Genesis Publications: Books: Raga Mala

RAGA MALA

Edited by George Harrison
Additional Narrative by Oliver Craske

Foreword by George Harrison

Afterword by Yehudi Menuhin

Price: £265

Ravi Shankar is the world's foremost sitar-player, the man christened by George Harrison as the 'Godfather of World Music', who spearheaded the international spread of Indian culture. Now he is releasing Raga Mala, a Genesis Limited Edition which is set to be a landmark among books, the ultimate collector's piece on India's greatest living musician.

Ravi Shankar has a remarkable tale to relate, and he brings to the task the same contrasting qualities that make him as uncommon a man as a musician: that mixture of charm and candour, of dignity and humility, of deep spirituality and wide-eyed, impish fun.

THE COMPACT DISCS

This Genesis Limited Edition also includes two special compact discs. Click here for more details and a Real Audio sample.

He tells of his humble beginnings, his teenage years as a dancer in the glamorous world of 1930's Paris and New York, of hearing the clarion call of music and studying sitar for seven years with the legendary Allauddin Khan, and his emergence as a musician and personality of first national and then international stature. Along the way he has gained friends and devotees all over the world, and his story is punctuated by an extraordinary range of such encounters: Peter Sellers and Marlon Brando, Tagore and Nehru, Yehudi Menuhin and Satyajit Ray, and no shortage of presidents and royalty.

The crazy days of Sixties superstardom, of Monterey, Woodstock and the Concert for Bangladesh, are recalled with both relish and a touch of distant relief. Since then, Ravi's continuing musical development and commitment have seen him attain the position of the elder statesman of Indian culture. The joys and sorrows in his often turbulent private life are recounted frankly but fairly, and to bring the story right up to date he reflects on the 50th anniversary of Indian independence, forecasts the path Indian music may take in years to come, and reveals his belated conversion to a more settled family life.

A prestigious selection of friends also discuss their association with Ravi Shankar: George Harrison (who edited the book), Zubin Mehta, Yehudi Menuhin, Philip Glass and Zakir Hussain have all contributed, as has Ravi's wife Sukanya. Raga Mala is further endowed with a comprehensive Index, a Glossary personally overseen by Ravi Shankar, and a Chronology of the sitar maestro's life and works.

Raga Mala features a remarkable collection of photographs and documents drawn almost entirely from the personal archives of Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. A large number of these have never been published before. Classically elegant in design and presented to the very highest of standards, it is a beautiful record of an extraordinary life.

Raga Mala is a consummate Limited Edition book assembled with great respect for the traditional values of publishing: attention to detail, beautiful design, love of paper and print. Its quality of production will ensure it is a lasting celebration of a man whose renown and importance will stretch beyond our own lifetimes.

A choice of four colours is available for the silk which covers the autobiography volume and the CD box: Royal Blue, Magenta, Purple or Golden Orange. The silk mill in India has been specially commissioned to supply the cloth in advance of publication, so we shall match your choices in order of preference subject to the stock availability of your chosen colours. To guarantee your first choice you are advised to make your reservation as soon as possible, since demand will be high for this exceptional Limited Edition.

Every copy is personally signed by Ravi Shankar, individually-numbered, bound in Bangalore raw silk and individually finished by hand, including gilt tooling and gilded page edges.
The 352 page autobiography volume runs to 120,000 words, master-printed in dark brown and gold onto high-quality acid-free 145gsm paper, with four sections in full colour, reproducing over 200 photographs, mostly previously unseen. The page size is 240mm by 168mm.
The entire Limited Edition set is contained within a de-luxe presentation box, which is silk-screen printed in matt black and chestnut brown with gilt tooling.
The two compact discs, showcasing 80 minutes of exclusive and rare material by Ravi Shankar (details here), are housed along with an explanatory booklet in a specially-designed CD box .
A packet of finest-quality Special Durbar Agarbathi incense sticks - the personal favourites of Ravi Shankar and George Harrison for over thirty years.
Both the CD box and the incense box are covered in the same Bangalore raw silk as the book.
This Limited Edition is restricted to only 2000 numbered copies worldwide

LINKS The Ravi Shankar Foundation Ravi Shankar Institute for Music and Performing Arts Read the Ravi Shankar Interview