Hare Krishna: Bhajans by Jagjit Singh
At the outset, let me admit that this is not just a review, it’s much more than that keeping in view the ever-growing family of MS, especially the overseas members.
India is a land known for spirituality and religion. Hindu religion has been an ancient, yet modern, resilient faith that has withstood the ravages of time for over 5000 years history.
In Hindi literature, after the Adikaal and Veergatha Kaal, came Bhakti Kaal, a distinctive period of devotional and spiritual literature, more in form of poems praising and praying to the God in various forms as well as the formless. The great poets & sages of the era like Meera, Tulsidas, Surdas, Nanak, Kabir, Rahim, have enriched Hindi literature.
These poems set to music become known as Bhajans…devotional songs. Bhajans have a distict identity, form and a role in Indian music as well as in the life of an Indian. Bhajans are sung & listened to in religious congregations(satsang), ceremonies, functions, prayer meetings, and are heard virtually in every household.
Bhajans now available in records, casettes, and Cds are used everywhere including in temples.
Bhajans when played in early hours of the day, create a serene atmosphere, help you start your day on a positive note, soothen the frayed nerves, tranquilise the fickle mind, clear the clutter and channelise your energies.
It is a scientifically proven fact that one’s blood chemistry is different when one is angry, than when one is happy. The whole body functions through a complicated electro-chemical process controlled by the brain. Thoughts guide the brain to release various chemical substances. Negative emotions release different chemicals & toxins, whereas positive emotions release serantonin like substances which make one feel good, blissful, serene and happy.
To be able to command the brain to release the right kind of chemical substances, it needs mind control. Controlling and conditioning of mind so as to bring it to a desired state, is very difficult and almost impossible for we normal people, whereas it is easy for accomplished Yogis.
Caught up as we are in our struggle for day to day existence, we rarely have the time or the inclination to take up Yoga and meditation.
Knowing the limitations of common people, our spiritual gurus, sages, and preceptors devised an easy to practice, easy to implement technique of mind control…Bhakti Yoga, which is one of the 4 pathsways to salvation/nirvana laid down in Bhagawad Geeta. Listening to and chanting of Bhajans is the basic step in Bhakti Yoga.
Irrespective of the religious and spiritual mumbo-jumbo (which you may not like to understand), listen to Bhajans, Shlokas, Parayers, Hymns, whatever be your choice as per your belief system for 30 minutes in the morning every day. No matter whether you are irreligious, agnostic, non-believer, do it as a mental exercise just as you do aerobics or work-outs, don’t analyse, don’t debate…just do it! And see the difference.
For those who have a smattering knowledge of Hindustani, and some knowledge of Hinduism, I recommend this album.
I picked up this album with lot of trepidation & doubts. This ghazal king , master of expressing poetry about sharab(wine), Shabab(beauty), emotions, & demotions !(pathos), can he sing Bhajans? All my fears were belied when I heard the songs. What a pleasant surprise!
Jagjit with his melliflous, sonorous & deep voice that’s as sweet as it is melodious, has rendered the Bhajans of famous poets in classic bhajan style in satsang format, wherein the lead singer is followed by a chorus, phrase by phrase. Though Jagjit has tried to put his own stamp by using typical beats and interlude music (which are unwarranted), puritans too will not be disappointed with this collection of devotional songs on Krishna, rendered with full sincerity and devotion.
Every Bhajan ends with the “maha-mantra” Hare-Krishna, set different ragas.
My favorites are;
Hey Gobind, hey Gopal
Hari tum haro
Deenana dukh haran deva
Jai Radha Madhav
Listening to this album anytime of the day, especially early mornings is a divine experience beyond words. Go get it.
Quiz;1. Which poet saint is known to have founded the Carnatic style of music system?
- Which was Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite Bhajan and who wrote it?