Shantiniketan – Haven of Peace – a work for Interfaith Unity, Cultural Pluralism and Racial Justice
In 2022 Multitude of Voyces began working with the composer, organist, singer and social anthropologist, Anita Datta, to explore a special commission with a focus on interfaith unity, drawing on Anita’s dual heritage as a British-born South Asian. The commission was part of MoV’s Inclusive Hymn Project which aims to address social-justice issues and other topics which are of particular concern to our younger generations.
Anita’s original work – Shantiniketan – for unison voices, piano or organ, with optional treble or bass ostinato, was given its premiere in April 2024 in an interfaith service to mark the Declaration of the new High Sherriff of Wiltshire, Dr Olivia Chapple.
Photo © 2024 Dominic Parkes Photography
“Thank you so much to you and all the choir members for your magnificent performance on Friday. I have had so many messages and calls from guests who were deeply moved, many to tears).
Please do pass on my thanks to Anita Datta for allowing the première of Shantiniketan – what a beautiful hymn.” Dr Olivia Chapple
The performance of this work within the service was particularly relevant, as the outgoing High Sherriff of Wiltshire, Mr Pradeep Bhardwaj, had used his own tenure in the role (2023) to raise awareness of interfaith issues and the work carried out by many ethnic communities in Wiltshire, UK. The setting makes use of a traditional Baul sangeet Jonomo Morono Hobe Nibarono which Anita employs as the Refrain.
Shantiniketan - Haven of Peace
(Hymn version - Unison & piano or organ with optional ostinati, English & Bengali)
This commission gave us our first experience of preparing a score incorporating Bengali script.
Guidance on the pronunciation of the Bengali text:
Shantiniketan - Haven of Peace
(Chorale version - SATB & & piano or organ, English & Bengali)
Listen to the choir of St Thomas-on-the-Bourne perform the Chorale version of Shantiniketan
Following the publication of the ‘Hymn’ version, Anita developed the work into the SATB ‘Chorale’ version which was given its premiere performance by the choir of St Thomas-on-the-Bourne in November 2024.
Shantiketan - The Art of Dying
Anthem version
The work was taken up in March 2025 by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, and workshopped in an extended ‘Anthem’ version – Shantiniketan - The Art of Dying - specially developed by Anita for the event. We are greatly looking forward to publishing this score later in 2025!
Shantiniketan - Haven of Peace
Southampton University workshop
Anita was invited to Southampton University in May 2025 to give a workshop to postgrad students on music and cultural inclusion
Commentary
This work draws from the Baul tradition of Bengal and their syncretic spirituality which brings together influences from across Vedic (Hindu), Buddhist and Sufi (Islamic) philosophy and practice. Baul Sangeet (Baul ‘Song’) is a spiritual folk tradition that has been practised since at least the 15th Century. In modern times within India it is strongly associated with Santiniketan (pronounced with a ‘sh’) in West Bengal, a town founded by Nobel Laureate, writer and composer Rabindranath Tagore. ‘Santiniketan’ means ‘Haven of Peace’.
Baul Sangeet is typically performed by ascetics who dedicate their lives to the spiritual practices of the Bauls, the primary public expression of which is their music. Much of Baul Sangeet is metrically characterised by an underlying cross-rhythm of three against two, which may be exploited for melodic or rhythmic intrigue. This complex heartbeat-like pulse also speaks to me, in this context, of the ways in which apparently divergent spiritual and cultural ‘rhythms’ may come together to create a richer, more beautiful texture of experience. The songs of the Bauls poetically explore the relations of love, devotion, faith and yearning for the divine, often through mundane or even romantic metaphors.
Jonomo Morono Hobe Nibarono is a lesser-known Baul Sangeet that emphasises the Vedic conception of the material world as maya, illusory and temporary in nature. It is held that beyond this temporary physical world, there is a future of spiritual unity and bliss for the faithful.
The Bengali words and ‘Anglicised’ melody of the Refrain are adapted from the original, and so close are the beliefs to those of Christians that the English ‘translation’ that follows is not my own but is itself adapted directly from Revelation [the last of the Books of the (Christian) New Testament. ‘Revelation’ uses imagery to describe the revealing of divine mysteries].
The melody of the verse is my own composition derived from the original Baul Sangeet, and the words are adapted from Revelation chapters 7, 18, 21 and 22. Not only does the vision of Life Eternal here expressed echo that described in the Baul Sangeet (and in broader Vedic spiritual mythologies), but Verse 3 speaks directly to the Hindu emphasis on detachment from earthly things as a spiritual practice. I conclude with the line from Revelation chapter 22 verse 4, encompassing the belonging of people to the divine, and evoking the South Asian cultural metaphor that one’s destiny is written on one’s forehead.
Commentary text © Dr Anita Datta 2023