Jannie Lo

Kirtan in the United States:

The Fast-Growing Popularity of Hindu Devotional Chanting in American culture

Prior to the 1960s, Hinduism was rare in the United States, due to the immigration laws
and racism. However, when in 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act was
passed, Hindu immigrants were enabled to work and start families in the United States. A
handful of Swamis and Yogis received an inner calling to go to the West to share their
philosophies. Their philosophies found resonance in the counter-culture of the 1960s as many
youth were rejecting the social norms of the fifties and seeking a life beyond materialism.
Famous Americans joined the Hindu movement such as Harvard professor Ram Dass (formerly,
Richard Alpert), George Harrison, and Allen Ginsberg. Along with the philosophies were
spiritual practices: meditation, rituals, and singing or chanting. The singing or chanting was
called kirtan. This form of devotional worship, originating in India, is currently becoming a fast-
growing phenomenon in the United States. Over the past few decades of being in the United
States, kirtan has absorbed American popular music and aesthetics into its sacred practice.
Despite the aural differences between that of the original kirtan in Hindu culture and kirtan in
America, its uplifting effects have remained the same, because the words and the emotions of the
participant are responsible for its power, rather than the quality of the sound.

Kirtan is communal devotional singing found in not only Vaishnava Hinduism, but many
of its off-springs, namely Sikhism, Sufism, and Buddhism. Vaishnava Hinduism is the branch in
Hinduism that worship Lord Vishnu (and His many incarnations, such as Krishna, Rama, etc.).
Vaishnavas tend to tread the path of bhakti yoga, that is, the path of union through devotion. It is
thought that one achieves enlightenment through constant remembrance of the Divine. Just as
when one constantly calls the name of a person, they have no choice but to come to you, if one
constantly repeats the name of the Divine, calling them, the Divine has no choice but to come.
Singing the name of God and stories of him therefore is thought to be the quickest and easiest
practice. This practice, known as kirtan, often sung in call-and-response, include the praises,
mantras, or stories (lilas) about an ishtadev (one’s chosen favorite diety). While singing kirtan,
the quality of the voice is not important. One may be a novice or a seasoned kirtan singer.
Experience or expertise are of no importance, but rather, the quality of the personal experience;
that is, it is the amount of devotion one feels and the emotional experience that should be valued.
The sole purpose of kirtan is to increase our devotion, and by doing so, increase our spiritual
energy and our realization of the Divine.

While kirtan began as early as the sixth century in India, with the development of the
bhakti movement, it was not popularized until the Mughal era, between the sixteenth century and
the eighteenth century. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, nicknamed the “Father of Kirtan,” lived from
1486 to1534. He was the greatest propagator of kirtan, travelling across India with his followers.
In his youth, he was known to be an erudite scholar. His skills for argumentation and learning
were unrivaled. While travelling to Gaya to perform rites for his deceased father at the age of
twenty-two, he met his guru (spiritual teacher) Ishwara Puri, who gave him initiation. From that
point on, he was completely changed, and went from being a scholar to devotee. Upon returning
from Gaya, he started to spend his time exclusively with the Vaishnava community. He and his
companions held all-night kirtan sessions, singing to their beloved Krishna, dancing with arms
raised over their heads, and accompanied by purely percussion instruments: clapping, playing
manjira (hand-cymbals), and playing the two-headed mridanga (drums) slung over their
shoulders. After a while, the kirtan singers not only sang at home but brought their songs of
praise to the streets, winning more devotees.

Kirtan, today in India, is accompanied by the harmonium as well as percussion

instruments. It is used in almost all Indian music, yet has no Indian origin. It was originally the
‘pump-organ’ in England, where one sat down on a chair, playing with two hands (much like an
upright piano), and pumped the air with a foot. When England took over India in the 1800s, they
brought with them the harmonium, and introduced the hand pump instead of foot pump. Its
popularity grew immediately, and the new version was suitable to the Indians who preferred
sitting on the floor. Moreover, while Western music required both hands to play due to its
harmonic nature, Indian music was primarily melodic, and one did not need to play chords with
the left hand.

From the very beginning, the scriptures have emphasized that the practice’s value lie in
the personal experience and emotion of the individual. The aesthetic of the sound is judged
according to the amount of sincere devotion is shown in the singer. According to Vedic Yoga
Sutras (1.27-31), dating from the eleventh century, singing the sacred mantras, destroys “disease,
procrastination, laziness, doubt, pain, nervousness, and lamentation.” In the Bhagavad-Gita,
Arjuna declares that “the world becomes joyful upon hearing your name” (11.36). In the Padma
Purana, Krishna tells Narada (a Divine sage that goes around singing the praises of the
Divine/singing Kirtan) that “My dear Narada, actually I do not reside in my abode, Vaikuntha,
nor do I reside in the heart of the yogis, but I reside in that place where devotees sing my holy
names”.

