JOURNEY WITH BHAJANS ONE PATH TO DIVINITY! DOWN MEMORY LANE (VOL 31)

 

In January 2023 for Ayyappa Vritham completion during Mandalam went to Shiva Vishnu Temple (SSVT)Maryland for Irumudi and met our Ayyappa devotees of Virginia/Maryland.  Ekambar Bomma swamy was that day administering Irumudi to all the devotees. I asked him whether he remembers me as we lived in Virginia for six years until the year 2010. He said how can I forget Var De Bhajan which you used to sing? I was taken aback.

At Virginia during that period of our stay (2005-2010) there used to be home bhajans at Ayyappa devotees’ homes. I was involved totally and used to attend bhajans even in remote Maryland areas far from our home at Northern Virginia. My singing was terrible but if it could make an impact after so many years it is because of the original soulful rendering of Jagjit Singh my idol of this bhajan Var De. All the bhajans from this devotional album Maa for the Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry are timeless soul stirring bhajans.

Although Jagjit is famous for his ever-popular Ghazals, his devotional rendering of Bhajans to me is the ultimate. I am fortunate to have a few precious collections (very difficult to get in US) of his devotional albums. Jagjit sings plain straight from the heart with no gamakas or modulations which he could have.  This is how Bhajans should be. Just his golden voice at the base low pitch will touch the soul. Here is another Krishna Bhajan of Jagjit from the albums Yeh Govind Yeh Gopal with Chitra singh which I might have listened to more than 100 times.

 

 There are multiple paths to experience divine bliss and participating in bhajans is just one path. Just uttering Slokas or meditating or listening or following classical music or even focused on writing Sri Rama Jayam one could experience God.  All these paths are for bringing peace and calm to our wandering mind.

What makes Bhajans (Nama Sangeerthanam) unique? Classical music, be it Carnatic or Hindustani can make the music lovers experience bliss. Great musicians can make an impact on the listeners with their knowledge and skill. But this will appeal only to selected audiences. It is not easy for the wider audiences to follow, as it requires basic classical knowledge.

 A classical concert by famous artists explores in detail the composition. The rasika follows and shows their appreciation of the artist by putting thalam or words of applause (Sabash Besh). However, for the light music listener who just attends these concerts gets lost. The Rasika may tell the raga to the one who sits beside him to get connected and also have seen referring the film song based on that raag. This makes the connection to follow the concert. Appreciating the intricacies of the classical   concert requires regular listening. Once you feel the music it will give that total satisfaction. What the artist is going to sing in that concert next is always suspense. Of late artists like Sanjay Subramanian have broken this tradition for the benefit of all by publishing the concert details in advance though social media. This helps the wider audience and, in a way, helps the rasika to choose the right concert to attend. The downside of this is that the thrill and suspense of identifying the raga is gone!

Concerts are not group activities but for individual bliss. The Bhajans are unique as it is a group activity and make everyone follow the singer. The harmonium and table along with bhajan create positive vibrations for the entire gathering who follow the singer and take the music to a different level. Everyone in the audience relates to the bhajan if it is simple and easy to follow. This is the path I have chosen over the last 15 years as I do not have musical knowledge.

My first liking for bhajans started with Anup Jalota.He  with his talent made bhajans interesting and made it reach the common man and made the genre of bhajan popular. He chose the old Kabir,Tulsi and Meera Bhajans and with anecdotes and his own skill of harmonium made it appealing to all. This made both elite and the common man appreciate.

 He has earned a record number gold, platinum and multi-platinum discs for his devotional albums but of late involved himself with controversies. 

I was attracted then to Haridas Giri who brought a new set of followers for Abhang and other bhajans in the south. Classical music lovers started following his bhajans everywhere and he broke the language barrier and made North India Bhajans popular in the south. Leading Carnatic artists started accompanying Haridas Giri in his mission until his tragic accidental death in the Himalayas.

