Ojasvi Das

Born in Bosnia

Joined followers in Sarajevo at the end of 1993, lives in Croatia

Student of Srila Sacinandana Swami

Founder of the multimedia educational project Ojasvi Kirtan. The aim of this project is to convey the beauty of Sri Krishna through sound and multimedia educational content.

Vocal teacher, kirtan singer, musician and music producer (Ojasvi Kirtan music). He is inspired by the most renowned Indian devotional musicians and Sri Vrindavan Lilas of Lord Sri Krishna. He has been travelling around the world with kirtan programmes since 2012.

Teaches vocal and kirtan culture based on an exclusive blend of Western and Carnatic music schools. International online community with over 100 students.

Ojasvi was born in 1975 in the former Yugoslavia. Since childhood, he has been drawn to music and its ability to express the intimacy of the soul. However, this remained unnoticed until the Bosnian War. During the war, Ojasvi began studying the ancient Vedas and joined ISKCON at the end of 1993. After the war, he visited India (Bengal, Delhi, Vrindavan) for the first time. There he finally came into contact with the original dimension of devotional expression from the heart. Over the next 20 years, he learned and explored various depths of singing, especially the kirtan style. Under the guidance of his spiritual master, he began travelling to other countries to attend kirtan festivals, lead mantra yoga programmes and give workshops on the healing power of sound and kirtan culture. Since 2016, he has been doing this alongside his wife, Sudevi Vilasini dd. By sharing the experiences of the deepest needs of the heart through kirtan and the psychology of understanding the human needs that everyone has, he helps others to awaken an understanding of our self, Krishna and the connection between them (yoga).

Sudevi Vilasini Devi Dasi

Born in Russia

Joined the devotees in Moscow in 2010, lives in Croatia

Participated in the introduction of the Goloka festivals (Gaura Club project) in Russia; Bhakti Vriksha group leader 2011–2012

Disciple of HG Caitanya Candra Caran Prabhu

Co-founder of the Ojasvi Kirtan Project

Kirtan enthusiast, musician and author of devotional texts, singing teacher

Since 2015, she has been travelling with her husband Ojasvi Dasi with kirtan programmes.

Sudevi Vilasini was born in Russia in 1990. Since childhood, she has been interested in art and crafts, but she found her practical calling in professional sports and teaching. Over the years, sport became an art form for her, and teaching helped her develop good management skills. However, she never found true satisfaction. Later, she found a missing connection to Bhakti Yoga, joined ISKCON in early 2010, and a new chapter of her life began. All her experiences found their place and were realised, which helped her feel complete. Travelling and living in India redirected her interest to art and music. Eventually, kirtan entered her life and stayed forever. Inspired by changes in her heart and mind and her intensive study of yoga scriptures and traditional (folk) music of India, she hoped to share this with others one day.

Bal Govinda Das

The mridanga is taught by Bala Govinda Das, who has been living the kirtan culture for 20 years and currently lives with his family in Goloka Dhama. He plays and sings in the "Goloka Sound" music project and is regularly on the road with kirtan engagements at yoga festivals and other events. He learned mridanga in Mayapur, Bengal, from HG Radha Govinda Pal, the prominent mridanga teacher.

Mridanga lessons will be taught in the classical Indian style, as it has been passed down from teacher to student for generations. You will be able to enter the world of traditional Mridanga mantras. You will learn to accompany kirtan at slow to fast speeds with the Mrdanga.

The mridanga lessons are divided into two basic areas:

1. Hand exercises - mantras

2. Kirtan - mantras

Kirtan - Mantras are divided into three further speed ranges:

a) Slow

b) Medium

c) Fast

Learning karatals is included in mridanga lessons as the basis of rhythm.