According to modern day Hindu spiritual teacher, Swami Muktananda, he says,

“Chanting opens the heart and helps love flow within us.” Another contemporary teacher, Mata
Amritanandamayi otherwise known as Amma, says, “To gain concentration in this age of
materialism, kirtan is easier than meditation. By loud singing, other distracting sounds will be
overcome and concentration will be achieved. Kirtan, concentration, and meditation, this is the
progression.”

In America, the most significant event was in 1923 when Paramahansa Yogananda
inspired a 3,000 person kirtan in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. Attracted by the magnetism of
his aura, they sang “O God Beautiful,” translated from the original kirtan lyrics “He Hari
Sundara” for a full hour and twenty five minutes. Yogananda’s close disciple, Swami
Kriyananda, tells that later on, while Yogananda was in his interview room, a gangster-type
looking man burst in through the door and threw his revolver down on the desk. He cried
emotionally, “I could kill you for what you’ve done to me this evening! I can’t go back to that
way of life anymore.” Yogananda looked at him kindly, then said, “No, you can’t go back,
because now you know why you committed yourself to that way in the first place: You thought
the money you’d earn from crime would make you happy. Now you know it never will.” The
man began sobbing. “Oh, let me feel that bliss you talked about. My heart has been a desert.
Now, all I want is bliss!” “Dear child of God,” Yogananda spoke compassionately. “Even if you
turn your back on Him, He loves you always. Try now to see Him in all. When death comes, you
will soar upward in His light.” The man hunched over the desk, still sobbing. Through this
experience at Carnegie Hall, his life had changed.1 Paramahansa Yogananda was able to
1
Kriyananda, Swami. Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography with Personal Reminiscences and Reflections. Crystal
Clarity Publishers.
introduce kirtan to Americans by singing in English while still being accompanied by Indian
instruments. As seen in the above incident, the effects were in no way lessened, having been
translated from Sanskrit to English.

After Paramhansa Yogananda brought yoga philosophy to thousands of people through

talks and kirtan, George Harrison reached a mass population through his popularity as a member
of the Beatles. In 1969, Harrison produced the hit single “The Hare Krishna Mantra.” This song
was soon to become one of the top ten on certain musical charts. Already famous as a member of
the Beatles, his personal interest in Eastern spirituality brought kirtan to his rock-and-roll
followers.

Of the contemporary kirtan artists, Krishna Das is perhaps the most well-known. He
started out as a young man wanting to be a rock-star. He became a student of American spiritual
teacher Ram Dass, and then travelled to India to meet Ram Dass’ teacher, Neem Karoli Baba. He
went there, abandoning all dreams of becoming a rock star, devoting his life to spirituality, and
stayed with Baba for two years. Six months after he returned to the United States, he received
news that Baba had left his body. When he heard that, he felt that his life was over. He started
getting into heroin, and then somebody introduced him to cocaine. At that point, he realized, that
if he did not sing, he would “never, ever be able to clean up the dark places in his own heart.”2
Now, he travels around the world singing kirtan in yoga centers and concert halls. He fuses
traditional kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and both Western and Indian
instrumentation. With an extremely soulful voice that touches even the casual listener, Krishna
Das is nicknamed “yoga’s rock star.” He is the best-selling chant artist of all time, selling over
300,000 records. His recording ‘Live Ananda’ was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New
Age album category. While most singers sing for their audience, his listeners testify that Krishna
Das sings for his guru, Neem Karoli Baba alone, and the thousands of listeners, are witnesses to
that deep love affair. The devotion in his music to his guru, is able to inspire in his audience the
same bhav or devotional and Divine emotion. Thus, Krishna Das achieves the goal of kirtan of
bringing one closer to the Divine through devotion. His concerts and recordings feature a mix of
traditional Indian instruments (manjira, harmonium, tabla) with the Western guitar.

2
Frindel, Jeremy. One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das. 2013. [film]
 Other such contemporary artists include, Jai Uttal and Donna Delory. Jai Uttal is also a
Neem Karoli Baba devotee, who travels around the world singing to the Divine for the past thirty
years. He had a deeply musical background, having started piano at the age of seven, and later,
also the banjo, harmonica, and guitar. When he heard Indian music for the first time at the age of
seventeen, it touched him like “sounds of home.” He went to California to study with the famous
sarod player, Ali Akbar Khan. After pilgrimages to India, time with his guru, Neem Karoli Baba,
as well as other revered Hindu and Buddhist teachers, he came back transformed, deeply
immersed in kirtan singing. The aesthetics of his singing are more westernized than Krishna
Das.’ Almost all accompanying instruments are Western: a number of guitars, a percussion set,
and sometimes violins. In 2004, he was nominated for a Grammy for his album, Mondo Rama.

