🔱 Announced During Auspicious Navratri 2026 Official Contest Begins Jan 1, 2027 Early Submissions Open Now

Worldwide Bhajan
Singing Contest

A global celebration of Sanatani devotional music, sacred poetry, and Advaita philosophy. Formally commencing on January 1, 2027. Accepting early registrations and video entries today!

Countdown to Launch: January 1, 2027 Priority Window
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Early entries receive front-row placement before public voting opens!
Total Prize Fund $10,000 USD
Submission Mode YouTube / Vimeo Link
Early Entries Receive Priority Showcase
Explore Showcase Gallery
Rewards of Excellence

$10,000 Prize Distribution

Cash prizes awarded via secure wire / PayPal directly to verified winners.

Grand Winner

1st Place

$5,000 USD

Grand Trophy, Official Winner Certificate signed by Anand Dubey & Jury, and featured showcase on AnandDubey.com.

First Runner-Up

2nd Place

$2,000 USD

Runner-Up Plaque, Official Certificate of Vocal Excellence, and worldwide promotional feature.

Second Runner-Up

3rd Place

$1,000 USD

Third Place Plaque, Official Commendation Certificate, and recognition across all platforms.

Special Category Recognitions

Special Category Awards (4 × $500 = $2,000 USD)

Best Original Composition
$500 USD

For best newly composed devotional melody and original lyrics in Sanatani dialects.

Best Contemporary / Fusion
$500 USD

Devotional rock, blues, acoustic guitar, or world music fusion.

Youth Prodigy Award
$500 USD

Most outstanding young vocalist under 18 years of age.

People's Choice Award
$500 USD

For the entry that captures the highest verified public votes.

Advaita Vedanta Special Track • Global Language Inclusion

Nirguna Brahman (निर्गुण ब्रह्म) Track

Nirguna Brahman (Sanskrit: निर्गुण ब्रह्म) is the ultimate, formless reality in Hindu philosophy, particularly in Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism). The word translates to "Brahman without qualities or attributes." It represents the absolute consciousness that underpins all existence—devoid of name, form, gender, personality, or physical limitations.

Core Concept: Sat-Chit-Ananda

Because Nirguna Brahman cannot be defined by material characteristics, Vedantic texts describe it as pure being:

Sat (सत्)
Absolute Existence

Unchanging essence that exists eternally beyond time and space.

Chit (चित्)
Absolute Consciousness

Pure awareness that lightens all thoughts and experiences without being affected by them.

Ananda (आनन्द)
Absolute Bliss

Infinite peace that comes from completeness, wholeness, and non-duality.

Universal Language Freedom in this Category: While other contest categories celebrate traditional Sanatani languages, the Nirguna Brahman Category warmly accepts original songs in ANY language worldwide (English, Spanish, French, Japanese, or any native tongue) as long as it honors and celebrates the formless reality of Nirguna Brahman and Sat-Chit-Ananda.
Advaita Award
$1,000 USD

Open to original compositions in all world languages

Devotional Innovation for Gen-Z & New Generations

Neo-Bhakti & Modern Horizons

Inspiring a whole new generation. We warmly invite and celebrate modern musical genres, indie creators, and electronic soundscapes that express timeless devotion in contemporary sonic forms.

#LoFiBhakti

Vedic Lo-Fi & Chillhop

Study & Meditation Groove

Warm vinyl textures (70–85 BPM), mellow Fender Rhodes electric chords, soft bansuri flute loops, and whisper-close repetitive Nama-japa designed for deep focus and tranquil peace.

Ideal for bedroom producers & ambient vocalists
#AcousticBhakti

Acoustic Indie-Folk

The Coffeehouse Devotee

Fingerstyle steel-string acoustic guitar, ukulele, cajón, and raw, unproduced emotional vulnerability. Singing Kabir, Mirabai, or original verses in conversational, fireside intimacy.

For solo vocalists with guitar or keyboard
#DevotionalRock

Devotional Rock & Post-Rock

Veer Bhakti & Cosmic Power

Distorted power chords, soaring lead guitars, post-rock dynamic crescendos, and stadium-grade vocals channeling the cosmic power of Shiva Tandava, Bajrang Baan, or Aigiri Nandini.

