Kirtan with Krishna Das

Kirtan with Krishna Das comes to Bengaluru as part of his India Tour 2026, an evening of devotional chanting and music at TERRAFORM ARENA in Yelahanka. It is open to longtime kirtan practitioners and to people who have never sung a mantra in a group, and it suits anyone drawn to call-and-response chanting, bhakti and the quiet that follows a shared song.

Krishna Das leads the evening on harmonium, joined by his musicians. Bengaluru is one of five cities on the tour, alongside Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.

What to Expect

The evening runs from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Krishna Das leads sacred chants in the kirtan tradition, with the audience singing along, and the organizers describe the night as a space to sing, reflect and reconnect. His music blends devotional Indian mantras with Western musical sensibilities, so the sound is both rooted in the tradition and easy to enter if it is new to you.

Kirtan is participatory. You do not need to know the chants beforehand or have a trained voice. The invitation is to bring your voice and your attention, and to let the singing become a kind of meditation held together by a large gathering of people.

About Krishna Das

Krishna Das was born Jeffrey Kagel in 1947 and is one of the best known figures in devotional music and kirtan. His path began in New York City in the 1970s, where he was drawn to the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, a revered Indian guru. After a formative trip to India, where he immersed himself in the practice of bhakti yoga, he returned to the United States and began sharing his experience and his guru's teachings through music.

He leads kirtans that pair traditional Indian melodies with Western musical influences, a blend that has brought the ancient practice of chanting to many people who might not have met it otherwise. He is known for a deep, soulful voice and for his ability to connect with an audience through chant. The tour materials describe him as one of the world's leading chant masters.

The Setting

The concert takes place at TERRAFORM ARENA, near Embassy Riding School in Jala Hobali, Yelahanka, on the northern side of Bengaluru, Karnataka. The organizers expect a large crowd, describing the night as one for thousands of voices.

Before You Go

No prior experience with kirtan is needed. The evening is meant equally for first-timers and for those who have chanted for years. Come ready to sing, and to simply listen if that is what the evening asks of you.