Discussions specifically related with the various aspects of practice of bhakti-sadhana in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
What Kirtan Do You Like - tell us about your favourite kirtan
ananga - Fri, 07 May 2004 01:46:32 +0530
What kirtan do people here like?
After being in India and experiencing village nam jagya kirtan, I've really grown to love the long drawn-out singing of the mahamantra, especially the late night ragas; Behag, Shivranjani, Maharas, Nimai Sannyas, Tilottama, Lalit, Mangal aarti . I am slowly learning how to sing them. Anyone else into this?
Its a bit of a mixed blessing really; on the one hand the kirtan is so beautiful, on the other hand I live in england in seperation from it and I have lost my taste for normal western "chugg-along" kirtan. When I lead kirtan I only enjoy singing ragas that hardly anyone else can sing!
Jagat - Fri, 07 May 2004 04:08:39 +0530
arekaydee - Fri, 07 May 2004 05:31:28 +0530
In my limited kirtan experience, which consists mainly of the ISKCON variety, I feel that Niranjana Swami leads the best kirtans as far as ISKCON kirtans are concerned. He starts slow. He doesn't rush. He lets the kirtan develop naturally. Very soothing and satisfying. In my opinion, loaded with bhakti. I have to say he is my favorite kirtaneer.
Just my two cents.
Madhava - Sat, 08 May 2004 18:32:57 +0530
I have grown very fond of the poems of Narottama. There are, of course, many, many other nectarine poems to be sung. Sadly, we are a bit short on melodies here.
ananga - Mon, 10 May 2004 00:24:06 +0530
a lot of the Narottam songs are in "tripodi tal". You can tell which ones they are because they look like this on the page:
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and the kortals go: Ching Ching (gap) Ching Ching (gap)Ching Ching (gap)
instead of:
Ching Ching Ching (gap) Ching Ching Ching (gap) Ching Ching Ching (gap)
The main tune used is is some variation of that on the Guruvandana on the Kirtan page at raganuga.com although I couldn't hear any kortals on that recording
Jai Sri Radhe
Ananga
Madhava - Mon, 10 May 2004 00:33:51 +0530
Yeh, that much I've figured. Sadly we only know four or five basic tunes for them.
Talasiga - Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:36:10 +0530
QUOTE(ananga @ May 6 2004, 08:16 PM)
What kirtan do people here like?
After being in India and experiencing village nam jagya kirtan, I've really grown to love the long drawn-out singing of the mahamantra, especially the late night ragas; Behag, Shivranjani, Maharas, Nimai Sannyas, Tilottama, Lalit, Mangal aarti . I am slowly learning how to sing them. Anyone else into this?
...........
Shivranjani is one of the raags that you have mentioned
that I like for kirtan and compose in.
This is a majestic, yearning raag
like a thirsty mountain pass
at the brim of a night time storm.
It is a pentatonic raag in the Dorian Mode (Kaafi Thaat).
try the
he krishna karuna sindho prayer to this traditional rising call:-
'Dha Sa Re ga Pa Dha Sa' Dha Sa' / he krishna
Pa Sa' Dha Pa Sa' Dha / karuna sindho
Sa' Dha Pa ga / deena bandho
Pa ga Pa ga / jagatpate
Sa Re ga Pa / gopesha
ga Pa Dha Sa' / Sa' Dha Pa ga / gopika kaanta
Pa Dha Sa' Re gaGa' / Re' Sa' Dha / raadhaa kaanta
Pa ga Re 'Dha Sa / namostute
Let it carry you away ......
Talasiga - Fri, 08 Oct 2004 08:32:15 +0530
| QUOTE (Talasiga @ Jun 23 2004, 04:06 PM) |
.......
