Programme Highlights

“Jai Bharati”

March 12 to 14, 2009 at Chinmaya Mission, New Delhi

Chinmaya Mission, New Delhi dedicated their annual festival of Indian Classical music, Jai Bharati, from 12 to 14 March 2009 to Chinmaya Naada Bindu, using its logo, Swara se Ishwar Tak, as the theme for the three day event. We “Dilli-walas” were treated to a celestial array of musicians.


Smt Aruna Sairam, the renowned carnatic singer performed on the first day. She had us all, the audience, in the palm of her hands literally in the first three seconds of her program! As her powerful, resonant and thoroughly trained voice sang the first shloka, it seemed as if we were instantly seated in the ‘Chinmaya Naada Bindu Rocket’ and blasted into the Naada Bindu space of Lord Shiva Himself without any formalities or dilly dallying. No sir, one minute we were all seated on neatly laid out chairs in the Chinmaya Mission Hall at Lodhi Road, New Delhi and the next minute we were all in outer space! We were supremely entertained inside this rocket as it whooshed around riding on Smt Aruna Sairam’s melodious singing – she sang a medley of devotional music from all parts of our beloved country, Bharat. She achieved her objective of transporting us all from Swara to Ishwara with her exemplary singing.


The second day, we all went prepared for another journey into outer space, but I tell you this – the Chinmaya Naada Bindu Rocket definitely did not want to be taken for granted. Once again we had many melodious surprises awaiting us. Shri Shubhendra Rao on the sitar and his wife Smt Saskia Rao was amazing on the cello. The sounds and melody she evoked from the cello in Raaga Puriya Dhanashri accompanying her husband reminded me of the Rudra Veena sounds. Music has no borders and the duet of the sitar and cello proved this point. The couple’s immense humility just added cream to the already sweet evening. The Chinmaya Naada Bindu Rocket had done it again – we visited Lord Shiva’s Naada Bindu abode and returned with intense gratitude to Gurudev, who made all this travel possible.


The third day arrived. We all sat in our seats confident that today we were prepared for any travel – after all, we had consorted with Lord Shiva the past two evenings so today we were calm and composed and no musician could ruffle our emotional senses – yes, we were ‘musically realized’…..no excitement, we were going to be mere witnesses… calm, cool, composed. Yes sir! Well! Well!! Well! A sadhak’s journey is full of pleasant surprises, however, we were in for a Musical Mega Marathon in the form of our very own Musical Master – Swami Tejomayananda!


Today, Lord Krishna, our Tribhangilal ji (thrice crooked aka not straight) decided to shower His “tedhi medhi” albeit the bestest of the best musical blessings on all of us. And Lord Shiva not only smiled, but also danced in approval. The artist who was supposed to be performing that evening was held back due to health reasons and we all prayed for his speedy recovery. However, for us, we received pearls without deserving or asking for them. Guruji sang for us, accompanied by Brahmacharini Sumati Chaitanya and our Smt Pramodini Rao. As our hearts brimmed with gratitude for our Gurudev, Swamiji befittingly began and ended with musical tributes to Gurudev. Sumatiji said she is not a ‘ragi’ but a ‘bairagi’ and filled our hearts with a ‘raag’ or attachment for the Divine.


The best was yet to come – Smt Pramodini Rao sang loving, melodious compositions in praise of the Master Mischief Maker, Lord Krishna, in whose heart our Gurudev dwells forever. She ended the evening with a song dedicated to Gurudev, written and composed in Raag Bharavi by her mother. As always, this song transported us gently to Sidhbari where He sits in Samadhi. Our musical journey from Swara to Ishwara was completed at His feet, by His Grace.


If this is what a musical event dedicated to Chinmaya Naada Bindu school can accomplish…………..imagine what the actual school will achieve???? We returned home humbled………humbled with the magnanimity of our most loving Guruji – our plans to merely witness were so easily destroyed with the loving notes which Guruji sang. Boliye Shri Sadgurunath Maharaj Ki Jai!

- Punita Chopra