At the age of eight, American-born Ragani met the legendary yoga master, Sri Swami Rama, founder of the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in Honesdale, PA. Under his tutelage, she was personally trained in the sciences of yoga, meditation and eastern music, including kirtan, an interactive form of chanting. Her guru bestowed upon her the Sanskrit name Ragani /RAH gah nee/ to reflect her life purpose of bringing this sacred world music to the globe.

In the 1980’s, Ragani served for eight years as a personal assistant to Swami Rama. She traveled with him to the East, and led kirtan in such countries as India, Malaysia, Singapore and Curacao. She has been leading kirtan in the U.S. for the past 20 years. She is currently based in Milwaukee, Wis., where she hosts the monthly Kirtan with Ragani, the largest independent, ongoing kirtan in the country.

Kirtan is a high-energy, heart opening form of chanting that originated in India many centuries ago. Ancient Sanskrit mantras resonate with ancient and modern sound in a lively call-and-response format. Unlike most other forms of music or entertainment, kirtan incorporates the audience right into the performance. Kirtan with Ragani has been featured on FOX and NBC affiliates and in numerous regional, national and international publications.

Ragani is one of the few American kirtan leaders who studied this form of devotional music extensively with an East Indian guru. This depth of training and authentic experience is reflected in the Kirtan with Ragani live performances and CD. While the essence of the music is Indian, she infuses it with a distinctly Western flavor creating an enchanting and irresistible mix of both worlds. During live performances, Ragani often shares personal stories of her time with Swami Rama, giving the audience a window into the power of such a teacher-student relationship. Read more…