100 Hour Kirtan Training Course

The 100 Hour Kirtan Training Course is a kirtan training in the Bhakti yoga and Vaishnava devotional chanting tradition, taught by Radhika Das with lead teacher Keli Woods. It runs across eight weekend days in April 2027, in person at The Hearth in Kilburn, London, or live online from anywhere. It is open to complete beginners, shower singers and experienced musicians alike, and no prior musical experience is needed.

The course blends traditional Sanskrit mantras with harmonium, vocals, mridanga (drum) and kartals (hand cymbals). The emphasis is on presence rather than performance: learning to sing and play with devotional feeling, and to lead or take part in kirtan with understanding.

What to Expect

The training is made up of eight days of live teaching and practice, each running from 09:00 to 18:00 over four consecutive weekends. In-person students learn at The Hearth, while online students stream the sessions live. Every session is recorded for later review.

The 100 hours combine contact hours with a teacher, online or in person, and self-study. The work is organised into six modules:

- Kirtan Roots: the basics of melody and harmony, simple exercises to build confidence with your instrument, and using music as a vehicle for devotional intention.
- The Craft of Sacred Sound: a five-step method for learning new mantras, melodies and beats, a process for memorising, and learning by ear.
- A Pilgrimage Through Time: the history, lineages and founders of kirtan, what constitutes bona fide chanting, and teachings from saints of the past and present.
- Awaken to Ritual: how to structure and facilitate kirtan offerings of 30 to 60 minutes, the different forms of kirtan, and building a personal practice.
- Sacred Sanga: collaborating with other kirtaniyas in real time, kirtan etiquette drawn from the yoga wisdom texts, and hosting your own events.
- The Ocean of Devotion: advanced music theory, philosophy and instrument technique, and a process for continued study and accountability.

Self-study between sessions includes pre-recorded webinars, written assignments and essays, technique and theory practice, attendance at specific kirtan events, and multiple choice tests.

About Radhika Das

Radhika Das is a London-based mantra artist, kirtan leader and bhakti yoga teacher, and the founder of the course. He describes sixteen years of bhakti practice behind his work, which he shares with students around the world through mantra chanting, meditation and teachings from the Bhagavad Gita. His gatherings began small and have grown into mantra meditation nights in London, New York, Mumbai and beyond, led with a band of musicians. He says kirtan changed his life, and that his purpose now is to offer others the same experience of connection.

About Keli Woods

Keli Woods is the lead teacher. He is a UK-based multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer who draws on his experience as a monk and on influences ranging from big band swing to Vedic kirtan.

The Setting

In-person students meet at The Hearth in Kilburn, London, a space chosen for its serene and peaceful atmosphere. Online participants join the same live sessions from home.

Before You Go

The course is taught in English and suits all levels. Students are guided step by step, with simple melodies and hands-on support.

Included are:

- 100 hours of training
- recordings of every session
- the Kirtan handbook, in hard copy for in-person students
- one-to-one mentorship and personalised feedback
- live Q&A sessions and a private student community
- weekly theory worksheets, instrument practice assignments and curated kirtan playlists
- recorded seminars with guest teachers
- access to live kirtan events
- a certificate of completion

Not included are a harmonium, which students can buy separately through JAS Musicals, travel and accommodation for in-person students, and the hard copy handbook for online students.