Reclaiming the Bhajan
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outside wealthy devotees homes under shamianas (large tents) throughout the year but especially Reclaiming during festivals. The average urban Indian is attracted to Western modern music and Hindi pop (which is influenced the Bhajan greatly by the West). It makes him Ancient musical styles of India loosen up and enjoy himself. But if you introduce this kind of music in a transform modern worship of Christ. religious context he would likely find the experience confusing. He may well leave saying, “Tan halata hain lekin man ko kuch nahin karta” (or, “This music moves the body, but it does nothing for the soul”). —Chris Hale Admittedly, there is an increasing minority in the cities especially from Christian back- he average religious is increasing rapidly. Something ground and an increasing number Hindu man—hungry for over a million may seriously love of Hindu young people who are an encounter with the pop music. But the majority of responding spiritually to modern, Ultimate Reality— India’s upper class, though they Western worship styles. But the Tresponds to song perhaps more than would not go out and buy the CD, vast majority of Indians do not. As any other form of communication. He would love to dance at a disco for the typical Western hymns wants to experience the Truth, to feel to some good, fast, dance and Western classical music, it. He is not content with mere music from the West (along these do even less spiritually intellectual understanding. Music is with their favorite, Hindi for the average Hindu than the one of the best bridges from me, as a pop music). modern Western choruses. follower of Christ, to this Hindu man. When it comes to his Translating the Western All kinds of songs are sung in devotional life, however, the Hindu choruses into the local languages is India. The average religious man on religious seeker wants bhajans, only a minute improvement, because the city street loves the Indian film repetitious songs with a simple though the intellect can respond, the songs which are mostly about roman- melodic line which the leader sings emotions are not touched by the tic love. Then you have your semi- and the devotees repeat. Bhajans can Western melodies. Translating the classical ghazal and classical raga lovers—but they are a minority. The villagers, of course, appreciate their The bhajan goes from the mind into local folk styles which consist the heart and touches the emotions entirely of live performances during festivals which last all night long. and the will. As far as Western music goes, about a half a million young people words of great Western hymns and all over India love rock and roll, but also take on complex classical forms putting Indian melodies to them is a through MTV and VTV that number and are available on cassette or CD. vast improvement on the above, but But, by and large, a bhajan is ‘live’ this also has its weak points. One can A graduate of Berklee College of and sung in the context of a satsang, easily imagine how difficult it is to Music, Chris Hale was raised in Nepal or religious meeting where a preacher take a Western poetical form and fit it and has served 10 years in India. He is expounds Scripture with bhajans currently living in New York and into traditional Indian musical form. interspersed throughout keeping the records devotional songs (bhajans) to The majority of popular Christian Christ in Hindi with Peter Hicks and devotees actively involved. Satsangs worship songs have melodies that are their group, Aradhna. are held at temples, ashrams and reminiscent of Hindi film song melo- 16 June 2001 Mission Frontiers USCWM•1605 E. Elizabeth St.•Pasadena, CA 91104•626-797-1111 dies of the last 20 years. This brings us the Biblical thought through the Western and Indian instruments. This back to square one, music that moves singing of the bhajan and the thought format is also appealing to Indians the body but not the soul. goes from the mind into the heart and living outside India. From my Likewise, many of the Christian touches the emotions and the will. experience with the bhajan worship songs in North India are South Indian Of course, this style of worship is group Aradhna1 (meaning, “wor- songs translated into Hindi. Though very foreign to most Indian Christians ship”) in the United Kingdom there is a far greater similarity from traditional church backgrounds. during the last two summers I have between South and North than Initially, many of them find such a found that this format appeals between West and East, it is clear format offensive because it reminds greatly to the large number of Indian that this is still very inadequate for them of Hinduism. However, the use emigrants. It is even welcomed in use among North Indians. The of bhajans is recommended primarily predominantly white churches who translations are quite poor and lack in evangelism or in churches that are are seeking a multi-cultural worship the sweet poetical flow of North actively seeking to make their worship experience. Indian verse. service more appealing to Hindus. What we need, then, is for people Clearly, with Hindus, the bhajan is Bhajans and satsang are prima- to begin learning and using the the most helpful musical form, rily being used by church planters in traditional forms and arranging them especially in North India, where the vast areas of India that are not musically using a combination of Christian and Western influence is being reached directly by the local Indian and Western instruments. By most strongly opposed. These songs church. and large, the first part must be done have Indian lyrics, Indian tunes and Finally it needs to be said that the by Indian poets and Indian musicians. an Indian worship format. Histori- modern, English-speaking, high class, Foreigners can help especially with cally, they are taken from Hindu secular, Hindu person may be more the packaging because of their access devotional practice, but there is open to spiritual things through to quality electronic musical equip- nothing unscriptural about these modern, Western worship formats ment and their familiarity with its forms. The forms are conducive to than traditional Indian ones which he use. With God’s help, there is much Biblical meditation. First, there is the has already thrown out. We’ve found that can be done with music to exposition of the passage by the in the ministry we do among these communicate the message of the preacher which enlightens the people that they respond to the Gospel in India. understanding through the Holy traditional bhajan format when _______________ Spirit. Then there is the repetition of presented using a combination of 1. Our first CD, Deep Jale (Light the Lamp) is in its second production. See “Resources,” page 27. Worshiping Christ With the Best of East and West -Chris Hale n 1990, I went to India sity campus rock music working on a new Broad- composers of Indian music Iafter graduating from festivals began singing way musical with India’s in the Church in India, but Berklee College of Music some of these bhajans using top popular song composer, many of them feel that the with a degree in classical the instruments in the band A.R. Rahman. Rahman younger generation is not composition, jazz and rock as well as Indian percus- popularized the use of interested in their music. guitar, with a vision to sion. We found that the Western instrumentation reach modern Indian youth young people loved these and rhythm in Indian songs. What is needed is a with a rock band that sang songs the most although at Indians, both young freshness that will attract songs in Hindi and English. that time it was not com- and old, love their own the young people to the Within the first year there I mon to mix Western styles melodies and poetry. The Indian melodies, and that discovered Christian such as rock music with the time is ripe for Christian freshness is Western bhajans, devotional songs traditional Indian styles. youth to begin composing instrumentation and addressed to Christ that had Now, 10 years later, rhythm. There needs to be a lyrical and melodic style Hindi songs with Western worship songs to Christ which blend Indian an exchange of musical that was truly Indian and instrumentation, both ideas between the older that drew me into worship. devotional and secular, are melody and lyrical style and younger generations in Our rock band, Olio, which very popular. Andrew Lloyd with Western instrumenta- was performing in univer- Webber is presently tion. There are many the Christian church. www.missionfrontiers.org Mission Frontiers June 2001 17.