Musicality of the Geetagovinda and Odissi Music

Abstract

Poet Jayadev composed Geetagovinda and for the first time in Odisha lyrics were composed by applying tune. The form of music which has been sung in the world famous Jagannath temple gradually took the form of traditional Odissi music as known today. It is the most developed and systematized form among all the varieties of Odishan music existing now-a-days. Jayadev ushered a new era in the history of Indian Classical music, which can be rightly identified as Jayadev music. This great composer, musician, a saint-poet of Odisha was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. He gave a new shape, taste and color to Indian classical music through his ever glittering and incomparable composition of Gitagovinda. The ingredients of the classical music like Raga-Tala-Geeta and Chhanda of Jayadev was introduced in the services of temple of Lord Jagannath and was accepted as temple music of Odisha.