Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies
Volume 22 Article 14
January 2009
Book Review: "The Bhajan: Christian Devotional Music in Indian Diaspora"
George Pati
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs
Part of the Religion Commons
Recommended Citation Pati, George (2009) "Book Review: "The Bhajan: Christian Devotional Music in Indian Diaspora"," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 22, Article 14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1441
The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact [email protected]. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact [email protected]. Pati: Book Review: "The Bhajan: Christian Devotional Music in Indian Diaspora" Book Reviews 51
The Bhajan: Christian Devotional Music in Indian Diaspora. H. Joy Norman. Cambridgeshire: Melrose Books, 2008, 160 pp.
IN this book Norman candidly argues the saint poets of medieval bhakti movement which influence of music in Christian worship on the embody love of divine as well as acculturation ,sub-continent of India and in the diaspora where within the Hindu traditions. Similarly, in the South Asian immigrants have settled. The author Christian context, bhajans also represent investigates how these Indian diaspora Christian acculturation as they the words and music communities in England and Trinidad and communicates Christian gospel and love of God Tobago, in the process of assimilation have and humans. managed to maintain their religious song as Chapter three, "Concepts of Sacred Music in distinctly "Indian," while incorporating some Hinduism" investigates the evolution of metrical musical changes. She discusses historical melody in Hinduism based on the ancient texts continuities of the Christian bhajans, a type of and musical tradition emphasizing the devotional singing referring to its antecedents in significance of ornamentation and harmony. the bhakti or devotional traditions of Hinduism Chapter four, "Missionaries and their Influence and its inculturation in Christian worship in on Music in India," highlights the influx of India and abroad. Norman states that changes various rituals and musical tradition brought took place among Indian diaspora as they along by these missionaries from their country navigated their identity in a new context for of origin. As a result, Hindu chanting and which they resorted to Indian Christian lyrics, European sacred styles of music created a especially, bhajans which have served as a syncretic form of music. Some of the Indian bridge between the native country and the musical elements were identified with European diaspora context. The bhajans sung in Christian style; for instance, drone, ornamentation, and worship in the diaspora acted as a medium to melodic lines. On the contrary, Western negotiate their religious as well as cultural missionaries overlooked improvisation and its identities; hence, can be considered as an genius inherent in Indian music (pp. 75). The impetus within the immigrant community. In author points out that the bhajan served two other words, it carried a world of symbols and pu,rposes: a process of indigenization and wider meanings; spiritual freedom and a form of appeal among the masses during Christian establishing and maintaining divine/human worship--as the medieval bhakti poetry. relationships. Chapter five, "Christian Bhakti as Lyrics" The author has organized the book into eight argues Christian bhakti poets composed songs chapters. Chapter one, "The Lord's Song in a and hymns embodying devotion and theology of Foreign Land" sets the context for the study of a personal God comparable to early church music and lyrics in Indian Christian Diaspora lyrics as well as ,bhakti traditions. . The and ostensibly states religious diversity as an congregation is able to actively participate in the integral part of the Indian socioreligious fabric. worship experience when because of the simple Both Indian bhakti traditions as well as Western repetitive musical form of the bhajans as practices in India highly influenced churches emphasized in chapter six, "Characteristic of the and worship styles. Similar heterogeneity can Bhajan used in Christian Worship: Music and be observed in its diaspora contexts in England Form." While peering through the musical and the Trinidad and Tobago. Norman contends scores of those examples, listening to the British Asians use of the bhajan includes bhajans recorded on the compact disc sung diversity, besides maintaining their individual during worship service proves beneficial. cultures. Chapter two, "The Bhajan in Chapter seven, "Instruments in Worship," argues Hinduism," asserts the medieval period bhakti that historically voice was the only instrument movement in Hinduism served as a catalyst to used for singing God's praise in Hinduism as develop music and songs emphasizing devotion well as Christian traditions. Indian diaspora uses of God. Here, she discusses works by various both Indian and local musical instrument with
Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 2009 1 Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 22 [2009], Art. 14 52 Book Reviews
bhajans. Nonnan concludes the study by posing blending of the East and the West. In this regard, a pertinent question in chapter eight, "Sing to the Indian Christian diaspora forges a new wave of Lord a New Song", which remains true for all Christian worship singing with a purpose to diaspora communities: what native elements are perpetuate and navigate religious and cultural perpetuated and altered as they are transmitted to identities. Here, they construct a new Indian the next generation. She infers, in England, Christianity, which is neither totally Indian nor secular music has influenced the British Indian Western--ritualizing on the boundaries--as Christian worship music and, in Trinidad and Indian Hindu diaspora. This study may be Tobago, Afro-Caribbean community music has beneficial in discussing issues of acculturation affected Asian Christian worship. In both and Hindu-Christian encounters within Christian instances, they represent a fusion of the Indian worship in its native and diaspora' contexts as it and the Western styles. corroborates existing scholarship on medieval Clearly, then, the Indian Christian worship Hindu bhakti traditions and Western influences, in its native context affinns Indian Christianity, highlighting the nuances of Indian diaspora which is heterogeneous -- as an amalgam of Christian worship. native Hindu traditions and Western Christian traditions; and in its transplanted context George Pati acculturates to the current context, adding to its Valparaiso University existing complexity and diversity representing a
The Truth, the Way, the Life: Christian Commentary on the Three Holy Mantras of the Srivaisnava Hindus. Francis X. Clooney, S.J. Leuven and Grand Rapids: Peeters Publishers and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008, 202 pp.
TillS book is a delightful and thought and values disclosed by the text. To specify a provoking Christian commentary on the three Christian- commentary is therefore somewhat holy Mantras of the Srivaisnava Hindu tradition. problematic, as it foregrounds the reader, rather These Mantras express the core truths of than the text. And yet, being aware' of the Srivaisnava belief and practice. Francis X. attitudes of the interreligious reader highlights ! !, I ~ , , I ,: Clooney, S.J., carefully exegetes the Mantras in that one can learn from the sacred texts of their Srivaisnava context and reflects on the another tradition. implications of the Mantras for Christian Clooney depends heavily on Vedanta thought and practice. Clooney's perspective and Desika's (1268-1369) commentary on the primary audience is Christian; but his Mantras, and organizes the Mantras according to commentary is more broadly of interest to those three primary themes in Desika's commentary: in Srivaisnava studies, Hindu~Christian the Truth, the Way, and the Life. This grounds dialogue, and interreligious/comparative the reader in Srivaisnava thought on the theology. Mantras, but also points the Christian reader Clooney begins with a helpful toward an interreligious bridge; for the Christian methodological reflection on (interreligious) reader cannot help but think of the Gospel of commentary. Commentary is both academic John: "r am the way, and the truth, and the life. discipline and spiritual practice. As such, it No one comes to the Father except through me requires more than henneneutical skills; it (John 14.6, NRSV)." , requires submission to the truths of the text. The Chapter One focuses on the Truth, revealed reader must enter the world of the text as much in the Tiru Mantra: "Aum, obeisance to as possible and read in openness to the meanings Narayana." According to Desika, fundamental .t·
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol22/iss1/14 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1441 2