Kirtan.

Kirtan is the congregational singing or chanting of the sacred names of Krishna (God) with musical instruments such as drums, hand cymbals, harmonium and veena or tambora (stringed instruments made from gourds). The kirtan is led by a singer who sings the mantra or song and is then responded to by the rest of the group, so everyone gets the chance both to hear and to sing.

Sweet melodies are used and strong rhythms which enhance the mood of devotion and help the chanter to focus on the sound of the sacred mantras.

This chanting is similar to that in many other spiritual traditions, Christians, Jews, Muslims Seikhs, , Buddhists all include chanting as part of their devotions. Several of the Psalms promote this process, such as the glorious 150th Psalm :

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: Praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance:praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

The use of chanting as a spiritual practise is widespread due to it's effectiveness. Kirtan is a very quick and tangible method of self-realisation.

Dance often becomes part of kirtan, as chanters become stirred by the bliss of chanting. And processional chanting in public places - hari-nama - is also an important part of our Vaishnava tradition. Kirtan is too good and too immense to keep to ourselves!

The reason for our practise of kirtan is contained in a verse by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great medieval exponent of Krishna-kirtan.

"Glory to the sri-krsna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious".

As we chant and our true, essential self gradually becomes revealed, we can effortlessly understand the nature of God and of our relationship with Him.

Articles about Kirtan:

by Yadunandana das (a Spanish monk) : A First Experience of Kirtan

by Padma-malini dasi (Irish teacher of art): So That's What it's all About!