If Radha and Krishna had not existed, there would have been no Indian music,” versatile Mumbai-based music composer, poet and sitarist Tushar Bhatia had once said. A cursory glance at the musical horizon of India seems to support this. Kirtans (singing the Lord’s name) and Krishna bhajans (about his life and greatness) in different Indian languages and by different artistes. Krishna also figures largely in the classical genres of khayals and dhrupad-dhamar dwell on Holi, thumris play on the love between Radha and Krishna and kajris on the pain of separation. This immense love for Krishna in people’s hearts has also found expression in many old Hindi films which are replete with melodies invoking Krishna.
Lord Krishna has also been the inspiration for many dance forms in India like Kathak. Kathak ,which is believed to have originated in north India, in and around Vrindavan, involves narrating stories (kathas) of Krishna’s life through dance. Genres like thumris, chaitis, kajris, horis, dohas, and ashtapadi, which are performed in Kathak are all woven around the chosen hero — Krishna.
While in India, music originated as a means to worship the supreme power, no other deity has inspired the creation of such variety of music as has Bhagwan Krishna. Saswati Gupta, an ardent Krishna devotee and a life-member of ISKCON, who is excitedly preparing to take part in Janmashtami celebrations and who revels in singing kirtans daily, points out one reason for this. “While poojas are held of other Indian deities like Durga, Lakshmi and Ganpati, there is no pooja of Bhagwan Krishna. Krishna is worshipped chiefly by chanting his name (japa) and by singing his glory, and also dancing to melodic beats — a mode of worship started by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 15th century.”
Tushar Bhatia who has over 500 classical compositions pivoting on Krishna, attributes this largely to Krishna’s life story — his extraordinary birth event, the motherly affection of Yashoda, Krishna’s pranks as a child, valorous miracles in childhood and teenage love for Radha, Gopis’ grief after Krishna goes to Mathura, killing of Kamsa, Krishna’s diplomacy in the Mahabharat War, and the astonishing Vishwaroop Darshan to Arjun.
With such great literature available, khayal, dhrupad, dhamar and thumri singers borrowed naturally from the works of these poets, especially in north and central India, where these classical music forms mainly developed. “In some cases,” reveals Bhatia, “they even turned bhajans into khayals like Surdas’s famous bhajan Kaun gali gayo shyam.” Great singers like Tansen (1500-1589) who was a disciple of Vaishnavite Swami Haridas, passed on such classical compositions to their disciples and this way from disciple to disciple, these came down to us, and are presented to date with panache by artistes.
While classical music is enjoyed by select audiences, Krishna bhajans and kirtans continue to resonate in temples and houses all over India. Says Mumbai-based popular singer Sudipto Chakraborty, “I sing mainly bhajans composed by Jagjit Singh and Anup Jalota on stage and these have a huge draw. Audiences also croon along with me and get completely involved.”
The story is the same everywhere. Assamese singer Juthika Chowdhury recalls singing borgeet, written and composed by the 15th-16th century Assamese saint-poet, dancer, musician, social-religious reformer Sankardev. A Vaishnavite, he led the Bhakti movement in Assam with the practice of chanting Krishna’s name in temples called namghars and singing his glory. “My favourite borgeet of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev is Madhura Maruti Muraru,” says Juthika. “The sweet form of Lord Murari (Krishna) is described so beautifully in this song that i can visualise his presence. The tune is also melodious.”
