Benefit Kirtan for Ganga Prem Hospice — Krishna Das (KD)
Sunday, Oct 18, 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm IST
Event Details
- Benefit Kirtan for Ganga Prem Hospice
- Time: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm IST
Join Krishna Das for a moving benefit kirtan in support of Ganga Prem Hospice. Krishna Das (KD) is one of the most influential figures in bringing traditional kirtan and bhakti practice to the West. A devoted disciple of Neem Karoli Baba (Maharajji) and introduced to that lineage through Ram Dass, KD blends traditional call-and-response chanting with accessible melodies and modern instrumentation—earning him the NYTimes moniker “Chant Master of American Yoga.”
Born Jeff Kagel on Long Island, KD’s journey took him from American youth culture to the foothills of the Himalayas at Maharajji’s Kainchi Ashram. There he absorbed the life-changing practice of kirtan—singing rounds of sacred names and mantras such as the Hare Krsna Mahamantra—which became his spiritual lifeline and the heart of his work back in America. He established a long-running kirtan residency in New York City at Jivamukti Yoga Center and has since released 16 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Live Ananda (January 2012). KD is the best-selling Western chant artist of all time, has collaborated with notable musicians, authored Chants of a Lifetime and Flow of Grace, and founded the Kirtan Wallah Foundation (2014) to spread Maharajji’s teachings: “love everyone, serve everyone, and remember God.”
Kirtan—simple, devotional call-and-response chanting of mantras and namavalis—awakens bhakti and is accessible to all. KD’s style transposes Indian devotional forms into a Western musical idiom rooted in gospel, blues, country and rock, while preserving the essential practice: the repetition of the Divine Name. Known for his soulful voice, humor, and practical wisdom, KD has become a spiritual friend to many, offering satsang, workshops while touring, and weekly online gatherings during the pandemic.
Attend this benefit kirtan to experience devotional chanting, connect deeply through bhakti, and support Ganga Prem Hospice. The music is both an offering to Maharajji and a doorway to the presence within each of us.