curevnt

EVENTS

Regular Events: Weekly studies in the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother collective meditations, and monthly special events.

February 25^th - May 20^th, 9:30 - 11:30 am :: Gems From the Indian Tradition - Vedic Studies: Presented by Smt. Vasanti Jayaswal, these studies explored a number of hymns to the Goddess from the Rig Veda in the light of Sri Aurobindo. Four hymns were covered during this period - these were (a) Sri Suktam, the Hymn to Sri or Lakshmi; (b) Ratri Suktam, the Hymn to the Goddess Night; (c) Usha Stotram, the Hymn to the Goddess Dawn; and (d) Devi Suktam, the Hymn to Vak, the Goddess of the Word.

March 17^th, 8-10 p.m.:

Smt. Sharmistha Sen Sitar concert : The Center started its musical season for 2001 with this concert by Smt. Sharmistha Sen offered at its premises. Sharmistha-di is a senior female sitarist from India and is currently Professor of Music in Daulat Ram College at the Delhi University. She had her tutelage under the late Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan, who played in the classic dhrupad-based Jaipur -Seniya style; and the late Professor D. T. Joshi, a widely respected teacher who was a disciple of the legendary Ustad Inayat Khan. Her musical style can perhaps be described as a cross between the traditional Imdadkhani style imbibed from D. T. Joshi, and the Jaipur Seniya style learned from Mushtaq Ali Khan. Her touch, strokes, glides and subsequent production of tonal and microtonal effects are typical of her two gurus, but has a signature decidedly her own. The performance was not flashy or dazzling, but restrained and deeply contemplative. She was accompanied on tabla by Shri Abhiman Kaushal, who is a resident of Southern California and is among the best young tabla players of today.

April 7^th, 4:30 - 5:30 pm:

Dramatic Presentation -The Glory of the Divine Mother : Excerpted almost entirely from Sri Aurobindo's Savitri by Loretta Shartsis, this play presented an enactment of a dialogue between Narad, the heavenly sage and an young aspirant outiling the Mother's work and mission on earth and highlighting the vanquishing of Death by the Divine Mother.

April 22^nd, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.:

Observance of Mother's Final Arrival at Pondicherry with readings, chanting, singing and meditation around the Relics of Sri Aurobindo

April 28^th, 8 - 9:30 pm:

Tabla Solo Demonstration by Bikram Ghosh : Omigosh! was all one could say at the spellbinding demonstration of tabla offered by Shri Bikram Ghosh. Bikram is the son of tabla legend Shankar Ghosh and has been a regular visitor to and close friend of the Center's for many years now. As erudite and articulate verbally as with his fingers, Bikram enchanted the audience with the history, language, grammar and evocative phrasings of the tabla. Presently the accompanist to Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bikram is directing himself increasingly towards the exercise of his compositional skills and is easily among the finest tabla players of India.

May 6^th, 4:30 - 8 p.m.:

Sitar duet concert by Pandit Manilal Nag and Smt. Mita Nag, accompanied on tabla by Shri Subhen Chatterjee. Pandit Nag is a living legend and one of the foremost exponents of sitar from India today. He had performed earlier in '98 for the Center and the next year at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. The present concert saw him at his best with his daughter Mita, who was a special treat to hear. Their performance was an offering to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

June 1^st, 8 - 10 p.m.:

Shehnai concert by Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain, accompanied on second shehnai by his son Ahmad Abbas and on tabla by Shri Subhen Chatterjee. Ali Ahmad is one of the foremost exponents of shehnai from India today. He had performed earlier in '98 for the Center and has performed several times at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. The performance is an offering to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.