A Tribute to Ravi Shankar (1920-2012)

The greatest Indian sitar player of his time Ravi Shankar passed away on December 11, 2012. He was born in 1920 in Varanasi, India, to Bengali parents and went on to achieve worldwide acclaim as a virtuoso musician. Through his music, he opened the door to Indian culture and spirituality in the West. He first met Sri Chinmoy in 1973 in New York and the two spent hours together conversing in their native Bengali language. They had a profound respect for one another and, in 2002, as a mark of deep friendship, Ravi Shankar and his daughter Anoushka offered a private concert for Sri Chinmoy and his students. Read more…
 

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Pilgrims of Eternity – Maestro Ravi Shankar and Sri Chinmoy

by Dr. Vidagdha Bennett

Sometimes, as human beings, we seem to be afloat on the sea of time. The days and even the years merge together. This was one such occasion. The date was September 20th. The year? Ah, that is where we must pause and consider the facts. If the year should prove to be 1973, then we could quite accurately say that the events of which I speak occurred in Queens, New York. There two sons of India met for the first time. Their identities? The legendary sitar player Pandit Ravi Shankar and spiritual Master Sri Chinmoy. Read more…
 

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Concerts in New York

Anahata Nada
August – Mid-November 2002

It was an exchange of feeling, a sharing of the heart’s love. On October 10, Sri Chinmoy and his students performed for Ravi Shankar and his wife, Sukanya. at P.S. 86 in Queens. Sri Chinmoy played on a new esraj-like instrument that Sumadhur, one of his students, built for him. Ravi Shankar later blessed and named the instrument “Chinmoy Beena”. The following evening, Ravi Shankar and his daughter, Anoushka, reciprocated, performing a special concert for Sri Chinmoy, his students and invited guests under a huge tent at Aspiration-Ground. Read more...
 

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U Thant Peace Award

Anahata Nada
August – Mid-November 2002

Legendary Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar was presented with the U Thant Peace Award Sept. 20 by Sri Chinmoy on behalf of The Peace Meditation at the United Nations. “Your music not only elevates our consciousness...very, very high but also intensifies our aspiration...very, very deep,” Sri Chinmoy declared. “Something more, to our greatest delight, we see divinity streaming from your God-dreaming eyes, lightning-speed fingers and towering confidence-hands and arms.” Read more...
 

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