BHAJAN
Bhajan (Sanskrit, from bhaj, meaning “to serve, to love, to share”) is a Hindu devotional and ritual song performed either privately or communally by a soloist or (more commonly) by a soloist (or soloists) with responding chorus since probably the first millennium. Bhajan, both in terms of practice and etymology, is associated with the bhakti mārg (bhaj is also the root of the word bhakti). The genre’s vernacular texts and regional musical idioms help to make it one of the most popular modes of worship, serving as a vehicle for the expression of devotion to a personal deity. Consequently, the repertoire is vast and diverse, with some examples more than a hundred years old1.
Bhajan texts are often didactic and autobiographical. The former suggest idealized behaviors for bhaktas (devotees) to imitate, while the latter cite examples from the lives of famous bhaktas such as Mirabai. Sometimes, deities such as Krishna or Rāma are the subject of bhajan texts, with stories from their lives as examples for devotees1.
Bhajans generally consist of two musico-poetic parts: dhruva-pada and pada. The dhruva-pada is the identifying couplet refrain sung at the beginning of the bhajan and after each succeeding pada or verse (also a rhymed couplet). Commonly, performers repeat each pada and dhruva-pada. As in many other South Asian musical forms, pitch register generally defines structural sections (pada and dhruva-pada)1.
In many traditions, singers use the same tunes for several bhajans so that a single tune can serve as a vehicle for a number of different texts. Sometimes, this melody is simple and standardized; however, in some traditions (Gujarati dhāl, for example) and in concert performances, the melodic materials and the concept itself can be more complex. Devotees often refer to these melodies by the title of a particularly popular bhajan1.
The musical and textual transmission of bhajan materials is usually oral and communal, with singers learning from each other in performance contexts. Performances can be as simple as a single devotee singing to him- or herself during a quiet moment, or as formal as a classical musician closing a program in a concert hall. A stereotypical performance involves a gathering of devotees (a bhajan mandal) led by a singer (a bhajanik) who knows and can perform many bhajans. In different traditions, Hindu women and/or men (sexually segregated groups are more common in the north) get together on a weekly basis. Mixed groups also perform in special contexts (such as family performances)1.
Bhajan performance reflects other South Asian models in which a principal singer and group of responsorial singers (jhelā) participate in communal song (samāj gāyan). In bhajan, anyone can lead; he or she needs only have the devotion and conviction to begin and others will follow and support. Bhajan performances are common at temples, but neighbors and relatives engage in communal performances of bhajan in the home and, since neighborhoods have historically tended to be caste-defined, domestic bhajan mandals tend to be caste-defined. However, an individual (a bhajnik) may become so proficient, or may come to know such a specialized bhajan repertoire, that others will invite him or her to their community to lead the singing1.
Increasingly, in modern urban and suburban settings—and especially in the Indian diaspora—bhajan mandals are ethnically diverse and class consistent, thus reflecting social developments in modern India1.
Bibliography:
- Retrieved from the topic: Bhajan from Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps.
[Link:https://www.encyclopedia.com/international/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bhajan]
NAZRULGEETI
Christened as the “Rebel Poet” or “Bidrohi Kobi”, Kazi Nazrul Islam carved out a niche for himself whose poetry and music zeroed in on religious tolerance and rebellion against despotism. With more than 4,000 emphatic songs, Nazrulgeeti has made a genre of its own which is practiced and performed throughout the globe. Since its inception, Nazrulgeeti had served as the first mass-level introduction of Islam into the mainstream tradition of Bengali music.
Nazrulgeeti emanated from the cauldron of the Bengali Renaissance of the 19th century. This golden regime witnessed a meteoric rise of religious and social reformers, patriots, scientists, literary doyens, and activists. Such a tumultuous cultural revolution facilitated great Bengali composer-poets (Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Atul Prasad Sen, Rajanikanta Sen and Dwijendralal Roy) to flourish as the revered “Pancha Kavi” (five poets).
The ecstasy of Nazrulgeeti lies in its freedom of expression which unfortunately has drawn flak on several occasions. Nevertheless, its deep-rooted philosophy, although exuberant in nature, has also attracted immense praise. The rugged nature of Nazrulgeeti’s music and lyrics illustrates a stark contrast with the sophistication and magnanimity of contemporary poets and composers. Nazrulgeeti is more pragmatic than imaginary, depicting the harsh reality of our daily lives.
Nazrulgeeti has been decorated in Hindustani Khayal elements and also finds its roots in Arabian Classical forms. Additionally, structures and tunes of Ghazal, Thumri, Tappa, Folk, Kirtan, and Shyama Sangeet have also garnished Nazrul’s songs appreciably. Nazrul himself was a stalwart of Hindustani Classical Music (more popularly Hindustani Raga Music), as is evidenced from Udasi Bhairav, a Raga which he created by uniquely shunning off the Komal Dhaivat of Bhairav and mellifluously introducing the Teevra Madhyam. At a later stage of Nazrul’s life, his songs ushered in expressions of rebellious and religious characterizations without sacrificing the spirit and intricacy of music in particular.
Kazi Nazrul Islam extensively harnessed both the Hindu and Islamic practices and exclusively composed devotional songs on the themes of Kali, Shiva, Krishna, Saraswati in addition to the “Param Brahma” and Shakti, The Ultimate Energy. The Tantric Cult in Nazrul’s songs has varnished the crux of Madhura Bhakti of the Vaishnavas to a considerable extent.
For the record, the major difference between Nazrulgeeti and Rabindrasangeet however, is that the former is grossly based on Dhrupad whilst the latter has been delineated in Khayal. Therefore, for an artist, a solid foundation of Hindustani Raga music is paramount to performing Nazrulgeeti with profound potential and justice.