The Ginan Gist – By Karim Maherali. Brief note about the raag (tune) by Aly Sunderji.
This Ginan is one of the Ginans called the Garbi Ginans (Ginans composed while dancing). Pir Shams who composed them, travelled extensively during his mission to propagate Ismaili faith. He visited a place called Analvad where Hindus resided in large numbers. They were celebrating the festival of Navraatree (nine nights), performing the ritual dance (garbis), circling the stone images of their deities. The Pir joined them in the dance and composed the Garbi Ginans while dancing. He composed 28 Ginans during the nine nights. This Ginan is the second one in the series composed on the first night. The essential message is to abandon the false worship of the idols and instead to follow the True Path recognizing the Manifest Light of the Imam thereby attain the fruits of worship.
Aaj aanand paamiya man ke
| Without music: Daulatkhanu Akberali Samji | With music: Nargis Balolia |
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Transliteration, Translation & Commentary
| Aaj aanand paamiya man ke, satgur seviya re lol.. ..1 |
Today this mind (heart) has attained joy, for it has served the True Guide (Satgur).
| Tame bhulo ma murakh lok ke, maram radeh dharo re lol.. ..2 |
O foolish ones! Do not be oblivious, obtain the secret in your hearts.
| E to paakhañ deval bhoot ke, fera shu(n) faro re lol.. ..3 |
These stones and temples are all ghostly apparitions. Why do you dance around them in circles?
| Tame sevo satgur noor ke, gur anvar dhañi re lol.. ..4 |
Serve the True Guide (Satgur) the Light, for the Guide is the Glorious Lord.
| Tame daan dasonde rahejo pur ke, to fal paamsho re lol.. ..5 |
Remain perfect in your charity of tithe (Dasond), then you will attain the fruits.
| E to pura rikhisar karshe raaj ke, je satpanthe chaalshe re lol.. ..6 |
Those perfect believers will rule. They are the ones who proceed upon the True Path.
| Tame naacho din ne raat ke, kaa(n)i nav paamsho re lol.. ..7 |
You may dance day and night, but nothing will be achieved thereby.
| E to patthar sarve bhoot ke, bole bi nahi re lol.. ..8 |
These stones are all ghostly apparitions, they cannot even speak.
| Tame bhulo to fogat kaa(n)he ke, je ghadiya maanvi re lol.. ..9 |
Why do you let yourself be led astray in vain, for these are man-made objects?
| E to garbi jootho chhe Dev ke, Bhavaani chhe kyaa(n) re lol.. ..10 |
The deity of the dance (garbi) is false, for where is the Goddess (Bhavanee) found in it?
| E to gur Bhrahma-ni kala bharpur ke, tyaa(n) sarve rahe re lol.. ..11 |
It is the Creator(Divine) Guide (Gur Bhrahma) whose power is complete, it is there that they all dwell.
| Tame jootha juvo sab sansaar ke, jamthi jaañjo re lol.. ..12 |
Consider this whole world to be false. You will get this awareness through Yama.
Comment: Yama is the angel of death, hence this verse implies that the complete realization of the false nature of this world only comes after death for most of us. There is a saying of Hazarat Ali: “Men are asleep, they wake up after death”.
| Tame maano Aly avtaar ke, to fal paamsho re lol.. ..13 |
Accept Ali as the true manifestation, then you will reap the fruits.
| To paap praashcheet thaashe dur ke, padvi paamsho re lol.. ..14 |
Then your sins and faults will be rendered remote, for you will attain a high station.
Comment: The joy of the high station automatically keeps one away from excessive and sinful materialism and hence offers protection.
| Em samjaavya te satgure saach ke, toy nav jaañiya re lol.. ..15 |
In this manner the True Guide explained the truth. Even then, they did not understand.
| Te to sooñiya sarve lok ke, valtaa(n) boliya re lol.. ..16 |
All the people listened to him and then requested:
| Tame aavjo biji raat ke, mali kari naachiye re lol.. ..17 |
“Come back for the second night and let us meet and dance.”
| Em bolya gur Shams Pir ke, chetine chaaljo re lol.. ..18 |
In this manner the Guide Pir Shams said: “Proceed vigilantly”.
A brief note about the raag (tune) aspect by Aly Sunderji
Aaj aanand Paamiya is the second in Pir Shams’ series of 28 Ginan Garbis, it is documented that when he had sung these ginans, they were so melodious that even the birds 
would come to listen. Roughly half of the ginan garbis are set in the same tune as Aaj Aanand Paamiya, classifying this tune as a “Jodilo”. For the most part this tune is based in Raag Mishr Kaafi, but I personally would classify this as a folktune. Raag Kaafi uses all shuddh notes other than the komal gandhaar (flat Ga) and komal nishaad (flat Ni). Another very interesting things about the Ginan Garbis is that these are the only ginans where the Pir himself classified what Taal (rhythmic cycle) they should be sung in. the name itself is Garbi, hence it should be sung in a Garbi Taal (variation of daadra) this taal has 6 beats (dhin dha dhita | tit ta tita). Please see the above link of how this ginan can be so blissfully rendered without any music in a true garba fashion.
Ismailimail 
Please preserve this wealth of knowledge in one folder for any one to explore anytime. May be you already have. Thank you for this gift.
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