Mateo Mortellaro sits down with Nina Rao—chant leader, musician, teacher, and conservationalist. After being introduced to kirtan by her grandfather in India, Nina rediscovering chanting with Krishna Das in 1996. Soon after, she was introduced to her Guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, in 1998 and spent the next 19 years in her company.

Nina recalls being introduced to devotional chanting as a child with her grandfather and how meeting Krishna Das reawakened her childhood experience of Bhakti devotion. Nina tells the story of meeting Sri Siddhi Ma and describes the profound blessing of Ma’s “ongoing Darshan.”

They discuss the power of connecting with the Guru’s mind through pictures and stories and Nina explores overlaps in Tibetan Buddhist devotion and Indian Bhakti, describing time spent with her Guru as well as other masters like Garchen Rinpoche.

Nina has accompanied and managed Krishna Das for decades, and has released three solo albums, including her 2026 album Bhumi Devi, which is available now and can be found here: https://found.ee/ninarao_bhumidevi

Alongside her music and spiritual practice, Nina also supports the protection of India’s sacred forests and wilderness through SavingWildTigers.org and is a host for the Be Here Now podcast exploring spirituality, practice, and the natural world. Her life and work are rooted in devotion, connection, and a deep reverence for all forms of life.

Seeking the Sacred Podcast engages in meaningful conversations with spiritual seekers, teachers, and translators and thought leaders on topics of Buddhism, spirituality, and meditation. You can look through their various offerings here: https://linktr.ee/KTT_Dharma

Please excuse the audio quality during the interview, as it was filmed on site in a retreat cabin at Garchen Buddhist Institute without any microphone