Nina Virdee

Kirtan is a devotional, call-and-response singing tradition rooted in the Bhakti movements of the Indian subcontinent and practiced within Hindu and Sikh contexts. It centers on the communal chanting of sacred names and texts, typically over a steady drone with simple, cyclical melodies. Musically, kirtan blends raga-based melodic contours with accessible refrains, gradually building energy through repetition, tempo increases, and collective participation. Common instruments include harmonium, tabla or hand drums (such as mridanga/khole), kartals (hand cymbals), tanpura, and sometimes melodic instruments like bansuri (flute) or sarangi. While its liturgical purpose is spiritual remembrance (smarana) and devotion (bhakti), modern kirtan has also become a global, participatory practice associated with yoga and meditation, often incorporating world-fusion timbres while preserving the core call-and-response form.

Shabad Kirtan is the Sikh devotional tradition of singing scriptural hymns (shabad) from the Guru Granth Sahib to prescribed North Indian raags and taals. It is a congregational, call‑and‑response practice that emphasizes meditation on the Divine Name (Naam) and contemplation of the hymn’s central refrain (rahāo). Historically rooted in the Punjab, Shabad Kirtan blends the aesthetics and pedagogy of Hindustani classical music with a distinct Sikh spiritual and textual framework. Performances range from austere, dhrupad‑inflected renditions with traditional instruments (rabab, taus, dilruba, saranda, jori) to contemporary harmonium‑and‑tabla settings designed for sangats (congregations) worldwide.