Bhajan Music

| Genre | Similarity | Difference | |-------|------------|------------| | | Call-and-response, devotional | Kirtan is more energetic, often faster, more percussion | | Qawwali | Sufi devotional, repetitive chorus | Qawwali uses clapping, deeper harmonium, and Urdu/Persian lyrics | | Gospel | Communal singing, emotional release | Gospel uses Western harmony, piano/organ, biblical themes | | Gregorian Chant | Meditative, monophonic | Chant lacks percussion and call-and-response |

Key figures who solidified bhajan music include: bhajan music

: Whose verses emphasized the path of truth and a calm, sentimental heart. Regional and International Variations devotional | Kirtan is more energetic

Popularized globally by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, this style centers on the Maha-Mantra : Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare . Performed with high-energy kirtan (a call-and-response subset of bhajan), it has spawned a global neo-bhajan scene with rock and folk influences. repetitive chorus | Qawwali uses clapping