Such an honor and delight to listen and Chant with this wonderful woman Ani Choying Drolma. I was enchanted by her voice on a CD playing in Tibetan restaurant downtown years ago, and to meet her magnetic personality and hear of the great work she’s done for girls, is such a blessing. She led the chanting along with Krishna Das, and Lama Tenzin in benefit for Shedrub Development Fund here in NYC and Boston. Tashi Delek!
Here are some photos from two lovely evenings ... Boston Jan 12 & NYC Jan 13, 2018.
Krishna Das, Ani Choying Drolma, Manose Newa and Lama Tenzin Sangpo, together with musicians Noah Hoffeld on cello, Mark Egan on bass, Arjun Bruggeman on tabla, me on kartal, and music director John McDowell.
Blog
CHITHEADS Podcast: Nina Rao on Kirtan, Hanuman and Devotion
I had a nice chat with Jacob Kyle of Chitheads about things I love. Here's a post from him:
"This week's episode with Nina Rao Chant is out today. For anyone with an interest in Kirtan, the subject of devotion, and Hanuman, this one's for you.
Thank you, Nina, for your heart-centered approach to it all. I need conversations like this to pull me down from the cold rafters of my mind and to remind me that it's all about love..."
listen here
Listen to Podcast
Summer Retreat With Nina! June 23-25 Kripalu, MA
June 23-25, 2017: Immerse in the Ocean of Chant, Mantra, and Song. You can reserve you spot to chant all weekend long at the wonderful Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health website Kripalu.org. Please write to me if you have any questions about the retreat. Here is some information and registration link. I do hope you will join me. Ram Ram.
This retreat is for everyone; no chanting experience required.
Immerse yourself in the sacred practice of chant from the spiritual traditions of India to quiet your mind and open your heart. Whether you are an experienced chanter or a beginner, come explore practices that transform you from the inside out, including
*Group japa (mantra repetition)
*Asana practice led by Amanda Harding that connects body and mind with breath and movement, *accompanied by live chanting and music by Nina Rao and friends
*Group chanting of prayers and kirtan (call-and-response chanting)
*Simple mantra repetition
*Recitation of specific prayers such as the Hanuman Chalisa, Lalita Saharasranam, and Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
*Puja (devotional offerings)
Take time out to retreat into the heart space and create a sustainable personal practice that fits into your daily routine at home. Word sheets will be provided, as well as reading and audio lists for support after the retreat. By spending time with like-minded seekers and practicing together, you strengthen your own practice and find that inner place of refuge to which you can always return.
MORE INFO & REGISTER HERE
Immersion in the Ocean of Chant, Mantra, and Song: Kripalu, MA June 23-25
I am so happy to offer this 2 night retreat to you all!
Come join me and my friends on the weekend of June 23–25, thats Friday to Sunday!
This retreat is for everyone; no chanting experience required.
Immerse yourself in the sacred practice of chant from the spiritual traditions of India to quiet your mind and open your heart. Whether you are an experienced chanter or a beginner, come explore practices that transform you from the inside out, including
*Group japa (mantra repetition)
*Asana practice led by Amanda Harding that connects body and mind with breath and movement, *accompanied by live chanting and music by Nina Rao and friends
*Group chanting of prayers and kirtan (call-and-response chanting)
*Simple mantra repetition
*Recitation of specific prayers such as the Hanuman Chalisa, Lalita Saharasranam, and Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
*Puja (devotional offerings)
Take time out to retreat into the heart space and create a sustainable personal practice that fits into your daily routine at home. Word sheets will be provided, as well as reading and audio lists for support after the retreat. By spending time with like-minded seekers and practicing together, you strengthen your own practice and find that inner place of refuge to which you can always return.
Free Livestream Of 108 Hanuman Chalisas Chant in NYC: January 1, 2017
We are looking forward to this free annual group event in chanting 108 Hanuman Chalisas together to start off the New Year.
No experience is required and word sheets are provided.
You can come in and join at anytime during the day from 8am to 7pm. Stay as long as you wish.
