ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>KUCHAJ&#298</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>KUCHAJ&#298</i>, Iit. an awkward, ill-mannered woman, is the title of one of Gur&#363 N&#257nak's compositions, in measure S&#363h&#299 in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Antithetically it is followed by another of his compositions called <i>Suchaj&#299</i> (lit. a woman of good manner and accomplishment). <i>Kuchaj&#299</i> verses are said to have been addressed, by the Gur&#363, to a sorceress named N&#363rsh&#257h, of K&#257mr&#363p, who used to entice men by her magical powers. But the contents belie the conjecture. Whatever the occasion of this composition, it is a graceful poem expressing the emotions of a repentant person, who is figuratively called <i>kuchajj&#299</i> here --- (<i>ku</i>-is a prefix meaning ill or contrary, <i>chajj</i> meaning manner or style, with <i>&#299</i> being the suffix of feminine singular). Speaking in the first person <i>kuchajji</i> repents for being an undeserving bride of the Lord God. In Sikh hymnology, the devotee is often presented in the image of the bride, God in that of the bridegroom. The repentant devotee in <i>Kuchaj&#299</i> regrets being unworthy of the Lord. She realizes that she is full of faults, unredeemed by any virtues. She has been lured all the time by material gifts, remaining completely oblivious of the Giver. What is worse, she comprehended not her shortcomings. Now recounting her faults and failures, she expresses the hope that, in spite of what she has been, the Lord God might still, in His mercy, admit her into His company.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>Kuchaj&#299</i> is the first of three compositions in a series in measure S&#363h&#299 in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. The other two are <i>Suchaj&#299</i> by Gur&#363 N&#257nak and <i>Gu&#7751vant&#299</i> by Gur&#363 Arjan. All three are notable for their lyricism and music and for their devotional ardour.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"><i>&#346abad&#257rth Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib J&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1964<BR> <li class="C1"> S&#257hib Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib Darpan. </i> Jalandhar, n.d.<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">T&#257ran Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>