Bhajan - Modern Forms

Modern Forms

V. D. Paluskar and ] have combined Indian classical music with bhajan. The dancer Mallika Sarabhai has produced performances based on bhajans. Mallika Sarabhai, one of the nation’s most intelligent dance professionals, was successful in producing this piece that is innovative, yet flows into the inherent poetic structures of Bhajan with ease. Abhinaya Chakravathi Sri JS Eswara Prasad Rao of Hyderabad who is the disciple of AL Krishnamurthy Bhagavathar, Pudukkottai system, has produced performances based on Sampradaya bhajans under the title "Nitrya sankeerthnam", he has performed abhinaya for all the bhajans irrespective of the languages.

Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj (b. 1922) is a prominent poet Saint of modern times, in the path of Bhakti Marg, the path of love or devotion to God. He has composed eleven thousand one hundred and eleven doha (couplets) on the leela of Radha Krishn and the devotional philosophy called Radha Govind Geet; 1008 pad (songs) called Prem Ras Madira; hundreds of kirtan in the form of Yugal Shatak and Yugal Ras and twelve pad which fully describe the beauty and the decorations of Krishn, and thirteen pad which describe the beauty and the decorations of Radha Rani called Shree Krishn Dwadashi and Shree Radha Trayodashi. Renditions of Shree Maharajji's bhajans and kirtans have been recorded by well known singers in India such as Manna Dey ] and ].

In Surat Shabd Yoga, the spiritual exercises (sadhanas) include repetition, particularly silent repetition, of a mantra given at initiation and bhajan ( here meaning listening to inner sounds).

Also bhajan singing is common in some Surat Shabd Yoga groups. In this case the bhajan are written by the living Master or his predecessors.