''Raga'' is a 1971

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

about the life and music of Indian

sitarist The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitar, sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known expert of Hin ...

, produced and directed by Howard Worth. It includes scenes featuring Western musicians

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (22 April 191612 March 1999), was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ...

and

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

, as well as footage of Shankar returning to

Maihar Maihar is a city in the Maihar district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Maihar District. Maihar is known for the Maa Sharda Mandir situated in the city. It is one of the Shakti Peeth. Origin o ...

in central India, where as a young man he trained under the mentorship of

Allauddin Khan Ustad Allauddin Khan (8 October 1862 – 6 September 1972), was a Bengalis, Bengali sarod player and multi-instrumentalist, composer and one of the most notable music teachers of the 20th century in Indian classical music. For a generation many ...

. The film also features a portion of Shankar and

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

player

Alla Rakha Alla Rakha Qureshi (29 April 1919 – 3 February 2000) was an Indian tabla player who specialised in Hindustani classical music. Widely revered as one of history's most iconic players of the tabla, he was a frequent accompanist of sitar player ...

's acclaimed performance at the 1967

Monterey Pop Festival The Monterey International Pop Festival was a three-day music festival held June 16-18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. The festival is remembered for the first major American appearances by the Jimi Hendrix Ex ...

. The majority of the documentary was shot in the late 1960s, during a period when Shankar's growing popularity saw

Indian classical music Indian classical music is the art music, classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is generally described using terms like ''Shastriya Sangeet'' and ''Marg Sangeet''. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music known as ...

embraced by rock and pop musicians and their audiences. Financial problems then delayed production until Harrison provided assistance through

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' company

Apple Films Apple Corps Limited is a British multimedia company that was established in London by the members of the Beatles in the 1960s to form a conglomerate. The company's name, pronounced "apple core", is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, ...

. In addition to actively promoting ''Raga'', Harrison produced the soundtrack album – a project that led directly to he and Shankar staging

the Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and the Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows we ...

in August 1971. The film's working title was alternately ''East Meets West'' and ''Messenger Out of the East''. In 2010, to coincide with celebrations for Shankar's 90th birthday, East Meets West Music released a fully remastered version on DVD, titled ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India''. The expanded soundtrack album was also made available, via digital download.

Production

New York film-maker Howard Worth began work on ''Raga'', a

ian

, in 1967, during the height of what Shankar describes in ''My Music, My Life'' (1968), the first of his two autobiographies, as "the great

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

explosion". The latter term reflected the interest that had grown in the West for

Indian music Owing to India's vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk, rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed over several ...

and its extended works, known as

raga A raga ( ; , ; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. It is central to classical Indian music. Each raga consists of an array of melodic structures with musical motifs; and, fro ...

s, over 1966–67, following

and other rock bands' adoption of the multi-stringed sitar into their sound.''World Music: The Rough Guide'', pp. 109–10. Aided by his befriending

of the Beatles, this phenomenon resulted in Shankar achieving

pop star A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively object ...

status.Book accompanying '' Collaborations'' box set by Ravi Shankar and George Harrison (

Dark Horse Records Dark Horse Records is a record label founded by former Beatle George Harrison in 1974. The label's formation coincided with the winding down of the Beatles' Apple Records and allowed Harrison to continue supporting other artists' projects whi ...

, 2010; produced by Olivia Harrison), p. 11. Music critic Ken Hunt describes him as having become "the most famous Indian musician on the planet" in 1966. Shankar was uncomfortable with this development,Lavezzoli, p. 172. since his training had instilled in him a sacred purpose for India's musical heritage – namely, Nada

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

("Sound is God"). The film documents Shankar's concern that while old traditions were dying in India, they were simultaneously being misappropriated by America's youth culture, particularly through many in the West choosing to associate Indian classical music with

psychedelic drugs Psychedelics are a subclass of Hallucinogen, hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger psychoactive drug, non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also ...

