Kirtan o Gramin Krishti” (“Kirtan and Village Culture”):

The Final Chapter of Hitesranjan Sanyal’s *Bangla Kirtaner Itihas

Abstract

This article presents the final chapter of Hitesranjan Sanyal’s seminal Bengali work *Bangla Kirtaner Itihas*, translated and introduced by Joseph T. O’Connell. It explores how the kīrtan tradition in Bengal, rooted in Chaitanya Vaishnavism, served not just as devotional expression but as a transformative socio-cultural force. Kīrtan is revealed as a creative medium fostering social cohesion, spiritual upliftment, and aesthetic refinement among non-elite rural populations. Through theological, poetic, and dramatic forms, the movement democratized sacred expression across caste and gender lines. O’Connell’s introduction critically assesses Sanyal’s historiographical method and socio-political argument, especially in light of post-partition Bengal’s trauma and resilience.