For those of you that cannot attend in person, this 11 hour event will be livestreamed on YouTube Nina Rao Chant
Use this link to VIEW THE LIVESTREAM
Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana Download
I am please to share this lovely sadhana with you. Krishna Das is offering a professionally recorded audio track of live chanting during the Ram Dass mala ceremony at the Open Your Heart in Paradise Retreat in Maui, Hawaii in December 2015.
At the mala ceremony, each retreatant greets Ram Dass personally, receives a mala with a thread from Maharaj-ji Neem Karoli Baba’s blanket, and visits the altar that graces the 5-day retreat. During this session and while the greeting is happening, Krishna Das and myself lead the group in chanting the mantra 'Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram’ accompanied musically by the band. At the end arti (waving sacred lamp lights) is offered to the images of all the saints and deities presiding over the retreat. It starts with Krishna Das singing Hanuman Stawan and if you listen carefully you will hear the arti bell followed by Krishna Das singing Jaya Jagadeesha Hare. You will hear some of the instruments dropping out toward the end as the musicians leave the stage to each get their malas from Ram Dass - but the chant keeps on.
We hope that this continuous chanting of the sacred mantra will help you to deepen your own chanting practice at home; your car; wherever; or be the sound track for your asana practice.
You can listen to a short preview clip and get all the details on KD's website by clicking HERE
Synchronicity podcast with Noah Lampert
Hi Y'All here's a recent conversation I had with Noah Lampert of Synchronicity podcasts... enjoy!
Nina Rao on Synchronicity with Noah Lampert
My guest today is Kirtan singer and lovely person, Nina Rao.Nina learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996.Her childhood was spent living in and moving between many countries around the world and when she settled in New York her working life began in the banking world, switched to organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India, and now for many years, is Krishna Das' business manager and assistant.
Topics Discussed:
Nina's worldly and inner journeys
The concept of a Guru
Kirtan as a regular practice
The power of sound/music
The concept of Home
The evolution of the Kirtan movement in the West
Understanding the "why" behind focusing on a particular path
The importance of an open heart
Mahalo Maui
Mahalo Aloha. A big thank you to all who shared in Spring on Maui. Here I am with Baba Ram Dass.
Photo by John Phaneuf for me to remember by.
Enjoy this YouTube playlist of some of the chants that we did together in Maui including the new Tashi Lama Chenno...
These are the wonderful musicians I had a chance to chant with: Benjy Wertheimer, Mark Gorman, Genevieve Walker, Heather Wertheimer, Trevor Hall, and Daniel Johnson.
Synchronicity Podcast with Nina Rao
My guest today is Kirtan singer and lovely person, Nina Rao. Nina learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. Her childhood was spent living in and moving between many countries around the world and when she settled in New York her working life began in the banking world, switched to organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India, and now for many years, is Krishna Das' business manager and assistant. Topics Discussed
Nina's worldly and inner journeys The concept of a Guru Kirtan as a regular practice The power of sound/music The concept of Home The evolution of the Kirtan movement in the West Understanding the "why" behind focusing on a particular path The importance of an open heart
To find out more about Nina visit her website: ninaraochant.com This week's book giveaway is Tom Robbins, "Skinny Legs and All." To enter the weekly book giveaway contests join the Synchronicity Community right here: eepurl.com/bSWrqT And of course subscribe to Synchronicity today because it's a smart thing to do.
Mantras Of The Sun
THE MANTRA PROJECT, VOLUME II: MANTRAS OF THE SUN
Featuring the Surya Namaskar Mantras.
I am so happy to be part of this beautiful offering from Suzin Green and Daniel Johnson. The official release date is April 22, 2016 but you can listen to a preview of this CD and pre order!
Join us for the New York City release party and kirtan of her new album, Mantras of the Sun. CDs will be on sale at this event. Click here for launch party details.
Suzin writes: "Mantras of the Sun releases April 22 on the Mantralogy label. In addition to Daniel, Tom Spiker, and myself, our dear friend Nina Rao is a guest artist on this album. Nina's beautiful vocals are an elegant counterpoint to mine and what a joy to have her presence weaving through this music."