.Sue C. Clark
"Ravi Shankar: The ''Rolling Stone'' Interview"
''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'', 9 March 1968 (retrieved 15 December 2013). Speaking in 2010 of his involvement in ''Raga'', Worth recalled that he disliked Indian music initially, but soon changed his view. At the request of Canadian television producer Nancy Bacal, he attended a private recital by Shankar, in the company of singers

Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning nearly seven decades. An Academy Awards, Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning rec ...

and

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...

, a performance that convinced Worth that he wanted to direct the planned Shankar documentary after all. (retrieved 1 November 2013). Worth also served as producer,Castleman & Podrazik, p. 320. and he and Bacal worked on a script at Collins's house in California. The film was originally called ''East Meets West'', according to author Peter Lavezzoli;Lavezzoli, p. 184. ''Messenger Out of the East'' was an alternative working title.Clayson, p. 308. The first of these titles referenced ''

West Meets East ''West Meets East'' is an album by American violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar,first released in the United Kingdom by His Master's Voice in January 1967. It was recorded following their successful duet in June 1966 ...

'', Shankar's 1966 album with American violinist

, and the winner of the 1967

Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the ...

Filming

Much of ''Raga'' was shot during the first half of 1968 in India, particularly Bombay, home to Shankar's Kinnara School of Music since 1963. Among the scenes filmed in India, Shankar directs musicians such as

Shivkumar Sharma Shivkumar Sharma (13 January 1938 – 10 May 2022) was an Indian classical musician and santoor player who is credited with adapting the santoor for Indian classical music. As a music composer, he collaborated with Indian flautist Hariprasad ...

Hariprasad Chaurasia Hariprasad Chaurasia (born 1 July 1938) is an Indian music director and classical flautist, who plays the bansuri, in the Hindustani classical tradition. Early life Chaurasia was born in Allahabad (1938) (present day Prayagraj) in the Indian ...

and Kartick Kumar in a Bombay studio and, in a scene titled "Vinus House", enjoys a casual musical get-together with singer Vinay Bharat Ram and violinist Satyadev Pawar. Maihar railway station

Early in the film, Shankar travels by train to the

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

town of

, to see his father-in-law and esteemed music teacher (or

guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...

, known affectionately as "Baba". Worth recalls this visit as a nervous occasion for Shankar, who states in his role as narrator: "Whenever I think of

aba ABA may refer to: Aviation * AB Aerotransport, former Scandinavian airline * IATA airport code for Abakan International Airport in Republic of Khakassia, Russia Businesses and organizations Broadcasting * Alabama Broadcasters Association, Uni ...

I have a mixture of fear and awe. For us, ''guru'' is sometimes greater even than God." Another scene features dancers from the South Indian

kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...

tradition, reflecting Shankar's early career as a dancer with elder brother

Uday Uday or Odai is a masculine name in Arabic as well as several Indian languages. In numerous Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil and others, it means 'dawn' or 'rise'. The Arabic name () means 'runner' or 'rising'. List of ...

's pioneering troupe during the 1930s.Ken Hunt
"Ravi Shankar"

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

(retrieved 24 November 2013)."Ravi Shankar ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India'' DVD"
East Meets West Music (retrieved 1 November 2013). According to Worth, the emotional highpoint of filming was when Shankar visited his spiritual guru, named Tat Baba. In his own teaching activities, Shankar is shown mentoring students at Kinnara, adhering to the strict ''guru-shishya'' tradition he had experienced under Allauddin Khan. Shankar later reflects on the comparative rush to master the intricacies of Indian music by his Western students in Los Angeles, where he opened a branch of the Kinnara School in May 1967. ''Raga'' includes footage of a pair of celebrated live performances by Shankar from 1967, a year that Lavezzoli describes as the "''

annus mirabilis ''Annus mirabilis'' (pl. ''anni mirabiles'') is a Latin phrase that means "marvelous year", "wonderful year", or "miraculous year". This term has been used to refer to several years during which events of major importance are remembered, notably ...

''" for Indian music in the West. The first performance was from the

in northern California on 18 June, where Shankar was accompanied by his longtime

player,

. The film shows Shankar and his companion Kamala ChakravartyPriyanka Dasgupta, Purba Dutt & Nona Walia
"Meet India's bohemian lovers"
''

Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...

