November Kirtan

November's kirtan, led by Ranchor Prime, was unusual and interesting. Ranchor is an interesting person! As well as his work in the field of conservation, here and in India, Ranchor is an artist, a musician and a writer and publisher: this year he published his book on the ancient text Bhagavad-Gita. So this time, he spoke to us a little on the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita and led us in singing some of the Sanskrit verses from the text, something we've never done before at our kirtans, but which was inexplicably satisfying. Then we chanted some of our regular mantras, enjoying Ranchor's mellow singing and musicality and ended up with mulled apple juice and biscuits to completely satisfy the inner self.

We're grateful to Ranchor for so often taking the time to come to Oxford from London, on a Sunday, to give us the pleasure of his company and chanting. Thank you, Ranchor!

December Kirtan Photos.

(Please click on photo to get full effect)

Photos from our December candle-lit kirtan, with Ranchor Prime. It was lovely!



Ranchor's mighty tambora...

...and Shaunaka pretending to play it!




Afterwards we feasted on delicious home-made pizza and mulled grape-juice. The chanting, the company and the candlelight were all mellow and harmonious and I think we all left feeling good.

Many thanks once again to Claire who kindly took these photos. More about her in an upcoming post!

December Kirtan.

Good news! Ranchor is coming to lead our December Kirtan. As he ushered in the year for us in January,he will see it out for us in December. There's pleasing symmetry!

Ranchor plans to bring his Tamboura, which as it is probably the largest in Britain, is no mean feat. It has such a special sound, to enhance the chanting.

So - Kirtan by Candlelight - wonderful chanting, Christmas fare, lovely company - what more could a fellow want!

Date: Sunday, 20th December.

Time: 4.00 p.m.

Venue: The Friends Meeting House, 43, St. Giles.

Ranchor's New Book

Ranchor Prime, well-known to Oxford chanters, for his blissful kirtans, is also a writer and publisher. His interest in conservation, the environment and animal welfare, has led him to write a new book, launched recently in London.

Cows and the Earth is a book about ancient methods of cow-farming, in which cows are enabled to live natural lives and deaths, instead of being slaughtered; and how these are being revived and practised in a Vaishnava community in England. Ranchor presents the case for more compassionate husbandry of dairy cattle, showing how this may ultimately be of benefit to the Earth and to humans, as well as the cows.

A pair of oxen actually attended the book launch in the centre of London, with their good friend Chrissie Hyndes who was also there, and who wrote a foreword to the book.




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Kirtan by Candlelight.

January's candle-lit kirtan had a special quality. A strong spiritual atmosphere rose up as the large gathering sang out heartily. This was a happy ending to a near disaster! Mariola, who was to have been our lead singer for the day came down with 'flu that morning, and it was only thanks to Ranchor's stepping into the breach at the eleventh hour that we had a kirtan at all! Thank you Ranchor. And thanks to everyone who came and made it so good.

It seemed easier, somehow, to focus on the chanting in the softer lighting. The evening ended with delicious pizza, fudge and peppermint tea.

One chanter wrote to us: "That was a wonderful kirtan yesterday! I really liked the candle-lit atmosphere and the lovely mood. Ranchor is perfect for Oxford. And it was wonderful to see so many new faces. I thought the fir-cone decor was chic and seasonal and cosy and Cathedral-like all at the same time."

Mariola is better now and plans to be with us in February.

Many thanks to Claire for these rich, Rembrandtish photos! (They get bigger and better if you click on them) . Podcasts coming soon!

December Kirtan This Sunday.

Our good friend Ranchor Prime will be leading the chanting this month, for a heart-warming winter kirtan.

Ranchor has many years experience as a leader of kirtans - beginning as a choirboy at Westminster cathedral. He is the author of several books on spiritual life and Vedic texts, including his telling of the epic Ramayana, which he wrote in conjunction with a Channel Four series.

He is also an adviser on religion and conservation to the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Britain and India and responsible for organising the planting of hundreds of trees in the pilgrim town of Vrindavana.

Ranchor's kirtans are meditative and melodious - so come, if you can, and join the throng for resounding kirtan...like this!