Join me on Maui, May 4- 9, 2016
These wonderful musicians are accompanying us in Maui May 4-9, 2016.
These wonderful musicians are accompanying us at Spring on Maui Retreat May 4-9, 2016. Genevieve and Mark play regularly with Krishna Das and also with me live and on my album Antarayaami. Dan has been playing classical and for kirtan for many years and we happy to have him join us here!
An Interview I gave @ Sivanada Ashram Bahamas
I was at Sivananda Bahamas last February where I’ve been taking retreat for the last 12 years with Krishna Das. Happy to have offered Hanuman Chalisa chants these past two years in this wonderful ashram steeped in Practice. I sat down for an interview. You can read below or on the Sivananda Ashram website
Indeed I am grateful for this Path...
The Enchanted Life of Nina Rao: Chanting, Krishna Das, and the Hanuman Chalisa
It’s February 2016, and for several nights before the annual Krishna Das Yoga of Chant Retreat at the ashram, Nina Rao joins a group of ashram guests and yogis in the temple to recite a chapter of the Baghavad Gita and sing kirtan. A little later, she will accompany Krishna Das onstage, playing the Indian cymbals; right now, she’s simply doing something she loves.
The group grows and grows over these nights as word gets out that Nina is singing, sometimes accompanied by Krishna Das’ drummer, Arjun. On the third night, it culminates in Nina leading her rendition of the well-known Hanuman Chalisa, the Hindu devotional hymn addressed to the monkey-god Hanuman, with which she has become associated.
Her relationship with the chant is as unlikely as it was inevitable.
The Seeds of Chant
Growing up in the Western way and moving every three years because her father was in management for Air India, Nina’s first connection to Indian writing and song came through her grandfather, a retired engineer who lived in the small village of Bekal in south India. Visiting him at about age 9 when her family lived in Thailand, the little girl with no musical training but a deep curiosity began to read the books in her grandfather’s library and fool around with his harmonium.
“One day I asked him to play and he said, ‘Sing with me.’ He was a natural, though untrained in music, and we sang the bhajans (prayerful songs) of South Indian poets. I had a tape recorder and I recorded him and the two of us singing. Then he said the words and I wrote them out in English. Amazingly, I still have those papers.”
Her grandfather, the only one in the village to own a car, lived in a large house overlooking rice fields. Another year, he held a satsang (a group of people joined to pray and chant) in his large living room with the people of the village. “The best part was that it wasn’t just Grandfather, everyone in the village took turns,” Nina says. “I remember feeling this was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
“And I never did it again.”
Life Goes On
Nina grew older, went to college, and with her economics degree landed a job on the trading desk of a Wall Street firm. After five years she decided to follow her passion for nature and wildlife and in 1991, she launched a travel company, taking people to photograph wildlife in Africa and India. In the meantime, she became a yoga enthusiast. One day, she attended a yoga retreat offered by her teacher at which a fairly unknown kirtan singer named Krishna Das was to perform.
“I didn’t know who he was but when I looked at the schedule it said, ‘Satsang with Krishna Das’ and I remembered the satsang in my grandfather’s home. But I said to a friend, ‘I’m too exhausted, I’ll sit in the back; he’s probably a failed Indian singer anyway’ — although I did notice when we came in that there were pictures of Hanuman and Krishan Das’ guru, Maharajji (Neem Karoli Baba), on a table with a candle. The author of those books I used to read in my grandfather’s home had also been a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba.”
When Krishna Das walked into the room wearing black, she thought her worst fears had been realized.
“Then he sat down and started with Sri Ram Jai Ram, and I don’t remember the rest of the evening. I became good friends with him right away. I was amazed at the heart opening. I would go to his kirtans and he gave me the book, Miracle of Love. And that’s how the relationship started.”
Working with Chant Artist Krishna Das
In those days, she says, not many people followed Krishna Das. “I still had my travel business but I wanted to support him. I learned how to play drums and we would go on weekends to play.”
