Gurmat Sangeet Notation Dataset

An open, structured dataset of raag reference data and kirtan swar (sur) notation from the parampara of Bhai Jaspal Singh Ji.

This is a data repository, not an application — any project can consume it. It exists so that Ustaad ji's raag and notation work, which today lives in books, classes, and memory, becomes structured, reusable, and faithfully represented everywhere, with clear attribution and a built-in line between what he has approved and what is still unverified. The first consumer and reference implementation is ShabadSwar.com.

▸ Interactive demo →

See how a tool renders the data: multiple notations per shabad, one dhun across a whole paath, script toggle, and the approved/draft distinction. Sample data only.

▸ Vision →

Why this exists, how it grows, and the questions we most want the community's guidance on.

▸ Schema (the contract) →

Every field, with the reasoning behind each choice. The authoritative data structure.

▸ Notation spec →

How to read a notation string (sur, taal, komal/teevra, octaves).

What makes it trustworthy

✓ approvedConfirmed by Bhai Jaspal Singh Ji (or an authority he designates). Safe to present as authoritative.
draftCompiled or student-entered, not yet verified. Consumers must visibly mark it as unverified.

Every record also carries its provenance (where it came from). The value isn't that the data is available — it's that it's trustworthy.

Consume the data

The dataset is plain JSON, fetchable directly: data/notations.json, data/raags.json, data/sources.json. Read the schema for field meanings and the notation spec to interpret sur strings.

Proposed license: CC BY-NC 4.0 (attribution to Bhai Jaspal Singh Ji, non-commercial) — pending the family's blessing. Gurbani text is public domain; the license covers the notation, raag data, and compilation.