Nada Bindu Raga Sagara - Orange County, CA - Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji - 29 April

On Thursday, the 29th April, Sri Swamiji arrived in Santa Ana airport from Dallas. Ravi Renduchintala, Kaliji, Kusum Patel and Ashok Patel received Sri Swamiji. In the evening, Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja. Kriti, younger daughter of Sri. Ravi Renduchintala played violin. One could observe the musical traits in her as in her elder sister Kavita. Eeshan, son of Smt. Prema sang vocals. Sri Swamiji appreciated the interest of the young in music. Sri Swamiji remarked that interest in arts makes a person more defined and purposeful. As it was a Thursday, Pada Puja was performed to the sacred Datta Padukas in the evening.

On 30th April, Friday, Satsang was held in the evening at Chinmaya Mission, west. Swami Ishwarananda and other mission functionaries chanted "Nakarmana" Mantras and received Sri Swamiji with the traditional Purnakumbha. Sri Swamiji visited the shrine of Shiva and Vishnu and worshipped. Looking at a large portrait of Swami Chinmayananda, Sri Swamiji remembered their meeting. Bhajan Session ensued. Swami Ishwarananda lit the lamp and in his welcome address reverentially welcomed Sri Swamiji. He said that Swamiji is a Maha Purusha. Smt. Padma Kutty, well known and respected music teacher in Los Angeles area presented garland to Sri Swamiji. Kaliji of Triyoga offered different types of T-Shirts with Yogatunes logo.

Yoga Tunes, the organisation which is organising this event in California donated a thousand Dollars to the local Carnatic music organisation "South Indian Music Academy" for furtherance of their programs. Smt. Radha Iyer, President and other members of the organisation went up to Sri Swamiji and received Blessings.

Sri Swamiji sang several Bhajans. It was an incredible Bhajan session of Bhajans sung in different languages.

On Saturday, the 1st May, Nada Bindu Raga Sagara was held in the prestigious Orange County Performing Arts Center. The grand theater, the sheer size, the tiered balconies, huge Pipe Organ on the stage added to make the experience a very unique one. Teachers / leaders of different religions were present. The concert was named as "Universal Music concert". Sri Swamiji music stood up to it. Among the several Ragas played in the concert, Sri Swamiji played a four note self created Raga, Eeshaanana. Sri Swamiji had composed this Raga in Youngstown and waited until California concert to play it. Raga Eeshaanana has just four notes "Sa, Ma, Pa and Ni - C, F, G, B". To create a enjoyable tune out of such short scaled Raga is indeed a challenge, albeit for Sri Swamiji. The master musician He is, weaved and waxed the synthesizer and a harmonious, enjoyable formation spurt forth. Sri Swamiji was at ease with this newly created Raga and the audience were in musical bliss. The main composition of the concert was "Nada Bindu Raga Sagara" - a four Raga piece (Eeshaanana, Yogini, Kokilam and Sarasangi - Bhajan-Saptashvarudham). Sri Swamiji's music transported the audience to musical bliss. Sri Swamiji too was at His musical best. Raga Ragini Mangala did not make the audience stir. No one felt like leaving the seat which had taken them through an amazing musical journey, captained by Sri Swamiji - showing the wonderland that is - Celestial Music. The peaks and the crevices, the panoramas, the vistas, the microcosm of each note - the beauty of the short silence passes, the wonder of micro notes. As Sri. Don Ganguly offered vote of thanks, there was a thunderous applause.

Playbill, the official magazine of the Orange county Performing Arts center, had published a special feature on Sri Swamiji's "Nada Bindu Raga Sagara". Sri. Kuppa Krishnamurthy had penned a small essay on the meaning of the name of the concert.

After the concert, Sri Swamiji met with Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious leaders and spoke about His music and the goodness music brings to inter religious harmony. In the meeting were:

Reverend Paul Swavely, Orange County Center for Spiritual Renewal
Kaliji
Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Unity of Tustin
Reverend Carolyne Mathlin, Ministry Director, Unity of Tustin
Scott Robinson, Exec VP, Hospice Care West (presented garland)
Shaikh Mohammed

Before the concert, When Sri Swamiji had inspected the stage, Swamiji was keenly looking at the gigantic pipe organ that was on the back wall of the stage. Mr. Tom, who observed Sri Swamiji's interest, asked if Sri Swamiji would like to play it. Hearing Sri Swamiji's yes, he organised 5 minute pipe organ playing for Sri Swamiji after the audience had emptied. After the concert and the meeting with religious leaders, Mr. Tom led Sri Swamiji up to the Pipe Organ. Sri Swamiji sat on the stool, with levers, keys, pedals and key boards awaiting the divine touch. Sri Swamiji played the Pipe organ for about 15 minutes. Later Mr. Tom took Sri Swamiji to the insides of the mechanism of Pipe Organ. The multitude of mechanics... all cleanly assembled in a five story high room was mind boggling.

On Sunday, Sri Chakra Puja and Ganapathy Homa were performed in the Sanatana Dharma temple in Cerritos. Sri. Bhiku Patel, founder of the temple offered garland to Sri Swamiji. During the discourse (which was of a informal question-answer type) Sri Swamiji spoke about the Eeshaanana Raga.

Sri Swamiji rested on Monday and Tuesday in Laguna Hills and traveled to Omaha, Nebraska on 5th May 2010.