Shivranjani is one of the raags that you have mentioned that I like for kirtan and compose in. This is a majestic, yearning raag like a thirsty mountain pass at the brim of a night time storm. It is a pentatonic raag in the Dorian Mode (Kaafi Thaat).
try the he krishna karuna sindho prayer to this traditional rising call:-
'Dha Sa Re ga Pa Dha Sa' Dha Sa' / he krishna
Pa Sa' Dha Pa Sa' Dha / karuna sindho
Sa' Dha Pa ga / deena bandho
Pa ga Pa ga / jagatpate
Sa Re ga Pa / gopesha
ga Pa Dha Sa' / Sa' Dha Pa ga / gopika kaanta
Pa Dha Sa' Re gaGa' / Re' Sa' Dha / raadhaa kaanta
Pa ga Re 'Dha Sa / namostute
Let it carry you away ...... |
That was the invocation. Now the core song itself (in keherva (8 maatra) rhythmic cycle):-
asthayi
ga ga Re Sa / hare krishna aa aa
'Dha Sa Re ga Pa / hare kri ish na
Dha Sa' Dha Pa ga Re / Krish na a Kri ish na
ga Re Sa 'Dha Sa - / hare hare
antara
ga Pa Dha Sa' / hare raama
Dha Sa' Re' ga' Re' / hare ra ama
Sa' Re' Sa' Dha Pa ga / raama raa amaaa
Pa ga Re Sa / hare hare
to be continued ......
(This isn't the perfect facility to convey the samples of timing and the tonic sol-fa notation of raagtaal music. Please excuse that. Explanations will be provided on request. )
Some Notes:-
1. The notes with inverted commas before them indicate notes from the lowest of the 3 sung octaves, those with an inverted comma after them indicate notes from the highest octave. Unqualified notes indicate middle octave.
2. Notes expressed wholly in lower case indicate a major note that has been diminished by a semitone (except for ma which indicates the natural 4th with upper case Ma indicating augmented 4th)
Therefore where
S R G m P D N S' = the Major aka Ionian (Bilaval) scale
S R g m P D n S' = Dorian (Kaafi) scale (3rd + 7th diminished)
S r g m P d n S'= Phrygian (Bhairavi) scale (2nd, 3rd, 6th + 7th diminished)
S R G M P D N S'= Lydian (Kaliyan) sacle (augmented 4th)
S R G m P D n S' = Mixolydian (Khamaj) scale (7th only diminished)
S R g m P d n S' = the Natural Minor aka Aeolian (Asavari) scale (3, 6 + 7 dim.)
PLUS
S R g m P d N S' = the Harmonic Minor (Kirwaani) scale (3 + 6 dim.)
S r G m P d N S' = Bhairav scale (2 + 6 dim.)
S r G M P D N S' = Marwa scale (2 dim. + augmented 4)
S r g M P d N S' = Todi scale (2,3 + 6 dim with aug. 4)
S r G M P d N S' = Pooravi scale (2 + 6 dim with aug. 4)
Satyabhama - Fri, 08 Oct 2004 19:39:42 +0530
My favorite sankeerthana (by Annamacharya)! Listen
hereI finally found the English translation! (corrections and additions welcome)
poDangatimaiyaa mimmu purushOttamaa
mammu neDayakavayya kOnETi raayaDaa We have got a glance from You, Purushottama!
Don’t ever leave us!
kOri mammu nElinaTTi kuladeivamaa caalaa
nEricci peddaliccina nidaanamaa
gaaravinci tappi teercu kaaLamEgamaa maaku
cEruva cittamulOni shreenivaasuDaYou are our kuladaiva who takes care of us,
You are the treasure realised by our elders and given to us.
You understand us,
you realise our thirst and quench it, O Dark Cloud!Srinivasa, You are in our hearts.
bhaavimpa kaivasamaina paarijaatamaa mammu
cEvadEra gaacinaTli cintaamaNi
kaaminci kOrikaLiccE kaamadEnuva mammu
taavai rakshincETi dharaNidaraaYou are the divine paarijaatam that became ours just by our meditating upon it,
You are the Kaamadhenu who satisfies our desire (to be united with You),
You are the one who protects the earth.
(in another song, the composer says that while kaamadhenu gives whatever one desires, good, bad or indifferent, Srinivasa gives only that which is good).
ceDaneeka bratikincE citta mantramaa
rOgaalaDaci rakshincE divyowshidamaa
paDibaayaka tirigE praaNabanduDaa mammu
gaTiyincinaTTi shree vEnkaTanaaduDaaYou are the mantram that protects us and binds us to You,
You are the ultimate medicine to cure all our ills and ailments,
You are the soul companion, who will never stop following us, (Srinivasa is so compassionate and concerned with his devotees that he follows them around)
O Venkatanatha, you have won us over!
