Sing from the Heart!

In today’s world, many of us feel more divided than ever. However, the ancient practice of kirtan, a form of call-and-response singing with sacred mantras, builds community while transcending notions of language, race, nationality, class, and religion. Come together for an evening of kirtan led by Bhakti lata and Jahnavi from the Bhakti Center community and elevate your heart and mind to the divine.

This interactive mantra meditation from the Bhakti yoga tradition is presented in partnership with the Bhakti Center and NY Yoga + Life Magazine.

About the Performers

Bhakti lata was raised in the tradition of Bhakti yoga; her life and character have been shaped by the teachings of selfless service and sacred chanting. She has sung kirtan since childhood and has continued to sing throughout the world at various festivals, retreats, schools, and yoga studios. She has also taught kirtan courses for retreats and at the Bhakti Center. Her passion for writing has flourished on her blog, Seed of Devotion, where she has written spiritual reflections for over 12 years. She currently teaches middle school English Language Arts and Religion on the Lower East Side and is studying for her master’s degree in education.

Jahnavi was raised in a family of Bhakti yoga practitioners at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire, England. She is a multidisciplinary artist, trained in both Indian and Western classical dance and music, as well as writing and visual arts. After graduating with a BA in linguistics and creative writing, she has spent the last 10 years presenting and teaching mantra music and meditation all over the world, at music festivals, yoga studios, schools, corporations, and theatres.

She co-founded Kirtan London, a project that aims to make mantra music accessible and relevant to a wider audience through a variety of events and retreats. She released her debut sacred music album, Like a River to the Sea, in July 2015 and was nominated for a Grammy in 2016 for the charity album Bhakti Without Borders. Jahnavi writes regularly for print and broadcast media including for BBC Radio 2’s “Pause for Thought” and “Something Understood” on BBC Radio 4.