Pandit Ravi Shankar
Very sad news to learn of the passing of Ravi Shankar.
He was referred to as "Pandit," meaning teacher, scholar in the Indian culture where he was born.
His popularity blossomed in western culture when George Harrison of the Beatles became a student of his and the "sitar," the Indian classical instrument Ravi Shankar played was introduced into the Beatles music.
He was quite popular in Toronto when I lived there and after seeing him perform for the first time I kept going back each time he performed there.
His daughter, Anoushka would accompany him on the "tanpura," a sort of "drone sounding" instrument, and the "grand master" of the "tabla," the percussion end would be Alla Raka, who has since passed away as well.
It's well known also that Norah Jones, the currently very popular singer is the daughter of Ravi Shankar.
There is something in that music that I found quite uplifting; hypnotic in a way, and it gave me a feeling of being drawn into a kind of meditative state just being there seeing and hearing it performed live. It's a wonderful feeling.
On You Tube (sorry, I don't have the know how to put it up there) there is a video of Ravi performing on the Dick Cavett show with daughter Anoushka and Alla Rakha.
Will miss you Ravi.
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