Gaudiya kirtan style

[Guest guest]

> Where can I find a brief description of the 3 Gaudiya kirtan styles,

> namely Garan-hati, Manoharsahi, and Reneti?

 

Here is what I have about them.

 

> This was the inauguration of the Padavali kirtan of Narrotam Thakur. This

> original style became known as Garanahati as it developed in the area of

> Gaderhata (Pargana). Its specific features were its slow tempo, long talas

> (rhythmic cycles) and cultured language. Narottama was a great preacher

> and travelled extensively throughout Bengal and Assam performing kirtan.

> His diciple Ganga Narayana Chakravarti followed in his footsteps, also

> visiting Manipur, and in this way the Garanahati style influenced the

> Assamese and Manipuri styles of kirtan and dance that we see today.

> 108 talas are said to have been used in this style as well as many ragas.

> Narahari Chakravati, in his Bhakti-ratnakara has mentioned that no one

> ventured to violate the sastric rules and injunctions laid down in the

> ancient musical treatises such as Gita-Prakasa, Sangita Parijata,

> Sangita-siromani, Sangita-ratnamala, Vachaspati, Sangita-damodara,

> Sangita-Narayana etc. As well as following all the musical rules mentioned

> by Bharata in his Natya-sastra. Different interpretations of this Padavali

> style developed in different regional areas of Bengal. Vipra dasa Ghosh

> propagated the Manoharsahi style in Manoharsahi Pargana, Thakur

> Gokulananda the Ranihat Reneti style in Ranihati Pargana, and Venidasa the

> Mandarini style in the Sarkara Mandarana. There was another style

> Jhadakhandi started at Midnapura by Kavindra Gokula. The special features

> of those four schools is that at present none are easily recognizable for

> want of proper knowledge, culture and application.