My name is Jyoshna and I have loved music all my life. Kiirtan provides me with an avenue of developing a direct connection with the divine, a deep and loving relationship with the my deepest inner self. I listened to a wonderful variety of music when I was young thanks to my parents who had very different tastes, such as Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Rachmaninov, French composers as well as Joan Baez, Buffy Saint Marie, Maori music and so much more.
I began writing love and devotional songs and chants in New Zealand when I was a teenager, and it has continued throughout my life. I also see it as a way of documenting my life's journey as a spiritualist, kiirtaniya, singer/songwriter, woman, mother, neo - humanist and fighter for the rights of minorities and indigenous people's. The albums I have recorded form a musical diary of my life, including 'Touched by the Sea', Sounds of Silence, 'Longing', 'Magnificence', Unity Hours I, II and III, Avarta Kiirtan I,III and III, etc. In this process I have been able to collaborate with many wonderful musicians all over the world, including Amitabha (Erik) who is teaching at the Kiirtan Academy also.
When I decided that my musical career would be in ethnomusicology I completed my Master of Arts at Auckland University then a PhD at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) in London, my topics being the Music Culture of Rarh and later the ancient Kiirtan Tradition of Rarh. As an ethnomusicologist I find that I can help create bridges of understanding between people of different musical backgrounds. With the support of the Janet Topp Fargion at British Library World Music Archives I have collated and housed my own audio visual collection called the Rarhi Bangla Kiirtan Collection (C1211). In London I met Amitabha, we became friends and started playing kiirtan and recording together.
At present I am living at Ananda Bharatii in Ireland where I lead kiirtan every day, teach in the Kiirtan Academy and work in Sunrise Kindy where my daughter Isabel goes, l (she's nearly three years old). I am part of the Mount Shannon Arts Committee that runs events and a festival each year. It is here at Ananda Bharatii that I went through my greatest struggles and my greatest joys (Isabel was born here) and in August of 2020 I was motivated to instigate the Kiirtan Academy, inspired by P.R Sarkar, who has said, "now the time to manifest the glory of kiirtan".
Amitabha and I are looking forward to sharing with you, all that which nourishes us and inspires us to, in turn, inspire the new generation of kiirtanyas. I also love to share my research and experiences of the ancient Rarhi kiirtan tradition, as a singer/songwriter, and with my guru Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiji. Thank you for joining us. I am excited to be with you as we expand our knowledge, and understanding of kiirtan, play and laugh together in the blissful kiirtan flow.
