Ravi Shankar: Taking Indian Music to the World

The core of Ravi Shankar's music has been the spirituality, which instantly touches listeners across the globe. This "Sun of India" and a musical messiah worked tirelessly to take the great music and culture of his country to every corner of the earth.

In this brief clip, Shankar recounts his impressions of the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

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Shankar continues, reminiscing about fellow artists and the audience at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival

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Shankar was not only a musician, but he was an accomplished composer as well as a film scorer.

Between 1956 and 1967, Ravi Shankar took his music overseas. He said, “To be received like this in a foreign land, my god, it is overwhelming. I have never felt so much warmth and openness, so much love for our music. It inspires me so much. But I wonder how much they can understand and where all this would lead to. There’s so much of our music that goes back 1000 years. The prayers in our temples, the pain and struggle of life, the sound of the rivers, the timeless chants; so many things that are within me whenever I play, whatever I do.”

Some of Shankar's musical scores included music for the legendary director Satyajit Ray’s The 'Apu' trilogy.

They are seen here together in 1956, during the making of Aparajito, the second in the series.

With the famous playback singer Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, during the recording of the music for the film Anuradha, in 1960. The film was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

Shankar's work with George Fenton on the soundtrack for Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' earned a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Original Music Score, in 1982.

Here, Shankar is seen with Fenton and Attenborough during the making of the film.

He also rewrote the tune of ‘Saare Jahaan se Accha', the popular patriotic song of India, composed the iconic tunes of All India Radio, Doordarshan and Swagatam for the Asian Games in 1982.

Shankar also created several original ragas, most of which are in the public domain now.

Renowned American composer, Philip Glass, had this to say: “It may be hard to imagine that one person through the force of his talent, energy and musical personality could have almost single-handedly altered the course of contemporary music in its broadest sense. But that is actually and simply what happened.”

Video: In remembrance of Philip Glass’s teacher Ravi Shankar, on the occasion of what would have been his 100th birthday on 7th April, 2020.

He also performed at Woodstock (1969) and Monterey Festival (1967).

Raising funds for a cause via a concert was an idea pioneered by Ravi Shankar. The Concert for Bangladesh, held in New York's Madison Square Garden in August 1971 with George Harrison's support, is described as the music industry’s first impactful act for charity.

Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan opened the two shows of the concert, and Shankar would often recount how members of the audience clapped after he finished tuning the Sitar.

The Concert For Bangladesh featured George Harrison (pictured here), fellow ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan (pictured here) and many others.

Photo: Alla Rakha, Ravi Shankar and Kamala Chakravarty on one of the many tours.

Alla Rakha and Ravi Shankar's chemistry was unique. Alla Rakha remained Ravi Shankar's main tabla accompanist for more than 25 years. Kamala Chakravarty played a very big role in Ravi Shankar's life as his companion/partner. She often traveled with him around the world and accompanied him on the Tanpura.

The musical and personal friendship of these two Maestros made history in the world of music. Their mutual admiration and respect for each other turned into deep affection...

..over the 40 years they collaborated.

Soon after they met, Shankar gifted him Paramahansa Yogananda's book Autobiography of a Yogi.

The book completely changed George's outlook to life - he called Ravi Shankar the “Godfather of World Music” and credited him as the most influential person in his life.

George started learning the sitar from Shankar almost immediately. From then on blossomed a unique relationship of father and son, Guru and disciple, friend and confidante.

Harrison was drawn to Indian culture, and ‘Norwegian Wood’, one of the Beatles’ songs, prominently featured the sitar.

Harrison called Shankar the “Godfather of World Music”, and Shankar also thought of Harrison as having a “beautiful soul”, and being incredibly humble despite his popularity.

Legendary singer Ray Charles and Ravi Shankar won The Polar Music Prize in 1998, and an instant rapport was established when the two Maestros met.

Ravi Shankar with renowned conductor Zubin Mehta

Shankar created Raga Mala (Sitar Concerto No. 2), with Mehta in 1981 at the New York Philharmonic.

Years later the Sitar Concerto No. 2 was performed by Anoushka Shankar and conducted by Zubin Mehta in 2013, 2016 and 2017 in Israel, United States and Berlin.

Shankar was conferred with seventeen honorary doctorates from many universities and colleges around the world including by Harvard University, The New England Conservatory of Music and University of California, San Diego first Regent Professor in the Department of Music, among others.