Imagine yourself walking down the sidewalk of the city you
live in, heading towards the store to buy some food for lunch, and in the
distance, you hear music. As you turn around the corner of the block, you see a
group of people, some dressed in all-white, some dressed in jeans and a
t-shirt, and some with dhotis, kurtas or even sarees. They are carrying
instruments and singing without repress. Each of them with tilak on their
foreheads, clapping and rejoicing in the middle of a city normally painted grey
with introverted strangers. And somehow, the smile on their faces places one
unto your own; you smile as you watch this group of bhaktas, slowly march down
the street, singing, “Radhe! Radhe!” without a care in the world.
The concept of Street Kirtan and the spreading of the Love
of God through the chanting of Divine Names has existed for centuries. Bengal
is the birthplace of Street Kirtan and was initiated by the glorious saint, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the years to come, the organisation called ISKCON (The
International Society for Krishna Consciousness), would popularise this practice
in the Western culture, particularly known to be in airports and at Union Square in New York City.
If you have visited Shree Peetha Nilaya, then you have
probably heard the mantra, “Bhaja Nitai Gauranga Radhe Shyam, Japa Hare
Krishna, Hare Rama.” Every day at the center, this mantra is chanted in the
temple continuously from 9:00 in the morning, till 9:00 at night, with community
prayers in-between. But what does this mantra actually mean?
The mantra itself can be broken down into several parts.
First of all, we are offering service (Bhaja). What is the service? We are
offering the qualities of Sri Nityananda (the companion of Chaitanya) and Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, namely compassion and devotion, in the form of vibration
for the sake of the world (Nitai-Gauranga). For what is this service rendered? The
spreading of compassion and devotion will lead to the attainment of the goal of
life, the lotus feet of Sri Radha Krishna (Radhe Shyam). Finally, how do we
offer this service? This is all achieved through the repeated chanting of the
Maha Mantra (Japa Hare Krishna Hare Rama).
With the knowledge of what this mantra means, and from the
inspiration of great saints like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhakti Marga has
embraced the tradition of Street Kirtan wholeheartedly. Since December of last
year, Street Kirtan has been performed every Sunday around the diverse cities
of Germany.
At the request of Sri Swami Vishwananda, Swami Vishwakanjalochanananda (formerly known as Chaturananda) has taken the lead on this project. Swami Kanjalochana has made an exceptional effort to make sure that Guruji’s wish for Street Kirtan to occur weekly has been upheld. Over the course of this last year, Swami Kanjalochana has had unexpected experiences that testify to the power of Street Kirtan. People who have never even heard about kirtan, become drawn to the Love that emanates from the Divine Names. The stories are innumerable, as each person that Street Kirtan has impacted are unique.
The practice of Street Kirtan has not only opened the minds
and hearts of the sidewalk spectators, but it has also helped to shift the
perspective of the participants. As it is natural to be shy, many people are
hesitant at first to go out in public and sing in front of strangers. With a
little bit of courage, and the support from people like Swami Kanjalochana,
afterwards, they are so inspired that they often wish to start Street Kirtan groups in
their own hometowns.
Street Kirtan is a service that uplifts the surrounding
environment through the vibration of the Divine Names. Though it has existed
for hundreds of years, Street Kirtan is still a relatively new concept to the
Western culture. The growth and future of Street Kirtan depends on the devotees
who wish to serve humanity in a public way that instantly gives people a
first-hand experience into the world of spirituality. It is a method to open
hearts and to acquaint people with Sri Swami Vishwananda and Bhakti Marga. Swami
Vishwakanjalochanananda is passionate about spreading Street Kirtan around the
world and is willing to be of help to anyone who is looking to join an existing
Street Kirtan group or to help anyone who aspires to pioneer a Street Kirtan
group and make the journey to reach the heart of strangers on a Sunday
afternoon.
If you want to receive more information about Street Kirtan,
please contact Swami Vishwakanjalochanananda via email at:
vishwakanjalochanananda@bhaktimarga.org
Below you can read a testimony from one of the regular
participants of Street Kirtan from Shree Peetha Nilaya:
“Street Kirtan is a time when we can go and spread the Love
of God first hand. Since I live in the ashram, my contact with the outside
world is limited, and though this seclusion helps me to stay spiritually
focused, it can also limit the opportunity to share the Divine Love that the
world so desperately needs.
It’s always fascinating to see the curious faces pass by as
we sing bhajans. Often I have noticed how children have an intuitive nature for
the Divine names, many times their faces light up with joy and they seem to be
magnetised to the music. Street Kirtan also gives me a great sense of
family. Just as a family supports each and other, every member participating
adds strength to the rest of the group and we all have a great time singing the
Divine Names.
I’m grateful to be able to see the devotees come together
and spread the Divine Love that has transformed each one of us. Street Kirtan
is one way of sharing this transformation, of sharing this Divine Love, so that
we may not keep it for ourselves, but rather, to share it with those who have
yet to experience the beauty of chanting the Divine Names.” – Kushalananda
http://www.bhaktimarga.org/events/new-years-eve