For college rock bands & high-energy vocalists
#IndieKirtan

Bhakti Neo-Soul & R&B

Deep Soul Surrender

Rich jazz harmony (maj9, min11 chords), warm synth basslines, and multi-part choral harmonies blending classical Indian harkats with soulful diaspora R&B and gospel vocal runs.

For diaspora singers & soul vocalists
#VocalBhakti

Collegiate Acapella & Beatbox

100% Vocal cords • Zero Instruments

Human beatboxers delivering classical Indian Taal (Keherwa, Jhaptal, Dadra) paired with vocal basslines, rich polyphonic counter-melodies, and collegiate harmony choruses.

For university acapella groups & youth choirs
#EpicBhakti

Cinematic Orchestral Epic

Vedic Odyssey & Symphony

Sweeping orchestral strings, thunderous Pakhawaj and Dhol percussion, and heroic choir arrangements narrating epic spiritual legends in Hollywood and anime OST grandeur.

For young film/game composers & orchestral singers

Welcome "Vocalist + Producer" Duos

We actively encourage youth collaboration! A traditional devotional singer can pair with an electronic beatmaker, sound designer, or guitarist. Both artists will be officially credited and celebrated as co-creators in the contest showcase.

Co-credit & equal recognition for producer + singer
The Sacred Aesthetic North Star

Our Guiding Principle

"The musical container may be modern, indie, electronic, or acoustic, but the core nectar must remain reverent: authentic devotional emotion, respectful poetic themes, and pure artistic intent."
Short-Form Video (Reels / Shorts / TikTok) Strategy: Share snippets of your performance with official discovery tags to ignite peer-to-peer engagement:
#LoFiBhakti #DevotionalRock #AcousticBhakti #IndieKirtan #NeoBhakti
Participation Flow

How To Participate in 4 Steps

1

Record Your Video

Record a video of yourself singing your chosen bhajan (minimum 2 minutes). Acoustic or basic harmonium/tanpura accompaniment is welcome.

2

Upload to YouTube

Upload your performance to YouTube (Public or Unlisted) or Vimeo. Copy your shareable video URL.

3

Submit Registration

Fill out the short online form on this site with your details and video link. Entry is 100% free!

4

Hybrid Evaluation

Rally your friends & community for public votes. High-ranking entries advance to the Grand Jury Round for final evaluation!

Linguistic Heritage

Sanatani Languages & Sacred Dialects

To honor the spiritual vibration (Nāda Brahma) of Vedic traditions, songs in the contest (outside the universal Nirguna category) must be sung in an authentic Sanatani language or regional devotional dialect.

ॐ

Vedic & Classical Sanskrit

Devavani • Vedic Meter

Sanskrit (संस्कृतम्) hymns, Suktams, Stotras, Ashtakams, Vedic Chants, Bhagavad Gita slokas, and Upanishadic verses with swara resonance.

Includes: Rudrashtakam, Mahishasura Mardini, Sri Suktam

Hindi & Sacred Literary Dialects

Sant-Sahitya & Bhakti Sahitya

Braj Bhasha (Surdas, Raskhan), Awadhi (Tulsidas Ramcharitmanas), Bhojpuri, Maithili (Vidyapati), Magahi, Bundeli, Rajasthani / Marwari / Mewari (Mirabai), Chhattisgarhi, Garhwali, and Kumaoni.

Rich North-Indian classical pads & folk bhajans

South Indian Sacred Traditions

Carnatic & Temple Traditions

Tamil (Thevaram, Divya Prabandham, Andal Thiruppavai), Telugu (Thyagaraja, Annamacharya Kritis), Kannada (Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Vachanas), and Malayalam (Sopana Sangeetham, Ezhuthachan).

All 4 major South Indian classical & devotional languages

Western & Central Traditions

Abhang & Pushtimarg Parampara

Marathi (Sant Tukaram, Sant Dnyaneshwar Abhangs, Gondhal), Gujarati (Narsi Mehta, Prabhatiya, Haveli Sangeet), Konkani devotional hymns, and Sindhi sacred bhajans.

Varkari Abhangs, Pushtimargiya pads & kirtan

Eastern Sacred Traditions

Kirtan, Borget & Odissi

Bengali (Shyama Sangeet, Ramprasad, Padavali Kirtan), Odia (Jagannath Bhajans, Gita Govinda, Salabega), Assamese (Srimanta Sankardev Borgeet), and Nepali (Nepalese) traditional devotional songs.

