KOBI JAYDEV & BORU CHANDIDAS

JAYDEV & HIS "GITA GOVINDA":-

Kirtan is incomplete with Kobi Jaydev, as he was the main person beyond the composition of "Gita Govinda". Jaydev was a poet, singer,lyricist,composer and as well as a great devotee of Lord Krishna. He has born in 12th century in Kendubillo village which situated in Birbhum district. 

 Jaydev wrote "Gita Govinda", a collection of epic poems which he composed in 15th century. Gita Govinda was written in the Kenduli language which is the local language of his birth place.

From Gita Govinda we came to know that Jaydev's father name is Bhojdeb and mother's name is Bamadebi. Though many controversies arise when Jaydev composed Gita Govinda but later Pandit Harekrishna Mukherjee proved that Jaydev was the actual writer of Gita Govinda.

Picture Courtesy : Google Image 

Gita Govinda is organized into twelve chapters. Each chapter is further sub-divided into twenty - four divisions called Prabandhas. The Prabandhas contain couplets grouped into eight called Ashtapadis. It is mentioned that Radha is greater than Lord Krishna.The text also elaborates the eight moods of heroine Radha, the Ashta Nayika, which has been an inspiration for many compositions and choreographic works in Indian classical dances.Gita Govinda till date is considered as an important text in the Bhakti movement of Hinduism.Kirtan is sung on the basis of the composition of Gita Govinda. Thus, Jaydev act as an important person to popular Kirtan.

The first English translation of Gita Govinda was published by Sir William Jones, in 1792.Later on Gita Govinda has been translated to many languages throughout the world and is considered to be the finest example of Sanskrit poetry and folk songs.

BORU CHANDIDAS & HIS "SREEKRISHNA KIRTAN":-

Boru Chandidas is refered to as the medieval poet of Bengal in 14th century.He was contemporary to Kobi Jaydev. Boru Chandidas also born in a village in Birbhum district. His father's name was Ashokpati but mother's name was not found. Boru Chandidas wrote the famous lyrical drama "SreeKrishna Kirtan". Sreekrishna Kirtan is a pastoral Vaishnav drama verse which composed in 16th century.

Picture Courtesy : Google Image

SreeKrishna Kirtan, as the name suggest narrates the story of Lord Krishna and Radha's love and friend relationship. Though the storyline based on the popular erotic folk songs known as the Dhamalis.However, Boru Chandidas managed to add substantial originality, making it a masterpiece of medieval Bengali Literature.He gives the yearning of Radha a distinctly Bengali rendition and in the process capturing much of the social conditions of the day.

SreeKrishna Kirtan consists of 417 Bengali Padas or verses and 133 Sanskrit shlokas.The extant works is divided into 13 Khandas or sections. Dialogues and counter-dialogues are written in Payar and Tripadi chanda which have added a dramatic quality of SreeKrishna Kirtan.Boru Chandidas and his composition of SreeKrishna Kirtan are still very much important for performing Kirtan songs and kathas.

References:

1) Banglar Kirtan o Kirtania - Dr. Hariprasad Mukherjee

2) Padabali Kirtaner Itihash - Swami Praganananda

VAISHNAB PADABALI

Researchers found that Indian Literature primarily expressed through Music.Folk Music is considered as the earliest form of Indian Literature.One of this literature is Vaishnab Padabali which expressed through Kirtan Songs. Vaishnab Padabali covers the period of 15th to 17th centuries of the Bengali medieval literature.The Padabali contains Vaishnab poetry focusing on the Radha Krishna legend.

The word "Pad" literally meaning 'a short songs of two paragraphs or short verse'.But in the Chaitanya Deb's era, a Vaishnab scholar Sukumar Sen  comes out with a different meaning of the word "Pad". According to him, the meaning of Pad is 'the set of words to express feelings'. And the term "Padabali" literally means 'gathering or collection of many songs in a book form'. The Vaishnab poems and short verses are also gathered in a book form which named as "Vaishnab Padabali".

Vaishnab Padabali is considered as the text for the Kirtan. The poets Vidyapati and Chandidas generated the initial tradition of Padabali literature in Bengali language.As the majority Vaishnab poetry are written in a highly musical language, known as Brajabuli language. Brajabali language is the product of the combination of Bengali and Maithili (the language of Mithila).This language contains variable vowel length,moraic meter,archaic vocabulary and a minimum of grammar, offered to the better equipped  writers a ready-made sonorous instrument.Later Chaitanya Deb nourished the Vaishnab Padabali.

Vaishnab songs composed predominantly by Vaishnab saints cum composers as an integral part of the Vaishnab religious movement.This Vaishnab movement preached Krishna bhakti ; devotion to Lord Krishna.The poems and songs became an important medium for propagating bhakti cult.As the mainstay for the themes of those songs Jaydev stood out to be the earliest principal source.He is regarded as the adipadkarta or the earliest composer of Vaisnab songs.Thus from Jaydev's period Krishna lore was accepted as the universal source material for composing Vaishnab songs.

