The ancient Vedic scriptures proclaim that the congregational chanting of the Holy Name of the Supreme Lord Krishna is the spiritual practice of this age, the most sublime process for self-realization and for awakening one’s dormant love for God. And in the words of great Vaishnava saint Bhaktivinod Thakur: “The showing of compassion to all fallen souls by loudly chanting the holy name of Krishna is the essence of all forms of religion.”

The first of it’s kind international Kirtana Mela event with a primary focus on chanting for four days and 12 hours each day, took place in September 2011 in Germany and gathered hundreds of devotees to participate. This created a strong wave of inspiration that led the devotees of Krishna to soon come together in the Sridham Mayapur, India in February 2012 to again completely absorb themselves in the chanting of the Holy Names for four continous days. These two wonderful events proved to touch the core of hearts of the traveling Harinam Sankirtan team of brahmacari monks from Estonia who decided to make the next

Kirtana Mela festival take place right in the middle of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia (which is one of the Baltic States together with Latvia and Lithuania).

The first Kirtana Mela of the Baltic states will take place on 13 – 15. of April 2012 in Tallinn, Estonia, in the ISCKON Estonia center Sri Harinam Mandir and will include three full days of 12 hour kirtanas, plus public 2 hour Harinam Sankirtanas with Ratha-yatra processions on each of the days and an installation of Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadra Deities in the temple.

Special guests and experienced kirtan leaders will include Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, Bhakti Ananta Krishna Goswami, Aditi Dukha-ha Das, Kali-dosha-pranashana Das and lots of other devotees.

The main goal of the first Kirtana Mela in Estonia is to provide a deep congregational chanting experience for the Estonia’s devotee community, with visitors from other neighboring countries like Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Russia being very much anticipated to join as well. It can become an international event – everyone from everywhere can attend. The second main goal is to practically inspire the devotee communities around the world that a three day festival full of 12 hour kirtanas can be easily done in any local devotee community with the aim of gathering all those inspired to chant and who are living in the area. And always devotees from the rest of the country and also outside of the country can come too.

Kirtana Mela will be held right inside the temple room of Sri Harinam Mandir. The temple room can contain approximately 200 devotees sitting and chanting there. Because of that there are limited places for registration available and those who register quickly can take part. For all the guests coming from outside of Tallinn, a comfortable hotel is booked and ready to receive them. The hotel is located only about 10 minutes walk from the festival site.

All are invited to come and chant together during the first Kirtana Mela of the Baltic States for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord Krishna, for the purification of one’s heart and for the upliftment of all living beings.

To register: http://kirtana-mela-tallinn.blogspot.com/p/english.html

For more information contact:

Lennart Eistre (organizer of Kirtana Mela 2012 Tallinn)

lennart.eistre@gmail.com

+37258049932

Skype: eistre