Toronto, Ontario
The
Eve Before the Gaura Morn
Globally, members of the bhakti yoga tradition are warming up for
the following day’s full moon, when the birthday of a great personality will be
honoured. His name is Sri Chaitanya and
He has popularized the kirtan
movement which entails drumming, dancing and, most of all, chanting. It also may include walking because the
practice of kirtan is not static but ecstatic.
The mrdunga
drums of the Bengals—east and west—were custom-made of earth or terra
cotta. Being that they are light-weight,
one can move with them, even dance with them strapped about the torso. Jajas,
often referred to as whompers, are cap-shaped, brass-based cymbals that
accompany the mrdunga. There were no harmoniums at the time of kirtan’s heyday. The harmonium was born in Germany in the 1800s,
two hundred years after Chaitanya’s initiation of sharing kirtan. Harmoniums would
also be too awkward and heavy to carry around during a kirtan’s dance/chant sessions.
After a good day of careful travel
planning, but no walking—unfortunately—and spending time with journalist Kevin
Connors of the Toronto Sun newspaper, I took a glance, as I had the chance, to
see from above, via the balcony, the Wednesday crew chanting below. They did not dance and a harmonium was used,
but they did chant and that is the most important component of kirtan.
https://instagram.com/p/BfyFRw4F6Ru/
Let us refer to the term sankirtan which means group
participation in chanting. It is
awesome.
May the Source be with you!
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