How Not to Appropriate Kirtan (Reflections After Attending a Krishna Das Concert in My Ancestral Land of India)

As I sit here at a Krishan Das kirtan in my ancestral land of India, I am wondering if the renowned Indian-American kirtan musician, Nina Rao, was headlining this kirtan in Auroville, South India – would close to 1,000 people show up to listen to her? To sing together in prayer. Nina, leading kirtan in the land of her roots – how powerful would that be?

Instead we get a Eurocentric American guy named, Krishna Das, in his non-native country headlining – and Nina on back up.

During the concert, Krishna Das (KD) tells us no one taught him kirtan. He learned himself, he said.

Later he tells a story about how a group of Sikh men he first played kirtan with, inspired his kirtan start. (But nobody taught him, remember?)

He acknowledges his guru once during the kirtan “concert”, not naming him, his lineage, or what he stood for.

He went on to sing mainly Sita/Ram kirtans – further engraining the patriarchy – whilst continuously giving no context to the Indian prayers he was singing. 

The story of Sita and Ram comes from the Ramayana, which was recorded over a thousand years after the root yogic scriptures known as the Vedas. In the story, Sita and her two sons (fathered by Ram) were banished to a forest for 14 years because Ram and his community suspected her of infidelity, when the demon Ravana abducted her. She performed a ritual to profess her innocence, but to no avail. In the end, she immolated herself to prove her love and commitment. WTF? This is what we are singing the praises of – banishing a woman for being stolen? Are the nearly 1,000 (mostly Eurocentric) people present even aware of this? 

Meh, just bring on the BLISS, right? 

The patriarchy fuels on.

Which is now quickly forming into an ecstatic dance.

What about all the slokas (prayers), bhajans (devotional songs) and mantras KD is singing?

How about acknowledging the roots of those sacred practices and offerings? What tradition do they come from? 

What lineage do they come from? 

This guy is a millionaire thanks to singing the sacred songs, mantras, and prayers of a lineage and tradition that is not his, nor does he appropriately acknowledge – to a crowd of mostly Eurocentric folks. 

Feel the bliss, just one more time.

At the end of the concert, KD says, “As we say here in India: Take it Easy.”

My Indian friends and I looked at each other quizzically, shocked.

Um, we? 

This kirtan lacked true presence. It lacked upholding the integrity and respect of the lineage and tradition kirtan is rooted in. The origins of kirtan and the prayers in the forms of songs and mantras that were sung – were not honoured.

My Indian friends and I were aghast during our experience of this KD kirtan “concert” in our ancestral land! KD – who is dubbed the “Chant Master of American Yoga” by the New York Times – according to his website. Also known as the “Rockstar of Yoga” by the Grammys, the “Godfather of Kirtan”,  and the “King of Kirtan”.

We, still AGHAST.

AN INVITATION TO RESPECT & HONOUR THE ROOTS OF KIRTAN

The next time you are about to sing and lead the prayer songs of Indian lineage and tradition, I invite you to respect and honour the roots of the offering, by practicing the protocol below.

Or as an attendee, notice if the below is being practiced in the space. If not, consider standing up and being an ally, and questioning why it is missing from the offering. Support accountability.

Acknowledge and honour the roots of kirtan and bhakti yoga – before you begin. What truly is kirtan? What truly is bhakti yoga? 

Honour and acknowledge your kirtan teachers. And your teacher’s teachers. And their lineage. Trace it back to the source and the ancestral land it comes from.

Share how kirtan was gifted to you. Share how the songs you are singing were gifted to you. Which of your teachers first shared it with you, what was the context  – trace it back to the lineage source.

Share the sacred stories of each bhajan, their meaning – and how this knowledge was passed to you. Trace it back through the lines to the source of the lineage.

Invite Indians in the space, and in the community – to share kirtan, traditional mantra, and the ancestral stories of the sacred songs of their lineage, and other practices that relate to them. Collaborate with the people who’s culture you are practicing and benefiting from.

Language. Take a course in Sanskrit (taught by an Indian) and learn the correct pronunciations of the prayers before offering kirtan to others. Consider beginning with pronouncing “kirtan” correctly. 

Representing the sacred. Please don’t use sacred symbols and deities as simply “decor” in the room where you are sharing kirtan. If you have an altar set up, explain the purpose of it, what does it symbolize, how did the sacred objects of that altar come to you, what offerings have been made, what do these offerings symbolize – again, trace this back to your teachers, the lineage, and their ancestral land.

A friend recently said to me that we do not sing the sacred songs of the Indigenous peoples of this land freely. We only sing it if we have been given permission and can back it with the authentic protocol we have been taught and gifted. Good point.

Does the above feel like too much work? If so, then you may want to reflect on the integrity of what you are practicing/reconsider the practice.

Honour the roots.

Respect the roots.

Honour the roots.

Respect the roots.

They are gifts, they were channelled by rishis and seers thousands of years ago – to practice devotion (bhakti yoga).

What is devotion?

My teachers says, it’s what you put your attention on.


Satya Jehman attended her first and last Krishan Das concert in her ancestral land of India in February 2022. She is a facilitator in the Yogic/Vedic lineage of her ancestors. She would love to share more on the above. Feel free to invite her to your in-person or online studio to share more on the roots of yoga, traditional yoga, and Vedic knowledge.
satya@vedicpriestesstemple.com
www.vedicpriestesstemple.com 

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