Following is more information about the Kirtan Wallahs.* For information about kirtan, click here.

The Kirtan Wallahs were formed in 2004 by Natesh (Craig Ramsell) to create an ongoing kirtan experience open to all in Sedona, Arizona, and surrounding communities.

The Wallahs have offered weekly Bliss of Kirtan evenings for over 7 years. Most of that time, and continuously for the last several years, these weekly chanting programs have been on Sunday nights.

The Wallahs provide the music and lead the chanting for all the participants. The donations that are kindly contributed on Sunday nights all go toward refreshments and the cost of the facility, so the Wallahs do it because they love it and to create the opportunity for others to experience kirtan. The present primary instrumentation is guitar and esraj (an Indian stringed instrument played with a bow) and one or more drums (dholak and/or djembe).

Several members have come and gone over the years, but the group is presently comprised of 3 people who participate regularly, with a few others that sit in from time to time.

Natesh

Natesh, a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, since the early 1990s, has been chanting in this tradition for over 30 years. He composed his first chant in the early 80's, shortly after connecting with this tradition in the ashrams of Swami Muktananda. He has since written over 150 chants, all but a few in the last 7 years.

Natesh sings lead vocals and plays guitar for the chants.

Monnie Ramsell

Monnie sings and primarily plays the esraj, although she has also played harmonium for the group and occasionally still does so. She's also written a couple chants that the group does and has been with the Wallahs since the beginning. She generally also sings lead vocals.

Lee Moore

Lee has been playing djembe for the group for many years now, anchoring the beat on a regular basis. Lee also studies West African drumming and performs with a local drumming group that focuses on West African drumming.

Additional Contributors

David Chalet

David played dholak for the group in the early days and still sits in from time to time, also occasionally playing kartals.

Scott Stine

Scott played bass for the group for many years, and fills in on occasion with lead vocal and guitar when Natesh and Monnie are out of town.

Tina Reichow

Tina played djembe for the group in the beginning, and sits in from time to time on dholak and kartals.

* The word "wallah" comes from Hindi and translates as “one who is in charge of or employed in a particular activity.”