Love Songs of Chandidas - The Rebel Poet-Priest of Bengal

First published in 1967, Love Songs of Chandid¿s provides an informative introduction which makes vividly clear the importance of Chandid¿s to the Indian peasant masses. As the author tells us, the traveller through the Birbhum area of Bengal hears Chandid¿s everywhere, in the villages, in the fields, on the roads. Night after night, the people gather in the temple courtyards or on the village greens to listen to professional 'Kirtan' singers sing his songs of the divine love of Radha and Krishna. The influence of Chandid¿s on contemporary Bengali literature is equally important, his songs having enriched the work of great poets such as Rabindranath Tagore, Govindadas, and many others. The author also discusses the interesting topic of the Sahaja ('spontaneity') movement in Indian faith and literature, as manifested in the songs of Chandid¿s, and the worship of love-making, divine and human, as an important aspect of this faith. This book will be of interest to students of literature, music, history, cultural studies and South Asian studies.

List of contents

Foreword Introduction 1. Love songs of Chandid¿s 2. Dwija Chandid¿s 3. Badu Chandid¿s 4. Sahaja Poems Bibliography Discography Index

About the author

Translated by Deben Bhattacharya

Product details

• Assisted by: Bhattacharya Deben (Editor)
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 19.01.2026
• EAN: 9781032767208
• ISBN: 978-1-032-76720-8
• No. of pages: 208
• Series: Routledge Revivals
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama > Poetry; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; History, Popular Culture, MUSIC / General, Poetry, Asia, LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry, LITERARY CRITICISM / General, MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Folk & Traditional, MUSIC / Ethnomusicology, LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / Indic, Humanities, Literary studies: post-colonial literature, Literary studies: postcolonial literature, love songs;chandidas;translation;bengal, Poetry / Poems