Chanting styles

[Maya3]

Are there different kind of chanting styles depending on the type of temple you go to?

I love my temple, everything about it is amazing. It is diverse, open, welcoming and everything I could possibly want...but I don´t love the chanting style.
I´m used to my Ashram tradition that is hauntingly beautiful, sung slow and melodious accompanied by a harmonium. At the temple it is chanted very fast and not so melodious. Sometimes I can get into the rhythm of it and it´s nice, but it is still not the same.

Are the styles always different, or is there i typical chanting style that is usually used in all temples?

Maya

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes it varies. Sanskritologists wouldn't like to admit it but there are regional dialects of Sanskrit. All you have to do to know that is visit a few different temples. It varies from priest to priest in small ways as well. Some are just clearer.

As for accompanying instruments, that's hard to say. I've heard certain slokas accompanied by a drum, which made the cadence fascinating.

There is also a style of singing the slokas, or singing in praise of slokas or mantras, like the Namashivaya songs that aren't chanting, but songs praising the mantra.

 

[Maya3]

Yes it varies. Sanskritologists wouldn't like to admit it but there are regional dialects of Sanskrit. All you have to do to know that is visit a few different temples. It varies from priest to priest in small ways as well. Some are just clearer.

As for accompanying instruments, that's hard to say. I've heard certain slokas accompanied by a drum, which made the cadence fascinating.

There is also a style of singing the slokas, or singing in praise of slokas or mantras, like the Namashivaya songs that aren't chanting, but songs praising the mantra.

Thanks,
I should probably look around the only thing is that this temple is the only one that is easy to get to for me. There are several others in Queens but they are hard to get to, and they are not so diverse.
There are differences between the different priests at the temple, some I like more than others.

Maya

 

[Aupmanyav]

Vedic chants are with fixed ways to pronounce. That has been for thousands of years, without any accompaniment. There cannot be any change. For the rest sing them the way you /people like it.

 

[StarryNightshade]

I haven't been to many temples, but from what I gather, Vedic chants themselves are pretty fixed; at least in terms of the meter, tone, staccato, etc.

 

[Chakra]

Vaishnavas in South India chant the Purusha Suktam, Sri Rudram, etc. What is an example of a non-Vedic chanting that Vaishnavas do?

 

[Poeticus]

Are there different kind of chanting styles depending on the type of temple you go to?

There are numerous, different kinds of chanting styles. And they aren't just restricted to temples, but can also be found on the yajna grounds. Chanting at most temples is usually of a very "general" type. In other words, this type of chanting is more casual. It isn't orthodox. For that, one would have to listen to the recitation of Brahmins that follow certain Vedic recensions (i.e., shakha-s). The following should relay this pluralistic reality. Keep in mind, the chanting that you are about to hear is of a very ancient method. The incantations are perfect. These are not of a casual nature, but of a very traditional and orthodox setting. Chanting such as the following can be easy to come across online, but is extremely difficult to hear in real life. This is because such orthodox communities tend to congregate together and follow the prescriptions of their tribal societies, to the exclusion of coming into contact with outsiders unless the Vedic rite of sponsorship is conducted.

For starters, the chanting you may come across in many temples is something like the following---of a casual nature, not specifically "Vedic":

[youtube]iGZouJ1sm8Q[/youtube]​

The above is not really "Vedic", per say. Even though the mantra-s are to be found in the Veda-s, the incantation follows no prescribed method. This is what I refer to as "casual". As per tradition, such a "lazy" approach to incanting Vedic mantra-s is actually counterproductive. If one is to recite Vedic mantra-s, they have to be incanted properly. Otherwise, they are voided because of the rules of Sanskrit recitation.

In comparison to the above, the following is not casual. In fact, the following is very, very traditional. The incantation you are about to hear is so old, that it precedes the advent of numerous sampradaya-s. In fact, its incantational patterns go back to a time when sampradaya-s didn't even exist---try, say, 1200 B.C.E.:

[youtube]2wkEU1GYD6U[/youtube]​

The above, as compared to the first video, shows hotr-s (reciters of the Shri Rgveda) of a specific shakha (i.e., recension) from the Nambudiri community of Brahmins.

The following is also Vedic, traditionally. But, in stark contrast to the recitation of the Nambudiri-s, the reciters of the following video are of a different recension, as well as different recensions altogether. And thus their recitation is different. The video shows hotr-s as well as udgatri-s, the later being those that sing the Saman-s of the Shri Samaveda:

[youtube]SgR9sdy6y8A[/youtube]​

So as you can see, there are various styles of Vedic chanting. There is also Bhaktic chanting. I presume this is what you meant by "chanting". But this form of chanting doesn't really follow any traditional prescriptions. In fact, it's like singing casual, devotional songs. These are not Vedic. For example:

[youtube]L74zZnYvvyM[/youtube]​

I hope that was at least somewhat helpful.

 

[Poeticus]

The following is what has traditionally been held as the creme de la creme of traditional, orthodox Vedic chanting. What you are about to hear is the singing of the Saman-s (hymns from the Shri Samaveda). I do not know the specific recension, but it is of a recension that is largely followed in the North. Most Hindus never come across such chanting in their whole lives in person. And thus where the restrictions of a busy life block us from acquiring a visual darshan of such recitation before our persons, the Internet can surely provide a helping hand:

[youtube]TBNEizCsor0[/youtube]​

ps - At 7:08, the Gayatri Mantra is incanted as per the Samavedic shakha of the reciters in the above video. It is a real treat to hear. Many of us are most likely used to hearing the Gayatri Mantra that is "chanted" by Anuradha Paudwal. And to many of our ears, it sounds very lovely. But she is actually singing it "Bhaktically", for the lack of a better word. In traditional terms, this would mean that every time Anuradha Paudwal finishes the mantra and sings it again, it is being voided as per the rules of Sanskrit recitation since it is being incanted/sung incorrectly and improperly. Shocking, I know. But eh, it's all good. Enjoy!

EDIT: The recension is actually a Southern one, not a Northern one. Even though various Vedic recensions will be found in both the North and the South, there will be minute differences in incantational patterns because of how the recensions are followed or implemented.

 

[Aupmanyav]

RigVeda by chant, SamaVeda by singing, although many hymns are common (as far as I know).

"It consists of a collection (samhita) of hymns, portions of hymns, and detached verses, all but 75 taken from the Sakala Sakha of the Rigveda, the other 75 belong to the Bashkala Sakha, to be sung, using specifically indicated melodies called Samagana .." (Wikipedia - SamaVeda)

 

[Maya3]

Thanks so much Poeticus!
I love the last one. It is beautiful. It doesn't sound really like any of these at my temple. It is faster and squeaky sounding, sorry it isn't a nice way to describe it, but not that melodious. Some are better than others, and some of the younger priests sound nicer to my ears.

Maya

 

[Poeticus]

Thanks so much Poeticus!
I love the last one. It is beautiful. It doesn't sound really like any of these at my temple. It is faster and squeaky sounding, sorry it isn't a nice way to describe it, but not that melodious. Some are better than others, and some of the younger priests sound nicer to my ears.

Maya

Hey, Maya, thanks for your replies. I am glad you found them enjoyable. The last one is also my favorite.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Thanks Poeticus for the Veda posts.