'', 18 February 2012 (retrieved 15 December 2013). circulating among the crowd before his performance, and American musicians

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...

and

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

among "the enthralled spectators" while he plays, according to Lavezzoli. The second of these 1967 performances, a recital featuring Menuhin and Shankar, was filmed six months later on

Human Rights Day Human Rights Day (HRD) is list of minor secular observances#December, celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December ...

, at the United Nations building in New York.Lavezzoli, pp. 7–8. Slates Hot Springs - fileDSC 5788-w

Another milestone for the popularity of Indian music was the June 1967 release of the Beatles' ''

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (often referred to simply as ''Sgt. Pepper'') is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26May 1967, ''Sgt. Pepper'' is regarded by musicologists as an early concept ...

'' album,''World Music: The Rough Guide'', p. 109. the "spiritual centerpiece" of which, Lavezzoli writes, was George Harrison's Indian composition " Within You, Without You". Harrison joined Shankar in

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

in April 1968, following the Beatles' stay at

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma, 12 January 191? – 5 February 2008) was the creator of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and leader of the worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways, including as a new ...

's meditation ashram in

Rishikesh Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near Dehradun in the Indian state Uttarakhand. The northern part of Rishikesh is in the Dehradun district while the southern part is in the Tehri Garhwal district. It is situated on the right bank ...

, but a bout of

dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...

prevented him from participating in filming for ''Raga''. Worth subsequently filmed Harrison's contributions at the

Esalen Institute The Esalen Institute, commonly called Esalen, is a non-profit American Retreat (spiritual), retreat center and intentional community in Big Sur, California, which focuses on humanism, humanistic alternative education. The institute played a ke ...

Big Sur Big Sur () is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Carmel Highlands and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Range, Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from th ...

, California, on 10–11 June 1968.Badman, p. 54. In one of the scenes, Harrison receives sitar tuition from Shankar; in another, they both participate in a singing class with students from Kinnara. While his immersion in Indian music had been the most significant factor behind Shankar's recent rise to international fame,Philip Glass
"George Harrison, World-Music Catalyst and Great-Souled Man; Open to the Influence of Unfamiliar Cultures"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 9 December 2001 (retrieved 1 December 2013). Harrison would later cite this visit to Esalen as presaging the end of his commitment to the sitar. As of 2006, the scene in ''Raga'' featuring Shankar instructing Harrison was the only known film footage of Harrison playing the sitar during his years as a member of the Beatles. California was also the location for the film's penultimate scene, in which Shankar, looking out over a windswept beach, questions the validity of his attempts to bring Indian culture to America.Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 210–11. In his narration for the scene, he reads out a passage adapted from ''My Music, My Life'', reaffirming his belief in Nada Brahma.

Apple Films' involvement

After the main filming over 1967–68 in India and the United States, financial and technical problems interrupted production on ''Raga''. According to Worth's recollection, the original financier for the project, whom he describes as "Ravi's manager", was forced to back out, having been committed to a psychiatric ward. In '' Raga Mala'', Shankar says that he financed the film himself, adding: "which was rather sad because it cost a large amount and I only realised this later!"Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 210. Once back in New York, Worth contacted Harrison, hoping to secure support from

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

, the film studio responsible for the Beatles' feature films '' A Hard Day's Night'', ''

Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their Help! (film), film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965 by Parlophone. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the sin ...

'' and '' Yellow Submarine''. Late in 1970, Harrison attended a special screening of the assembled footage and was so moved, according to Worth, that within days he offered the services of the Beatles' own

as a distributor. Worth credits Harrison with saving the production and thereby "chang ngmy life".

Soundtrack

The majority of ''Raga''s musical soundtrack was recorded between April and July 1968.Castleman & Podrazik, p. 107. Aside from the recitals featured in the film, Shankar provided incidental music, the co-ordination of which was credited to his sister-in-law

Lakshmi Shankar Lakshmi Shankar (née Sastri, 16 June 1926 – 30 December 2013) was an Indian singer and a noted Hindustani classical music, Hindustani classical. Born into a south Indian Hindu family, she became an outstanding Hindustani music, Hindustani voc ...

