Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
सीता राम | सीता राम
Transliteration
Sita Ram | Sita Ram
Pronunciation
SEE-tah RAHM | SEE-tah RAHM
Deity / Quality Invoked
Sita & Rama
Full Translation
Sita and Ram are honored together as the divine feminine and masculine in perfect devotion — Sita the embodiment of grace and faithfulness, Ram the ideal of righteousness and compassion.
Spiritual Significance
Chanting both names together holds devotion and dharma as inseparable. The simple two-word repetition makes it one of the easiest and most meditative chants, often sung in long, rolling rounds that quiet the mind and open the heart.
Cultural Context & History
Sita Ram has been carried across the world through the lineage of Neem Karoli Baba and his Western students, becoming a foundational chant in the modern Kirtan movement and a frequent companion to Hanuman devotion.
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
Am
Tempo & feel
Medium groove (~84 bpm) with a strong two-beat pulse; loves a driving build
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. two-beat drive: push off the 2 and 4; born for the long build.
Call
Response
Call & Response Structure
One of the great long-build chants: begin at a walking pace and let it accelerate naturally as the circle catches fire. Alternate calls of "Sita Ram" with "Sita Ram Jaya Jaya" variations to keep long rounds alive; the F–G–Am turnaround marks the end of each response cycle.
Terms in the Glossary
Words from this page, explained in our A–Z reference.