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 maharajs 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 stroy 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 Dnyneshwar 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.