Gurmat Sangeet is a unique musical tradition which is five centuries old. Guru Nanak Dev ji, the founder of the Sikh religion, and its first Guru began the tradition. The tradition was continued and refined by every Sikh Guru through to Guru Gobind Singh ji. It continues to this day. With Gurmat Sangeet, the divine message is communicated through Shabad and Kirtan prescribed in different Ragas. In Gurmat Sangeet, ragas plays an extremely important role. It's a channel through which the emotions and feelings contained within the shabad can be effectively conveyed. The shabads contain examples and lessons for the mind and soul to talk to and understand each other. In understanding and reconciling these two sides one recognises oneself and attains unity with the Creator. In addition to ragas from classical traditions (Hindustani and Karnatak), shabads in the Guru Granth Sahib have also been rendered in ragas derived from rural folk traditions such as Ghoreean, Suhag and Alohnian. Punjab, the birthplace of Sikhism, is especially rich in folk music.