Purnachandra Raga Sagara - Music for meditation at Dubai Opera
Pujya Sri Swamiji in Dubai – April 2019
Purnachandra Raga Sagara
16/04/19 to 21/04/19
Pujya Sri Swamiji arrived in Dubai around noon time on Tuesday, April 16th , and was warmly received by devotees of Datta Yoga Center UAE.
On the morning of April 17th, Pujya Sri Swamiji toured the world’s highest observation deck on the 148thlevel of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. He then proceeded to join the eagerly awaiting devotees on levels 124 and 125.
In the evening, Sri Swamiji visited the Dubai Miracle Gardens, the world’s largest natural flower gardens, with devotees from across the globe. The sprawling garden was in stark contrast to the arid desert landscape where it was planted. Devotees from various places in India and abroad were blessed to have group photos taken with His Holiness amidst the creative greenery.
The most anticipated event of this visit, Purna Chandra Raga Sagara, took place at the iconic Dubai Opera House at 7 PM on Friday, April 19th, 2019. His Holiness chose this first full moon day of the Vikari Nama Samvatsara, Chaitra Shuddha Purnima, which was coincidentally also Good Friday and Hanuman Jayanti, as celebrated in parts of India, for this landmark concert.
Before the concert began, an expansive video covering many aspects of Sri Swamiji’s mission like Shuka Vana and the Kishindha Moolika Bonsai Garden, was played for the brimming audience in the 2000-seat hall.
Sri Humaid, emcee for the night, introduced. 2019 is the year of Tolerance in the UAE. His Excellency Navdeep Singh Suri Ambassador of India to UAE, His Excellency Consul-General of India, Vipulin Dubai and Dr.B.R.Shetty prominent personality in UAE falicitated Pujya Sri Swamiji and Dr.L.Subramaniam.
Notably, Parama Pujya Swamiji was accompanied by
Nada Chakravarti Vidwan Dr. L. Subramaniam on violin
Pt. Anindo Chatterjee on tabla
Vidwan V. Suresh on ghatam
Vid. Jaitra Varanasi on violin
Vid. Shankar Ramesh on mridangam
Vid. Narasimham Mani on keyboard
Pujya Swamiji briefly spoke and asked the audience to experience, not experiment with, the music in order to let it permeate the body to heal it of the tensions of this day and age.
His Holiness chose three main ragas in accordance with the prominent nakshatra of the day: Swati. Leading with the customary Pranava Swarupam (Raga Rushyakethupriya), Sri Swamiji then played Brindavani Raga (Dattatreya Mampahi), Mohana Raga (Iśa Patiśa), Śriranjani Raga (Guru Padamu), and Simhendramadhyamam Raga (Pavo Śarana). One of the most distinctive (and never-before-seen) features of Purna Chandra Raga Sagara was that Sri Swamiji asked everyone to close their eyes in prayer for three minutes, in an interlude during Raga Brindavani. After a beautifully coordinated and thunderous tani avartanam amongst the three percusionnists: Pt. Anindo Chaterjee, Sri Suresh and Sri Ramesh, Sri Swamiji played the spirited and most-beloved Happy Tune (Raga Dheera Śankarabharanam), much to the delight of the audience clapping in time. Finally, soothing Sama Raga (Raga Ragini Devi Mangalam) concluded the musical voyage. After the concert, Sri Swamiji blessed each of the accompanying musicians with a concert memento. Sri and Smt. Krishna Kumar Malani honored Pujya Swamiji with a unique crystal memento, commemorating the historic concert. Throughout the evening, the audience was completely mesmerized as the gigantic LED background screened breathtaking visuals of nature and space. This, combined with Dr. L. Subramaniam’s harmonious accompaniment to Sri Swamiji’s unsurpassable music, was the cherry on top of this grand event.
Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji’s sterling notes reverberating off the walls of the acoustically brilliant opera house, under the gaze of the radiant full moon, was an epochal experience that will be remembered by devotees forever.
In the end, members of DYC Dubai honored the artists.
Sri.Krishna Kumar Malani & Smt.Divya Malani offered a unique 3D bust of Pujya Sri Swamiji made in crystal.
On the morning of April 20th, programs were held at JSS International School, Safa, Dubai. Students of Samskrita Bharati presented a drama and various Sansksrit songs.
Students of Bala Datta sang Sri Swamiji’s bhajans. Sri Swamiji appreciated their dedication to learning bhajans and explained the various features of different types of Sri Swamiji’s compositions, and the benefits of singing bhajans daily.
As the culmination to Pujya Swamiji’s visit, a cruise was planned at the Dubai Marina. Sri Swamiji, along with devotees, watched the sunset off the Persian Gulf aboard “The Lotus” boat. The bhajan “Nav Chal Padi” was aptly sung and Sri Swamiji addressed the gathering, spending about two hours with devotees.
Sri Swamiji left Dubai to Bangalore in the afternoon on April 21st 2019.
Sri Guru Datta
