Krsna Kirtana Songs est. 2001 www.kksongs.org
Matchless Gifts Experience
I had recorded many musical albums in genres of
devotional music or Hindustani classical music. Each album I recorded, there
was a new element. In Krsna Jyoti from 1997, the method of capturing everything
was based on live recording. I had to play tabla, sing and prerecord melodious
aspects using keyboard memory. Instruments used were vibraphone and flute from
the keyboard, tanpura from a tape, and tabla. With the next major recording,
Gaura Mangala in 2000, everything shifted from tape to digital methods. I
played tabla, and prerecord all of the melody onto a tape, while being helped
by my friends, Abhijit and Manu Bhattacharjee. We recorded another similar
album, Krsna Karuna, one year later using this method. I recorded many random
songs, kirtans, and bhajans through
This new album introduced a new recording method for
me. Computer multi-tracking system through Adobe Audition allowed me to be a
“one-man band.” From this, I was able to create my next fresh set of recordings.
Many bhajans have songs virtually everyone knows in
some degree. However, singing those alone will not allow us to understand other
works by our Vaisnava Acaryas. They have composed song very rare styles and
created such transcendental moods. To add on to these priceless lyrics, I
included rare ragas such as Misra Gara, Kaushikdhwani, Bairagi, and Bilawal
into full play. To add to the fervour, I included a semi-common rupak and
jhaptalas, to extremely rare thirteen beat vishwa tala. As Riksaraja prabhu
called his bhajans “The Reservoir of Pleasure”, I decided to call these bhajans
another name of one of Prabhupada’s books, “Matchless Gifts.”
Track 1:
Krsna Deva Bhavantam Vande (Listen)
Instruments: Tabla, Sitar, Esraj, and Kartal
This is one of my favorite bhajans by Rupa Goswami.
Unfortunately, not many people know of his bhajans. The meaning and the last
verse are very beautiful. The raga is Misra Gara set to Rupak Tala. Not many
Gaudiya bhajans are in this rhythm. When I first heard this tune, I knew the
raga was Misra Gara. However, the tala was pretty difficult to sing, as it
didn’t seem to lock in a fixed meter. I decided to try dadra or bhajani tala.
Neither of them sounded great nor easy to sing. Rupak Tala definitely did the
trick. It was the second song I recorded on
Track 2:
Parama Karuna (Listen)
Instruments: Tabla, Flute, Sarod, Esraj, Kartal
Parama Karuna is a song by Locana Das Thakura. It
had a completely different flavor to it, which I liked. However, by the
kindness of the devotees in my local Bhakti Vriksha in
Track 3:
Ohe Vaisnava Thakura (Listen)
Instruments: Tabla, Flute, Sitar, Esraj, Vina,
Kartal
This is the song closest to me as the lyrics are
very touching to the heart. Although there was a Bengali tune to it, I didn’t
think it did much justice to the mood of the song. I heard a Hindi version of
this song. Only the asthayi seemed to fit the mood of the song. I only used the
asthayi, but I improvised on the rest of the tune. The raga is Kausikdhwani
(also known as Bhinna Sadja) and it is based on bhajani tala. The author of
this song is Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Since this song was the closest to me and
since I also tried composing the music for this the most, I sang this song
first on
Track 4:
Vrndavana Ramya Sthana (Listen)
Instruments: Khol, Flute, Esraj, Kartal, Vina,
Shehnai
If you have never been to Vrndavana, then this song
is the perfect dream sequence. I’ve never been to Vrndavana so I can only
imagine by the lyrics of this song written by Narottama Das Thakura. From what
people tell me and how they have been very captivated and never wanted to go
back, I had to create a similar effect. I used a morning raga, Bairagi, to add
some majestic elements here. But the raga alone cannot pull this off! All of
the instruments had to sound dreamy. To keep it simple, I used Kaherva Tala for
the rhythm. Fun surprise to this is the shehnai. Srila Prabhupada said that