Picture Courtesy: Google Image

Earlier the Vaishnab singers are majorly consisting of 'Mahajans' or 'Gurus'. So Vaishnab Padabali also known as "Mahajan Padabali".Vaishnab Padabali are divided into four categories:
1) Radha-Krishna Padabali
2) Gour Padabali
3) Bhajan Padabali
4) Ragatwik Padabali

As Shri Chaitanya Deb makes Vaishnab Padabali popular, many songs are composed on the life-story of Shri Chaitanya Deb also.Although thousands of  Vaishnab songs are based on Lord Krishna.Songs based on Chaitanya Deb are sung as the Vaishnab religious exercise.

The Vaishnab Padabali also commonly known as "Padabali Kirtan" because the musical style in which Vaishnab Padabali are sung is called Kirtan,continued to form the mainstream Bengali art music when the indigenous growth of music in Bengal was hampered by the onslaught of incoming Hindustani musical forces.Thus, Vaishnab music was extremely influential in the evolution of Indian musical tradition and Vaishnab Padabali left a lasting mark on Bengali literature for eight to ten hundred years which is perhaps no less than a miracle.






References:
Padabali Kirtaner Itihash - Swami Praganananda

TYPES OF KIRTAN

Kirtan is Call-and-response chanting performed in India's Bhakti devotional traditions.In the Bhagavad - Gita Lord Krishna states that great souls worship and glorify him single-mindedly, but the practice of Kirtan was popularized as a means in the Bhakti movement of the Moghul era. Kirtan is often suggested as the form of religious activity and best form of worships,suited to the present age. Kirtan are sung in chorus by many men and women who spread the message of love and dedication through their songs. Kirtan is categorised into different types.It is categorised under various schools.

Mainly there are five schools of Kirtan which are famous for their unique style and composition.

1)GARANHATI : This one was introduced by Narottamdas, a great Vaisnava Bhakta, resident of a place called Khetri in the pargana of Garerhat in Rajshahi.

2)MANOHARSHAHI: In the district of Burdwan from Manoharshahi pargana came this school which introduced by Acharya Srinivas and propagated by Jnandas and Balramdas.

3)MANDARINI: This school of Kirtan came from the Mandaran parganas in Midnapore district.

4)RENETI: This one came from Ranihati parganas in Burdwan district which introduced by Acharya Srinivas and subsequently popularised by Vaishnavadas and Uddhavadas.

5)JHARKHANDI: This school of Kirtan came from Jharkand situated in Midnapore district.

Though these five schools of Kirtan are famous but Mandarini, Reneti and Jharkhandi types of Kirtans are more or less out of practice now. Garanhati school is now revived by Brajamadhuri Sangha. Manoharshahi is mostly in vogue now. 

Picture Courtesy: Above website.

Kirtan is mainly categorised into four types. They are as follows.

1) NAM KIRTAN :- Singing the names of the Lord in melody is known as Nam Kirtan. In Nam Kirtan there is a repetition of the mere names of Lord Krishna.This is a special Sadhana by itself.The primary aim of Nam Kirtan is to attain Prema and the main aim of Vaisnava cult is to generate prema. Nam Kirtan is highly purifying form as the mind is easily elevated.

2)SAN KIRTAN:- Generally San Kirtan is conducted in temples and houses in the early morning hours.In San Kirtan one devotee first sings the names of Lord Krishna in melodious form and then the others follow him or her next.As this Kirtan is sung early in the morning it is also called "Prabhat Kirtan".This Kirtan is sung in Prabhat Pheri which means going round in the morning doing San kirtan of God's name in a batch.Generally San kirtan is done at the first in any spiritual congregations and assemblies.

3)LILA KIRTAN:- The love and friendship relation of Lord Krishna with Radha and other Sakhis(friends) in different circumstances and in different ways are termed as Lila.Any song composed and sung on such Lila is known as Lila Kirtan. Lila Kirtan is started by Lord Chaitanya Deb or Gauranga Deb.He described that this Kirtan  should be sung in the company of very inmates.All people are not fond of Lila Kirtan. As Lord Krishna believes whatever over floods the heart with bliss is termed as Ras,the songs based on this Ras are known as "Ras Kirtan". Kirtan. Lila Kirtan need to be sung by trained singers, otherwise unwittingly corruption of the inappropriate Ras Lila will be presented before the audiences.

4)DHAAP KIRTAN:- In the recent times a type of Kirtan usually sung by the women are termed as Dhaap  Kirtan. During Shraddha ceremonies when Brahmins and learned Pundits are performed the ceremonies Dhaap Kirtan are singed.Primarily Dhaap Kirtan are sung by women but in course of time women singers are replaced by men.

5)NAGAR KIRTAN:- Nagar Kirtan generally performed in the evening though it can also sometimes performed in the morning.In this form of Kirtan a group of devotees start from a particular place with Mridanga,Harmonium, Kartals, and other musical instruments needed in Kirtan. The devotees go round the town and return to the place where they started and do Arati to the Lord Krishna with great zeal. Nagar Kirtan is conducted on Purnima, Ekadashi, and other days sacred to the devotees like Ramnavami, Janmashtumi,etc.Many temples do Nagar Kirtan daily in the month of December, as this month is considered as very sacred according to Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

      This are mainly the famous categories though there are other forms of Kirtan which lost its existence in present days.

References:
1) Banglar Kirtan o Kirtania by Dr. Hariprasad Mukherjee
2) www.Kirtan variety.com