Nina Rao is a Kirtan singer and performer with two incredible solo albums out now. She tours with Krishna Das singing and performing in his band as well as being his business manager. She is a podcast host on the Be Here Now Network, a spiritual teacher and has worked as a conservationist.
Listen on Spotify here:
Africa - Tanzania with Nina Rao. March 29 to April 8, 2025
Join us on this personalized group tour of Arusha, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Karatu, & Zanzibar. Please email chant@chantkirtan.com to receive trip details.
Ram Dass’ SoulPod Satsang Sadhana Gayatri Mantra Recitation With Nina Rao
This is a special Sadhana Satsang with Nina Rao, renowned Kirtan artist and cherished member of Krishna Das’s band. Nina, also a board member of LSRF, leads you through a transformative session of chanting the Gayatri mantra via Zoom.
Chanting mantras together, even virtually, offers a profound opportunity to connect deeply with ourselves and one another. Whether you’re new to chanting or have practiced for years, this session promises to enrich your experience and strengthen our community in a meaningful way. Nina will begin with a brief pronunciation guidance before we join in collective chanting.
Benefits of Chanting Together:
Spiritual Connection: Experience the sacred power of sound within a supportive group.
Community Building: Form bonds with like-hearted individuals on a shared spiritual journey.
Personal Growth: Deepen your practice and understanding through collective energy and intention.
On July 10, Nina offered a class with some background on the Gayatri Mantra and a detailed pronunciation guide - in this video recording you can please review that session. If you would like to print out a word sheet for Gayatri Mantra, please go Nina’s Vedic Chants page.
Stay tuned for information on more, on going sessions to come. Our next session will be:
Wednesday, August 8
9 am EDT | 6:00 am | 2 pm GST
Online Free
Register for Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUuc-uhqT0iGNWdKeC7RztjrpcBf6hE-dQD
No prior experience is necessary—just bring your openness and eagerness to participate. Let’s unite in devotion and community. We eagerly anticipate chanting with you and sharing in this beautiful practice together. Everyone is welcome. Participation is free.
“We want to know that we're not separate from all beings - because most of our grief, our fear, our anger comes from feeling separate, not feeling connected, we're constantly finding ways to connect.” – Nina Rao
The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and Google Play
Nina Rao interviews Nani Ma about her deep devotion to serving her guru and her service work with Ganga Prem Hospice.
If you are interested in donating to Ganga Prem Hospice, you can do so through a donation to End of Life Care International with a memo specifying you would like it to go to Ganga Prem.
About Nani Ma:
Nani Ma is from the United Kingdom and sought spiritual enlightenment at a very young age. One day, she realized that serving the multitude and helping the needy is also an aspect of spiritual practice. So, she started taking care of the terminally ill cancer patients in the hospital, guiding the people who are suffering from pain and death to embark on a new journey. Together with Dr. A. K. Dewan, she established the Ganga Prem Hospice. Ganga Prem Hospice is a spiritually-orientated, non-profit hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. The Hospice has been constructed at the foot of the Himalayas on the bank of the river Ganga.
“When we watch our breath, it slows down. The breath and the mind are connected. Either the breath slows down and the mind slows down, or the mind catches hold of one thing, which is the name, and the name has its power by itself. The name has its own power.” – Nani Ma
Raghu, Nina, and Chandra spend this episode discussing:
Chandra’s Buddhist upbringing
The deity Tara and the sacred feminine
Nina and Chandra’s collaboration with chanting and mantras
An acapella chant offered from Nina
Tara for harmony
Tantra and spirituality for the people
The 21 praises to Tara
Durga, Saraswati, and other feminine deities we can invoke through mantras
The eighth Tara as a fierce and invincible embodiment
The mara of doubt
“The main purpose of doing this aspect of the 21 Tara’s practice through chanting and more of a kirtan style is to uplift people, just like kirtan does. To bring joy, open people’s heart to the blessings of these Taras and to Devi and to the universal way. And also to help them remember the mantra, because some of them are pretty long they can be a little challenging to remember.” – Chandra Easton
Raghu Markus – Mindrolling – Ep. 528 – The 21 Taras with Nina Rao & Chandra Easton
“My grandfather's harmonium melodies were the soundtrack of my childhood, carrying the spirit of devotion that would later resonate through my own life's journey. As I sit down with Nina Rao, a celebrated Kirtan leader, her stories echo my experiences, weaving a tapestry of spiritual connection rooted in the vibrant chants of Kirtan. We delve into the essence of communal chanting, finding joy and peace within its harmonies, and discussing how these practices cultivate emotional and spiritual fulfillment. Nina's narrative transports us from the Satsang of her youth to the dynamic Kirtan circles of New York, highlighting the profound impact of community and shared devotion on our paths to inner happiness. Our conversation takes an introspective turn as we navigate the role of women in spiritual practices and the melding of Eastern traditions with Western consciousness. I share my own pilgrimage back to my roots, studying Vedic chanting with a teacher in India, and how this journey illuminated the significance of feminine voices in these sacred spaces. The episode unfolds further insights into the evolution of bhakti and kirtan in the West, the reverence for sacred texts, and the shifting perceptions of spirituality and the Divine in our modern society. We are humbled by the legacy of those who have cleared the way for us, acknowledging the profound gratitude for the spiritual inheritance that enriches our lives today. Finally, we embrace the transformative power of daily spiritual rituals, discussing how they enhance compassion, foster an enlightened mind, and contribute to a holistic sense of well-being.”
"I'm here because I followed the path of practice that my Guru laid out for me." - Nina Rao
In this chat she shares about her Guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, her powerful and anchoring experiences on the pathless path, the real meaning of the Ram mantra, and the importance of service and constant God remembrance. She leads us in to Presence by chanting Sri Ram Jai Ram and the Hanuman Chalisa.
Show notes:
Vinayaka Always (the track featuring her grandfather) (Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, 2013)
Sri Siddhi Ma: The Story of Neem Karoli Baba's Spiritual Legacy
Nikki's favorite kirtan w/ Nina - Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana
Flow of Grace (book by Krishna Das about Hanuman Chalisa)
Hanuman Chalisa in English (PDF)
Chant the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina - Free Course
Learn the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina via Insight Timer
*To claim your free gift, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, screenshot it and send it to me at nikki@curlynikki.com!
Recorded April 2023: This is a one-hour conversation and practice session hosted by Stephen Dinan of Shift Network with Nina Rao. Nina has been studying Veda chanting with her teacher from the Mysore lineage for a couple of years, as she continues to lead the singing of kirtan as a
Read MoreDuring this 20-week program, Acharya Shunya weaves together inspiring, authoritative goddess stories with immersive practices (including mantra chanting and meditations) to evoke the energy of each goddess from within you. Taking the teaching one step further, Shunya links the goddesses to our individual chakras, creating an embodied and systematic pathway to transformation.
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