The kirtan, as a didactic tool combining stories and philosophical discourse with song dates back to at least the 13th century on Maharashtra. It was adopted by the Bene Israel after hearing a “trance-inducing” kirtan by the Hindu kirtankar Raosaheb Shankar Panduranga Pandit as a means to teach Jewish texts. This led to the founding of the Kirtanotejak Mandal in 1880, followed by the performance of the first Bene Israel kirtan "Abraham Charitra" by Benjamin Shimshon Ashtamkar. Despite some early resistance, Bene Israel kirtans began to draw large crowds, and kirtankars were in demand at naming ceremonies, weddings and housewarming parties. Between 1880 and 1960 approximately 42 kirtans became part of the repertoire.

Kirtans stared to decline in the 1960s as many Bene Israel emigrated to Israel. Mrs. Flora Samuel in Israel and Mrs. Rachel Gadkar in India had briefly revived it in the 1990s, but sustained revival only began in 2015. This lecture by Elijah Jacob will delve into the recent history of revival, accompanied by recitals of a few notable kirtans.

Mr. Elijah Samson Jacob completed his B.Sc-Tech from UDCT in 1984 and went on to work in the corporate sector till 1993. Wanting to switch to the social sector, he trained in NGO management at the Golda Meir Training Institute, Haifa, Israel in 1994. Joining the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committe, he independently handled and executed the set-up of Bayiti Old Age Home in 1996 and the Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Centre in 1999 under the aegis of AJDC, New York. He was the long term Country Manager of the AJJDC India, and retired as its Executive Director in 2021. He was also trustee of the Gabriel Project Charitable Trust till March’2019.

A founding member of the Jewish Religious Union Youth Group in 1979, he is currently Vice-President of the Shalom Alumni Club under the aegis of the Israeli Consulate, Mumbai; Trustee of the Indian Joint Trust (the Indian arm of the AJJDC);
Chairman of the Services Committee of the Jewish Religious Union, Mumbai; and life member of the Jewish Religious Union and Tipheret Israel Synagogue.

Lecture under the aegis of Centre for Labour Studies by Professor Bino Paul, Centre for Human Resources Management and Labour Relations School of Management & Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, on “Indian Labour Market: a history of hope and despair” will be held on Tuesday 6th September 2022 at 5.30 p.m. in the Durbar Hall of the Society.
Dr. Krishnan Narayanan, India Value Fund Chair Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay, will preside.

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai
Invites you to a talk on “Identity in Indian Art since Independence”
by Girish Shahane
on Tuesday 13th September at 5 pm in the Durbar Hall

The Literary Club of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai is pleased to invite you to a talk by Girish Shahane titled “Identity in Indian Art since Independence” in the Durbar Hall of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai on Tuesday 13th September at 5 pm.

In the 1950s, 1970s, 1990s and 2010s each witnessed the emergence of different approaches to identity as well as different notions of what art ought to be and the values it ought to embody. Using examples from leading artists of each era, the lecture illustrates the four stages in the development of ideas of identity in Indian Art over the past 75 years.
Girish Shahane is an independent writer and curator based in Mumbai. He has degrees in English Literature from Elphinstone College, University of Bombay and Oxford University which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar. He was Editor and later consulting editor of Art India magazine. Shahane has been Director of the Skoda Prize for Indian Contemporary Art Chennai, Artistic Director of Art Chennai, and Artistic Director of the Indian Art Fair 2015. He has been a columnist for TimeOut magazine, DNA newspaper, Yahoo India, Mint Lounge and Scroll.in
Please join us for tea at 4.30 pm.

- Meenal Kshirsagar, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson - ASM LitClub
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Officiating Hon. Secretary

the Society's Mumbai Research Centre's research methodology course comes to an end, a special valedictory lecture "The Historian's Craft Revisited" will be delivered by Prof. Arvind Ganachari at the Durbar Hall. All are invited.

Greetings from the Asiatic Society on the occasion of Independence Day
We wish you a happy 75th Independence Day!
We are pleased to share with you some pages from the Times of India and the Bombay Chronicle from 15 August 1947, marking 75 years of Independence. Flipbook: https://www.flipsnack.com/iambecomedeath_2/pages-of-freedom.html
PDF for download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EcvKk_VJ4JoCFFjrKbT1BuCYDJEzdwUP/view?usp=sharing
How many of the headlines, news articles and advertisements do you find familiar? Do you know of others that could have been included? We would love to hear from you, so do write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
With Regards and Best Wishes for Independence Day, and a bright future for our country.
- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Officiating Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai