, inter-religious brotherhood and tolerance throughout India, parts of China, Burma, parts of Russia, Tibet, Egypt and the Middle-East around 500 years ago through the medium of sacred poetry and music. Although it has been out of use for the last hundred years, the rabab is still the first and most enduring symbols of the Sikh tradition in which vocal music is the main form of daily congregational worship.
Guru Nanak, the poet-musician Founder of the Sikh Faith gave a specially designed rabab to his Muslim companion Bhai Mardana. Together, they walked 38,000 kms for over twenty years sharing the message of universal enlightenment and peace, inter-religious brotherhood and tolerance throughout India, parts of China, Burma, parts of Russia, Tibet, Egypt and the Middle-East around 500 years ago through the medium of sacred poetry and music. Although it has been out of use for the last hundred years, the rabab is still the first and most enduring symbols of the Sikh tradition in which vocal music is the main form of daily congregational worship.
Finding the Lost Rabab, Himachal Pradesh, India, 1999
Return of the Rabab
Once the leading instrument of Sikh sacred music, this rabab was gifted by the tenth master of the Sikh tradition Guru Gobind Singh over 300 years ago to Maharaja Sidh Sen of Suket Mandi in the Northern Hill state of Himachal Pradesh. It has survived the ravages of time, heat and history by being kept in relative obscurity and a cool climate. Over four feet long with a huge round skinned-covered body, the rabab was once the most popular instrument of its day, both in the courts of emperors as well as an instrument of wandering bards. For 400 years it was also the pre-eminent musical instrument of Sikh music.
As well as in India, the rabab is one of the most ancient musical instruments in the world. For millions, it has become a generic name for skin-covered bowed and plucked lute. Its origins can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilisation and 2000 year-old archaeological evidence of its existence has been found in Nangahar in Northern Afghanistan. The rabab has also been referred to in Arabic traditions as rabab al Shair ‘the poet’s instrument’ and is intimately connected with Eastern mystical literature.
Once the leading instrument of Sikh sacred music, this rabab was gifted by the tenth master of the Sikh tradition Guru Gobind Singh over 300 years ago to Maharaja Sidh Sen of Suket Mandi in the Northern Hill state of Himachal Pradesh. It has survived the ravages of time, heat and history by being kept in relative obscurity and a cool climate. Over four feet long with a huge round skinned-covered body, the rabab was once the most popular instrument of its day, both in the courts of emperors as well as an instrument of wandering bards. For 400 years it was also the pre-eminent musical instrument of Sikh music.
As well as in India, the rabab is one of the most ancient musical instruments in the world. For millions, it has become a generic name for skin-covered bowed and plucked lute. Its origins can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilisation and 2000 year-old archaeological evidence of its existence has been found in Nangahar in Northern Afghanistan. The rabab has also been referred to in Arabic traditions as rabab al Shair ‘the poet’s instrument’ and is intimately connected with Eastern mystical literature.