Deities of Kirtan
Who we chant to — the stories, iconography, and mantras of the deities honored in Kirtan.
Krishna
The playful, flute-playing form of the Divine — the most-chanted deity in Kirtan and the heart of the Bhakti tradition.
Radha
Krishna's beloved and the embodiment of supreme devotion — in Bhakti theology, the very heart of divine love.
Rama
The noble prince of the Ramayana — the embodiment of dharma, whose short two-letter name is one of India's most beloved mantras.
Hanuman
The devoted monkey hero of the Ramayana — the great servant, and Western Kirtan's best-loved symbol of selfless devotion.
Shiva
The great yogi and cosmic dancer — destroyer of illusion, lord of meditation, honored in the beloved mantra Om Namah Shivaya.
Durga
The invincible Divine Mother — riding a lion, armed by all the gods, protector of her devotees and slayer of the buffalo demon.
Kali
The dark Mother who dances beyond time — fierce destroyer of ego and illusion, and tender mother to those who call her name.
Saraswati
Goddess of music, learning, and the arts — the flowing source of speech and sound, patron of every musician who chants.
Vishnu
The preserver and sustainer of the universe — who descends age after age as Rama, Krishna, and the avatars, to protect dharma.
Ganesha
The elephant-headed remover of obstacles — lord of beginnings, invoked at the start of journeys, ventures, and many a kirtan.
Tara
The swift compassion of the Buddhist tradition — the mother-liberator who hears every cry and crosses to help without delay.
Vitthal
The brick-standing form of Krishna worshipped at Pandharpur — heart of Maharashtra's Varkari tradition and its centuries of abhang kirtan.