My journey into the world of Hare Krishna and Kirtan began with my birth into a family of devout followers. My parents, Sri Vani Dasi and Sri Thakur Das introduced me to the Hare Krishna movement at a very young age, setting the foundation for my life’s passion. I further pursued my spiritual education at the Gurukula in Nova Gokula farm, Pindamonhangaba, Brazil. There, I received extensive training in the Bhagavad-Gita, which helped me develop a profound connection with Kirtan. This spiritual-devotional chant would become a cornerstone of my life.
My Kirtan journey started early when, at age 11, I began leading chantings at the local Hare Krishna temple in Brasília. By age 14, I was one of the leading singers in the renowned Ratha Yatra festival in Porto Alegre, Brazil. By age 16, I received my first initiation from Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, my spiritual master.
My passion for Kirtan continued to flourish. I pursued a formal music education at the Escola de Música de Brasila, a traditional Western music school in Brazil, where I learned the basics and built a necessary base to build Kirtans on.
Inspired by the teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, my spiritual master, and many other devoted practitioners worldwide, I have made Kirtan the centerpiece of my life. Although my professional career is in the IT industry, I travel the world every year to support Kirtan events whenever possible.
Kirtan has the power to transform people’s lives, and it is an essential tool for cultivating pure devotion (Bhakti). Therefore, I encourage everyone to chant with their full energy and attention during Kirtan events. While chanting the Maha Mantra Hare Krishna, I invite you to connect with your soul and allow the love in your heart to inspire others to do the same.
… we can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum. When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding — surpassing the stages of sense, mind, and intelligence — one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower stages of consciousness, namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need for mental speculation or any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.
– A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and learn about my passion for Kirtan. If you have any questions or want to discuss Kirtan as a service, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me through the form available on this page. Let’s connect and share our love for Kirtan together.
Sincerely,
– Amala Kirtana dasa