hearing the shehnai in the morning is an auspicious omen. Recorded on
Track 5:
Nava Gaura Varam (Listen)
Instruments: Tabla, Sitar, Sarod, Esraj, Kartal
A rarely heard astakam, or eight prayer set, by
Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya glorifying the son of Sacimata, Lord Caitanya. There
is another song “Nava Nirada Nindita” based on Raga Madhyamad Saranga sung by
Riksaraja prabhu. I used many of his elements in Nava Gaura Varam. The tala was
Bhajani; however, the raga was Kafi. Included is a sitar interlude which
allowed an opportunity for a tempo increase. I enjoyed recording this song,
although I had the second most number of takes. Recorded on
Track 6:
Sri Hari Vasare (Listen)
Instruments: Tabla, Khol, Esraj, Kartal
The past five songs are written in a song book within
ISKCON in some form of another. This track, however, is not found in a
songbook. It’s a song by Vrndavana Das Thakura which glorified the Lord’s
Ekadasi (sri hari vasare). I had a dream that I heard an Ekadasi bhajan in
thirteen beats. When I woke up, I was searching for an Ekadasi bhajan. I
finally found it to be Sri Hari Vasare. Recalling the tune I heard in my dream,
I sang Sri Hari Vasare using a computer to play thirteen beat cycles. It fit in
perfectly! The name of the tala is Vishwa Tala. I practiced and studied this
tala to perfection in order to do justice to the song. The drums were tabla and
khol. The khol used in Vrndavana Ramya Sthana was more refined. Here, it’s more
open bass sound as we are talking about Lord Caitanya’s kirtan on Ekadasi day.
This song took the most number of takes. Featured is Panca Tattva and Hare
Krsna mahamantras in Vishwa Tala. Recorded on
Track 7:
Govinda Kesava Janardana Vasudeva (Listen)
Instruments: Mridangam, Baya, Violin, Flute, Kartal,
Vina
Every song in this recording is based on Hindustani
music except for this one. This one is in Carnatic flavor as Lord Ramacandra
sang this song to Lord Nrsimhadeva when He was in Ahovala (the place of Lord
Nrsimhadeva’s advent). It is found in the 47th Chapter of the
Harivamsa Purana. I knew that I wanted to use Ragam Hamsadhwani, as this is the
most commonly used Carnatic raga. The rhythm was an issue, as I didn’t know how
to fit a good rhythm in here. Jhaptala seemed to do the work. The mridangam,
which was formed by a syahi-less baya and a snared dayan, was the basis of the
percussion. The baya provided a “ghatam” feel. Violin was used instead of
esraj, as esraj wouldn’t sound too Carnatic in this recording. Vina was used as
it is a Carnatic instrument. I am not able to sing Carnatic solo perfectly, so
I had to make my Sanskrit sound a little Tamil. Recorded on
Track 8:
Raga
Instruments: Tabla, Sitar, Esraj, Kartal
The last track of the album was an exciting feeling.
I decided to use cello and sitar to serve as the instruments to accompany my
voice. After recording the song, I realized cello sounded too odd that didn’t
create a haunting feel. The cello was replaced with esraj, which was always the
uncrowned king of accompaniment in this whole album. Sitar accompanied my voice
exactly and esraj had a little more lenient role. Raga
These tracks were also tribute to some musicians.
Riksaraja prabhu’s high pitched voice and classical non-Westernized taste was
always attracted me. All of the song were transposed, so it makes me sound a
little different. This is also a tribute to Vaiyasaki prabhu as many of my
nuances here and there represented his style of music. Zakir Hussian and Swapan
Chaudhary received shout-outs in my tabla playing styles. Lakshmi Shankar
inspired me to hit high pitched notes in Nava Gaura Varam and Ohe Vaisnava
Thakura. One of my online friends was always a fan of rare ragas and talas, so
that interested sparked some good usage in this recording. Lastly, it was a
thank you to my friends who I always recorded songs with, Abhijit and Manu
Bhattacharjee who taught me all of the basics on getting a good recording done.