 I was then looking for an opportunity to sing bhajans. My first chance was at Shirdi Sai Temple at Novi when we were in Michigan to sing few slokas.  The next opportunity came after lot of struggles at Sai Samithi in Maryland where my wife used to sing. She is a classical trained singer and taught me the basics of Sai bhajans importance of taalam and shruthi .  I used to mess up at the Sai centre initially with my choice of complex Sai Bhajans which were beyond my capability rather than choosing simple ones. To sing at such a big gathering of devotees along with accompaniments is no easy.  The leading singers of the group had patience and trained me and will wait in the background to jump in to correct when I make mistakes while singing.

Janani Maa is my most favorite Sai Bhajan as I remember my mother while singing.

Our participation in Sai Bhajan continues from Maryland to Fremont San Franciso and now in North Chicago Sai Center with my wife Shanthi.  Sairam Ravikumar is my favorite n rendering of Sai Bhajan

While in Virginia also learnt a few bhajans of  Amirthanandamahi (Amma) while attending their weekly sessions. It was a blissful period where I was attending both Amma Bhajans and Sai Bhajans at the same time. Amma Bhajans are as soulful as Sai Bhajans and participating in these Bhajans was a rewarding learning experience. 

 

I was more attached to Bhajans than Faith and so involving in multiple Gurus is not a conflict as people think. Paathara Vinthangal is my favorite Amma Bhajan which I sing.

We started collecting CDs and it was so difficult to get them in US unlike film songs. Those times there was no Itunes or You tube and so getting a genuine bhajan CD was a challenge. 

I then got one double album (Solid Gold) of Bhimsen Joshi(A treasure trove of masterpieces) exclusively of Abhang of 90 minutes. That CD completely made me spellbound.

That was also time when I used to translate Kabir or Tulsi Bhajans using Hindi to English dictionary to understand the meaning as Hindi is not my mother tongue.

Abhang Marathi Lyrics

 Aathi Kote Dhaave Mana Tuje Charan Dhekhleeya
Bhaag Gelaa Sheena Gelaa Avadha Jhalaa Aananda
Premarase Baisali Miti Aavadi Laati Mukhaashi
Tukaamahne Amhaa Joge Vithala Dhoge Khare Maapa

Meaning How can my mind wander elsewhere? After I have seen your feet (been in your presence). The grief and sufferings of life have disappeared. Now it is only happiness. With loving devotion have embraced you and your name is in my mouth.  Tukaram says Vittal is the only true and appropriate measure of greatness for us.

 There were 30 Abhangs in that twin album and once you listen to Bhim Sen Joshi in my opinion one never has to look beyond for Abhang. How many times I would have listened to this priceless Album and each time I listen it sounds fresh soaked with devotion.

paavalo pandhari vaikuntha bhavan hanya aaji din
soniyaachaa 
paavalo pandhari anand gajare | vaajatiil ture shankha
bheri 
paavalo pandhari kshema aalingani santa yaaa sajjani nivavile 
paavalo pandhari paara naahi sukhaa | bhetalaa haa sakhaa
maayabaap

paavalo pandhari yerajhaar khuntali maauli volali
premapaanhaa |
paavalo pandhari aapule maaher| naahi savasaar tukaa mhane |

The CDs came also with the lyrics and this helped me in learning some of these Abhang. Then came the Jagjit Singh phase which I described above.

I believe in diversity in singing at home bhajans. If you sing only in one language where the core audience is the rest will be disconnected. Try to sing Hindi Bhajan in south Indian homes and vice versa. Bhajans should be short and if required sing only a few phrases rather than trying to sing the entire phrases. The shorter the bhajan is, the more bhajans can be sung within the same time. 

Bhajans and classical singing complement each other. One does not replace the other.

After being immersed in this ocean of Bhajans I am still only a beginner and there is lot more to learn. This has given me the peace and bliss never experienced before. As I said before this is one path to surrender ourselves in front of the god and he will take care of the devotees. 

There is so much more to cover on Bhajans and about my favorite South Indian bhajans where I belong which I will write in my concluding part. Also n that will give an interesting insight of the unsung hero who embedded the divine of bhajans in my veins and his life journey.

God Bless🙏🙏🙏

(To be Continued)