Kirtans and songs of the Saints and Sages of India
BY Dr. Krishna Kant Shukla on tour from Varanasi,India
FRIDAY, FEB 14th, 6:30 pm-8:00 p.m.
While teaching Physics and Astronomy as an assistant professor in upstate New York, Krishna decided to leave academics and follow his heart and soul deep into the fathomless waters of Indian Classical Music. Having studied with Srimati Laxmi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and Dr. Tapan Bhattacharya, he returned to India to explore the roots of Indian Classical Music in the folk traditions. His musical search led him into remote villages in the Himalayan foothills, as well as far flung and difficult to reach places in the central plains. Musically he has been particularly influenced by the songs of Kabir, Gorakhnath, and other poet-saints as sung by his Guru, Pandit Kumar Gandharva. These songs belong to living spiritual traditions, some of which are over fourteen hundred years old. Before singing each song, Dr. Shukla reads out his own English translation. He also leads the audience in Kirtan Chants from various spiritual traditions. Dr. Shukla accompanies himself on the harmonium and will be accompanied by RACHEL KATTLOVE on Tanpura (drone) and TAJ JURE on crystal singing bowls.
VENUE: Flower of life farm, (behind Moloa’a fruit stand), 6020 Koolau Rd. Go straight past the fruit stand on your left, to the end, turn right, go to end of paved road, at the signboard “Moloa’a Vista”(PLEASE IGNORE GPS INSTRUCTION TO TURN LEFT HERE), continue straight for 100 yards, first driveway on left.
Contact: nicolle0jones@gmail.com, 808.212.7173 danielhayesuppendahl@gmail.com, 808.631.6033. FREE AND OPEN TO PUBLIC.
You can hear Dr. Krishna Kant Shukla sing at 7:40 and 24:50. Both songs were written by the Yogi Gorakhnath 1400 years ago.
Musician, scientist, writer, poet, philosopher.Dr. Krishna Kant Shukla is a multidimensional being. Having studied in some of the best schools and colleges in India and U.K, he went on to obtain an M.S. and PhD. at the State University of New York at Buffalo in Solid State Physics. While teaching Physics and Astronomy as an assistant professor in upstate New York, he decided to quit the family trade of academics and follow his heart and soul deep into the fathomless waters of Indian Classical Music. Having studied with great maestros like Srimati Laxmi Shankar, Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan, Dr. Tapan Bhattacharya, he returned to India in 1994 to explore the roots of Indian Classical Music in the great living oral folk traditions. His musical search has led him into remote villages in the Himalayan foothills, as well as far flung and difficult to reach dwellings in the central plains. He has been particularly influenced by the songs of Kabir, Gorakhnath and other nirguna bhakti poet-saints, songs that have been sung as part of a living oral tradition that is over six hundred years old. Dr. Shukla’s repertoire includes compositions of Tyagaraja, Tulsidas, Surdas, Meera, Tukaram, Purandardas and other poet-saints of India, as well as the musical compositions of Sufi saints. He has also been researching, recording and performing the folk songs of rural northern India, which, according to him, is an art form of unparalleled beauty which is fast becoming extinct.
Dr. Shukla’s chief guiding light, inspiration, and guru is the legendary (late) Pandit Kumar Gandharva. Dr. Shukla has given several acclaimed performances in India and abroad, and is an empanelled artist with the ICCR (Indian Council of Cultural Relations). Recently, he toured the U.S. and gave 39 memorable concerts spanning 13 states. Several of these concerts included lecture demonstrations and classroom visits at leading American Universities. Dr. Shukla plays several musical instruments, including western classical guitar. His performances have been aired on national T.V. in India. Among his other endeavors, He actively promote ecology initiatives with spiritual foundation. His talk on “Science, Spirituality and the Environment” has been broadcast on national radio. He is a founding trustee of Saha Astitva Foundation which aims to create model eco-farms in India. Dr. Shukla’s interview on a U.S. radio station has been widely acclaimed. In 2011, Dr. Shukla was appointed as a “Distinguished Visiting Professor” in Department of Music and Religion at Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY, USA.
He now lives in his native hometown of Varanasi in northern India, on the banks of the great river, Mother Ganga.
