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{{Short description|Indian dancer, classical musician, and longterm partner of Ravi Shankar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2013}}
'''Kamala Chakravarty''' (born '''Saraswati Kamala Shastri''', 1928) is an [[Indian classical music]]ian and former dancer, known for her association with [[sitar]] maestro [[Ravi Shankar]]. From 1967 until the late 1970s, she accompanied Shankar, in the role of [[Tanpura (instrument)|tanpura]] player and singer, in a number of acclaimed performances, including the [[Monterey International Pop Festival]] (1967), his [[Human Rights Day]] duet with violinist [[Yehudi Menuhin]] (1967), [[the Concert for Bangladesh]] (1971) and the [[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India|Music Festival from India]] (1974). She lived with Shankar as his "wife" from 1967 to 1981, while he was still married to musician and teacher [[Annapurna Devi]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hard to say no to free love: Ravi Shankar|work=Press Trust of India|publisher=[[Rediff.com]]|date=13 May 2003|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/may/13ravi.htm|access-date=18 July 2009|archive-date=23 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023171327/http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/may/13ravi.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

While in her teens, Chakravarty trained and performed with [[Uday Shankar]]'s dance company. She is the younger sister of noted [[Hindustani classical music|Hindustani classical]] vocalist [[Lakshmi Shankar]]. She was married to Bombay film director [[Amiya Chakravarty (director)|Amiya Chakravarty]] from 1945 until Amiya's death in 1957.

==Biography==
===Early years and participation in Uday Shankar's dance company===
Kamala Chakravarty was born in Madras, south India, in 1928. Her father was R.V. Shastri, editor of [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s reformist newspaper ''[[Harijan]]''.<ref name="Sengupta" /> Along with her elder sister, [[Lakshmi Shankar|Lakshmi Shastri]], she studied at dance pioneer [[Uday Shankar]]'s India Culture Centre,<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 91, 95, 105.</ref> an academy based at Almora, in the remote north Indian state of [[Uttarakhand]].<ref>Sunil Kothari, [http://ignca.nic.in/ex_0054.htm "Exhibition – ''Celebrating Creativity: Life & Work of Uday Shankar''"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214070557/http://ignca.nic.in/ex_0054.htm |date=14 December 2017 }}, [[IGNCA]] (retrieved 4 December 2013).</ref> Her teachers in the various classical dance traditions included Sankaran Namboodri (for [[Kathakali]]), Kandappan Pillai ([[Bharata Natyam]]) and Amobi Sinha ([[Manipuri dance|Manipuri]]).<ref name="Raga Mala p 95">Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 95.</ref><ref>Massey, p. 223.</ref>

At Almora in 1941, Chakravarty attended the wedding of Lakshmi, then aged fifteen, to Uday's brother Rajendra, where she met the youngest of the Shankar brothers, the future [[sitar]] virtuoso [[Ravi Shankar]]. The latter recalls in his second autobiography, ''[[Raga Mala (book)|Raga Mala]]'' (1997), that Chakravarty was known as Saraswati Shastri at this time and only later began using Kamala as her first name.<ref name="Raga Mala p 105">Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 105.</ref>

===Bombay and marriage to Amiya Chakravarty===
The economic effects of [[World War II]] forced the academy's closure in 1944,<ref>Shankar, ''My Music, My Life'', pp. 74–75, 86.</ref> after which Chakravarty moved to Calcutta and then joined her sister and brothers-in-law in [[Malad]], near Bombay.<ref name="Unheard Melody">Extract from Swapan Kumar Bondyopadhyay, [http://www.mid-day.com/smd/2005/may/109469.htm ''An Unheard Melody: Annapurna Devi''], [[Mid-Day|mid-day.com]], 15 May 2005 (retrieved 4 December 2013).</ref> There, Rajendra worked as a scriptwriter,<ref>''World Music: The Rough Guide'', p. 92.</ref><ref>Suresh Kohli, [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/patita-1953/article3607637.ece "Patita (1953)"], ''[[The Hindu]]'', 6 July 2012 (retrieved 4 December 2013).</ref> and Ravi tried to establish himself as a musician and composer.<ref>Lavezzoli, p. 54.</ref> In 2012, ''[[The Times of India]]'' wrote of Ravi Shankar, his wife [[Annapurna Devi]] and the Shastri sisters as "more or less contemporaries with a burning interest in music and dance".<ref name="Sengupta">Ratnottama Sengupta, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131212080341/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-16/kolkata/35850368_1_pandit-ravi-shankar-music-and-dance-ragas "Pandit Ravi Shankar: Music was his universe, his love, his weakness"], ''[[The Times of India]]'', 16 December 2012 (retrieved 4 December 2013).</ref>

A physical attraction grew between Shankar and Chakravarty, causing his family to hastily arrange a marriage between her and Bombay film director [[Amiya Chakravarty (director)|Amiya Chakravarty]].<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 105–06.</ref> After the wedding in September 1945, Chakravarty's professional ambitions were sidelined, while Shankar relocated to [[Andheri]].<ref name="Unheard Melody" />

