kirtan
During her 2002 yoga teacher training at the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas, Srutih was first introduced to chanting as part of the daily program. She wasn’t sure what to think of it, but kept participating with an open mind. The second week of training, Krishna Das came to lead Kirtan for five nights. From the very first sound of his harmonium and the mesmerizing sound of Om, she felt a profound heart-opening, energetic shift, and came to realize the power and joy of chanting.
After years of practicing kirtan, Srutih was inspired to begin her journey as a percussionist to be of service in kirtan. She plays a variety of percussion instruments: shaker boxes, manjiras, and tambourine and regularly travels to festivals and chanting events to share the joy of chanting. Srutih is humbled to have had the honor of supporting some incredible Kirtan artists, including Krishna Das, Nina Rao, Devadas, Jai Uttal, David Estes, Prajna Vieira, Lily Cushman, Nat Kendall, Kripa, Ambika, Shyama, Keli Lalita, Govind Das, Jahnavi Harrison, Astrud, Adam Bauer, Ben Leinbach, and Acharya Mangalananda.
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what is kirtan?
Kirtan is call-and-response chanting of sanskrit mantras, set to music, often done in group settings. Music bypasses the thinking mind, and goes straight to that part of the brain where the emotions reside. The musical meditation of kirtan soothes the nervous system. Kirtan calms the mind without struggling to concentrate. The word “kirtan” is derived from a Sanskrit root meaning to call, recite, praise, or glorify-put simply, kirtan is the act of praising and glorifying some form of divinity.
“Srutih plays ‘the heartbeat’ of the band.”
“Some are born with perfect pitch. Srutih was born with perfect timing.”