Seeing the love Krishna Das had for his guru, who died in 1973, her next big step was to go to India, to the temple of Neem Karoli Baba. There she met Siddhima, one of Maharajji’s closest devotees for 17 years. “I realized immediately that she was my guru; her whole presence reflects him,” she says. “Having a relationship with her has been beautiful. She has been my guru for the last 18 years.”
A lot of things started changing, Nina says, when the old stuff of her life began to fall away. She became a vegetarian, devoted herself to her practice, and chanted; chanting became a refuge, “more important than anything in the world.”
The Hanuman Chalisa Connection
Krishna Das again became a conduit, this time for the chant she loves best. He used to sing the Hanuman Chalisa in India with the kirtan wallahs (devotional singers), and when she first heard him sing it, he hadn’t started to perform it live. “I was really drawn to it,” she says. “It’s dripping with devotion, even if you don’t know it. Maharajji said that it’s a maha mantra, which means it has it’s own divine power.”
In India, the chant is sung when people are going through a difficult time and Nina believes you can fortify yourself if you sing it all the time. So while Krishna Das learned it so he and the kirtan wallahs could sing it for their guru, she learned it so she could sing it for KD on his 50th birthday.
“It’s my path to sing wherever I can sing,” she says, “although never in a million years did I think I would be sitting on a stage with musicians. I’ve just accepted that’s the way it is.”
A Surprise Turn
When she had first started chanting with Krishna Das, she had a memory of her grandfather’s harmonium and began to play an old harmonium Krishna Das had given her. “I remembered those chants and would sing them, and one melody of the Hanuman Chalisa KD liked very much. He asked me to share it with him before he went into the studio to record Flow of Grace.”
“He said, ‘Let’s do it as a duet.’ and I said okay. He said ‘Practice.’ But when I arrived, there was only one mic. He said, ‘You’re singing it by yourself.’ We recorded it in one take. He named that the Nina Chalisa.”
The record was released in 2007, but by the time of the chanting and recording, Nina had closed her travel business, gotten married, and had a baby. In 2002, after her daughter was born, she took on the management of Krishna Das’ business. “It needed some organization and I’ve been doing it officially since then,” she says.
After Flow of Grace, Krishna Das found himself at the forefront of the chanting movement in the U.S. People also began to love the Hanuman Chalisa, which Nina sang with Krishna Das and on her own for small groups.
“People were asking for a recording, so my daughter’s father did the engineering and put out a disc of Hanuman Chalisa and one of regular kirtan.” Antarayami: Knower of All Hearts was released in 2013.
“I really love what KD is doing and want to support and continue what I can do for him and for myself,” Nina says. This year, that will likely include a new CD.
Stay tuned.
Thank You for 3 years of support for Antarayaami!
These photos span the 9 months it took to make the music that is Antarayaami from March 2012-December 2012. The CD was released in January 2013. I am ever grateful for all the support, beautiful messages and invitations to sing I have received.
There are so many to thank. Matt Thomas, Shamina Rao- Herel, Devadas, Krishna Das, my daughter Uma, Naren Budhakar, Genevieve Walker, Mark Gorman, Arjun Bruggeman, Archit Dave, Camilla Celin, Tom Tedesco. My mother Anasuya, father Taranath, the kiddies Anjali, Ajay, Jaya and Asha. My choir: Satya-Franche Carlson Straus, James McInerney, Ambika Cooper, Janaki Uma Leah, Anjula Saraswati Prasad, Sharada Kagel, Lynn Taylor andJoelle Danant.
Spring on Maui Retreat with Ram Dass and Friends
Come join me for Spring on Maui Retreat May 4-9, 2016 to be with Ram Dass!
Read MoreAsheville, NC Weekend
My old friend, Saraswati
I think we might finally be passed snow on the ground while flowers try to bloom! It finally feels like spring. It's been nice to hang with the kids during school break.
Had a great time in Asheville where we joined Krishna Das in kirtan, workshop, I sang for Saraswati's yoga class at her most beautiful center and we chanted Hanuman Chalisas as a group. Saraswati's yoga style weaves principles of Chinese medicine into an asana and pranayam practice designed to bring women's energy and hormones into balance. See this article in Yoga Journal for more information.
