A SHORT REVIEW ON THE EVOLUTION OF BENGALI PODABALI KIRTAN IN POST CHAITANYA ERA

Abstract

Kirtan is Bengal’s very own asset. Before the Bhakti movement and Post era of Chaitonyadeva, Kirtan was limited between the barriers of “NaamKirtan” or “Sangkirtan”. To popularize “Kirtan” Sri Chaitanyadev gave it a new aesthetic dimensional form and inculcated a new format of Kirtan. Kirtan achieved a new shape, dimension, and scope during the Chaitanya era. It is observed that, after Post Chaitanya Era, there were many Styles or Gharana of Kirtan under the influence of the “Vaishnav" “Padakartas” (Writers of Kirtan Pada). After the formation of Gharana, Kirtan gave up its many original components, Taal, Chanda, Bhab, and intermingled with different urban songs as a result we get the “Kirtananga” Songs of Kabi Guru Rabindranath Thakur, Rajanikanto, Atul Prasad Sen, and Kazi Nazrul Islam.