Deep Shakta, Vaishnava & Himalayan devotional poetry

Northern & Himalayan Traditions

Sacred Bhakti Traditions

Punjabi, Kashmiri, Dogri, and regional Himalayan Pahari devotional dialects.

Himalayan and Northern regional devotional hymns

Dialect Inclusivity: Any spoken dialect or tribal devotional expression rooted in Sanatana Dharma is warmly accepted. If singing in a rare or local dialect, simply mention the dialect name in your submission.

Streams of Devotion

Sacred Deities & Hymns You Can Sing

The contest welcomes devotion in all forms. Choose the deity and sacred poetry closest to your heart.

Lord Ganesha Invocations
Lord Ganesha

Prathama Pujya & Invocations

Ganesha Pancharatnam, Sukhkarta Dukhharta, Vatapi Ganapatim, Jai Ganesh Deva, and opening concert prayers.

Lord Rama and Mata Sita Ayodhya
Shri Sita-Rama

Maryada & Ramcharitmanas

Shri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhajamana, Thumak Chalat, Ramayana Chopais, Awadhi and Maithili devotional folk.

Lord Krishna Devotion
Lord Krishna

Bhakti & Ras Melodies

Meera, Surdas, Achyutam Keshavam, Govinda Damodara Stotra, classical ragas, or original compositions.

Lord Shiva Meditation
Lord Shiva

Nada Brahma & Stotras

Shiva Tandava Stotram, Nirvana Shatakam, Rudrashtakam, Bilvashtakam, or meditative chants.

Maa Durga Shakti
Maa Durga

Shakti & Navadurga

Mahishasura Mardini Stotram (Aigiri Nandini), Mata Bhentein, Bhavani Ashtakam, and Navratri hymns.

Lord Hanuman Devotion
Lord Hanuman

Chalisas & Sankirtan

Shri Hanuman Chalisa, Sankat Mochan Ashtak, Bajrang Baan, Sundarkand chopais, and high-energy kirtan.

Maa Saraswati Veena Nada Brahma
Maa Saraswati

Veena & Sacred Speech

Ya Kundendu, Saraswati Vandana, Veena Vadini Varde, classical ragas, and invocations of wisdom.

Maa Lakshmi Abundance
Maa Lakshmi

Abundance & Grace

Mahalakshmi Ashtakam (Namastestu Mahamaye), Kanakadhara Stotram, Sri Suktam, and Diwali aartis.

Contestant Gallery

Explore Entries & Cast Your Vote

Listen to global entries, enjoy the devotional music, and vote to propel your favorite singer into the Finals.

Live Activity: 18 votes recorded in the last 15 minutes across 6 countries (India, USA, UK, Japan, UAE, Canada)
64 seekers listening now
Fair & Balanced Scoring

Hybrid Evaluation & Judging Rubric

Combining the democratic voice of global listeners with the rigorous aesthetic evaluation of classical masters.

30%

Sur (Melody & Pitch)

Accuracy of notes, scale adherence, pitch stability, and vocal range control.

25%

Taal & Laya (Rhythm)

Precision of tempo, rhythmic synchronization, and consistency throughout the performance.

25%

Bhava (Devotional Soul)

Emotional depth, devotional resonance, sincerity, and soulfulness that moves the listener.

20%

Diction & Pronunciation

Clarity of sacred lyrics, correct pronunciation of Sanskrit, Hindi, Braj, or regional verses.

Guidelines

Official Rules & Eligibility

Who is eligible to participate?

The contest is open to individuals of any nationality, age, or location worldwide. Minor participants (under 18) must have parental/guardian consent to participate and claim prize money.

What songs qualify as a "Bhajan"?

Any traditional devotional song, kirtan, stotra, chalisa, bhajan, or spiritual hymn composed in any Indian or universal devotional tradition (e.g., dedicated to Krishna, Shiva, Rama, Devi, Hanuman, Ganesha, Gurus, or Universal Divinity).

Video submission requirements

The video must feature you singing live on camera. Audio-only voice-overs on static images are not permitted. Auto-tune and pitch-correction software are strictly prohibited; acoustic instruments or simple karaoke tanpura backing tracks are permitted.

How will prize money be paid out?

Cash prizes totaling $10,000 USD will be disbursed within 14 business days following the conclusion of the Grand Finale via International Bank Wire, ACH, or PayPal, upon identity and tax compliance verification.