Baja Sur, Mexico: Kirtan Night with Nina Rao

This kirtan night with Nina Rao takes place at Casa Éter in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. It is two hours of devotional chanting in community, open to anyone drawn to call-and-response singing of Sanskrit mantras, whether you have chanted for years or have never been to a kirtan.

Kirtan is a practice of gathering awareness through music and repetition. The chanting quiets the constant movement of the mind and brings attention back to the present moment. Nina Rao leads it as a heart practice: the music supports the chanting, while the repetition of the Divine Name stays at the center.

What to Expect

The evening runs from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Nina sings a line, the room answers, and the mantras repeat until the repetition itself does the work. There is nothing to prepare. Singing along is welcome, and so is simply listening, which the practice counts as part of it.

About Nina Rao

Nina Rao was born into a family rooted in the traditions of Indian spirituality and music, and grew up in a household filled with devotional sound. As an Indian-American, she moved between Western and Eastern influences, and that background shaped her voice as an artist. Her work centers on chanting and the exploration of sacred sound, and she has released several albums that reflect her devotion to kirtan and the Bhakti tradition.

She first learned traditional chants from her grandfather in South India when she was nine. Years later, in New York, she rediscovered the practice through Krishna Das in 1996, and she has since accompanied and worked closely with him for nearly three decades while deepening her own practice.

In 1998 she met her guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, in the foothills of the Himalayas, and spent time with her regularly for 19 years. Chanting became her core sādhana, which she describes as a source of focus and refuge and a way of opening the heart.

The Setting

The evening is held at Casa Éter, on Melchor Ocampo in the Zona Central of La Paz. The following day, Nina leads a second evening at the same stop in Baja Sur, Prayers to the Goddess, and the two can be attended together.

Before You Go

Come as you are. No singing skills or previous kirtan experience are needed. Space is limited, so reserving a spot in advance is recommended. Reservations and questions are handled by direct message or WhatsApp through the organizer.