Plural of Caitanya, referring to followers or devotees of Sri Caitanya, a 16th-century Hindu mystic and founder of a major devotional movement.
From Sanskrit 'Chaitanya' meaning 'consciousness' or 'sentience,' referring to the spiritual movement initiated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Bengal. The term became associated with practitioners of devotional Hinduism and the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
Sri Caitanya's movement revolutionized Hindu practice by emphasizing ecstatic chanting and dancing as spiritual practices—moves that scandalized traditional priests but inspired millions. His followers created 'kirtan,' a call-and-response chanting tradition that directly influenced modern music and meditation practices worldwide.
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