Basant

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 or SGGS for short. 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 SGGS, the Sikh holy Granth (book) there are a total of 31 raga compositions and this raga is the twenty-fifth raga to appear in the series. The composition in this raga appear on a total of 29 pages from page numbers 1168 to 1197.
The name Basant is from Sanskrit "vasant" meaning spring, and during that season of the year Basant may be performed at any time of the day or night. Otherwise, it is reserved for the night between 9 p.m. and midnight. The Ragmala gives Basant as a putra (son) of Hindol, also a spring raga. Today it belongs to the Purvi thata. The only variant noted in the Holy Book is Basant-Hindol. Basant is a very old raga dating from the 8th century. Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadar composed Shabads in this raga. Performed in slow tempo, this gentle melody depicts quiet joy. The descending scale is usually found at the beginning of a composition with the ascending form follows later.
* Aroh: Sa Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa 
* Avroh: Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma, Ga Re Sa 
* Vadi: Sa 
* Samvadi: Ma 
==See also ==
* Ragas in the SGGS
* Kirtan
*Raga
*Taal
==External Links==
* Gurmat Sangeet Project
* Raj Academy of Asian Music
* Sikhnet: Shabad for Printing
Category:Raga
Category:Kirtan
Category:Glossary of Sikh Terms
Category:Sikhism