Harrison once called Ravi Shankar the "Godfather of World Music".
"Ravi plugged me into the whole of reality... The moment we started, the feelings I got were of his patience, compassion, and humility." – George Harrison.
Born on April 7, 1920, in Varanasi, Ravi Shankar was a storyteller, a spiritual force, and a global icon. His music had the power to calm the mind and touch the soul, leaving a lasting impact on society. Through his performances and global collaborations, he made Indian classical music accessible to people who had never even heard of a raga before. "The music that I have learned and want to give is like worshipping God. It's absolutely like a prayer," Pandit Ji once said. That’s the kind of devotion he brought to every note he played.
“Ravi Shankar is probably the person who has influenced my life the most. Later I realised Indian music was like a stepping stone to the spiritual path. I always had a feeling for that and the music led me there." George Harrison pic.twitter.com/sFw12OZ6l5
— George Harrison (@GeorgeHarrison) April 7, 2020
(Credit: GeorgeHarrison)
Today, on Pandit Ji's 105th birth anniversary, let's travel down memory lane and revisit that extraordinary moment when he met Harrison.
It was the mid-1960s when George Harrison first came across the sitar while working on The Beatles' film 'Help'! Curious and intrigued, he began exploring Indian music and soon discovered the name Ravi Shankar.
When they finally met, Shankar didn’t know who Harrison was—but he was touched by the young guitarist’s sincerity and humility. “He was genuinely interested in Indian music and religion,” Shankar later said. That’s when Harrison asked him if he could teach him the sitar.
(Credit: arquivospa_)
Shankar agreed but with a clear message: learning the sitar wasn’t going to be easy. “It’s like learning Western classical music on the violin or cello,” he said, adding, “It’s not just about strumming a few notes.”
Harrison took that advice seriously. He traveled to India and dedicated himself to learning—not just the instrument, but also the philosophy behind it. And it wasn’t a one-off jam session; it was proper training.
Their teacher-student bond soon turned into a deep friendship. Despite being one of the world's most famous musicians, Harrison was down-to-earth, eager to learn, and respectful of the tradition. Shankar later said in an interview, “I saw a beautiful soul in him… and a humility that meant so much in our culture.”
(Credit: TheBEATLESMania100n2)
The impact of those lessons showed up quickly in Harrison’s music. The sitar featured in The Beatles’ 'Norwegian Wood', though Shankar joked that the sound in the song was a bit “strange.” But with Shankar’s training, Harrison’s use of the sitar in songs like “Love You To” and “Within You Without You” felt deeper, more authentic.
(Credit: Anna Mintz)
And just like that, Indian sounds were being heard by millions of music enthusiasts across Europe and America.
Through this unlikely friendship with Harrison, Shankar introduced the world to ragas, talas, and the emotional depth of Indian classical music. But he didn’t stop there. He went on to perform at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969—two of the biggest music events—captivating audiences who’d never heard music like his before.
(Credit: East Meets West Music)
Over his lifetime, he won five Grammy Awards, performed all over the world, and became a cultural bridge between India and the West. Even after so many years since his demise, his legacy lives on—not just through recordings, but also through his daughter Anoushka Shankar, who continues to carry forward his musical journey.
On Pandit Ravi Shankar’s birth anniversary, we remember the legend who made the world fall in love with the sitar!
