New Stress Busters - Kirtans are a big hit with GenX, reports B SIVAKUMAR
Yoga, workout in a gym and meditation are good stress busters, but in Chennai and some towns in Tamil Nadu, harikatha and namasankirtan concerts are gaining popularity with youngsters. They are flocking to these concerts in increasing numbers, especially on weekends.
Harikatha is a form of musical discourse on epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to R Aravamudhachariar, a veteran harikatha artiste, “We narrate an incident in the Ramayana or Mahabharata and relate it to present-day situations. This helps the audience understand the epic better. Many youngsters attend Harikatha concerts to get inspiration to tackle today’s issues. “The concerts are held throughout the year and Harikatha helps people keep in touch with the tradition and culture,” he says.
A harikatha artiste must have a good knowledge of the epics, and be proficient in singing. They should also know the language, especially Sanskrit, and be good at delivery. Some artistes dance while singing or narrating stories. “There is no script and the artistes stand throughout the concert,” says Aravamudhachariar.
As for namasankirtan, it is basically a recitation of the names of gods and goddesses. The audience chants the names along with the artistes.Some even start dancing in ecstasy. “The namasankirtan tradition has its roots in the Bhakti movement. “The main difference between namasankirtan and Carnatic music is the involvement of the common man. The audience is allowed to sing along and chant the divine names in namasankirtans as in a bhajan. The response has been good and the crowd is increasing over the years,” says Udayalur Kalyanaraman, a namasankirtan exponent.
In a namasankirtan, the artiste chooses songs composed by three icons — Govindapuram Sri Bhagawannaama Bodhendral, Shri Sridhara Ayyaval and Sri Sathguru Swamigal. “I attend at least one such concert every week. I am not trained in traditional music, but I still attend namasankirtan concerts as it relieves tension and makes me stress-free,” says IT professional, B Sunayan.
A namasankirtan concert usually has a main singer with three others supporting him. The accompaniments include a harmonium, violin, mridangam and a dholak. The concert begins with a small introduction followed by the musical recitation of names. “One of the main themes of namasankirtan is Radha Kalyanam, depicting the wedding of Krishna and Radha. Sometimes, a single performance may go on for three days,” says Kalyanaraman.
The songs are not always in Tamil, but in Hindi, Sanskrit and other Indian languages as well. A section of singers sing abhang, a form of devotional poetry recited in praise of Krishna in Marathi. Both namasankirtan and abhang sessions are extremely exuberant.
Many sabhas in the city have separate sessions during which the nuances of namasankirtan and harikatha are explained in an effort to popularise them, says Y Prabhu, secretary of Krishna Gana Sabha.
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