Temple Music of the Vaishnavas

PANDIT JASRAJ: Live at the Kensington Town Hall, London

24th February 2000

Pandit Jasraj's exquisite performances on this recording introduce us to the tradition of temple singing called Haveli Sangeet. The tradition derives from one of northern India's principal paths of Krishna Bhakti, or devotion to Krishna. This path is called the Pushti Marg or Way of Grace, though it is also known as the Vallabha Sampradaya, the tradition of Vallabha, after its founder Vallabhacharya, who lived from 1479 to 1531.

Taking his inspiration from such venerated classical texts as the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana, Vallabhacharya built up a cult or sectarian movement based on a devotion of mind body and wealth to Krishna. Krishna swarup or image, installed in the Haveli (temple), became the focus of an elaborate program of daily service on the part of his devotees. Unlike the generality of Hindu modes of worship, called simply puja, Vallabha's concept of seva or service conceives of the deity not as a remote or abstract entity but as an honoured guest, to whom the very best comforts and delights should be offered at all times. Thus Krishna's image is dressed and adorned according to the changing seasons, while his diet and the adornment of his shrine similarly reflect the time of year and the festival calendar. A programmed sequence of seva accompanies Krishna through his day from his being awoken in the morning to the time for repose at night.