Kirtan Parichay

Kirtan (Sanskrit: कीर्तन) is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts, connoting a musical form of narration or shared recitation, particularly of spiritual or religious ideas. With roots in the Vedic anukirtana tradition, a kirtan is a call-and-response style song or chant, set to music, wherein multiple singers recite or describe a legend, or express loving devotion to a deity, or discuss spiritual ideas. It may include dancing or direct expression of bhavas (emotive states) by the singer. Many kirtan performances are structured to engage the audience where they either repeat the chant, or reply to the call of the singer. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankara (or kirtankar). A Kirtan performance includes an accompaniment of regionally popular musical instruments, such as the harmonium, the veena or ektara (forms of string instruments), the tabla (one-sided drums), the mridanga or pakhawaj (two-sided drum), flute (forms of woodwind instruments), and karatalas or talas (cymbals). In Maharashtra for example, a kirtan is a call-and-response style performance, ranging from devotional dancing and singing by a lead singer and audience, to an "intricate scholarly treatise, a social commentary or a philosophical/linguistic exposition", that includes narration, allegory, humor, erudition and entertainment – all an aesthetic part of ranga (beauty, color) of the kirtan. Kirtan is locally known as Abhang, Samaj Gayan, Haveli Sangeet, Vishnupad, Harikatha

Migrant Heritage Charitable Trust Inc (regd) and Auckland Marathi Association Inc are proud to bring to the shores of New Zealand for the first time renowned Kirtankar - Charudatta Govind Aphale popularly known as Aphalebua a legend in kirtankari presentation in India and abroad. He will be visiting us on the occasion of Diwali and to celebrate the festive season we have arranged 2 sessions of his Kirtans - We will open with Aphale bua presenting "VEER SAVARKAR" a narrative about the legend and freedom fighter from Maharashtra whose life is intriguing and misconstrued in more than one ways. Come and listen to first hand description of this legend. Then on Sunday we will present the traditional Kirtan in all its full glory. Something not be missed as Aphale bua will keep you mesmerised with this narrative and presentation. He will be ably accompanied by Tejas Palsuledesai on the Harmonium and Nikhil Ghate on Tabla.

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