Practice
What is kirtan
Kirtan is the group singing of the names of God. Someone sings a line and everyone repeats it, each time with more intensity. You don’t need to be able to sing: you need to join in.
Singing for God, not for an audience
The word kīrtana means to glorify. It is the second of the nine practices of bhakti and, together with hearing, the basis of them all. When many people do it together it is called saṅkīrtana, “complete singing” or “congregational singing”.
It is not a concert. The person leading is not performing: they are offering the song. And those responding are not an audience: they are doing the same. That is why a kirtan with out-of-tune voices and a lot of heart is worth more than a perfect, distracted one.
Where it comes from
Singing the names of God is ancient, but the one who turned it into a movement was Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In early 16th-century Bengal He went out into the streets with hundreds of people singing and dancing, and taught that in this age there is no more direct method of awakening love for God. The devotees who sing in the streets of cities today are continuing exactly that.
What a kirtan is like
- It starts slowly. The leader sings a line of the mantra to a simple melody.
- The group responds with the same line and the same melody.
- The rhythm builds. The drums and cymbals come in, it speeds up, people get to their feet and often dance.
- Calm returns and it ends with some prayers.
What is sung most is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, along with devotional songs by the teachers of the tradition. It can last twenty minutes or several hours.
The instruments
- Mṛdaṅga: a long two-headed drum, one head deep and the other high, worn on a strap and played with the hands. Traditionally it is made of clay.
- Karatālas: small bronze hand cymbals that keep the beat.
- Harmonium: a keyboard with bellows that carries the melody.
Clapping hands is enough for a kirtan.
Kirtan, bhajan and japa
| How it is done | What for | |
|---|---|---|
| Kīrtan | In a group, standing or sitting, with response and instruments | Singing together, outwards |
| Bhajan | Seated, slower, with songs of several verses | Singing with recollection |
| Japa | Alone, softly, on beads | Personal daily meditation |
How to join in the first time
Go to a temple on the day of the open programme, sit wherever you like and listen. Once you know the melody, respond. Nobody is going to notice how you sing. If you feel like clapping or standing up, do; if you would rather stay seated with your eyes closed, that is fine too.
Frequently asked questions
Is kirtan the same as kirtan kriya?
No. Kirtan kriya is a kundalini yoga meditation that repeats the syllables “Sa Ta Na Ma” with finger movements. It shares the word, but it is a different practice from a different tradition.
Is there kirtan only in the Hare Krishna tradition?
No. Kirtan is sung throughout Vaishnavism and also in Sikhism, where the hymns of its holy book are sung. The word is shared; what changes is what is sung and to whom.
Do you need to know Sanskrit?
No. The maha-mantra has only three words and can be learned in a minute. The other songs are picked up by ear.
Why do people dance?
Because the singing is a celebration. People dance with their arms raised, simply, as an expression of joy. Nobody has to.