What is kirtan? The traditions explained for families

What is kirtan? It is devotional singing, usually in call and response. A lead singer sings a short line, the gathering sings it back, and the music slowly builds. The word comes from the Sanskrit for narrating, reciting or telling. That is all most families need to know to sit down and join.

The trouble starts when you try to book one. People say kirtan, bhajan, satsang, jagran, chowki, path and katha, and they do not always mean the same thing. This guide explains each tradition on Book Kirtan in plain words, so you can tell them apart and pick the one that fits your occasion.

Where does kirtan come from?

Kirtan grew out of the bhakti, or devotional, movements of India. Its roots go back to the Vedic practice of reciting hymns in a ritual. The Bhagavata Purana speaks of musical recitation, and the sage Narada is described as a great kirtan singer. In the 16th century, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu popularised Krishna kirtan in Bengal. The Sikh Gurus made kirtan central to worship, setting their hymns in raags.

Instruments differ. Hindu kirtan commonly uses the harmonium, tabla, mridanga or pakhawaj, and hand cymbals. Sikh kirtan uses the harmonium and tabla too, and some ragis play older instruments such as the taus or sarangi. The shape stays the same: one voice calls and the room responds.

Is kirtan only Hindu or only Sikh?

Neither. Kirtan belongs to both, and each has its own character. A Sikh kirtan sings the Guru’s words from Guru Granth Sahib. A Hindu kirtan may sing the names of Krishna, Ram, Hanuman, Shiv, Sai Baba or the Goddess. Families can mix: many invite a Bhajan Sandhya for a birthday and Shabad Kirtan for a milestone.

Is kirtan the same as bhajan?

They overlap. A bhajan is freer, and one person can sing it with or without instruments. A kirtan is typically a group performance with call and response. Many families use the words loosely, and you will hear “kirtan” and “bhajan” for the same evening. When you book, describe what you want to hear and ask the artist how they run it.

The traditions at a glance

Tradition	What it is	Usually held
Shabad Kirtan	Hymns of the Gurus sung in raags before Guru Granth Sahib	At the gurdwara, and at home for bhog, weddings and milestones
Hare Krishna kirtan	The maha-mantra, sung by all in call and response	Temples, homes, festivals, Ekadashi
Bhajan Sandhya	An evening of devotional songs to many deities	Any evening, birthdays, anniversaries, new homes
Mata ki Chowki and Jagran	Songs and aarti for the Goddess	Navratri and family occasions
Sai Sandhya	Bhajans and aarti for Sai Baba	Often Thursdays
Shiv Sandhya	Bhajans and aarti for Shiv	Often Mondays, Shravan, Mahashivratri
Sunderkand Path	Recitation of the fifth book of the Ramcharitmanas	Often Tuesdays and Saturdays
Katha	Narration of a sacred story with songs	One evening to seven days

What is Shabad Kirtan?

Shabad Kirtan is the singing of Gurbani, the hymns of the Sikh Gurus, in the raags in which they are set. It is sung in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib by trained ragis. At the Golden Temple, visitors are asked to cover their heads, remove their shoes, avoid tobacco and alcohol, and keep silent so that they do not disturb the prayers.

The sangat mostly listens and may softly repeat familiar lines. At a family occasion, such as an Akhand Path bhog or an Anand Karaj, the ragis sing and the family sits in the sangat. Kirtan Sohila, the Sikh night prayer of five hymns, is traditionally read at night and at the close of the evening programme in the gurdwara. For hosting, see our Akhand Path checklist. Customs differ between families, so ask your granthi.

What is Hare Krishna kirtan?

Hare Krishna kirtan is the congregational chanting of the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It follows the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who lived in Bengal in the 15th and 16th centuries, and is carried on by ISKCON and other Gaudiya Vaishnava groups.

It usually starts slow and rises in tempo, with the whole room singing. Mridanga drums and cymbals are common. Many Vaishnava families offer only vegetarian food, cooked without onion and garlic. Artists such as Radhika Das, Vraj Gopal Das and Madhurika Devi Dasi lead this kirtan. Hare Krishna kirtan is one kind of kirtan, not the whole of it.

What is a Bhajan Sandhya?

A Bhajan Sandhya is an evening of devotional songs, “sandhya” meaning evening. A singer or small group moves from one bhajan to the next, to Krishna, Ram, Hanuman, Shiv, the Goddess and others. It is the most open format and the one many families choose for a birthday, an anniversary or a home blessing. Bhajans range from classical to folk, and in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab they take a regional form.

What are Mata ki Chowki and Jagran?

Both honour the Goddess, and both are most common in North India, especially around Navratri.

A Mata ki Chowki is an evening programme, often a few hours long. A Punjabi-style evening, as one guide describes it, typically opens with a Ganesh vandana, moves through Mata bhents, includes the Tara Rani katha and closes with the aarti. The room answers with calls of “Jai Mata Di.”

A Jagran (jagrata, “staying awake”) goes through the night, typically from about 10 pm until the aarti at dawn. Plan tea and snacks for the night. A related name is Mata ki Bhente, the songs sung for the Mother. Our Jagran and Chowki checklist covers the planning.

What are Sai Sandhya and Shiv Sandhya?

Sai Sandhya is an evening of bhajans and aarti for Sai Baba of Shirdi. Many devotees associate Thursday with him, and Thursday is the busiest day at Shirdi. Families often hold a Sai Sandhya on a Thursday, though any day is fine.

Shiv Sandhya is an evening of bhajans and aarti for Shiv. It is most often held on a Monday, in the month of Shravan, or on Mahashivratri. The Shravan Mondays carry special weight for many devotees, and the dates of the month differ between regional calendars, so check yours.

What is a Sunderkand Path?

Sunderkand is the fifth book of the Ramayana, in which Hanuman is the central figure. In Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, written in Awadhi in the 16th century, the Sunderkand tells of Hanuman’s journey to Lanka, the burning of Lanka and his return. A Sunderkand Path is a recitation of this book, often sung to a harmonium by a group, with the family joining in.

It is a path (a reading), not a kirtan in the strict sense, though it is sung. Many families hold it on Tuesdays and Saturdays, which are days of Hanuman, and for a new home, a new business or a time of difficulty. See also Balaji kirtan.

What is a katha, and how is it different?

A katha is the telling of a sacred story, with songs and bhajans woven through it. Shri Ram Katha tells the story of Ram, Bhagwat Katha the Bhagavata Purana, and Bhaktmal Katha the lives of devotees. A full Bhagwat saptah runs seven days, and scholars describe modern performances as mostly spoken exposition with song, not strict recitation.

A kirtan is mainly singing. A katha is mainly storytelling. A family planning a katha should plan like a multi-day event: seating, prasad and a venue.

How do I choose the right tradition?

Start with the occasion and the family’s own faith.

1. Ask your elders what your family follows, and ask the pandit or granthi for the occasion.
2. For a new home, a birthday or a mixed gathering, a Bhajan Sandhya is the easiest choice.
3. For a Sikh occasion, Shabad Kirtan.
4. For a Krishna-loving family, Hare Krishna kirtan.
5. For the Goddess, a Chowki or Jagran, and for Hanuman, Sunderkand.

Our tips page lists customs for each, and our guide on how to host a kirtan at home shows how to plan the evening. If you have children, read kirtan with children.

Not sure? Tell us the occasion and we will suggest a tradition and an artist.