Singing for Dr. Saraswati Markus' yoga class at Nourishing Life in Asheville, NC
Here's a clip of live Radhe Govinda from KD's new CD Kirtan Wallah !
This weekend come chant with my friend from the Bay Area, David Estes of Ananda Rasa kirtan who is leading chanting at Brooklyn Yoga School Sat April 26 8pm. He's a wonderful musician, loves chanting AND offers harmoniums - check out Ragamala.
David Estes playing with me at Bhaktifest West last year
One of Ragamala's lovely harmoniums
Hope you can join us at Omega Spring Ecstatic Chant!
Am so looking forward to seeing my Bay Area friends and chanting together very soon!
Southeast Kirtan Wallah Tour + New Live CD
The birds in Brooklyn are finally calling! It's spring! I just returned from a wonderful weekend with Krishna Das and Sharon Salzberg at Kripalu and now ready to embark on my trip to Asheville NC to join Krishna Das on a portion of his southeast Kirtan Wallah tour. Here's one my favorite tracks on KD's new CD Kirtan Wallah
We are excited to announce the release of the live kirtan recording from Brooklyn Yoga School and the website where you can order it from. You can hear Brooklyn kirtanwallahs Jeremy and Devadas and kirtanwallis Ambika, Lily, Shyama, and myself as we sing together recorded live. It's available digitally on iTunes or physically from the new Vanaras website!
It takes a village! From my heart I want to offer my deepest thanks to all who helped fund and create Krishna Das's new cd - Kirtan Wallah.
Behind the Making of "Kirtan Wallah"
In a couple of weeks will be the official street date of Krishna Das's new studio album on his own label, Kirtan Wallah. What a journey it's been from conception to delivery and we will continue on tour with the CD this year through the spring, summer and onwards. I have been fortunate enough to hang around Krishna Das for all these years and the release of this CD is another milestone on an incredible exploration of life, work, chanting, practice, friendships, family and so much more.
Deepest thanks to:
Krishna Das, captain of the ship, steering us always toward Maharaj-ji
All the Krishna Das backers without whom none of this would have happened
All of you who will hear this CD
All the musicians and Kosmic Kirtan Posse on the CD who are mentioned here in KD's credits.
Sarina Rao for steadfastly handling the fundraising campaign and fulfillment management
Shamina Rao-Herel for artfully designing the backer TShirt and CD packaging
Janaki Kagel for cheerfully handling the fulfillment of the fundraising campaign
Satrupa Kagel for selecting the malas to be blessed
Lily Frindel for graphics and spreading the word
Devadas for the heartful and thoughful writeup for the CD
Kevin Reilly for providing the sound channels
Matt Thomas, Dj Pierce, Sean Collelo, and Sandy Chase for the still and moving visuals
Ana Ban for supporting in so many ways from the beginning
Tony Palleschi for all the online support
ABC Home for providing the space for an amazing NYC launch
The Rescuers: Jeremy Frindel, Jerry Scarnato, Marie Maybury, Bubby McInerney, Michael Fantin, Raghu Naik, Anasuya Rao, Sharada Kagel, Al Evers
Himalayan Heritage - Antarayaami by Nina Rao
Sirius XM - Nina Rao and Devadas on Antarayaami Album
A conversation between Nina Rao and Devadas about Nina’s new CD “Antarayaami, Knower of All Hearts”.
Find out how the project began, Nina’s family legacy on the CD and the joys and challenges of making a devotional CD.
One of Krishna Das's long time band mates, Nina Rao, has released a solo project. SiriusXM Krishna Das Yoga Radio celebrates Nina's CD release of Anatarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, with a conversation between her and her producer, Devadas, while playing select tracks off of Antarayaami!
Join us tomorrow on ch. 360 on Krishna Das Yoga Radio at 12 noon ET!
The CD is available on Amazon, iTunes and KrishnaDas.com
http://www.amazon.com/Antarayaami-Knower.../dp/B00BFKPO5KIt is truly a beautiful CD.
Namaste,
Mary Sue, Sirius XM
Nina Rao & Devadas