Last modified August 2, 2020
In February of this year, the music group, Inspiration-Flames toured several locations in Europe, offering live concerts of Sri Chinmoy’s music in Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is a selection of recordings from their live performances.
Report by Kamalakanta Nieves
SOULFUL DREAMS COME TRUE
Dear listeners,
This past February I was honored to be invited to play and sing music with the group “Inspiration-Flames”, a Bulgarian ensemble of Sri Chinmoy students who excel in the art of soulful music. For this I am indebted to Priyadarshan, Priyavadin, Sopan and Baridhi, who were all instrumental in making this happen.
I do not know if I have the words to express the gratitude that I feel to so many of my brothers and sisters who showered us with their love, oneness, concern and joy. Everywhere we went we were received with the greatest hospitality and oneness; I felt overwhelmed by the love received.
The members of the group “Inspiration-Flames” made me feel like one of their own; such was the oneness, I felt like I had been with them my whole life! It was a great joy to share time with them in the process of preparing to give concerts!
We rehearsed for two days and started with a concert in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. We played in a wonderful museum, and the experience was sublime!
Towards the end of the programme, I felt that the audience’s hearts and our heart had become one heart! Our gratitude to the Plovdiv disciples for their hospitality.
Our second concert was in Sofia, and it is from this concert in Sofia that these recordings were obtained. Special thanks to Giriraja for taking care of us in so many ways! His Kring Restaurant kept us alive, and how!
Kring Restaurant
Giriraja is a world-class chef, and his vegan food is, aside from my grandmother’s beans (NOBODY could cook beans like her; not even my mother, and my mother was good at it!), the best-tasting food I have had in my life! We were able to rehearse at his performance space, and he also did the sound for our concert in Sofia. He is also excellent as a live-sound engineer, and as a recording engineer as well, as you will be able to tell by listening to these recordings. Our gratitude to all the disciples in Sofia!
Inspiration-Flames in Sofia
After Sofia, we travelled to Bosnia and stayed for one night at Angikar’s house in Nis, Serbia. I was surprised by this country; something happened which I had not expected: when we arrived at Angikar’s house in the countryside, it felt like I was in my country, Puerto Rico!
Beautiful countryside in Serbia
The simplicity and sweetness was overwhelming! At the same time, Serbia emanates great strength! Our gratitude to Angikar for hosting us. He also sang with us at most of the concerts in the tour. it was also very special to be able to visit my dear brother Namitabha!
Next we travelled to Bosnia-Herzegovina. As we crossed into Bosnia-Herzegovina, I was struck by its beauty and sweetness.
Banja Luka
Amur was our host, and the concert was a spiritual experience for me. We played at a modest venue, but the sound person was so humble and sweet, and the public so receptive and generous, it became a spiritual experience! Towards the end of the concert I could see and feel a bird in every person’s heart, fluttering its wings, eager to fly! Again, our gratitude to all the disciples in inspiration-flames-live-performances/images/banja-luka!
Next came Austria. Priyavadin and Priyavadini hosted our entire group in their wonderful “Heart of Joy Cafe”
Every dish is delightful; whether you are having a soup, coffee, dessert or a main dish, you feel blessed to be there! Again, the love and hospitality that we all received was overwhelming. There was a true feeling of family at every moment. We gave a full concert, and it was received warmly.
Vratasta
Vijayanta
Yasen and Radomir
Baridhi and Sarveshwara
Rehearsal before the concert!
Special thanks to Wolfgang for all his help. Our gratitude to all in the Salzburg Sri Chinmoy Centre!
Our next-to-last stop was Augsburg. we were kindly hosted by Projjwal, Karali and Aruna, who organized a Songs of the Soul Concert in which we participated. What an honour! Other performers were Agnikana’s Group, Adesh and Ajita and Mandu and Visuddhi.
Agnikana’s Group
Adesh (Sitar) and Ajita (Tablas)
Mandu (Erhu) and Visuddhi (Harp)
Next morning we had breakfast at Cosmos-Heart Café. What a delight!
The Café!
Aruna and Projjwal
Thanks to everyone in the Augsburg Sri Chinmoy Centre for your kindness and hospitality,
and for granting us the honour, blessing and privilege to participate in a Songs of the Soul Concert!
After Augsburg, we participated in a Joy Day at Heidelberg. A Joy Day is a Sri Chinmoy Centre activity in which
disciples from different Sri Chinmoy Centres meet to share in group meditations, concerts, plays and sporting activities that give us spiritual joy.
Our last stop was at Pujaloy, a special Sri Chinmoy meditation centre in Heidelberg.
Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) was a God-realised Spiritual Master who dedicated his life to loving and serving God and humanity. He sought to share the fruits of his prayer-life and meditation life by manifesting this beautiful reality in many fields of human endeavour.
His achievements are many. I will mention just a few: he wrote more than 1,500 spiritual books, composed over 20,000 spiritual songs and painted over 100,000 paintings. He was also active in the world of sports and tried to foster the feeling of oneness, love and peace among all human beings through the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run
if you want to learn more about him, please go to his official website,
Visiting Pujaloy was the dream and now, through the love and self-giving of my brothers and sisters, it had become a reality.
inspiration-Flames.
The subtitle of this article is “SOULFUL DREAMS COME TRUE”, and it is my personal feeling and experience that it is so. Why? Because if your wish is really coming from the deepest and highest part of your being, from your soul, then it is coming from the Supreme within you, and it is bound to be granted, sooner or later. In September of 2019, I had the wish to go to Pujaloy, and in February 2020 we were there! It has happened many times in my life!
Again, I want to offer my heart’s deepest gratitude to all the members of Inspiration-Flames, to Angikar and Sarveshwara, and to all the disciples who gave us such a warm and loving welcome to their respective countries! We are a real spiritual family!
with gratitude, always,
Kamalakanta
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Inspiration flames – what a sublime sound! The flute is especially enthralling.
Heaven on earth! brings back our soulful hearts if they have slipped. Beauty, oneness, love, universal sweetness. Gratitude.