The harmonium is surprisingly easy to learn, especially the way our expert teaches. Even if you don’t know how to read music, Our method of teaching features chart sheets for songs that rely on music notes by their name (ABCDEFG)—not as written music on a treble or bass staff. In the first class, he handed out Post-it Notes on which we wrote down the different notes, and we placed them above the corresponding keys to help guide our fingers. By the end, everyone was singing and playing “Om Shanti,” ascending up the keys from C to G to the rhythm of an electronic tabla beat. I realized right then that the harmonium is tremendously accessible and fun.

By the second class, we took turns leading call-and-response kirtan with our group, which even for a seasoned performer like myself was nerve-racking. Each student sang a verse to a song called “Baba Hanuman” while the entire group played along. Here lies the true magic of kirtan—experiencing the uniqueness and creative expression of each individual and then joining together as one voice, an incantation of the soul uniting with universal consciousness.

Today’s version of the harmonium is capable of providing a whole range of tonal excellence very rare in other instruments. A top quality harmonium has two, three and even four sets of reeds. The instrument covers three to four octaves, encompassing sub-bass, bass, medium and female. The instrument is larger and has built-in gadgets to filter the air through two compartments. The merit of this arrangement is that when the air is blown into it, it does not strike the reeds aggressively. From the airtight compartments the wind emerges softly through the reeds when a key is pressed. In the olden days the instrument was equipped with only a single piece reed board. This made the sound it produced strident and harsh. Present-day harmoniums have three reed boards joined together with the provision for air-release in a zigzag fashion, ensuring softness of tone and melody.