Temple Songs Course
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From early in the morning until late in the evening, beautiful prayers are sung in Krishna temples all around the world. This Temple Songs course was created to make it fun and easy to learn these sacred songs. This course is designed to shorten your learning curve and assist your meditation when singing these songs.
For each of the Temple Songs, you’ll be guided in the:
- Correct Sanskrit and Bengali pronunciation
- Meaning of the words and verses
- “How to play” video instruction and notation for harmonium or keyboard
- Musicians and a choir to sing with
- Morning and evening melodies
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Instructor: Bada Haridas & Visvambhar Sheth
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Level: All levels
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Videos: 45 (???)
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Reference pdfs: 18
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Price: $35 USD* Donation
Songs in the Course
Frequently asked questions
Is Mridanga 1 suitable for complete beginners?
Yes. No experience is required. The course includes how to sit with and hold the drum, strike the drum, play the basic sounds (bols), hand practices (hasta sadhana) and kirtan mantras.
Who is the instructor for this course?
Your teacher is Visvambhar Sheth, a renowned kirtaniya and lifelong mridanga student and teacher.
How do I communicate with my teacher?
Within the course is a discussion forum where you can write to your teacher. You also have access to the Q&A from other students and your teacher.
Do I need a mridanga?
Yes, you will need a drum to practice with. Both fiberglass and clay mridangas work well.
How long does it take to complete the course?
Most students take 3-6 months, practicing 15 – 30 minutes per day.
How long should I practice per day?
15–30 minutes is recommended. More is great.
What are the course materials?
This course includes a booklet and individual pdfs for each section, that contain notation for each of the bols, hasta sadhanas, kirtan mantras and tihais.
Should I use a metronome?
Optional but helpful.
What is a bol?
A bol is a syllable (dha, ge, te, etc.) that represents a specific stroke on the drum.
Do I need to memorize bols?
Over time yes—but memorization happens naturally through practice.
What is Hastha Sadhana?
It is repetitive hand training to develop precision, clarity, speed, and endurance.
What is the Seed Mantra ‘Te-Re-Khe-Ta’?
It is the foundational 4-stroke mantra used in many bols, tihais, and kirtan grooves.
Why does Hastha Sadhana start slow?
Slow repetition builds proper muscle memory and steady rhythm.
What is a tihai?
A phrase repeated 3 times, landing on beat 1 (sum). It acts as a transition from one phrase to the next.
How do I receive the course completion certificate?
Complete all lessons and mark each as finished.
Is there a final test?
No exam—your progress through the course is your demonstration of completion.
Course Preview
meet your instructor
Bada Haridas
A lifelong musician, professionally trained in classical music and jazz, Bada Haridas received his Bachelors of Music Composition from the University of Southern California, and a scholarship for graduate studies at the Institute for Advanced Musical Studies in Montreux, Switzerland.
Since 1975 Bada Haridas has studied and taught Indian devotional music. He is a celebrated Kirtan singer and performs at festivals around the world.
In this unique course, he shares his knowledge and years of experience to help you enter into the world of sacred music and kirtan.
Since 1975 Bada Haridas has studied and taught Indian devotional music. He is a celebrated Kirtan singer and performs at festivals around the world.
In this unique course, he shares his knowledge and years of experience to help you enter into the world of sacred music and kirtan.
meet your instructor
Visvambhar Sheth
An internationally recognized Kirtan singer, recording artist, and inspirational speaker, Visvambhar (Vish) has a lifelong connection to India and its culture. Being brought up in a Kirtan family and community, he began leading Kirtan from the age of five. Vish is a multi-instrumentalist and a master of the Mridanga drum. From childhood to the present day, he has studied with Bablu Mahasaya, a recognized master in the lineage of Narottam das Thakura.