===International years with Ravi Shankar===
[[File:Ravi Shankar recording for Pather Panchali.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Chakravarty's longtime romantic partner [[Ravi Shankar]], pictured in Bombay during the recording of his score for the 1955 film ''[[Pather Panchali]]'']]
Following Amiya Chakravarty's death in 1957, Shankar and Chakravarty renewed their relationship.<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 157.</ref><ref name="bloomberg bio">David Wilson & Siddharth Philip, [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-12/beatles-muse-ravi-shankar-father-of-norah-jones-dies.html "Beatles Muse Ravi Shankar, Father of Norah Jones, Dies"], [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg.com]], 12 December 2012 (retrieved 8 December 2013).</ref> She helped run his [[Kinnara School of Music]] from 1963 onwards,<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 175.</ref> and after Shankar left Devi in 1967, they lived together until 1981, for much of the time in the United States.<ref name="Dasgupta Dutt & Walia">Priyanka Dasgupta, Purba Dutt & Nona Walia, [https://web.archive.org/web/20131212080357/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-18/man-woman/31051588_1_pandit-ravi-shankar-sitar-legend-panditji "Meet India's bohemian lovers"], ''[[The Times of India]]'', 18 February 2012 (retrieved 4 December 2013).</ref>

Chakravarty accompanied Shankar, on [[Tanpura (instrument)|tanpura]] or as a singer, on several of his recordings and international performances.<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 203, 220.</ref><ref>''In Celebration'', p. 29.</ref> These included his warmly received set with [[tabla]] player [[Alla Rakha]] at the [[Monterey International Pop Festival]], in June 1967,<ref>Sleeve credits, ''[[Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monterey International Pop Festival]]'' LP ([[World Pacific Records]], 1967).</ref><ref>''In Celebration'', pp. 28–29.</ref> the [[Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monterey International Pop Festival|live album from which]] remains Shankar's highest-charting work on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pop albums chart.<ref>Phil Gallo, [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1481439/ravi-shankars-impact-on-pop-music-an-appreciation "Ravi Shankar's Impact on Pop Music: An Appreciation"], [[Billboard (magazine)|billboard.com]], 12 December 2012 (retrieved 22 August 2015).</ref><ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ravi-shankar-mn0000404463/awards "Ravi Shankar: Awards"], [[AllMusic]] (retrieved 22 August 2015).</ref> In December that year, she and Rakha accompanied Shankar and American violinist [[Yehudi Menuhin]] during their [[Human Rights Day]] duet in New York,<ref>Shankar, ''My Music, My Life'', p. 96.</ref><ref>Timothy White, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2wsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=United+Nations+Human+Right+Day+1967+Ravi+Shankar&pg=PA75 "Ravi Shankar: Gala 75th For The Godfather Of World Music ''(continued)''"], ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', 18 March 1995, p. 75 (retrieved 8 May 2018).</ref> which was the first recital of Indian classical music to be broadcast globally.<ref>Lavezzoli, pp. 7–8, 63.</ref> Chakravarty subsequently contributed to the recording of the same piece, "Raga Piloo", for Menuhin and Shankar's album ''[[West Meets East, Volume 2]]'' (1968).<ref name="album sleeve">[http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=2492539 Sleeve credits], ''[[West Meets East, Volume 2]]'' LP ([[Saregama|His Master's Voice]], 1968).</ref>

Also over 1967–68, she participated in filming for the ''[[Raga (film)|Raga]]'' documentary (1971), appearing in footage of Shankar's performances from the period<ref>Jeff Kaliss, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110710164704/http://eastmeetswestmusic.com/files/songlinesreview.jpg "Ravi Shankar ''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India''"], ''[[Songlines (magazine)|Songlines]]'', 26 November 2010, p. 85 (archived version retrieved 10 July 2011).</ref> and as his companion in off-stage scenes filmed at the Monterey festival and (with Lakshmi) at the Los Angeles branch of his Kinnara School.<ref>''Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India'' DVD, [[East Meets West Music|East Meets West]]/[[Apple Films]], 2010 (produced and directed by Howard Worth; reissue produced by Shyama Priya & Cat Celebrezze).</ref> Among other Shankar albums, she plays tambura on ''[[In San Francisco]]'' (1967)<ref>[http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=2058600&style=music&fulldesc=T "Ravi Shankar – In San Francisco CD Album" > "Product Description"], CD Universe/[[Muze]] (retrieved 29 August 2015).</ref> and ''Transmigration Macabre'' (1973), a soundtrack recorded in 1968 with French [[Experimental music|experimental]] percussionists [[Les Structures Sonores]]<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 203, 324.</ref> for the art film ''Viola''.<ref>Richie Unterberger, [http://www.allmusic.com/album/transmigration-macabre-music-from-the-film-viola-mw0000608671 "Ravi Shankar ''Transmigration Macabre: Music from the Film Viola''"], [[AllMusic]] (retrieved 29 August 2015).</ref> Later in 1968, she, Lakshmi and [[Jitendra Abhisheki]] were the singers in Shankar's Festival from India ensemble,<ref>Sleeve credits, ''[[Ravi Shankar's Festival from India]]'' LP ([[World Pacific Records]], 1968).</ref> which recorded an [[Ravi Shankar's Festival from India|eponymous double album]] in Los Angeles before touring the United States.<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 203–04, 324.</ref>

