Shantaya Yoga School

Kirtan or Kirtana is the call-and-response chanting performed in yoga’s devotional traditions.

Traditional kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed mrdanga or pakawaj drum, and karatal hand cymbals. Contemporary versions of kirtan performed by westerners incorporate many other types of instruments and create fusion-type musical kirtan collaborations.