Bhai
Satta Doom
Detail of a drummer playing the jori instrument, possibly Bhai Satta Doom, from a fresco of Guru Hargobind with Sikh musicians
Personal
ReligionSikhism
Known for
RelativesBalvand Rai (brother)
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Satta Doom (fl. late 16th to early 17th century), also spelt as Satta Dum, was a drummer and author of eight verses found within the Guru Granth Sahib.[1][2]

Biography

He was born a Muslim in a Doom-Mirasi family.[3] He started playing music for the Sikhs during the guruship of Guru Angad.[3] He was a drummer whilst his brother, Balvand Rai, was a rababi (rebec player).[1] Some sources describe him as a rababi, like his brother, rather than a drummer.[4] Other sources do not ascribe a brotherly blood relation between Satta Doom and Balvand Rai.[5] They would play kirtan at the Sikh gurus' durbar (court).[6] At some point, him and his brother abandoned the company and employment of the Guru but returned after facing hardships, where they were forgiven.[4] They then wrote hymns for penance for their past mistakes, which would form part of the Adi Granth.[4] The compositions he co-composed with his brother Balvand can be found on pages 966–968 of the Guru Granth Sahib under the title of Ramkali ki Vaar Rai Balwand tatta Satte doom akhi.[7][4]

In his hymns, he emphasized the continuity of the guruship from Nanak to Angad, referring to the latter as having been sat on the takht (throne) of Nanak.[8] It further praises the first five gurus of the Sikhs.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Nayar, Kamala Elizabeth; Sandhu, Jaswinder Singh (2020). "Notes". The Sikh View on Happiness: Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 219. ISBN 9781350139893. Bhai Rai Balwand was a Muslim rebab musician and Satta was a Muslim drummer during the time of Guru Angad up to the time of Guru Arjan; they both sang gurbani-kirtan and composed a Ramkali var that was included in the Guru Granth Sahib (pp. 966-8).
  2. ^ Singh, Prithi Pal (2006). The History of Sikh Gurus. New Delhi: Lotus Press. pp. 170–171. ISBN 978-81-8382-075-2.
  3. ^ a b Singh, Harbans (2002). The Encyclopedia of Sikhism (4th ed.). Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 269–70.
  4. ^ a b c d Fenech, Louis E.; McLeod, William H. (2014). Historical Dictionary of Sikhism. Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series (3rd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1. BALVAND AND SATTA. Rai Balvand and Satta the Dum were two rabab players who, according to tradition, sang kirtan for Guru Angad. After some years they became increasingly insubordinate and left the Guru's service. When they lost popularity, they were humbled. To signal their contrition they wrote the first five stanzas of Tikke di Var, composing the remaining three stanzas in the time of Guru Arjan.
  5. ^ Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo, Volume 1. Sahitya Akademi. p. 79. ISBN 9788126018031.
  6. ^ a b Kapūra, Prithīpāla Siṅgha; Singh, Dharam (2001). Perspectives on Sikhism: Papers Presented at the International Seminar on Sikhism: a Religion for the Third Millenium Held at Punjabi University, Patiala on 27-29 March 2000. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 117. ISBN 9788173807367.
  7. ^ Chauhan, G. S. (2006). Bani of Bhagats (1st ed.). New Delhi: Hemkunt Publishers. pp. 137–39. ISBN 9788170103561.
  8. ^ Grewal, Jagtar Singh (2019). Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708): Master of the White Hawk (1st ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-949494-1. Rai Balwand and Satta refer to Guru Angad being seated on the throne (takht) of Guru Nanak.
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