Kirtan on Kashi Ashram has its roots in the devotional practice of singing to God that was established in India many thousands of years ago. Though it appears to be informal Indian folk singing , kirtan has been passed down as an oral tradition with deep appreciation of the tones and the precise sounds of Sanskrit designed to wake up kundalini and expand one’s connection to the Universal Love that resides in all of us. To the Kashi kirtan walas, it is not about performing in the western sensibility. It is a very personal, intimate expression of a desire to dissolve in this Love. Singing the names of the Gods and Goddesses creates a vibration of sound that resonates in our hearts and opens us to our own longing. By singing of this Love, we become this Love that we sing to.