Classical Bhajans

A charismatic leader, preacher and singer of bhajans (Hindu devotional hymns) Swamy Haridhos has evolved a musical style which combines the relatively simple, (purely devotional) bhajans with classical ragas improvised for his rendering of religious texts. On this disc, featuring 21 short tracks, Haridhos is accompanied by Karnatic (South Indian) violin, mridangam (barrel drum), harmonium and the North Indian tabla. Haridos is also joined by a large chorus of followers for whom he is not just a religious leader but also a father-figure with a strong influence on their daily lives, acting as advisor on everything from spiritual matters to marriage and higher education. The songs, an eclectic mix ranging from straight invocation-style chants (the opening track, ‘Ram Ram’) to the highly charged ‘Murahara Nadakara, are all delivered with an intense religious fervour.

The liner notes make no attempt to explain or translate the verses. Nevertheless, they do give numerous insights into the holy man and his humble ways. In between cooking for the thousands of pilgrims who arrive at his ashram near Chennai, (formerly Madras) in southern India, Haridhos keeps up a witty banter displaying his wry sense of humour through insightful observations on human nature. ‘A bath in the holy river Jamuna will wash away all of our sins,’ we are told. ‘Unfortunately we will all quickly acquire new ones as soon as we get out of the water.’