The rationale of "kirtana" "nama" and "sattra" are outlined here!
"kirtana" - chant (chanting the name of narayana) "kirtanghar" - house where glories (of narayana) being chanted deva-deva jagannatha punya-sravana-kirtana yaduttamottamah-sloka narayana nama' stu te ||Srimad Bhagavad|| punya-sravana-kirtana - glories (of narayana) most pious to hear and chant! narayana nama' stu te - Supreme Lord Narayana, I offer You my obeisances "nama" - the absolute name (narayana) A house where the absolute name is practiced is "namghar" (one uses same ghar for other ativivities as well that does not violate "nama") - so does the case during Vedic age apannah samsrtim ghoram yan-nama vivaso grinan tatah sadyo vimucyeta yad bibheti svayam bhayam ||Srimad Bhagavad|| (Living beings in the complicated meshes of birth/death can be freed even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krisna, which is feared by fear personified) "sattra" - sacrifices "sattra" - a place where the divine form of Vaisnav performance of sacrifices take place The three terms also define the meditation form of Yoga, i.e., "kirtan yoga" "nam yaga" and "sattra yoga" The other usage of "satra" is the exercise of royal power on citizens rajnam vrittim karadana-danda-sulkadi-darunam manyamano dirgha-sattra-vyajena visasarja ha ||Srimad Bhagavad|| (Royal-power had to exact taxes, punish his citizens or fine them severely, he was not willing to do so. Consequently he retired from the execution of such duties and engaged himself in the performance of different sacrifices) Others: "nama" - name "nama" -indeed, bhaya-"nama", -whose name is fear also see email of Manoj Das for more usage http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2871 (in this link, in 1987 Dwipen Boruah probably visited "Kirtanghar" not "Namghar".) Sincerely, Rabin Deka San Jose, California Re: Call of sattra darshan in Delhi
