Jahnavi Harrison, also known by her

spiritual name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should not be "foreign to ...

, Jahnavi Jivana dasi, is a British musician known for her Hindu mantra meditation music (

kirtan Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s) ''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...

). She regularly appears as a presenter on

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

's '' Something Understood'' programme and

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...

's Pause for Thought.

Biography

Jahnavi Harrison was raised in a family of Bhakti-yoga practitioners at

Bhaktivedanta Manor Bhaktivedanta Manor is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu temple set in the Hertfordshire countryside of England, in the village of Letchmore Heath near Watford. The Manor is owned and run by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON ...

. She states that she aims to channel her creative expression as a musician as a path to self-realisation and service. She is trained in both Indian (

Carnatic music Carnatic music (known as or in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and southern Odisha. It is o ...

and

Bharatanatyam ''Bharatanatyam'' is a Indian classical dance form that came from Tamil Nadu, India. It is a classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas of Hinduism and Jainism.< ...

) and Western music, as well as dance, writing and visual arts. She gained a bachelor's degree in Linguistics and Creative Writing from

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated to MDX) is a public research university based in Hendon, northwest London, England. The university also has campuses in Dubai and Mauritius. The name of the university is ...

in 2009. Since then she has presented and taught mantra music and meditation globally. Harrison released her debut album, ''Like a River to the Sea'' in July 2015, and featured on the Grammy nominated ''Bhakti Without Borders'' charity album (2016). She presents regularly on broadcast media including for

's "Pause for Thought" and "Something Understood" on

. She co-founded "Kirtan London", a project that aims to make mantra music accessible and relevant to a wider audience through a variety of events and retreats.

Recordings

''Like a River to the Sea''

Harrison released her debut album, ''Like a River to the Sea'' in July 2015.

''Bhakti Without Borders''

Harrison features on "Bhaja Govindam" for the charity album '' Bhakti Without Borders'', which was nominated for a

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

award in 2015.

''Mantra Lounge Volumes 1, 2 & 3''

Harrison has recorded tracks for ''Mantra Lounge'' Volumes 1 2 & 3.

Surrender (Krishna Keshava)

Willow Smith Willow Smith (born October 31, 2000), also known mononymously as Willow, is an American singer, actress and dancer. The daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, she has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, an NAAC ...

and Harrison present a unique, first-time collaboration. Surrender (Krishna Keshava) is an ancient sacred song from India. The

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

lyrics invoke divine peace, protection and grace. Harrison shared the release exclusively with

Zoe Ball Zoe Louise Ball (born 23 November 1970) is a British broadcaster and presenter. She was the first female host of the Radio 1 and Radio 2 breakfast shows for the BBC, and in 2024 was confirmed as the second-highest paid BBC presenter after G ...

on BBC Radio 2.

''R I S E''

In 2020, she released the EP ''R I S E'', with

. Wonderland magazine described it as "a idyllic garden surrounded by angelic ethereal vocals and shimmering productions", with "birds chirping sweetly over melodic guitar strings".

''Into The Forest''

In 2024, she released the album ''Into The Forest''.

Reception

McKenna Rowe, reviewing ''Like a River to the Sea'' for ''LA Yoga'', wrote that she was "moved and stunned by the beauty of the instruments and arrangements" of the songs. She found the album "a deeply satisfying masterpiece", not only for people who like devotional music. Reviewing the album for ''Pulse'' magazine, Sanjeevini Dutta noted that kirtan was "the sound track" to Harrison's childhood. She called it "a first album of astonishing ripeness and sweetness," one that drew the listener "to a profound inner space," yet staying in contact with "life lived full of joys, sorrow and heartbreak." Amardeep Dhillon, in ''Songlines'' magazine, called the music pleasant but unsurprising, the tracks being "soothing and uncluttered, with Harrison's violin weaving in between Celtic and Karnatic strains". In his view the album succeeds through the undoubted "depth of feeling, sincerity and love that come through".

References

External links

WebsiteiTunesSpotifyAmazon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Jahnavi 1980s births Living people Kirtan performers English Hindus 21st-century British musicians