PAUL HORN RECORDED HIS LP COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS IN KASHMIR

                                                                                       

Photographs 

(1) Paul Horn with George Harrison (2)Paul Horn (3) Back side of the LP (4) Front side of the LP.

Someday’s back  THE HINDU ( Newspaper )   carried a story  “FIFTY YEARS OF THE  BEATLES ”.  I read ever line of the   crisp write up   by Indrajit  Dutta . This legendry singing sensation of Yesteryears brought many more names to my mind . Yes   Ravi Shanker ,  Mahairishi Mahesh Yogi and surely Paul Horn. Mahesh Yogi played a spiritual Guru not only  to the BEATLES But also to Paul Horn.

Every person in the group called  “BEATLES ”   was a Genius of sorts . Paul McCartney , Ringo Starr/ Pete Best ( Drummers ), John Lennon (singer-songwriter, ) and my favorite   George Harrison  ( Guitarist ).  I have grown up listening to their music  . Yes the timeless classic  NOWHERE MAN  still makes me happy . Both John Lenon and George Harrison were deeply attracted  to India and its  spirituality. They were  also attracted by the saints , sages and Yoga . So is Paul Horn. While in Kashmir ,Harrison in particular was fascinated  by the magical  silence of Dal Lake during early morning hours .

 “ Pandit ji , This is the Morning Raaga Time . This lake weaves  the music of silence for us  . I  am sure I was born in this land in my previous birth.  ”   George   Harrison once told this to  Pandit Ravi Shanker  during one of  his  Sitar lesson days  in Kashmir .     

And one day  my Elder  sister suddenly  told me that she was a part of welcome troupe to a swami  known as Mahesh Yogi who was coming to their college ( Vishwa Bharati women’s college Rainawari  ) on a specific   invitation from  Pandit  Prem Nath Thussu  , a Dedicated Educationist and Secretary of the college .  Lo ! Mahesh Yogi in Rainawari.  And subla  the vegetable cum fruit seller in Jogilanker  Rainawari  had already  told my mother that he would not be selling any vegetable or fruit for two days   as some GREAT  DERVAISH  is coming to Vishwa Bharti  college and he  needs  to set up a fruit Reddi /kiosk  outside the college for visitors   .

As far as I remember , swami ji came in a Decorated small houseboat with some shikaras .

Later I came to know that  Paul Horn the  Jazz Flautist ( Flute ) from USA was   also staying with Mahirishi Mahesh Yogi in Kashmir at that point of time.   Paul Horn in Kashmir !.

Paul Horn  was exposed the Transcendental Meditation technique in USA  and consequently  travelled to India to learn more  from  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Who is Paul Horn ?

Paul  Horn  or  the  founding father of THE NEW AGE MUSIC had  five  Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards apart from having performed with  likes of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Buddy Rich, Chick Corea, Paul McCartney, Donovan, Quincy Jones, and Ravi Shankar. Mahirishi ji was a Kashmir lover . He visited Kashmir in 1951 or 1952 first time  on for his Amarnath  Pilgrimage .He also visited Kashmir in 1967, 1968 and 1969 .May be later on as well but I do not know.

  

During later years in my college ,  I came to know that   Paul Horn  had recorded a beautiful  LP /Album in kashmir .The album was  later sold as …..

PAUL HORN -IN KASHMIR – COSMIC  CONSCIOUSNESS.

This album he dedicated to Maharishi Mahesh yogi . And the album had Vocal , Dilruba and  Tambura credits to shri Chuni lal Kaul . It also had sitar played by Pandit J . N Shivpuri while the Tabla was played by Rajinder Raina . The track list included Aarti ( Prayer) , Raaga Ahir Bhairov,Tabla solo Teen Taal and Raga kerwani . About his music and meditation ,Paul  informs us :-

“We are traveling in historical time, from the present to the distant past. We are traveling inwardly as well, through the music of meditation.”

Paul is a magician when  he plays the Piano, Saxophone or the clarinet . And in flute , he comes matchless .Be it Potala Palace in Tibbet, or Taj In India or Pyramids of Giza   or With Beatles in Rishikesh,  he  was always   with his recording system .

So Long so much ……Let me sleep now and  keep dreaming . Let me dream again and again  those beautiful stories and events of  bygone era .

I conclude with the  poem  “ Khwaab Martay Nahin  or Dreams Never Die“ by urdu poet  Ahmed Faraaz..

(Khwaab  Maratay  Nahin )

Khwaab  Maratay  Nahin

Khwaab  Dil  hain na Aankhein  Na Saansein  ki Jo

Rezaa  rezaa huvey To Bikhar Jaayeingay,

Jism Ki Maut se yeh Bhi Mar jaayeingay,

Khwaab Martay Nahin  …

Khwaab To Roshini hain Navaa hain Hawaa hain ,

Jo  kaalay Pahaadon se Ruktay Nahin ,

Zulm Ke Doazakhon se bhi Funktay Nahin,

Roshini  Aur  Navaa Aur Hawaa ke Allum

Maqtalon Mein Pahunch kar Bhi Jhuktay Nahin ..

Khwaab To Harf hain ,

Khwaab  To Noor hain ,

Khwaab Sukraat Hain

Khwaab Mansoor hain..

In simple English the lines can be translated  as …….

Dreams never die.

Dreams are not like the heart , the eyes or the breath

That  will scatter  if broken .

Nor does the Body’s demise   bring death to the  Dreams.

Dreams are like Light ,Sound or the Breeze

No  Black mountain can impede their path .

No hell blaze  can destroy them .

The ensigns  of Light , sound and Air

 Never bend   even in  abattoirs .

Dreams are like  words .

Dreams are like  illumination.

Dreams are like  Socrates and

Dreams are like  *Mansoor……………………………

(*The great sufi saint Mansoor Al-Hallaj lived around 900 AD. He was cut into many pieces just because in a  state of ecstasy he exclaimed  “Ana al Haq "I am the Truth". People  thought that he was  saying  that” I am  God “. They  cut him into pieces and killed him .)

( Autar Mota ….27.03.2013 time 11.35 PM.. Good Night  )

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