Kirtan

Kirtan is part of the rosary of offerings at the Vishuddha Centre. Unless you have taken part in a Kirtan session in the past, you may well not know what Kirtan is. It’s a call and response musical meditation led by a Kirtan singer who usually also plays the harmonium. There may be other musicians. It’s fully participatory. The Kirtan singer will sing phrases which are repeated by the community. The ‘phrases’ are the pure sound vibrations of Sanskrit chants and mantras originally developed by the ‘bhakti’ culture of the sub-continent. This is a heart centred tradition which believes in the compelling draw of Universal Beauty, which is accessible to all and that deep immersion in the resonance of chanting is a way of connecting with its sweetness. Like many of us, I enjoy the power of song and was taken by this beautiful practice as a way of developing what might be called the ‘inner voice’, where we no longer feel like the sole agent of what we are singing, but as participant in a universal dialogue. This experience seems to be enhanced by being in community together. It has been popularised in the West through singers such as Krishna Das and Nikki Slade who i trained with. In essence Kirtan is non-denominational, and anyone can join. Sessions are run with a dignity suitable to the resonances we pay attention to. No expertise in singing is necessary. Keep an eye out for future sessions on our website and socials. We often run those sessions for charity.

Derek Elliott