The process used to sing Guru Granth Sahib ji verses is known as Kirtan. The poetry of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is worthy of the highest consideration. Gurbani texts present the teachings of the Gurus and a large number of it was composed simultaneously with the music.
Music forms the basis of the rhythms and is also the basis on which much of the Gurbani is classified in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
This music follow a definite metrical system called Raags. A raag in Indian classical music means a pattern of melodic notes. This form is not only used to preserve the originality of the composition, as the poetry written in this form is difficult to imitate, but more so to provide the divine experience through the medium of music and the sounds of God’s creation.
The total number of ragas used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is 31.
The GURUS themselves invented some of these. Under each Raag, the hymns are arranged in different meters as Chaupadas and Ashtapadas; long poems include Chhands, Vars, and Bhagat verses. You can find a collection of Shabds sung in each of these 31 raags here.
974 hymns are written by the first Guru, Guru Nanak Ji,
62 by the second Guru, Guru Angad Ji
907 by the third, Guru Amar Das Ji
679 by the fourth, Guru Ram Das Ji
2218 by the fifth, Guru Arjan Dev
Ji
115 by the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
541 hymns are by Bhagat Kabir
Ji
381 hymns are by others Bhagats Bhatts and Poets .