Donna Delory is famously known as the backup singer for Madonna for twenty years.
Her path changed towards kirtan singing after a number of years living in Los Angeles, leading
an unsatisfying life of stardom. She wrote on a note, “I want my life to change, I want my life to
change” and put it on her dresser. Her prayer was answered when she got pregnant and started
doing mantra music. Now, her fans testify that you do not need to have a guru or “be a serious
yogi” to have her music touch you. Her songs are heavily influenced by the popular music sound
world, yet her content is that of a spiritual seeker. Along the route of popular music like Donna
Delory, there are a number of artists who are heavily influenced by kirtan, even if they do not
practice it themselves. Such musicians include Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley, the rap artist
MC Yogi, and Mariah Carey.

What is the cause of this ongoing popularity of kirtan in the United States? Contemporary
kirtan brings traditional Indian messages of peace, love, and joy to fans, often clothed in popular
music sounds. As Shannon Sexton writes in the Yoga Journal of September 2011, people that
you would never expect singing praises to God, are turning ancient Indian hymning into the
“coolest form of music on the yoga block.” In Cleveland, OH, a kirtan singer suggests everyone
to get up and “shake their Buddha”, while in Joshua Tree, CA, at the annual Bhaktifest, Donna
Delory breaks into a rap about the Divine Mother. It is a world apart from the dhoti and sari-clad
renunciates sitting in Indian ashrams. As one artist said, the 80% of the audience probably does
not know 80% of the words they are singing. However, as Uttal says, “It gives people a joyful
and easy way to break down the walls around their hearts.” Popular music lovers are singing
about peace and love, instead of heartbreak and drugs and sex. One does not need to be a
spiritual seeker or yogi to feel the uplifting effects and empowering messages. Many people
chanting for the first time talk about a “buzz” that they feel afterwards. One kirtan participant, a
massage therapist from Massachusetts said, “I get so joyful…really blissfully happy, because it
changes something. It opens me up. I think there is something inherently hypnotic about sharing
voice, sharing breath, moving if we happen to be dancing. I think it breeds a sense of connection.
It’s like praying together.” He adds, “At first I thought, ‘what is this ridiculous stuff?’ I had a lot
of resistance to it, but after the first one I was high. Then, I was hooked.”3

Although there are no modern-day scientific experiments done on the effects of kirtan
singing yet, there has been research on the effects of chanting mantras. Dr. Herbert Bensen found
that it helped induce the “relaxation” response, causing reduction of heart beat, brain waves, and
respiration. Dr. David Shananoff-Khalsa believes, mantric recitation enables the tongue to
stimulate the acupuncture meridians inside the mouth (particularly on the roof), thus enhancing
help. Dr. Ranjie Singe found that the chanting of specific mantras caused the release of the
hormone melatonin and is investigating the importance of this in the healing process. The
healing processes that have been found thus far include the shrinkage of tumors and better sleep.4
EEG studies have also discovered that there is larger amplitude and wider distribution of alpha
brainwaves, and simultaneously fast beta activity after mantra meditation. 5 There has also been
Galvanic Skin Response tests, where there was significant positive change post-chanting.

In conclusion, although kirtan has undergone such a tremendous transformation in the United
States as compared to its original appearance in India, centuries ago, its enriching and positive
effects have remained ever present. It may be infused with the contemporary pop culture, but as
the messages of love, peace, and joy are retained, all practitioners testify to its positive, uplifting
effects. Moreover, when singing a mantra, the sound of the syllables will always effect on us on
a fundamental level. While scholars have attested to the effects of kirtan singing since the Middle
Ages, and although modern-day Western science has yet to truly explore this territory, no kirtan
singers have argued against the new guises of kirtan: everyone who have sang kirtan deeply

3
http://kripalu.org/article/527/
4
http://www.shiftyourlife.com/2010/the-science-behind-mantra-chanting-by-jonathan-goldman/
5
Cahn, Rael B. Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies.
knows that a lead singer even with the ‘worst voice’ will inspire bhakti and devotion and love if
they themselves feel it sincerely.
Bibliography

Books:

Kriyananda, Swami. Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography with Personal Reminiscences and

Reflections. Crystal Clarity Publishers.

Dissertations:

Puyang-Martin, Mi. `Kirtan'': Devotional music in the International Society of Krishna

Consciousness in the United States. Dissertation, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
1996.

Journal Articles:

Bruder, Kurt. Following the Voice into Silence: Chant-in-Kirtan as an Interactive Modality for
Self-help. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association. 2004 Annual
Meeting, p1. 20p.

Cahn, Rael B. Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies. Psychology of
Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, Vol 1(S), Aug, 2013. pp. 48-96

Kang, Wi Jo. Influence of Eastern religions in America. Currents in Theology and Mission 3 no
4 Ag 1976, p 228-233.

Sexton, Shannon. Sing the Soul Electric. Yoga Journal Sep2011, Issue 240, p88 6p.

Internet articles:

http://amma.org/teachings/why-singing-spiritual-practice

http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/kirtan_dhun.html

http://www.donnadelory.com/bio.php

http://kripalu.org/article/527/

http://www.shiftyourlife.com/2010/the-science-behind-mantra-chanting-by-jonathan-goldman/

Films:

Frindel, Jeremy. One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das. 2013.