Before the concert, Sri Chinmoy read the following tribute to Ravi Shankar and Anoushka:
Ravi Shankar, to you I bow, to you I bow. When you play, your heart becomes a Heaven-climbing flame. When you play, you play in your golden heart-boat and your Inner Pilot speaks to you from His transcendental Summit. The silence-sound-music-waves of your eyes tell the audience that the only real hunger is the God-hunger. The Peace-Music of your inner world begins. The Bliss-Music of your outer world completes.
While playing, each time you smile at the audience, a new inspiration-aspiration-world blossoms. God examines you each time you play, whether it is a small gathering or a mammoth gathering, and you invariably pass all your examinations with flying colours. For the God-seekers and God-lovers, each time you play, it is indeed an inner wake-up call from God Himself. Each time you play, you unreservedly inspire us to drink deep Nectar-Delight far beyond this world.
Anoushka, my dear Anoushka, when you play, your aspiration-heart becomes a God-Beauty-revelation and your dedication-hands become a God-Duty-manifestation.
When you and your Father play together, the Father proudly says, “I have. I have you.” The Daughter smilingly says, “I am. I truly am you. I am growing and glowing under your sleepless and breathless guidance. Like you, I shall please and fulfil God the dreaming man and man the blooming God.”
Before playing, Ravi Shakar made the following remarks: Sri Chinmoy and all the friends who are here, I want to express that I, along with Anoushka and our wonderful accompanists, are very happy to be here performing for a special gathering like this. Of course, I would have been happier if the weather was kinder (referring to the rain). But nevertheless, as usual I shall, along with my group, try to do our best. Thank you.
I want to announce each raga. You are now going to hear the first item, which is quite appropriate for this weather.
I’d like to introduce the artists who are on the stage with me: the dynamic duo from Calcutta, Bikram and Tanmoy, playing the tablas. The back-ground supporting drone is known as the tanpura. The bass one is played by Premik. And the treble tanpura on my right is played by my student, Kenji Ota. And I am being assisted by you know who (gesturing to his daughter, Anoushka).
After the unprecedented performance, Sri Chinmoy garlanded Ravi Shankar and offered a rose to each performer.
Sri Chinmoy introduced some of the special guests to Ravi Shankar, including H.E. Ambassador Vijay Nambiar, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, and his wife, Malini; Mrs. Mariam Chowdhury, wife of UN Under-Secretary-General Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury; Mrs. Anisa Amin, wife of Mr. Ruhul Amin, Minister, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN; and Ambassador Guruge of Sri Lanka and his wife, Darshanika.From:Sri Chinmoy,Depend on Grace, Agni Press, 2023
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/dg