(for pieces classed as "East") and American musician

Collin Walcott Collin Walcott (April 24, 1945 – November 8, 1984) was an American musician who worked on jazz and world music. Early life Walcott was born in New York City, United States. He studied violin and tympani in his youth, and was a percussion stud ...

("West").Credits, ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India''. Among the notable Indian musicians contributing to the soundtrack were

Bismillah Khan Ustad Bismillah Khan (born Qamaruddin Khan, 21 March 1916 – 21 August 2006), often referred to by the title ''Ustad'', was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the shehnai, a reeded woodwind instrument. His virtuosity made him a le ...

(

shehnai The ''shehnai'' is a type of oboe from the Indian subcontinent. It is made of wood, with a double reed at one end and a metal or wooden flared bell at the other end. It was one of the nine instruments found in the royal court. The shehnai is sim ...

), Shivkumar Sharma (

santoor The Indian santoor instrument is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer, and a variation of the Iranian santur. The instrument is generally made of walnut wood and has 25 bridges. Each bridge has 4 strings, making for a total of 100 strings. It ...

), Hariprasad Chaurasia (

bansuri A bansuri is an ancient side-blown bamboo flute originating from the Indian Subcontinent. It is an aerophone produced from bamboo and metal-like material, used in many Indian and Nepali Lok songs. A ''bansuri'' is traditionally made from a ...

Aashish Khan Aashish Khan (5 December 1939 – 14 November 2024) was an Indian Indian classical music, classical musician and player of the sarod. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 in the 'Best Traditional World Music Album' category for his ...

(

sarod The sarod is a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments. It is known for a deep, weighty, introspective sound, in contrast with the sweet ...

Shankar Ghosh Pandit Shankar Ghosh (10 October 1935 – 22 January 2016) was an Indian Tabla player from the Farukhabad gharana of Hindustani classical music. He has revolutionized both the art of Tabla solo playing as well as Tabla accompaniment. His ma ...

and Zakir Hussain (both tabla), and singer

Jitendra Abhisheki Ganesh Balawant Nawathe (21 September 1929 – 7 November 1998), better known as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, was an Indian vocalist, composer and scholar of Indian classical, semi-classical, and devotional music. While he distinguished hims ...

. For a scene that Shankar describes in ''Raga Mala'' as "reflect ngall the distortions in that period – Indian music mixed up with rock,

hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, counterculture of the mid-1960s to early 1970s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States and spread to dif ...

s and drugs", Walcott created a piece titled "Frenzy and Distortion", using "a profusion of electronic sounds". In June and through to July 1971, Harrison, as producer, prepared the recordings for release in conjunction with the movie.Badman, p. 36. While Shankar and Harrison were working in Los Angeles, news broke of the atrocities being committed by

West Pakistan West Pakistan was the western province of Pakistan between One Unit, 1955 and Legal Framework Order, 1970, 1970, covering the territory of present-day Pakistan. Its land borders were with Afghanistan, India and Iran, with a maritime border wit ...

against the people of Bangladesh (formerly

East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...

, and before that,

East Bengal East Bengal (; ''Purbô Bangla/Purbôbongo'') was the eastern province of the Dominion of Pakistan, which covered the territory of modern-day Bangladesh. It consisted of the eastern portion of the Bengal region, and existed from 1947 until 195 ...

). In response to a plea for assistance from Shankar, a Bengali by birth, Harrison set about organising the

Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and the Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows we ...

, held at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

, New York, on 1 August. Work on the ''Raga'' soundtrack was completed in mid July, around the time of sessions for Shankar's

Apple Records Apple Records is a British record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists inclu ...

EP '' Joi Bangla''.

Release

''Raga'' received a limited release in November 1971, solely in the United States. Harrison helped promote the film, starting with an interview for New York's WPLJ Radio, and he attended a press screening at Carnegie Hall Cinema on 22 November, along with former bandmate

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

and their wives. While Shankar attended the premiere there the following night, Harrison instead appeared on ''

The Dick Cavett Show ''The Dick Cavett Show'' is the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including: * ABC daytime, (March 4, 1968 – January 24, 1969) originally titled ''This Morning'' * ABC prime time, Tuesday ...

