Children lead Hare Krishna Mantra Kirtan at Vaishnava Sanga Festival in Stratford Ontario MAY17 2026 The Hare Krishna Mantra Kirtan is a spiritual practice from Vedic tradition where people sing or chant the Hare Krishna Mantra together, with music, dancing, drums, and hand cymbals. It is especially connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as the Hare Krishna movement. The mantra itself is very simple and repetitive: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare Krishna is considered a form of God associated with love, compassion, and joy. Rama is another sacred name of God. Hare refers to divine spiritual energy. The word “kirtan” means devotional chanting performed in a group. During a kirtan, one person often sings a line and the group repeats it back. The music can start slowly and become energetic and joyful, with people clapping, dancing, and entering a meditative or emotional state. The practice comes from the ancient Vedic tradition of Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion. Followers believe that repeating the mantra helps: calm the mind reduce stress focus spiritually create feelings of peace and happiness connect with the divine You may have seen Hare Krishna kirtans in parks, streets, yoga festivals, or temples, where devotees wear colorful traditional clothing and play instruments like: mridanga drums kartal hand cymbals harmonium Many people participate not only for religion, but also for the relaxing and uplifting atmosphere. Some describe it as a mix of meditation, music, and community gathering. The movement became widely known in the West during the 1960s and 1970s, especially in cities like New York, London, and San Francisco, brought by Indian Saint person Abhay Charan De also known as Srila Prabhupada. “How to be happy? A simple answer for such a complicated question.” Vradjendra Kumar, a famous Russian philosopher and astrologist, in this short FAQ video gives the universal formula of happiness according to ancient Vedic knowledge: https://anysigns.ca/how-to-be-happy-a-simple-answer-for-such-a-complicated-question/ We print on everything! Call / text: 1-647-606-SIGN (7446) or Contact Us: https://anysigns.ca/contact-us/ - @any_signs