Deva Premal and Miten, pioneers of world kirtan and Sanskrit devotional chanting, perform "In The Light of Love" and "Om Shree Dhanvantre" with instrumentalist Manose in Malibu, California, filmed during their 2009 North American tour. The performance, featured on their CD/DVD In Concert, demonstrates their signature approach to making ancient Sanskrit mantras accessible and resonant for contemporary Western audiences through hypnotic vocal delivery, poetic English lyrics, and cross-cultural musical collaboration.
Who Are Deva Premal and Miten in Contemporary Kirtan?
Deva Premal and Miten stand at the center of the modern kirtan movement—the global revival of Sanskrit devotional chanting. Since the 1990s, they have recorded and performed extensively, introducing millions of listeners outside Hindu and yoga communities to the practice of mantra singing. Their work bridges ancient Indian spiritual tradition with contemporary world music production, making Sanskrit chants both musically sophisticated and emotionally accessible to audiences who may have no prior connection to Hindu theology or practice.
The performance filmed in Malibu in fall 2009 captures this mission in action. By choosing to record during their American tour—and documenting the session for both CD and DVD release—Deva Premal and Miten position kirtan not as a niche spiritual practice but as a legitimate musical and contemplative art form worthy of concert-hall presentation and production value.
What Is "In The Light of Love" as a Devotional Piece?
"In The Light of Love" represents Deva Premal's approach to kirtan composition: blending Sanskrit invocation with accessible English phrasing, creating a bridge between traditional mantra and contemporary sensibility. The title itself suggests the performance's spiritual orientation—love (often understood as universal compassion or bhakti, the yoga of devotion) as the foundational light or awareness guiding the practice.
Rather than treating Sanskrit chants as exotic or merely sonic experiences, Deva Premal's compositions invite listeners into meaning. By pairing Sanskrit mantras with English lyrics that communicate similar spiritual ideas, the artist makes the intention of the practice transparent, even for those unfamiliar with Hindu philosophy or Sanskrit language. This approach has proven effective in introducing Westerners to mantra practice without requiring prior theological knowledge.
Why Include "Om Shree Dhanvantre" in the Same Performance?
"Om Shree Dhanvantre" invokes Dhanvantari, the Vedic deity associated with medicine, healing, and wellness. Including this mantra within a concert-length performance suggests Deva Premal and Miten's view of kirtan as intrinsically healing—both spiritually and physically. The practice of chanting Sanskrit syllables, according to their framing, operates not merely on the mind or emotions but on the body's subtle energy systems (nadis and chakras in yogic anatomy).
By programming healing mantras alongside mantras of devotional love, the artists present kirtan as a comprehensive wellness practice rooted in ancient knowledge. This positioning has made their work particularly appealing to yoga practitioners, wellness seekers, and meditation communities in North America and Europe.
What Role Does Manose Play as a Collaborator?
Manose is a world musician and composer known for blending Indian classical instruments with contemporary world music production. His participation in the Malibu session reflects Deva Premal and Miten's consistent creative strategy: surrounding Sanskrit vocals with rich, non-Western instrumentation that honors the music's origin while expanding its sonic palette.
Rather than presenting kirtan in its traditional form—with minimal accompaniment or harmonium-and-tabla ensemble—the inclusion of a sophisticated instrumentalist like Manose elevates the production to concert-level artistry. The listener encounters not raw spiritual practice but carefully arranged devotional music, suitable for both meditation and active listening. This professionalization of kirtan has been central to Deva Premal and Miten's success in bringing the practice to mainstream Western audiences.
Why Film in Malibu, California During a USA Tour?
Malibu—a coastal California community known for natural beauty and as a retreat destination for artists and seekers—provides visual context that reinforces the performance's spiritual dimensions. By filming outdoors on "a beautiful day," as described in the video's documentation, Deva Premal and Miten align the chanting practice with nature, suggesting that devotion to love and healing is not confined to temple walls or meditation halls but can arise anywhere consciousness meets gratitude.
The 2009 USA tour itself was part of a decades-long mission to establish kirtan as a mainstream practice in North America. Recording one session during the tour for CD/DVD distribution allowed the artists to capture their live performance aesthetic (immediacy, spontaneity, audience connection) while preserving it in a form that could reach viewers globally. The film documentation also serves as a teaching tool, showing practitioners how to approach these mantras with the artists' own vocal intention and energy.
How Does the CD/DVD Format Support the Kirtan Practice?
Deva Premal and Miten's decision to release In Concert as both audio (CD) and visual (DVD) media reflects an understanding of how modern seekers engage with spiritual practice. Many who cannot attend live concerts benefit from recorded performances that preserve the artists' presence and intention. The audio alone allows for repeated listening in meditation, yoga practice, or daily life. The visual format documents the artists' vocal and bodily approach to chanting, offering viewers a model for their own practice.
In the era before streaming, CD/DVD releases were the primary means by which kirtan teachers shared their work across distance and time. This release strategy made Deva Premal and Miten's approach to devotional music available not just to attendees of their tours but to practitioners worldwide who could purchase, study, and return to the material indefinitely.
What Distinguishes This Performance Within Their Larger Body of Work?
While Deva Premal and Miten have recorded extensively—releasing numerous CDs, EPs, and collaborations—each live performance captures a distinct moment in their artistic evolution. The 2009 Malibu session represents a mature phase of their career when their approach to kirtan was well-established, their audience substantial, and their collaborations (like Manose's participation) carefully curated to serve the music's spiritual intention.
Unlike studio albums, which can be edited, overdubbed, and refined across multiple sessions, a concert recording preserves the unfolding of the practice in real time. This liveness carries particular weight in devotional traditions, where the singer's presence and sincere intention are understood to be central to the practice's efficacy. A viewer watching the Malibu performance encounters not a polished product but a documented moment of actual chanting practice, shaped by the artists' skill and the day's particular conditions.
How Does "In The Light of Love" Connect to Contemporary Spiritual Seeking?
The title "In The Light of Love" speaks directly to a core preoccupation of contemporary Western spirituality: the search for love understood not as romantic attachment but as universal consciousness, compassion, or divine presence. By framing kirtan as a path into this light, Deva Premal and Miten offer listeners a practice—something to do, not just conceptualize.
For many Western practitioners, kirtan provides an alternative to purely conceptual or intellectual approaches to spirituality. By chanting Sanskrit mantras, singing devotional melodies, and immersing the body and breath in rhythmic repetition, practitioners report direct experiences of peace, expansion, or connection. "In The Light of Love" invites entry into precisely this territory—not faith in love as an abstract idea but love as a perceptual, embodied state accessible through vocal practice.
Where to Go From Here
For those encountering Deva Premal and Miten for the first time through this Malibu performance, the natural next step is to explore their broader discography. Albums like The Essence, Devi Prayer, and Love Is Space offer different facets of their approach to Sanskrit chanting. Their website and Gayatri Sangha App provide access to their complete catalog, including live recordings, teachings, and additional concert films.
For practitioners interested in kirtan as spiritual practice—rather than merely as music—learning the Sanskrit pronunciation and meaning of the mantras Deva Premal and Miten chant deepens engagement with the material. Many yoga studios now offer beginner kirtan classes, providing community settings in which to practice alongside others. The combination of their recorded work, live performances, and formal kirtan instruction creates a comprehensive pathway into this ancient practice for contemporary seekers.
