A familiar devotional song can sometimes do something unexpected: bring tears to the eyes, create goosebumps or produce an overwhelming sense of peace. For some people, a bhajan, hymn, chant or devotional song can instantly transport them back to childhood, a place of worship, a family member or a significant moment in their lives.
Psychology suggests that this reaction is not necessarily about sadness. Instead, devotional music can combine emotion, memory, identity, expectation and a sense of transcendence in a particularly powerful way.
