日にち　−　２００５年３月２８日
話題　−　Brief report - Guru-ji Memorial Concert etc

Hi folks,

明日私はコルカタからバンコックへ行きます。次の一週間ぐらい彼女と一緒にタイの
島に泊まってから、4月8日に日本へ帰るまで、メールはできません。
This is my last night in India.  Tomorrow morning I fly from Kolkata to
Bangkok. I'll be spending the next week or so on an island with my
beloved, so until I arrive in Japan on April 8, I won't be able to check
or reply to emails.


I may write a fuller report then but for the brief news for now is:

The Inaugural "Ashu Babu Memorial Concert" was a GREAT SUCCESS!!!  At the
start of the evening there were about 1500-2000 people in attendance, the
biggest concert I've ever seen in Varanasi.  First item was Smt. Vaswati
Mishra (Kathak dance) followed by Dr. Aditi Chakraborty (vocal).  Then
came the highlight of the evening, Pt. Debu Chaudhuri (sitar). 
Unfortunately for me I didn't see his performance as I was focusing on my
performance with Jimi-san next up.  We played at about midnight to an
audience of about 400 people and the response was excellent.  I think a
lot of people were very surprised.

Since the concert I've been running around the country - first a few days
in Delhi and Agra sightseeing with my parents, then back through Varanasi
for final packing and negotiating Holi.  (Holi is one of the biggest
festivals in India - the whole country becomes a waterbomb/waterpistol
warzone.  I arrived in Varanasi the morning before, packed during the
battle, and zipped off to the station through the deserted aftermath.) 
Now a couple of days in Kolkata packing and sending tabla home and it's on
to the next chapter...
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Love to all
Shen
Aum Mani Padme Hum