Kirton Mela 2022

Sarbojonin Hindu Puja. Torpignattara. Rome, 17 April 2022

The great Kirton Mela (festival) is dedicated to religious musicians with the participation of the two Hindu temples and associations: Sarbojonin Hindu Puja and Om Hindu Mondir.

A frame of Bengali culture in the narrow streets in the heart of Rome.

Preparations in the dressing room and women in the kitchen cooking for everyone

Kirtan (Sanskrit: कीर्तन) is a Sanskrit word that means “narrating, reciting, telling, describing” an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance arts, connoting a musical form of narration or shared recitation, particularly of spiritual or religious ideas, native to the Indian subcontinent.

With roots in the Vedic anukirtana tradition, a kirtan is a call-and-response style song or chant, set to music, wherein multiple singers recite or describe a legend, express loving devotion to a deity, or discuss spiritual ideas. It may include dancing or direct expression of bhavas (emotive states) by the singer. Many kirtan performances are structured to engage the audience where they either repeat the chant or reply to the call of the singer.

The different groups of musicians perform with moments of emotion and deep friendship

A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankara (or kirtankar). A Kirtan performance includes an accompaniment of regionally popular musical instruments, such as the harmonium, the veena or ektara (forms of string instruments), the tabla (one-sided drums), the mrdanga or pakhawaj (two-sided drum), flute ( forms of woodwind instruments), and karatalas or talas (cymbals).

A great participation of the faithful and the happiness for sharing such important moments.