Maharashtrian Kirtans: Bhakti, Motivation, and Laughter in One

You know when people feel things like demotivation, stress, or anxiety, they usually like to attend motivational speeches or comedy shows, but have you ever attended Maharashtrian kirtans?

Maharashtrian kirtans: a path of Upliftment

Basically, kirtans are a part of Maharashtra’s culture, where the maharaj who perform kirtans learn devotional bhajans, abhangs, and the life stories of great saints by studying in gurukul like schools in Maharashtra, and then present them through kirtans.

But yes…hearing the word kirtan, all that must have come to your mind is bhajans and devotion ( Bhakti ) to God, right?

That’s the real fun – Maharashtrian kirtans are not limited to just this, guys. They are like a musical night in the form of bhajans, with motivational storytelling that has the power to inspire people’s lives.

Sometimes the storytelling is so powerful that a person can even cry, while at the same time feeling driven and uplifted.

And sometimes it’s the kind where a person gets to learn something, and also ends up laughing uncontrollably.

Maharashtrian Kirtans Through My Eyes

When I first started attending kirtans, my family members would always ask me the same thing:
“Arrey, we’ve never seen you going to a temple or doing any puja-path. So how did you suddenly start attending kirtans?” And they would laugh.

But what they don’t know is – yes, it’s true that I never really did puja or listened to bhajans, but kirtans are different, yaar. In kirtans, I get motivation, I get a lot of laughter. I forget all the tensions of my life. I laugh at their stories, their comedy, and at the same time, I learn something too.

And that’s exactly the reason – whenever I get a chance, I attend kirtans.

Yeah, just because you’re young, the moment you hear the word kirtan, today’s article probably sounded boring to you, right? But bro, this is not just kirtan. This is Maharashtrian Kirtans.

And trust me, it has everything – comedy, motivational speeches, a musical night in the form of bhajans, laughter wrapped in Bhakti…..literally everything is in it.

You know how these days there are motivational shows and comedy events? Well, Maharashtrian kirtans are a perfect mix of all that – along with devotion ( Bhakti ) too.

But: they’re only in Marathi……

A Gen Z perspective: why I attend kirtans

Alright, I’ll just share a memoir itself….

I am a cancer patient, and if someone is diagnosed with cancer at the age when they are supposed to build their career, it can completely break them – just like it happened to me a few years ago.

So, just to get away from my worries, sadness, and stress, it felt necessary to step out of the house. At that time, all my friends were attending these kirtans every night.

I went along with them casually, thinking of it as a way to distract myself from my struggles for a while.

On the first day I attended, there was so much humor along with devotion that, even if only for a short time, I completely forgot all my problems.

The next day, I went again, expecting something similar – but that evening, one Maharaj spoke story in such a way that I suddenly felt deeply motivated. I unexpectedly started feeling very strong from within. It felt like every story was speaking directly to me, telling me, you are strong, you can’t give up so easily.

So I went on the third day too. The third evening was entirely filled with devotional songs – it felt like a full musical night. Over those three days, I laughed a lot, felt inspired, and lost myself in the musical bhajans.

And from the following year onward, without anyone insisting, I started attending these gatherings on my own.

For me Maharashtrian kirtan is a stage of motivation. Sometimes it’s a place to forget sadness, tension, and stress. Sometimes I go there to look for solutions to my life’s problems. And sometimes, I go just to enjoy life – or simply to relax myself.

Beyond entertainment and humor: the real essence of Maharashtrian kirtans

kirtans mean reciting abhangs. Abhangs are short devotional songs ( Bhaktigeet ) or poems written for God.

Through them, in a way, the truths of life are shared and explained.

Abhangs are presented either by singing them or sometimes simply spoken like a speech, and that is what we call a Maharashtrian kirtan.

Through these abhangs, the real meaning of life, life’s truths, and a little bit of humor are shared.

Great saints like sant Tukaram Maharaj and sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj have written many abhangs, and presenting them and explaining their meaning is what kirtan actually is.

Motivation without tickets – why not give it a try?

I’m not that wise or knowledgeable that I can fully understand the saints’ abhangs.

Honestly, I don’t really grasp them that deeply. But yes, whenever I attend kirtans, I do learn something from their storytelling, and their comedy-filled explanations always give me a good laugh.

kirtan is a part of Maharashtra’s rich and vibrant culture. It has Bhakti, comedy, motivation, and storytelling all about blended together.

“It’s not just bhakti, it’s laughter, learning and life lessons all in one”.

I have only written what I personally experienced. if any word feels wrong or hurts anyone’s feelings, I sincerely ask for forgiveness. I only share what I felt and learned through my own journey.