Not All Devotional Music from India is Kirtan or Mantra

Manish takes us through the beautiful journey of sacred music from India with interesting explanations and a variety of songs to help us understand the vast spectrum of music from India: "We have traditions that beyond being learnt, they are carried in the blood since many, many generations, by families and musicians who have grown in that atmosphere of devotion and music, besides a deep connection and love for these traditions. Specially the most ancient the tradition, the deeper roots it has and the more one has to access the right source, if interested in connecting to them."

India has always kept music as a way to connect to the divine, and ultimately to oneself.  Songs and poetries have been written since millennia by rishis and enlightened ones, where wisdom was combined with music, raising the potential to penetrate the listener connecting him/her with the meaning of those sacred verses, of the ultimate wisdom. 

It is important to know what is what and how to approach the diverse styles of music from India. That is why I always emphasize that not everything which comes from the India is a mantra and some people who don't know the language and the science of mantra get confused very easily. There are chalisas, shlokas, strotras, sahasranaams, mantras, kavach, bhajans, shabad, kirtan, etc. And the ability to distinguish is key to know what is what, to honor this ancient tradition from India, and for a better understanding of our culture, for those interested in it  and for a successful practice.

Music Credits briefly played as examples in the Podcast, by order of appearance:

Aham Brahmasmi - Manish Vyas
Shloka - Ketan Patwardhan
Stotra - Manish Vyas
Surya Sahasranaam - Pt. Rattanmohan Sharma
Guru Ramdas, Gurbani - Manish Vyas
Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha, mantra - Manish Vyas
Durga Saptashati - Amkitkumar Pandey
Tumi Bhaja re Mana, bhajan - Manish Vyas
Shabad Gurbani - Bhai Gagandeep Singh
Kabir bhajan - Pt. Kumar Gandharva
Sufi Qawwali - U. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Jaya Govinda Hare, kirtan - Manish Vyas

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