Expressnews
Chennai, November 2022: Heartfulness brought an exciting and scintillating musical recital, which is also a fundraiser for Forests by Heartfulness (FBH), by the dynamic violinists maestros Shri Ganesh and Shri Kumaresh who are celebrating 50 years of a scintillating musical journey. The event took place under the gracious blessings of Guide of Heartfulness Meditation Worldwide – Shri Kamlesh Patel, fondly called Daaji who joined the concert virtually. Also present were Padma Bhushan Awardee, Sangeetha Kalanidhi – Dr. T. V. Gopalakrishnan, and Padma Bhushan Awardee, President Nrityodaya – Smt. Padma Subrahmanyam. The concert that was held at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, attracted an audience of nearly 1100 music aficionados and Heartfulness volunteers.
The contributions raised through this event will be donated to Forests by Heartfulness (FBH), a multi-million and multi-year plantation commitment, to plant 30 million trees by 2025. FBH has already planted more than a million saplings at its global meditation center at Kanha Shanti Vanam near Hyderabad and many millions more outside. Shri Ganesh and Shri Kumaresh have been lifetime practitioners of Heartfulness meditation and are amongst the most prominent patrons of the FBH Initiative.
The maestros also unveiled The Wisdom Bridge – Daaji’s latest and much talked about book. In his new book The Wisdom Bridge – Nine Principles to a Life that Resonates in the Hearts of Your Loved Ones, Shri Kamlesh D. Patel ‘Daaji’, says that parents everywhere are doing their best and they need support, but in raising happy children, responsible teenagers and fulfilled adults, the book guides us in strengthening the irreplaceable generational bonds of family. The book also draws wisdom from ancient stories and Daaji’s life learnings and research citations.
Shri Kamlesh Patel, Guide of Heartfulness Meditation Worldwide said, “Music has such beneficial effects on mind and soul. Music has been proven to be therapeutic as well. Ganesh and Kumaresh have taken it to another level by coming forward for an auspicious cause – saving trees by supporting Forests by Heartfulness. I am very happy to see the huge numbers of music lovers being in the cause together. It is only collective efforts that bring huge changes. I pray that more and more people take afforestation and plantation seriously to save our planet while focusing on meditation practices like Heartfulness for evolution of inner environment[SS1] .”
Speaking on the occasion, violinist Shri Ganesh said, “As a universal language, music brings all of us together, but putting music for a good cause is a beautiful thing. I am happy that so many people have come forward for Forests by Heartfulness by furthering music for saving trees and our green planet. My special reverence to Daaji who has been guiding the project with so much devotion. Forests by Heartfulness is one-of-a-kind initiative that. In such short timeframe the project has saved millions indigenous endangered plant species and still counting. Going at this pace, we are sure to make a difference under the astute guidance of Rev. Daaji. He has also given some very valuable nuggets through his new book The Wisdom Bridge and I really hope each of you reads it and benefits from it.”
His brother violinist Shri Kumaresh added, “We have been associated with Forests by Heartfulness and in the process have made the baby steps to saving trees. I am glad that something of this scale can augment our efforts in the direction and secure the future of our planet.”
Shri Ganesh and Shri Kumaresh hailed as “child violin prodigies”, performed for the first time in 1972 and since then have received many prestigious honors and awards including the Kalaimani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, Akademi Puraskar 2018 by Sangeet Natak Akademi, and GIMA – the Global Indian Music Academy Awards.
