In the olden days, I believe Mozart also improvised on piano, but somehow in the last 200 years, the whole training of Western classical music - they don't read between the lines, they just read the lines. Ravi Shankar classicaldayimprovise share on social
There are thousands of ragas, and they are all connected with different times of the day, like sunrise or night or sunset. It is all based on 72 of what we call 'mela' or scales. And we have principally nine moods, ranging from peacefulness to praying, or the feeling of emptiness you get by sitting by the ocean. Ravi Shankar basecallconnect share on social
I do think that my Indian classical audiences thought I was sacrificing them through working with George; I became known as the 'fifth Beatle.' In India, they thought I was mad. Ravi Shankar audiencebeatleclassical Change image and share on social
I appreciate very much Vilayat Khan, the sitar player, and Bismillah Khan, the shehnai player; and among the tabla players, of course, Alla Rakha, Kishan Maharaja, and all these people. Ravi Shankar allabismillahkhan Change image and share on social
I have my own spiritual guru, and I'm so happy, and I feel so satisfied that I might appreciate many other famous gurus, but, you know, I am not attracted that way because I have found the person. Ravi Shankar attractfamousfeel Change image and share on social
When people say that George Harrison made me famous, that is true in a way. Ravi Shankar famousgeorgeharrison Change image and share on social
Many people, especially young people, have started listening to sitar since George Harrison, one of the Beatles, became my disciple. Ravi Shankar beatlesdisciplegeorge Change image and share on social
I was admired by all these hippies, and it was wonderful playing at Monterey and Woodstock, performing for half a million people. Ravi Shankar admirehalfhippie Change image and share on social
My brother had a house in Paris. To it came many Western classical musicians. These musicians all made the same point: 'Indian music,' they said, 'is beautiful when we hear it with the dancers. On its own, it is repetitious and monotonous.' Ravi Shankar beautifulbrotherclassical share on social
In India, I have been called a 'destroyer.' But that is only because they mixed my identity as a performer and as a composer. As a composer I have tried everything, even electronic music and avant-garde. But as a performer I am, believe me, getting more classical and more orthodox, jealously protecting the heritage that I have learned. Ravi Shankar avantcallclassical share on social