Ever wake up smiling?

I went to see Dasi Karnamrita lead kirtan at the Ashtanga Yoga Studio and Ganesh Temple in New York City last night. In a word, the evening was magical.

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something about the show that made it seem less like a performance and more like a shared prayer. Maybe it was the studio itself, which houses an authentic South Indian style temple honoring Lord Ganesh, Lord Shiva, and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna, lit by traditional oil lamps. Maybe it was the poignant black and white portraits of beloved Ashtanga Yoga master Sri Pattabhi Jois, who passed away earlier this year, dotting the soft pink walls.

Or maybe it was Karnamrita herself, her lilting voice accompanied only by the pleasant drone of the harmonium and the tight beats of a traditional Bengali khol drum.Whatever it was, Karnamrita’s singing was everything sacred chantshould be: musically superb, but more importantly deep, sincere,emotionally stirring, and — above all else — inviting. Her steadyvoice and engaging melody impelled even the shyest wallflowers in thecrowd to clap along.

Among a handful of women making stridesin the male-dominated kirtan scene, Karnamrita seemed especiallyenthusiastic to channel the power of the feminine — both Divine andearthly. On the Divine side of things, she shared beautiful renditionsof chants dedicated to Sri Radha, the goddess counterpart to Krishna,calling out with fervor to the Mother of Universe with a voice thatseemed simultaneously light and rich, at once simple and deep. And theearthly: at times Karnamrita chanted with the joy of a little girl, or of a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice who is unabashedly in love withthe act of singing.

To me, the most powerful experience, thoughwas hearing her speak between chants. She bared her soul and openedherself up to the audience in a way rarely seen even in the kirtanworld. Unlike most of her compatriots, Karnamrita didn’t join anashram– she was born into one, the product of a hippy mother who foundfulfillment in devotional Hinduism and commune life. Her upbringing wasa bittersweet one, and last night she shared memories of a childhoodfilled with kirtan, an adolescence that saw her leave the ashram, andan adulthood in which she’s had to straddle both world and re-discoverher spirituality — on her own terms. Sharing the charming anecdotes –at 17 she entered secular High School not having a clue who in theworld Michael Jackson was — and honest confessions with a roomful ofstrangers was a risk that paid off; by the end of the evening we were a community.

Infact, if there is a drawback to Karnamrita’s kirtan it is this: if youexpect a slick stage show with an aloof rock star chanter, you willprobably be disappointed. With Karnamrita you can expect to feel likeyou are having tea with an old friend, sharing memories and insights,getting blissfully lost in tangents and then exclaiming “Oh my, wheredid the time go?”

And expect to wake up smiling the next morning.

Want to hear for yourself?

Download Karnamrita’s debut album, DASI: Prayers by Women, at emusic.com, or  buy the CD from Amazon here.

In the NY area? Check out the following upcoming shows:

• Saturday, Nov. 7 @ 8 p.m. at Integral Yoga
• Saturday, Nov. 14 @ 8:30 p.m. at Laughing Lotus
• Sunday, November 15 @ 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. (workshop) at The Bhakti Center