Kirtan is a call-and-response, participatory sacred sound practice that originated in India many centuries ago, and was practiced traditionally by a diversity of India's spiritual traditions, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, etc. In the 20th century, kirtan was introduced to the western hemisphere by many of the yoga masters that visited from India, including Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Muktananda, Swami Rama, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho), Yogi Bhajan, Swami Satchidananda, among many others.

During the 1980's, kirtan had become a regular practice in many of the western yoga ashram communities, and by the end of the 20th century, the experience of kirtan in the West had started to travel outside the traditional yoga ashram communities and into the public sphere. With increasing interest in and attention to the world's sacred traditions, and following on the heels of the yoga movement in the West, the experience of kirtan continues to rapidly grow, extending across cultures, races and religions, and offering a profound experience of an ancient sacred tradition to the greater human community. Kirtan offers a means to connect to the heart, to the divinity that lies within.

Today, tens of thousands of people are participating in kirtan events around the world, and many new kirtan events are emerging. The Kirtan Connection website was created by the International Kirtan Foundation, a nonprofit, charitable organization designed to provide ongoing service and support to the growing kirtan community of the world.