On Janmashtami today, singers Kailash Kher, Shankar Mahadevan, Siddhant Bhatia, Kavita Seth and lyricist Manoj Muntashir tell us their favourite Krishna songs.

Updated on: Sep 4, 2026, 09:54:10 IST

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Shri Krishna songs and bhajans have an integral part in Bollywood film and private music. Various leelas and interpretations of Krishan songs have been presented by musicians in their own ways using traditional folk lyrics and poems.

We talk to singers Kailash Kher, Shankar Mahadevan, Siddhant Bhatia, Kavita Seth and lyricist Manoj Muntashir on their favourite Krishna songs from the film and independent charts and from their own musical scores.

Kailash Kher

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Lata Mangeshkar bhajan Baje Re Muralia Baje singer Kailash Kher's bhajan is his all-time favourite Krishna bhajan and among the Bollywood songs is his Mere Nishan Hain Kahan song from the film OMG (2012).

"Narayana avtaar bhajans are most in number in bhakti songs and Krishna songs due to his various swaroops and leelas rule and are coming out one after another – new and reinterpretation of old ones. The one very close to me is Hey Gopala which I wrote-composed and sung. I had prepared a song but due to shows could not release on festival but we are coming with a series of Krishna bhajans soon," says the singer.

Shankar Mahadevan

The Grammy award winning singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan says Lata Mangeshkar's Ek Radha Ek Meera Dono Ne Shyam Ko Chaha (Ram Teri Ganga Maili, 1985) written and composed by Ravindra Jain remains his favourite film song.

On why there is a rise in Krishna songs he says, "A lot of musicians and singers are bringing Krishna songs and interpreting traditional old and new songs in their own ways. There is so much to explore in his leelas – childhood, love, friendship, playfulness, sacrifice, compassion, life lessons and spirituality. Also, in different parts of India he is worshipped differently. He is a universal God and everyone loves Krishna bhajans across age groups, regions and languages."

As for his favourite bhajan he says, "It's Ab Radhe Rani, a collaboration between myself, John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain from our album Is That So. It's a traditional folk song in which Krishna's flute gets stolen by Radha and he is requesting her to give it back. My playlist has a lot of Krishna bhajan."

Siddhant Bhatia

From his Grammy nominated album Sounds of Kumbha, in the Best Global Music Album category, Bhatia feels Bala Krishna bhajan is closest to him.

"Rishi Markandeya's Bāla Mukunda Stotram, the song pictures baal roop Krishna rocking on a banyan leaf after absorbing the Universe and I feel it's very divine. I composed the song and sang it with Shruti Dhasmana who has global artists as musicians. Jagjit Singh saheb's Hare Krishna and Hey Deen Dayal Hare and from film songs I like Woh Kisna Hai (Kisna: The Warrior) by Sukhwindar Singh, the bhaav of the songs are amazing," he says.

Manoj Muntashir

A great admirer of poets like Surdas, Raskhan and Meera, National Award winning lyricist Manoj Muntashir's Kanha So Ja Zara from Baahubali: The Conclusion is one of the most streamed Krishna songs.

"If I have to choose two songs then Maiya Mori Main Nahin Makhan Khayo by Anup Jalota ji an adorable exchange between Krishna and Maa Yashoda and my song Radha Ke Charan – platonic and unconditional love between Radha and Krishna – sung by Vishal Mishra are my favourite. The gist being: Radha aur Krishna ek kaise hote, jab do they hi nahin. In my show Krishna – Radha Se Ranbhumi Tak, I am proud to bring to the stage an untold dimension of Krishna, seen through the eyes of the five most important women in his life."

Kavita Seth

The Ikrata (Wake Up Sid) singer has come up with Govinda Jaya Jaya which she sang with Devshri Manohar and has been musically produced by her son Kanishk Seth. "It has animated video and the story and treatment has been done in such a way that it can be related by today's generation and everyone. By core it's a bhajan but to match today's taste we have made it very trendy with Western voices, chants and chorus. Amazing thing is that alongwith traditional bhajans, musicians and singers are presenting in song format with modern treatment. My personal favourite are the Meerabai songs. I really love the kind of baav and love they have."

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