Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Join MIM in honoring the legacy of Pandit Ravi Shankar, a musical luminary and singular figure in the transmission of Indian classical music and the sitar to the Western world. Shankar’s impression on the west was inescapable throughout the twentieth-century and could be heard everywhere from the concert stage with the London Symphony Orchestra to pop music recordings by The Beatles, whose fame helped bring further international attention to Indian music and culture, and Shankar himself. Gain a deeper appreciation of this remarkable musician through hands-on activities, discussions, film screenings, and performances. During your visit, be sure to include a trip to MIM’s Artist Gallery, where two of Ravi Shankar’s sitars are on display.
Presented in partnership with the Ravi Shankar Foundation Sponsored by Judith Pelham Supported by the India Association of Phoenix
Photograph by Michael Collopy Courtesy of the Ravi Shankar Foundation
Gifts Available for Purchase 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The Museum Store honors the life and musical contributions of musician and composer Ravi Shankar. Learn more about Shankar and Hindustani classical music through a variety of offerings from the Museum Store, including books and CDs.
Drop-In Listening Lounge 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Stop by and enjoy the music of the master. Sit for a while and listen to a selection of recordings from Shankar’s career, from the informal tracks released as Living Room Sessions to the live concert at New York City’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine celebrating the twentieth anniversary of his first US appearance. Selections are made available by East Meets West Music, the official record label of the Ravi Shankar Foundation, dedicated to preserving and propagating the core of Shankar’s legacy: peace through music.
Photo Booth 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Have your photo taken with fun costumes and props at MIM’s custom photo booth, and instantly get your own copy to take home as a souvenir!
Film Screening: Raga 10:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. (Saturday) Originally released in 1971, Raga documents the life of sitar master Ravi Shankar and his joys and challenges as a musician and teacher in the United States and Europe. Featuring rare footage of performances, rehearsals, and time spent with friends and family, this film sheds light on Shankar’s influences and collaborations, from his guru, Baba Ustad Allauddin Khan, to his famed dancer brother Uday Shankar, to his associations with Western musicians such as Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison. You won’t want to miss this inside look at the life of Ravi Shankar on the big screen.
Film Screening: Ravi & Anoushka Shankar: Live in Bangalore 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m. (Sunday) On February 7, 2012, two months before his ninety-second birthday, Ravi Shankar performed with his daughter Anoushka at the Bangalore Palace grounds in Bangalore, India. Captured in this film is the final breathtaking concert performance of the man who brought the cultural riches of the East to the West; the musician who dedicated his life to the learning, teaching, and performance of Indian classical music; and the maestro who taught us the importance of joy and hard work essential to creative expression.
Henna Body Art 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Get a beautiful henna body-art design from local artist Neelam Sandesara of the Henna Shoppe. Don’t worry, this natural, brown-tinted dye is only temporary!
Indian-Inspired Lunch Menu Available for Purchase 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Enjoy a special menu at Café Allegro that highlights Indian flavors, with dishes including lamb and potato soup, mattar paneer, and garlic naan.
Sitar and Sarod Performance 12:30–1:00 p.m. (Sunday only) Brothers Lakshay and Aayush Mohan have won the hearts of audiences at prestigious Indian classical music festivals and venues across the world with their sitar and sarod music. After listening to Lakshay and Aayush at the Ravi Shankar Centre in New Delhi, India, in 2012, Pandit Ravi Shankar, on seeing their talent and dedication, decided to launch them for their debut US tour under his foundation. As Shankar’s grand disciples, Lakshay and Aayush will join MIM this weekend to celebrate his musical teachings.
Remembering Ravi-ji: A Conversation with Sukanya Shankar 1:00–2:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:30–2:30 p.m. Sunday Ravi Shankar’s wife, Sukanya, visits MIM this weekend to share stories of Ravi-ji’s music, personality, and extraordinary journey as a teacher of Indian classical music in the West. This lively conversation, moderated by MIM curator Colin Pearson, will explore the challenges and experiences that shaped Shankar’s musical legacy. Join the conversation to learn more and share how Shankar’s music touched your own life before visiting the Artist Gallery to see objects generously on loan to MIM from Sukanya Shankar and the Ravi Shankar Foundation.
Kathak Dance Workshop 2:30–3:00 p.m. (Saturday only) Learn the techniques of kathak dance in a workshop offered by the Kalaa Kendra Kathak Institute. Radhika Kotwal, the institute’s founder, has practiced kathak for the past twenty years and has performed at arts centers throughout Arizona. Her unique dance productions, such as “Milaap—Where Kathak Meets Ballet, Flamenco, and Tap,” have won her several accolades in the United States and abroad.
Sitar and Tabla Performance 3:15–4:00 p.m. Seema Gulati will delight you with her passion and talent, expanding your knowledge of the sitar, Ravi Shankar’s instrument of choice. Gulati is the senior instructor and director of Shahid Parvez Khan Academy of Music in Chandler, and she has performed all across the country. Accompanied by international tabla performer Prafulla Athalye, Gulati will share exquisite sitar music in honor of Ravi Shankar.
Judith Pelham
