The Kirtan Ghosha[1] (Assamese: [kiɹ.tɔn.ɡʱʊ.xa]) is a collection of poetical works, primarily composed by the medieval saint Srimanta Sankardev in the Brajavali language. It was meant for community singing in the Ekasarana religion. Its importance in the religion is second only to the primary text, the Bhagavat of Sankardeva.
Textual history
The text of the kirtan ghoxa consists of twenty six sections and thirty one kirtans (or narratives of Krishna).[2] Sankardev had instructed Madhabdev during his last visit to Patbausi to compile the kirtans that were scattered then at different places—and they were posthumously compiled into a single text by Ramcharan Thakur, the nephew of Madhabdev.[3] All the kirtans were composed by Srimanta Sankardeva, except for one by Ratnakar Kandali and another by Madhabdeva. Two of Sankardeva's kirtans were later additions to Ramcharan Thakur's compilation. In some versions, there is an additional kirtan composed by Sridhar Kandali.[4]
Textual description
Each kirtan consists of a ghoxa or refrain followed by a number of verses, called padas, written in different meters. Some of the meters used, with examples
namo goparupi meghasama syama tanu | gawe pitvastra hate singa veta venu ||
Jhuna
pitavastra sobhe syamala kaya | tadita jadita jalada praya ||
Laghu payara
sundara hasikaka alpa hasa | caru syama tanu pitabasa ||