In August 1971, Chakravarty accompanied Shankar, [[sarod]] master [[Ali Akbar Khan]] and Rakha at [[the Concert for Bangladesh]], held at New York's [[Madison Square Garden]].<ref>Lavezzoli, pp. 190–91.</ref> The success of the resulting [[The Concert for Bangladesh (album)|live album]] and [[The Concert for Bangladesh (film)|concert film]] gained Indian music its largest audience up to that point.<ref>Lavezzoli, p. 194.</ref> Although she provided a minor role in the performance, as the tambura player,<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 265–66.</ref> [[George Harrison]]'s introduction of Chakravarty to the New York audience ensured that her name became linked to the event.<ref name="Pidgeon/NME">John Pidgeon, "''Bangla Desh''", ''[[NME]]'', 15 July 1972, p. 24; available at [http://www.rocksbackpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=12260 Rock's Backpages] (subscription required; retrieved 5 December 2013).</ref>

In 1973, Chakravarty was among the chorus singers at the Los Angeles sessions for Shankar's genre-fusing album ''[[Shankar Family & Friends]]'' (1974).<ref>Leng, p. 138.</ref> The album was produced by Harrison and featured Lakshmi as lead vocalist and [[Shubhendra Shankar|Shubho Shankar]] (Shankar's son by Devi) on sitar.<ref>Castleman & Podrazik, pp. 139, 205–06.</ref><ref>Lavezzoli, pp. 52–53, 195.</ref> In 1974, Chakravarty, Lakshmi and the latter's daughter<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 224.</ref> [[Viji Shankar|Viji]] performed in Europe as part of [[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India]],<ref>''Collaborations'', pp. 44–50.</ref> the first Indian orchestra to play in Europe.<ref>Leng, p. 148.</ref> Her contributions, on tambura and as a backing singer, also appeared on the Music Festival's studio album,<ref name="Music Festival album sleeve">Album credits, ''[[Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India]]'' LP ([[Dark Horse Records]], 1976; produced by George Harrison).</ref><ref>''In Celebration'', pp. 39, 46.</ref> recorded in England at Harrison's [[Friar Park]] and released in 1976.<ref>''Collaborations'', p. 15.</ref> That same year, Chakravarty participated in the recording of the third volume of Shankar and Menuhin's West Meets East series, issued in 1977.<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 184, 324.</ref> The album included "Morning Love", featuring Shankar and French flautist [[Jean-Pierre Rampal]] backed by Rakha and Chakravarty<ref>''In Celebration'', p. 44.</ref> – a piece that Shankar later named as a favourite among his various collaborative works.<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 184–84.</ref>

===Subsequent relationship with the Shankar family===
By the time that Annapoorna finally granted Shankar a divorce in 1982, he and Chakravarty had split up.<ref name="bloomberg bio" /> Having nursed Uday in the weeks before his death in September 1977 and similarly cared for Shubho after the latter had attempted suicide in 1970, she remained a close friend of the musician's [[Template:Shankar family|extended family]].<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', pp. 232, 260, 269.</ref> According to Shankar in ''Raga Mala'', Chakravarty accepted and was welcoming towards his second wife, Sukanya, and their daughter, [[Anoushka Shankar|Anoushka]].<ref>Shankar, ''Raga Mala'', p. 269.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|20em}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; {{ISBN|0-345-25680-8}}).
* ''Collaborations'', book accompanying ''[[Collaborations (Ravi Shankar and George Harrison album)|Ravi Shankar–George Harrison Collaborations]]'' box set (Dark Horse Records, 2010; produced by Olivia Harrison; package design by Drew Lorimer & Olivia Harrison).
* ''In Celebration'', booklet accompanying ''[[Ravi Shankar: In Celebration]]'' box set (Angel/Dark Horse, 1995; produced by George Harrison & Alan Kozlowski; package design by Rick Ward/The Team Design Consultants).
* Peter Lavezzoli, ''The Dawn of Indian Music in the West'', Continuum (New York, NY, 2006; {{ISBN|0-8264-2819-3}}).
* Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; {{ISBN|1-4234-0609-5}}).
* Reginald Massey, ''India's Dances: Their History, Technique, and Repertoire'', Abhinav Publications (New Delhi, NCT, 2004; {{ISBN|81-7017-434-1}}).
* Ravi Shankar, ''My Music, My Life'', Mandala Publishing (San Rafael, CA, 2007; {{ISBN|978-1-60109-005-8}}).
* Ravi Shankar, ''Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar'', Welcome Rain (New York, NY, 1999; {{ISBN|1-56649-104-5}}).
* ''World Music: The Rough Guide (Volume 2: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific)'', Rough Guides/Penguin (London, 2000; {{ISBN|1-85828-636-0}}).
{{refend}}

{{Ravi Shankar}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chakravarty, Kamala}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Musicians from Chennai]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Shankar family]]

Kamala Chakravarty - Revision history

Sergdxx at 10:09, 10 December 2025