The words of this chant were written by Rabindranath Tagore. The key to this chant is establishing a steady pulse in the 6/8 time feel. It works well at a medium tempo, since it can feel a little frantic if it gets too fast. An adept kirtan leader can skillfully speed up to build energy, then slow down again and finish at a steady medium tempo.

Song Form

A Who is in my temple? x2
B All the doors do open themselves;
All the lights do light themselves; x2
C Darkness, like a dark bird, flies away, oh, flies away. x2

Notes

• Each section is 4 bars, so the length of the form is 24 bars in 6/8.

• After repeating the standard form several times, any section (A, B, or C) can be repeated extra times, in groups of two. A is a stable section to repeat and suits the ending. Repeating B or C gives special emphasis and energy to those lines.

• A suitable ending is to repeat A several times and end on A.

Listen to SRF Recordings

Videos on YouTube

• Who Is in My Temple (YSS monastics in Tamil)

• 2021 Convocation Monks' Kirtan (3-hour)

Audio Recordings

• Who Is in My Temple (Bro. Devananda), from the album I Will Sing Thy Name
  Spotify · Apple Music · Tidal

• Who Is in My Temple (Br. Bhaskarananda), from the album Come Out of the Silent Sky
  Spotify · Apple Music · Tidal

• Who Is in My Temple (Sr. Ishwari), from the album Light the Lamp of Thy Love
  Spotify · Apple Music · Tidal

• Who is in My Temple (instrumental), from the album I Am the Sky
  Spotify · Apple Music · Tidal