KIRTANS

Kirtans are songs to the glories of a god. They are usually sung in groups of people, accompanied by an accordionlike instrument called the harmo-nium. Percussive instruments are sometimes used as well. Kirtan singing may be the most common form of collective devotional worship in India. Both men and women participate. Singing alterna-tively slows down and speeds up until the singers are in a trance, ideally experiencing the presence of, or even union, with the divinity. Both kirtans and BHAJANS are songs of worship sung in devotion.