First Boston Chant Fest

Wow. The First Boston Chantfest could have gone on for 24 hours instead of 12 and there still wouldn't have been enough time to soak up all it had to offer. Just being in such a beautiful, modern temple was a treat. According to their website, the purpose of Chinmaya Mission is to provide to individuals, from any background, the wisdom of Vedanta and the practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling them to become positive contributors to society.

The temple offers members language classes in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Sanskrit. There are Veda lessons for both beginners and advanced students on Monday nights. There are weekly Abhishekams (sacred bathing of the deity statues) to Hanuman, Navagraha, and monthly to Ganesha. There's nightly chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa at 6:45 (what good practice that would be for me, still stumbling along trying to learn it). There are monthly pujas and rituals to Lord Shiva, a Bhajan (singing of devotional songs) group, Sri Bishnu Sahasranama chanting. In other words, it's a busy place. I wish it weren't 2 and a half hours away.

There were easily 400 people in attendance yesterday, but the enormous building and its many rooms easily accommodated the crowd of happy yogis and yoginis. There were vendors selling spirituality books and organic cotton tee shirts, massage oils, statues, and colorful prayer flags. There were people promoting yoga studios, and healing arts. Ajay Gupta from YogaCaps, Inc. (a non-profit organization that builds resiliency by making yoga practices more available and affordable) was handing out business cards and (much to my delight) affixing tiny silver bindis on people's foreheads. Out of respect for its importance as a religious symbol I'm not sure I would feel comfortable putting a bindi on myself for decoration — but in this particular case it felt acceptable.

Lunch and dinner were delicious and affordable Indian meals ($8 a plate) eaten at long communal tables. There was cold mango lassi and hot chai tea. There were slices of moist cake made with coconut and milk, brushed on top by what looked like silver leaf. The hum of conversation and laughter filled the room.

Though there were intriguing-sounding (and crowded) hatha yoga classes throughout the day (including laughter yoga, which I peeked in on briefly — hohoho hahaha!), J and I spent most of our time in the theater listening to a lineup of music that included our own kirtan-wallah Dave Russell, as well as Shyamdas, Prajna, Gaura Vani (above) and Wah.

Though every one the performers were amazing, Gaura Vani was a highlight for me. His studies in Indian sacred music began in Vrindavan, India at the age of 6. His voice is incredible, and the mood he creates completely immersive — at times meditative and at times ecstatic. In the photo above he's appreciating the classical Indian dance his wife added to the performance yesterday. Sweet. I'll have a chance to see Gaura Vani again soon, when he visits the Yoga Sanctuary in Northampton with The Bhakti Brothers on July 11th. From his website:

Join this sacred world music experience for an inspired, uplifting, rockin', and unique evening of kirtan, music, chanting, and mystic poetry. The Bhakti Brothers create a soulful and ecstatic celebration of Naada yoga (the yoga of sacred sound and vibration) and Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of love and devotion in complete surrender) with an array of unique ethnic instruments from around the globe.

Together Kirtan singer and musician Gaura Vani, multi-instrumentalist and singer Benjy Wertheimer, world percussionist and spoken word artist John de Kadt, and other consummate musicians will assemble for a powerful, mesmerizing musical community event of chanting, world rhythm, and mystic poetry.)

Another highlight of the day was hanging out with new friends and meeting a fellow blogger — and her gift to me of this beautiful mehndi heart, which she created while we listened to a fascinating talk about the origins of Bhakti yoga and kirtan, and their increasingly important place in today's increasingly hectic, stressful world. Check out her wonderful collage of photos of the festival here, not to mention her gorgeous artwork - I'm in love with this painting.

Midnight arrived, the festivities ended and it was time to head home. J and I haven't come home from an event at 3 in the morning in quite some time, and certainly never wearing bindis, adorned in mendhi, and feeling healthier and more peaceful than when we set out. I had no idea this quest would be so much fun.