Music in Indian churches

[organist]

We have just returned from 3 wonderful weeks in India. We went for an ordination of a fellow student at Heythrop and it was amazing! Overall impressions of the 5 masses we attended. Small groups using microphones with keyboard backing which included percussion dominate everything and the people generally do not sing. In most cases the people do not have texts in front of them (too costly ?- many churches are for Dalits who are poor) We did see 2 small locally produced hymnals (no copyright acknowledged) featuring hymns to Mary ( all your old hates included!) and a collection chosen by young people Israeli Mass, Swedish Mass, Kavin Mathew (Kevin Mayhew) 70s horrors - why? Why? We appear to have exported some of our worst horrors.
The local music was often attractive but it seemed odd that nobody moved to the beat which was so insistent. The other problem was that it all sounded the same to our Westen ears.
However let's dwell on the higlights. The Archbishop singing the Litany of the saints to a haunting refrain. A psalm beautifully sung at the ordination. Joy unconfined! A real feeling of community celebrating and a very warm welcome to us visitors. I was amused that my small cross led many priests to greet me as Father - "Yes I am a father but not that sort!"
Midnight Mass in Udaipur in Hindi and Christmas Day in English - really odd that the soloists sang carols at us although we did join in anyway. "Joy to the world "and "Because of Christmas Day" seemed to be the top numbers - American influence? Mass in Jaipur at Jesuit church which is filled with Keralans and the Jesuits run a large school for Hindu middleclass children. Syro-Malabar church in Kochi in English with numerous added prayers!
The strength of the community with children at catechism classes in church before Mass including older teenagers - no wonder Kerala has the second largest seminary in the world! Kerala has the only elected Communist government in the world - result education, no illiteracy, no unemployment but loads of other problems like educated youngsters having to work in the Middle East, high suicide and heart disease rates, high smoking rates. But what a lovely place!
Intinction at communion. People turning to form 2 lines and the priest moving down the lines at communion in Kochi - works really well - far better than our scrums. Communion in the hand in the Syro-Malabar rite. Kiss of peace is a respectful bow with hands together. And in Kerala churches everywhere!

[VML]

I've been away from the forum for a while.
Lovely to find this fascinating account. Thanks.

[HallamPhil]

I also have had interesting experiences of liturgical practice in India. I visit Goa for a month every January/February for the last 15 years. I stay in the little coastal village of Agonda in the South of Goa where the sfx fathers staff both school and church. Attendnace at both daily and Sunday masses is numerically staggering and always involves singing, whether accompanied or not, and Improvised harmonies are a frequent occurence.

Fr Peter the assistant priest at Agonda is also on the Music Committee of the Diocese for which he composes much of the music that is sung throughout the Diocese each year. The music is resourced with a 'backing' track to which the live keyboard player may add frills etc.

There is nothing particularly indian about the music which has a european song contest feel to it. I was interested to note that only a few stray tourists conceded to responding bodily to the rhythmic impetus of the music.

The 'namaste' is the sign of peace in Goa as in Kerala but distinct from Kerala I have never seen communion offered in both species.

When it comes to the elevation the whole congregation follows the focus of the priest in that they gaze at the raised body of Christ and bow when the priest genuflects. This seems to be more sensible than what I perceive to be the practice of some here who avert their gaze when it is shown!

Although they have already incorporated the revised translation of the Roman Missal whenever (rarely) they use English they are now aware that translation work is ongoing into a revised translation into konkani. It remains to be seen whether Rome will offer its own experts!

14 years ago I visited Se Cathedral in Old Goa on the very day that Goa was celebrating the Pope's decision to allow Goa to have Joseph Vaz as its indigenous patron saint in addition to the foreigner, Francis Xavier. 27, 000 people attended the Mass. 10 minutes before it all started one priest seized the microphone to tell all those who were lucky enough to be sitting on pews to close their legs and move to the back of each pew. Then another few thousand people moved into the gap thus created between the pairs of closed legs!

[organist]

We have just received a charming reply to our letter of thanks from the Archbishop inviting us to dinner on our next visit to Kerala! We have had the pleasure of entertaining Fr Xavier at our home and the photographs and short videos have given a lot of pleasure to fellow Heythrop students. The article may well appear in various publications.
I agree that the elevation is most reverently observed - in monasteries I have visited where people are standing at this point a profound bow after the elevation by everyone is such a moving communal gesture.

[organist]

http://youtu.be/39dQv64B5Vs
to see video and photos from the ordination!

[organist]

The article about the ordination is to appear in Music and Liturgy!