Devotional Music of India: Spreading Harmony and Peace by Amarendra Khatua

In the Vedic period (3000-1500 BC), music was solely ritualistic. Some of the major earlier forms of Indian Classical music like Prabandh Sangeet and Dhruvapada were all devotional in character. Gradually other forms of devotional music like bhajans, kirtans, shahbads, and qawwalis came into being. Bhajan Bhajans owe their origin to the Bhakti Movement. The word bhajan is derived from bhaj which means ‘to serve’ in Sanskrit. Bhajan is a popular form of devotional singing prevalent in north India. It is usually sung in temples in praise of God or is addressed as a plea to him. Kirtan Kirtans are another type of folk music usually sung by the Vaishnavas and are based on the love stories of Krishna and Radha. It is prevalent in Bengal. Kirtans were transformed into song and dance congregations by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (15-16th Century AD), drawing inspiration from Jayadeva’s Geet Govinda. Qawwali Qawwali is a devotional form of music. The lyrics are in praise of Allah, Prophet Mohammad, members of the Prophet’s family, or renowned Sufi saints.It is written in Persian, Urdu, and Hindi and is composed in a specific rāga. Shabad Shabads are devotional songs of the Sikhs sung in gurdwaras on religious occasions. They are ascribed to Sikh gurus and many Bhakti saint poets. Shabad originated as a musical composition around the 17th century AD. Guru Nanak and his disciple Mardana are credited with the development and popularity of shabad.