'', discussing ''Raga'' and bemoaning the delay surrounding the release of the live album from the Concert for Bangladesh."Big Bop Baby"
Contra Band Music, 4 May 2012 (retrieved 7 November 2013). Shankar joined him late in the show, during which Harrison also plugged '' Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra'', Shankar's recently released collaboration with

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

and the London Symphony Orchestra. On 24 November, Shankar and Harrison filmed an appearance on ''

The David Frost Show Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was an English television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...

'',Madinger & Easter, p. 439. where they again discussed the film and Harrison gave a rare demonstration on sitar. Two days later, Shankar performed at Carnegie Hall, accompanied by Rakha and Chakravarty, giving his first New York concert since the Concert for Bangladesh shows in August. Writing in ''

'' in November 1971, film critic Howard Thompson described ''Raga'' as "quietly penetrating" and "beautifully made", adding: "Everything about it is admirable." On 7 December 1971, Apple Records released the soundtrack album (as Apple SWAO 3384) – like the film, in America only. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

''s album reviewer commented on the packaging's "superb photo folio showing the sitarist's career" but said that, due to the fact that only portions of ragas were present, the soundtrack's "greatest attractiveness may be to those who see the movie or are Shankar collectors". In August 1972, Harrison screened ''Raga'' for select guests at a cinema in

Mayfair Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...

, London, to coincide with Shankar's upcoming appearance at

Southwark Cathedral Southwark Cathedral ( ), formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, is a Church of England cathedral in Southwark, London, near the south bank of the River Thames and close to London Bridge. It is the mother c ...

. According to a report in ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...

'' in early November 1973, the film was due to open in London later that same month.Peter Jones (ed.), "Reflections: Ravi raga saga", ''

'', 10 November 1973, p. 10. When asked at the press conference for his and Shankar's 1974 North American tour whether the attendant publicity was likely to lead to a re-release for ''Raga'' in the US, Harrison expressed his hope that it would, but lamented that the restrictions imposed on cinema operators by film distributors were "like the way the record industry was ten years ago". He added: "If you don't work on Maggie's farm, you don't get your movie on, you know?"

Reissue

''Raga'' was released on home video in 1991, distributed by Mystic Fire Video.Madinger & Easter, p. 422. The Shankar-affiliated East Meets West Music (EMWMusic) remastered the film and released it on DVD in October 2010, with the new title ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India''. The release was part of EMWMusic's celebrations for Shankar's 90th birthday. Shankar said of his reasons for reissuing the film: "It was a very special period of my life. I really want today's generation to see what it was like for me to be in such a unique and exciting position – to be the first to bridge the gap between the East and the West and to devise a new way to attract, educate, initiate and draw those in the West to the exceptional world of Indian classical music and culture." On 1 November 2010, the film was screened at the New York headquarters of the

Asia Society The Asia Society is a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on educating the world about Asia. It has several centers in the United States (Manhattan, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle) and around the world (Hong Ko ...

,News > "11/1/10 , NY , ASIA SOCIETY SCREENING!"
eastmeetswest.com, 1 November 2011 (archived version retrieved 25 October 2016). which had promoted Shankar's first US appearances in 1957 and now honoured the artist with its Cultural Legacy Award. The event was introduced by composer

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

and attended by

Anoushka Shankar Anoushka Hemangini Shankar (born 9 June 1981) is a British-American sitar player and musician of Indian descent, as well as occasional writer. She performs across multiple genres and styles—Indian classical, classical and contemporary, acoust ...

(representing her father, who was too sick to attend), along with people involved in the original production such as Worth, Gary Haber and Merle Worth. Writing in ''

Songlines A songline, also called dreaming track, is one of the paths across the land (or sometimes the sky) within the animist belief systems of the Aboriginal cultures of Australia. They mark the route followed by localised "creator-beings" in the Dr ...

