Adi Da Up Close
Audio/Video Library

John Wubbenhorst interviews master dhrupad player Rishabh Dhar (via Skype). Rishabh lives in Calcutta, India. He is the son of the first lady dhrupad singer in India, Ashoka Dhar), and travels around the world giving concerts and workshops.

Rishabh first talks about having spent twenty years living in his music Guru's house, immersed in in-depth learning of his musical craft in the traditional Gurukula (family of the Guru) manner.

He then talks about the many times he has played music for Adi Da on Naitauba in Fiji. He recalls giving a sacred musical offering for Adi Da, and about an extraordinary occurrence that took place when Adi Da gave him prasad after the offering. He also talks about the amazing resemblance of Adi Da and Swami Vivekananda which holds a special significance for him.

Comments: 2

Devotees describe the beneficial impact of sacred music on their practice of the Way of Adidam, during the Celebration of Da Purnima on Adi Da Samrajashram, in July, 2014. The music was performed by John Wubbenhorst and Peter Van Gelder (sitar), on many different occasions.

John writes: "It was a very full Celebration of Da Purnima at Adi Da Samrajashram in Fiji. Peter Van Gelder (sitar) and myself (bansuri flute) came for music service and we were very busy every day. Each morning we would sit for several hours practicing the most refined compositions from Peter's music guru Ali Akbar Khan and we would chose what we felt would be the best gifts for our Guru, Adi Da, that day. Almost every day there would be offerings and also many chanting occasions. It is very tangible the difference between playing at Adi Da Samrajashram and playing music anywhere else. The island is so full of Beloved Adi Da that as soon as we would start to play, we would feel the music coming from a deeper place and that would in turn help everyone to drop into deeper communion with Beloved, which would then allow the music to be deeper — and on and on."

Tags: music  

Dhrupad is one of the most ancient and pure traditions of Indian music. It adheres renditions of raga exposition that have been called "the real currency of Indian music".

Master dhrupad singer and teacher Nirmalya Dey will be visiting Lake County, California, October 18-20, 2012.

He will give a concert at The Mountain Of Attention (in Land Bridge Pavilion) on Friday, October 19 at 8pm. Suggested donation is $20 (but no one is turned away).

He will give a workshop on "Dhrupad" practices on Saturday, October 20, from 9am - 1pm at the home of devotee Gina Macioce. Suggested donation is $50.

Nirmalya will also have limited spots available for private lessons. Call to reserve in advance, if you are interested.

To register for the workshop, sign up for lessons, or for more information, please call John Wubbenhorst at 301-346-0789 or email brightworldarts@gmail.com.

Peter van Gelder (sitar), John Wubbenhorst (bansuri), and Samrat Kakkeri (tabla) will perform a Sacred Offering of classical Indian ragas on 2pm on June 3, 2012, in Land Bridge Pavilion at The Mountain Of Attention.

This is a fundraising event to support sending musicians to Naitauba for Da Purnima.

Suggested donation: $15. (No one is turned away.)
For more information, call: 301-346-0789.

Event poster here.

This event has passed or the page is now out of date. However, we are keeping this page up so you can get a feeling for what similar, future events like this might be like. To see a listing of upcoming special events, click here.

John Wubbenhorst (bansuri) and Samrat Kakkeri (tabla) will be playing North Indian ragas. John will also tell leelas of his recent five weeks in Fiji at Adi Da Samrajashram. The concert is a special fund raising event for Bright World Arts, a unique non-profit group promoting the arts.


time: Saturday, January 7, at 7:30 pm
place: Hands Up Hall (the Adidam Lake County regional hall)
12055 Shenandoah Circle
Middletown, CA
suggested donation: $15
Call 301-346-0789 for more information.

The Adidam Music Fest will be held Friday, September 30, at 7.30pm. The event will be held at Rudramandir, 830 Bancroft Way, Berkeley CA. (map)

Take part in an ecstatic evening of music, dancing, stories, refreshments and good company. The occasion will feature classical Indian music with John Wubbenhorst (bansuri), Samrat Kakkari (tabla). At the end of the evening will be trance dancing with the East/West jazz fusion group, "Facing East Trio". The evening is dedicated to the spiritual inspiration of Avatar Adi Da Samraj.

Suggested donation is $15. For more information, visit www.adidambayarea.net or call 415.492.0930.

Tags: FacingEast   John Wubbenhorst   Samrat Kakkari   Facing East Trio