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Stotra is a Sanskrit word. It is essentially a hymn addressed to Divinity. It can be a prayer, a description, or a conversation. ^[1] These hymns praise aspects of the divine, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. Relating to word "stuti", coming from the same verb, stu (to praise), and basically both mean "praise".

Stotras are a type of popular devotional literature and are not bound by the strict rules as some other ancient Indian scriptures, such as the Vedas.

One type of stotra is based on chanting a litany of names for a deity. A category of stotra of that type is the Sahasranama, which is a litany of a thousand names for a particular deity. Sahasranama means "1000 names"; Sahasra means 1000 and nama means names. For example, Vishnu Sahasranama means 1000 names of Vishnu.^[2] According to Hinduism, the names of God are valuable tools for devotion.

See also[link]

• List of suktas and stutis

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Apte, Vaman Shivram (1965), The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary (Fourth revised and enlarged ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, ISBN 81-208-0567-4 

External links[link]

• Read Stotras in multiple languages

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Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta ^[1] (Bengali pronunciation: [ʃaɡotalokkʰi daʃɡupto]) is a Bengali musician and and exponent of Rabindra Sangeet.

Education and training[link]

Dasgupta obtained an M.A. in Music from Rabindra Bharati University and was trained in classical music by her father Shri Pabitra Dasgupta and Rabindra Sangeet from Smt. Maya Sen. She is an 'A' grade artist of AIR and TV.

Releases[link]

She has presented 17 solo albums as cassettes, fourteen other cassettes and four CDs released by HMV. Twenty-three single albums are of Rabindra Sangeets. There are 10 albums of her self-composed Modern songs. She is now a permanent artist for HMV.

Awards and honors[link]

She stood first in All India Singing Talent Contest in 1985, Rabindra Sangeet and Bhajan in All India Radio Music Competition (Akashbani) in 1986 Rabindra Sangeet and Atul Prasadee both in West Bengal Rajya Music Competition in 1986.

She has a number of awards to her credit, Promothesh barua Award for best female performance in 1995, Anandolok Award as best Female Playback Singer in 1998, 2002, 2003, Dishari (Film Journalist Award) for best female playback in 1998-99, Uttam Kumar Award for best Rabindra Sangeet Cassette ("Esechho Prem") in 1997, Sailajaranjan Award in 1998 and Cha-Cha-Cha Award for outstanding achievement in music for the decade 1990-99.

She is being honoured with the Millennium Kalakar Award for her outstanding contribution in Indian Music. In 2004, her album of Rabindra Sangeets, "CHENA FAGUN", was awarded as the "Best album of Rabindra Sangeets"(among female artists).

Performances[link]

She was invited by the Tagoreans,^[2] London to perform in London and Belgium in 1989-90.

She attended Banga Sanskriti Sammelan in America (USA) in the year 2003 and was again invited by the Tagoreans in the year 2003 in UK, by Canadian Bango Sammelan in the year April 2004 in Canada organised by Bengali Association of Canada. She has also performed Bhajans and Devotional Songs in Different Temples of Gujrati & South Indian Temples in Abroad.

Other achievements[link]

For some years, she was involved in teaching as a lecturer of the Music department of Rabindra Bharati University. She has already signed for posthumous eye-donation agreement.

She is the Music Director, Lyricist and singer in the Film Ding-Dong, directed by Shri Chinmoy Roy.

Dream project[link]

Her dream project "Ramayana" ^[3] was performed by "ASHOKERENU" ^[4](remembering Late Shri Ashoke Sengupta, an eminent recitation artist, her friend and well-wisher), the group of Her numerous students.

The entire Musical drama was successfully represented at Rabindra Sadan twice. First time, on the birthday of ASHOKERENU on 7 July 2005. She herself participated as Devi Durga. The album RAMAYANA contains about 40 Rabindrasangeets (some partly used, some completely),along with the commentary (written by Swagata Herself)by Swagata and Arjun Chakraborty (Actor).

Every year on 7 July, "ASHOKERENU" comes with a new experiment, of course, beneath the umbrella of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. In 2008, they performed "CHANDALIKA", the well-known dance-drama of the maestro. The most interesting matter about this representation is that all 85 songs are sung by Swagatalakshmi. Besides that, she has performed dance on the stage for the first time as Mother of Prakriti.

Geetabitan[link]

Swagatalakshmi has recorded the entire "Geetabitan" ^[5] of Rabindranath Tagore, containing about 2023 songs, alone in a single album, named "Ekla Geetabitan" in 2006. The only instrument used is a Tanpura and Tabla. 'EKLA GEETABITAN' is available only from "ASHOKERENU".

The recording was started from February 9 and ended successfully on June 23 of the same year in only 105 days. A historical record of singing 118 songs on a day was made during her recording.

Smt. Suchitra Mitra, the veteran artiste of Rabindra sangeet has said about 'Ekla Geetabitan', "It is the most remarkable experiment, a Rabindra Sangeet singer has ever made throughout the ages. It's just amazing."

References[link]