On December 20, 2018, the audience at Sir Pitty Thyagaraya Hall witnessed a concert like no other. A group of around 20 vocalists and instrumentalists, mostly from Sydney, Australia, performed for two hours as part of an evening of music and meditation. Followers of the Sahaja Yoga founder, Sri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the Music of Joy group is a set of dedicated people whose main intention is to spread the message of Sahaja Yoga and self-realisation through music.
Having toured the world extensively in the past, this is the team’s third tour of India and their first visit to Chennai. They rendered a medley of songs from various countries and traditions: Marathi bhajans, an Australian song in English, and even an original Hindi song composed by the Sahaja Yogis in New Zealand. The instruments included harmonium, guitar, western flute, tabla, dholak and an aboriginal instrument called the didgeridoo. Three members represented the whole group in a pre-show interview. When asked about the inception of ‘Music of Joy’, they said that it was started in the 1980s, when Sri Mataji toured Australia to teach them the power of Sahaja Yoga and expressed her wish that the practitioners should perform music too. Since then, the group has brought together a number of full-time working professionals, motivated by the desire to make music that moves the spirit.
Despite having varying levels of music knowledge, the members learn the songs and instruments on their own and even compose songs. “The art of Sahaja Yoga also boosts our creativity, which makes this possible,” a vocalist said. The songs are not restricted to any region or religion, but they all possess a meditative quality.
The harmonium player stated that they wanted to offer something different, driven by love and commitment, even though none of them is a professional artiste. The trio said that they wanted to give back something to India in return for the teachings they received from Sri Mataji. They agree that the people of India and the country’s culture never cease to amaze them. The members of Sahaja Yoga believe that the practice of self-realisation should be communicated in every way possible, traditional or contemporary.
