sankirtan

[dinabandhu]

i am really interested in the kind of sankirtan i saw in bengal and orissa where the longevity and palatability of it is emphasised. i think about this alot, because i feel our sankirtan is not adequate. it should be a very engrossing pasttime, both for the players and listeners. it can be far more practised as in the dhambasis sampradays. i will post this blog in other places, too. does any one know what i mean? i think so, because prabhupad propagated it in iskcon quite a bit. and you find akhanda (24hr.) kirtan in some of their temples. traveling, rehearsing, performing, committed, competing (sweetly competing), and transcendentally aurally seducing the souls of those who contact this phenomenon are activities of a sankirtan sampradaya. in bengali sampradaya means "party". each party has its committed well practised members which define its appeal to the followers. usually the members are 9: 2 mridanga players, 2 kartal players, a harmonium player, and 4 dancers. but in orissa i have seen much bigger, where one person is literally like a conductor, and in manipur i have heard of really really big parties (sampradayas). the key is well practiced numbers and a longevity or stamina. because the party has to sound sweet, they don't wear themselves out. more on this is welcome. i want to start a discussion. any one interested in more than discussing are doubly invited.

[dinabandhu]

yeah if devotees make a committed group that practices together how to be on beat, on tune, and dance and dress nicely they will feel happier and more competent to perform harinam sankirtan for the pleasure of the lord and the upliftment of all.

you can really see this in the groups from the dham, they are full of suprises and variety but at the same time they are maintaining a kirtan for several hours which mezmerizes a crowd into rapture.