Group Kirtan, November 2006

After taking prasadam on Saturday, our evening Kirtan proved to be an exceptional event. Alex a recent visitor to the farm arrived with a Turkish stringed instrument called a Saz.




The Saz is a chordophone and is a member of the long necked Lute family, and was used
by Turkish tribes at the turn of the last millennium. In the 17th century the Alevi and Bektasi
Dervishes, religious practitioners travelled the countryside of Anatolia carrying the smallest
Saz, the Cura to accompany them in their religious hymns. Today the Saz is used in a
number of religious ceremonies. Other members of this family are the Greek bouzouki, the
oud and the North Indian sitar. The sound of the Saz certainly lean’t a special ambience to
the Kirtan, which complimented well with the devotional songs, slightly less intense than a sitar
and very beautiful. We certainly welcome the participation with different instruments and Alex
also brought along a low D big Irish whistle, while Haladhar played a digeridoo. Later we had
a jam, with Neil playing on the guitar and everyone singing their hearts out in the mellow flickering
candlelight of the temple room. It was indeed a kirtan to remember and one of those that burn like
a flame in ones memory for the rest of ones life! Hare Krishna!

Thanks are also in order for both Alex and Charlie’s efforts in re-designing and updating the
Website, and we now hope there will be a regular display of updates and news and forthcoming
Events. Thanks also to Alex for giving a workshop on how to make light fluffy bread on Wednesday,
Quite a contrast to Jay’s bread brickbats, which are healthy but ummm rather heavy.