Sikh Kirtan and Its Journeys

“Sikh Kirtan and Its Journeys transcends prior prescriptivist writing and debates over authenticity to present a remarkably inclusive account of the global Sikh community’s multivocal musical practices. Deftly pivoting between musicological analysis, historiography, iconography, and ethnographic interviews, Bhogal provides fresh insight on such less thematized topics as women kirtan performers, heritage instruments, digital technologies, and epistemologies of sound.” – Gibb Schreffler, author of ‘Dhol: Drummers, Identities, and Modern Punjab’“It is rare to encounter a work of such academic sophistication communicated with such clarity, accessibility, and resonance across multiple disciplines. Drawing on original verse, historical documents, traditional exegeses, oral narratives, and sound recordings, Gurminder Bhogal offers an invaluable archive of Sikh Kirtan. Her theoretical framing, paired with guided musical listening, forms an effective aesthetic approach to appreciating the complexity and beauty of the Guru Granth Sahib’s musical modes. A landmark contribution that offers enduring insight into the sound and spirit of Sikh Kirtan.”   – Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, author of ‘Janamsakhi: Paintings of Guru Nanak in Early Sikh Art’“Bhogal fills a significant gap in a domain of devotional music that is central to the Sikh religion and worship, yet one that scholars have so far neglected. She brings her sophisticated intellect, which is undergirded by her command over a myriad academic fields, whilst combining it with her fine practitioner’s skills as a talented musician who can play multiple instruments. Bhogal sets the gold standard for scholars to follow and for a broad audience to learn from her singular book in the present.”  – Parminder Bhachu, author of ‘Movers and Makers: Uncertainty, Resilience and Migrant Creativity in Worlds of Flux’

Gurminder Kaur Bhogal is Catherine Mills Davis Professor in Music at Wellesley College. She is the author of Details of Consequence: Ornament, Music, and Art in Paris and Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune, both published by Oxford University Press.