Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu

Vaiyasaki spent many years in India and Bangladesh learning various styles of kirtan from the musicians and singers who travel widely performing kirtan in almost every town and village. They inspire whole villages to forego a few days of economic development to join in the ecstatic chanting of the spiritual celebration of kirtan. Chanting the Divine Names of God, revives the original dormant love for God which is already present in everyone's heart. When the heart chakra is awakened, the chanter is brought to a deeper realization of his relationship with the Supreme and the ultimate goal of his life.

Kirtan, also known as sankirtan, is the call-and-response chanting inspired and popularized by the great saint Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The roots of kirtan go back over 500 years to Renaissance India. During this period the influence and style of kirtan became the focal point for the upsurge in religious expression in Bengal led by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This joyful mood quickly spread throughout India, where today kirtan is accepted as one of the surest paths to enlightenment. The singing is accompanied by the ancient musical raga musical tradition with a rhythmic drumming style that transports the chanters to profound spiritual realms. In its religious fervor, it has been likened to modern American Gospel music, and in its heartfelt expression it compares to profound states of deep meditation.

(Above) Rathayatra in Los Angeles --Tens of thousands of people join in the Kirtan during the "Festival of the Chariots."

(Left) Rathayatra at the July 4th celebrations in Washington, DC.