ALAHNIAN, Guru Nanak’s composition in measure Vadahans in the Guru Granth Sahib. Alahni, generally used in its plural form alahnian, is a dirge wailingly sung in chorus by women mourning the death of a relation. Etymologically, the word means an utterance in praise (of the departed person). The sorrowful singing of alahnian is part of the mourning custom of siapa. The women assemble at the house of the dead person and cry aloud beating their breasts while standing, or sit together and bewail.
They weep bitterly and sing alahnian in most pathetic tones. The village barbress (nain) or mirasan starts the alahni by singing aloud the first line of the dirge eulogizing the dead person, followed by the group in chorus.The siapa goes on continually for a number of days until the last ceremonies are held; and the relatives of the deceased keep coming from far and near, the women joining in the heartrending wail from day to day. Alahni is also a poetic form in Punjabi in the style of this mourning song. The strain may alter with the subject.
Guru Nanak employed this mode in his bani, as he adopted several other popular and folk forms. Five of his sabdas (hymns) included in the Guru Granth Sahib in Raga Vadahans (pp. 578 to 582) are entitled Alahnian. In these hymns, the sovereignty of God\’s Will is proclaimed. By implication, the customs of siapa and alahnian are deprecated.
One must not give way to idle wailing, but learn to accept what has been ordained by the Almighty. The reality of death is brought home to man. “As man hath come into this world, so must he depart.” The recitation of Alahnian brings solace to the griefafflicted soul and leads it to seek shelter in God. Surrender to His Will is the burden of this verse.
“None ever die with the dead,” says Guru Nanak. “Blessed is he who praises the Lord\’s merits and weeps in fear of Him. They who bewail by remembering Him are through the ages acknowledged wise.” Death is inevitable. But death is for the manmukh, one who is ruled by his own ego, one who has turned away from God.
Death is not for the gurmukh who is turned towards God. By nam simran, i.e. constant remembrance of the Name of God, one discards the fear of death. This is the way to achieving the state of fearlessness, the state of liberation and everlastingness. He is truly triumphant in the world who absorbs himself in nam and is firm in his faith, who performs his worldly duty and yet remains unattached, always ready to leave the world without sorrow. One, who submits to the Will of the Lord and leads a pious life, lives in peace and tranquillity and dreads not the call of death.
Death for such virtuous persons is a victory. All have to reach the same destination, says Guru Nanak.Instead of crying and wailing at the death of a relation, men should sit together and sing the praise of God. The poetic metre used in Alahnian corresponds with the tune in which this folk form is cast. It is a kind of duvaiya chhand, in which last line of each sabda echoes the burden of the in the first part of Alahnian.
The language is Sadh Bhakha with a strong flavour of Lahndi dialect. Alliteration has been used and new compounds formed to make the lines musical. Some of the verses convey the eternal truths in such homely yet terse language that they have become part of Punjabi speech. For instance: “jeha likhia teha paia” as is it foreordained for one, so does one receive, and “ko marai na moia nale” none ever die with the dead.
References :
1. Kohli, Surindar Singh, A Critica} Study ofAdi Granth. Delhi, 1961
2. Taran Singh, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji da Sahitak Itihas. Amritsar, n.d.
ALAHNIAN, Guru Nanak’s composition in measure Vadahans as found in the Guru Granth Sahib:
ALAHNIAN is a set of hymns composed by Guru Nanak in the musical measure (raga) Vadahans. The term “alahni” (commonly used in its plural form, “alahnian”) originally denotes a dirge—a mournful, wailing song traditionally sung by women during the death rituals of a relative. In the cultural context of Punjab, such lamentations (or “siapa”) are a customary part of mourning, where women gather at the house of the deceased and express their grief through organized, heart-rending song.
In his composition, however, Guru Nanak employs this popular poetic form not merely to echo conventional mourning customs but to convey a deeper spiritual teaching. While the form of alahnian is typically used to lament the inevitability of death and express sorrow, Guru Nanak’s rendition in raga Vadahans transcends a mere elegiac function. His shabads (hymns) in this measure proclaim the absolute sovereignty of God’s will and encourage the remembrance of the Divine as the proper response to the reality of mortality. Essentially, rather than being trapped in incessant mourning, the faithful are urged to accept life’s transience and focus on the constant presence of the Creator.
Exploration
Musical and Poetic Form:
By choosing the measure Vadahans, Guru Nanak’s alahnian are set to a melodic structure that is both evocative and emotionally powerful. The measure helps frame the verses in a manner that resonates deeply with the listener—not as a mere catalogue of grief but as a meditative reminder of life’s impermanence and the enduring, unchangeable nature of God. In this context, the musicality elevates the text from a standard lamentation to a spiritual exhortation.
Cultural Reappropriation of a Mourning Tradition:
Traditionally, alahnian were part of the dirge tradition, meant to comfort mourners by giving expression to their sorrow. Guru Nanak’s decision to write his shabads in this form reflects his propensity to draw from familiar, folk expressions and repurpose them for higher spiritual meaning. Instead of reinforcing despair, his verses use the conventions of mourning—inclusive of the theatrical and communal acts of lament—to ultimately lead the devotee toward solace and spiritual liberation.
Theological Implications:
In the alahnian verses, the reality of death is acknowledged, yet the focus shifts toward a life guided by the remembrance of God’s name (Naam Simran). Guru Nanak suggests that the one who is oriented toward the Divine (the gurmukh) is not truly afflicted by death, for their life is anchored in eternal truth. In contrast, those who succumb to the sorrow of loss (manmukh) remain bound by the transient nature of the world. This dichotomy serves as a reminder that true freedom comes through detachment and devotion.
Contemporary Relevance:
For modern Sikhs, the alahnian in raga Vadahans continue to serve as a reminder that while grief is a natural human response to loss, it should prompt reflection on the larger truth of life and death. The verses encourage a transformation of mourning into a celebration of divine will—a teaching that remains deeply influential in Sikh thought and worship.
