Ravi Shankar: The Early Years, from Dance to Music
“The magic in music happens only when the artist serves it with love and joy - and the listeners receive it with the same spirit”, Ravi Shankar.
Ravi Shankar by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Pandit Ravi Shankar: The Early YearsRavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
This beautiful composition was written (lyrics) and composed by Ravi Shankar in 1990 in Chennai while he was recording his album Passages.
It was initially to be sung by only S.P. Balasubramanium, but when SPB (as he was affectionately known) heard Ravi Shankar sing the tune to him, he requested that they open the rendition with Ravi Shankar's voice and that SPB would sing it after that.
Ravi Shankar practising in Benaras by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
The core of Ravi Shankar’s music has been the spirituality, which instantly touches the listener.
Born on April 7th 1920, this "Sun of India" and a musical messiah worked tirelessly to take the great music of his country to every corner of the earth until he breathed his last in 2012.
Ravi Shankar spent his teenage years as a dancer in the glamorous world of 1930s Paris and New York, setting the foundation of an extraordinary career as India’s best known musician, and one of the greatest musicians of all time.
Ravi Shankar's Parents by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
The early years
Born in Varanasi (Benaras) to Hemangini and Shyam Shankar Chowdhury (Diwan to the Maharaja of Jhalawar in Rajasthan), Ravi was their last child, nearly ten years separating him from the youngest of the four other brothers who survived infancy.
Shortly before Ravi’s birth, his father left to practice law in Calcutta and London. It was from here onwards that he was estranged from Ravi’s mother, and Ravi actually met his father only when he was eight-years-old.
Hemangini brought up her children by surviving on a pension awarded to her by the Maharajah of Jhalawar. His father did not support the family in those hard years and it was left to Hemangini to raise and provide for her children.
They lived a frugal life and his mother would from time to time pawn off her jewellery or expensive pieces of clothing to make ends meet.
Ravi Shankar by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
His father, Shyam Shankar Chowdhury, was a statesman, lawyer, philosopher, writer and amateur musician. He served as Diwan (chief minister) to Maharaja of Jhalawar.
Hemangini, his mother raised her 5 sons in Benaras, with Ravi, or Robindra, as he was named at birth, being the youngest one.
Ravi turned out a genius performer - from dance to singing, being one with the sitar and composing great music.
Ravi Shankar and Uday Shankar with other artists by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
His eldest brother Uday Shankar studied fine arts at the Royal College of Art in London, where his creative journey began.
Ravi Shankar at a performance of Uday Shankar's Troupe by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Though Uday Shankar started his career as a painter, in May 1923, Anna Pavlova saw him choreographing and performing a dance in an Indian ballet in Covent Garden, and this evening was to change Uday Shankar’s whole life.
A Scene from Uday Shankar's Play by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
This photo shows one of many perfomances, a 'dance of peasants'.
Uday Shankar's Dance Troupe by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Transported from Benaras to Paris at the age of 10, it was also the beginning of the end of Ravi Shankar's traditional academic career. But the learnings of this young 10-year-old were far superior than anyone his age. He had started reading fluently at the age of 5 and his older brothers continued teaching him English and Mathematics - he also mastered the French language.
Young Ravi Shankar by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
After being exposed to the world of music, art and culture by his brother Uday Shankar, Ravi Shankar’s devotion to the Sitar actually started at the age of 18 years.
The Music Journey
Unlike Western musicians, who spend a number of years learning the entire history and background of their musical traditions, Indian musicians for the most part learn through the Guru-Shishya form, which is an oral tradition with long hours of practice with their guru. They dwell relatively little on theoretical ideas and concepts of history.
Ravi Shankar and his Guru
His mentor was Guru Ustad Allauddin Khan, who he called Baba (literally father). Ravi Shankar first saw Baba in 1934 in Calcutta, when he was 14 years old. In 1938, Shankar became Ustad Allaudin Khan's pupil after feeling the strong pull of music. He gave up dance permanently, knowing that he did not want to continue as a dancer in his brother's troupe.
Baba Ustad Allauddin Khan, Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan in MaiharRavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Photo: Shankar having an intense music lesson with his Guru Baba Allauddin Khan along with his Guru-Bhai Ali Akbar Khan.
Ravi Shankar, his Guru Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ali Akbar Khan by RIMPARavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
In this video excerpt, Ravi Shankar remembers his Guru, saying, “taking a guru was the biggest decision of my life. It demanded absolute surrender, years of fanatic dedication and discipline. I stayed with Baba for more than seven years. He was a tyrant absolutely, and I was always frightened of him. Now I thank God for bringing me to Baba. What he gave me is all my life.”
Ravi Shankar and his BabaRavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Ravi Shankar and his BabaRavi Shankar Institute For Music and Performing Arts
Shankar continues, “those months, years we spent in his little room on one piece, one raga until it became alive and we both would shed tears. I’m always afraid when I play. I pray that I can do justice to my guru, to my music.”
Days at All India Radio
Ravi Shankar completed his training in 1944, and moved to Mumbai shortly thereafter. He worked at All India Radio as a music director. He was also responsible for the Indian National Orchestra at AIR and composed music for it by effortlessly mixing western and Indian classical instruments together. Besides this, he composed music for ballet and theatre.
Read more about Ravi Shankar:
- Taking Indian Music to the World
- Life and Legacy