'' magazine, Jeff Kaliss gave the ''Raga'' DVD a five-star review and described the film as an "honest, entertaining portrait of a maestro" that was " ssatisfying musically as it is visually". In an article on the 2015–16

Grammy Museum The Grammy Museum is any of a group of museums containing exhibits relating to winners of the Grammy Award for achievement in recording. The museums in this group include: *The Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, which opened in 2008 in Los Angeles, Cali ...

exhibit on Shankar, music historian Harvey Kubernik said the DVD was "recommended viewing".Harvey Kubernik
"Ravi Shankar: A Life In Music Exhibit at the Grammy Museum May 2015–Spring 2016"
Cave Hollywood, 16 June 2015 (retrieved 1 May 2017). In place of the 1971 promotional image for ''Raga'', which showed a silhouette of a cow against a backdrop of a sunset, the new cover consisted of a still of Shankar playing sitar during the 1960s. This photo, taken by Canadian portrait photographer

Yousuf Karsh Yousuf Karsh FRPS (December23, 1908July13, 2002) was an Armenian–Canadian photographer known for his portraits of notable individuals. He has been described as one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th century. An Armenian ge ...

,Liner notes, ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India''. shows a portion of the seven-played-string model of sitar that Shankar had popularised over the more traditional six-string model favoured by musicians such as

Vilayat Khan Ustad Vilayat Khan (28 August 1928 – 13 March 2004) was an Indian classical sitar player, considered by many to be the greatest sitarist of his age. Along with Imdad Khan, Enayat Khan, and Imrat Khan, he is credited with the creation a ...

.Lavezzoli, pp. 14, 30–31, 33. For the 2010 reissue, EMWMusic expanded the soundtrack album from thirteen selections to seventeen, with all recordings fully remastered. The ''Raga'' soundtrack was available via digital download with the documentary film.

Album track listing

Original 1971 release

All songs by Ravi Shankar, except where noted. Side one Side two

2010 digital download version

# "East/West Introductions" – 3:08 # "Dawn to Dusk" – 3:41 # "Vedic Hymns" – 1:36 # "Baba Teaching" – 1:17 # "Birth to Death" – 3:15 # "Vinus House" – 2:41 # "Gurur Bramha" – 1:15 # "United Nations" – 4:41 # "Medley: Raga Parameshwari / Raga Rangeshwari" – 2:54 # "Banaras Ghat" – 1:49 # "Bombay Studio" – 2:48 # "Kinnara School" – 1:34 # "Frenzy and Distortion" – 1:56 # "Raga Desh" – 9:02 # "The Spirit of the Raga" – 2:33 # "What Is a Raga?" – 1:41 # "The Seriousness of It" – 3:15

Notes

References

Sources

* Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ). * Alan Clayson, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ). * George Harrison, ''I Me Mine'', Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA, 2002; ). * Olivia Harrison, ''George Harrison: Living in the Material World'', Abrams (New York, NY, 2011; ). * Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; ). * Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ). * Chip Madinger & Mark Easter, ''Eight Arms to Hold You: The Solo Beatles Compendium'', 44.1 Productions (Chesterfield, MO, 2000; ). * Barry Miles, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India'' DVD, East Meets West/

, 2010 (produced and directed by Howard Worth; reissue produced by Shyama Priya & Cat Celebrezze). * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ). * Ravi Shankar, ''My Music, My Life'', Mandala Publishing (San Rafael, CA, 2007; ). * Ravi Shankar, ''Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar'', Welcome Rain (New York, NY, 1999; ). *

Bruce Spizer David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is an American tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books about the band, and is frequently quoted as an authority on th ...

, ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ). * Richie Unterberger, ''The Unreleased Beatles: Music & Film'', Backbeat Books (San Francisco, CA, 2006; ). * ''World Music: The Rough Guide (Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific)'', Rough Guides/Penguin (London, 2000; ).

External links

* *
''Raga'' (2010) at East Meets West Music
{{George Harrison 1971 films 1971 documentary films Apple Films films American documentary films Documentary films about classical music and musicians 1970s Hindi-language films 1970s Indian films The Beatles in film The Beatles and India Albums produced by George Harrison 1971 soundtrack albums Apple Records soundtracks Films scored by Ravi Shankar Indian mythology in music Documentary film soundtracks 1970s English-language films 1970s American films English-language documentary films