The Kitchari Kirtan (KK) coordinators, Shri Tamal Lena and Smt Shakti Lena-Rowan hosted a lovely evening of devotional chanting and meditation in their residence, Cambridge, MA with the East Coast Bhakti family known as Kirtan Soul Revival (KSR) based in Brooklyn, NY on Thursday, 28 Jun, 2018 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Many like-minded people enthusiastically participated in this chanting event as the best way to connect more deeply to ourselves, to spirit and to each other in this journey of life. The KSR family presented their heart-opening chanting at KK venue as a part of their Summer East Coast Tour from June 21 - June 30, 2018.

Ms. Calia Marshall, Ms. Helen Styring Tocci, and Mr. Todd Keller who are longtime yoga practitioners and musicians said that they bring the connecting power of harmony by fusion of Eastern and Western sounds to a public longing for positivity, love and community life. They have been fusing traditional Sanskrit mantras, original music, and music from around the world to create a unique, dynamic sound that merges guitar-driven funk, rock, gospel, rhythm and blues, world grooves, and chants. They have created a singular sound in the growing genre of mantra music. 

According to KSR, Kirtan is a celebration of spirit through the chanting of sacred names through call-and-response chanting. Through their simple presentation, even non-singers can easily experience the joy of being surrounded by harmony in a space that inspires search for peace within. The KSR team invites participants to open their hearts to Kirtan because it has the ability to quiet the mind if listened to with intention.  It is a sing-along style that can be experienced by everyone differently.

All participants were welcomed warmly the hosts and they also prepared delicious Kitchari and Masala Chai to enjoy during the hour of meeting and greeting with other participants of KK Community and the special guest singers. The chanting session from 8:00pm-10:00pm was started with Chanting of Ganesh Mantra by Shri Tamal and Shakti. Later, the KSR family presented their soul-stirring chanting with musical harmony that added ampleness and depth to their sounds. 

Everyone enjoyed the evening with KK feast and KSR chanting with their unique mantra music. The hosts of KK thanked the KSR family for their time and for making the evening of chanting a wonderful experience for everyone. They also thanked and offered Prasad to all the participants as their closing remarks.

“This is a Meetup in our community that brings together individuals and musicians who appreciate Indian classical, Kirtan, chants, meditation music with some western ambient music. It is an evening of chanting and meditation that I enjoyed most because it opens up my heart, invites stillness, and deepens the peace within me” said one of the participants to the reporter.

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