Since opening on May 15, 2010, the music school has enrolled 35 students under the close supervision of the founder, Shri Prasad Joshi.  He has named the school for his mother, who inspired him to cultivate his voice to what it is today, which he offers at Nityananda's Temple in Ganeshpuri as one of the seven Brahman priests there.  All the temple priests sing with great love, yet Prasad's voice and his professional training as a singer help to melt the devotee's heart.

Listen to Prasad singing the Nityananda Arati, recorded by Shiva Ashram, Melbourne Australia
                   

    
Primary Sponsor
Swami Nirmalananda, founder of Svaroopa^® Vidya Ashram and Master Yoga Foundation, speaks of Prasad with great love and respect, and is greatly moved by his providing an avenue for students to express their love of God through music.  Her decision to sponsor the school was supported by many generous yogis within the Svaroopa^® yoga community, which made it possible for Prasad to open the school just a few short months after he discussed it with Swamiji.

Video on YouTube

Click here to see a short video of the harmonium teacher giving a concert in Ganeshpuri, for the purpose of inspiring students to begin.  It was a great success and all three harmonium classes began with full enrollment.  Thank you to Didi Alexander of Melbourne Australia for making the video available to us.  Check back soon as additional video footage will be posted soon.

Current Classes
The three tabla (drum) classes have 20 students. Swamiji says the teacher is "such a good teacher, really an excellent teacher. Not only does he explain things so well and have so much patience, it is so beautiful to watch him listen to them play.". He travels 2 hours each way from Mumbai to share his knowledge with students at the school. Two of the students are able to take their new skills into their new jobs - having recently become the new priests at Bhagavan's Samadhi Temple.  One of the youngest students is barely taller than the drums themselves!  

The harmonium classes work with seven instruments for students.  They study in three "batches", with students in these classes range from from their teens and college years to homemakers handling busy families. Swamiji says "When the mothers start studying the harmonium they bring music into the home. The local children are talking about their moms singing at home, and all the songs are love songs to God".

The classical dance classes (Bharat Natyam) attract the most interest and highest number of students, with space for 50 students every week.  The girls and women in the classes are very enthusiastic!

There has been such great interest in the school that they have had to turn away more than 20 prospective students in the past three weeks, due to limited class size and numbers of instruments. Additional harmoniums and drums are currently needed to make it easier for students to study as well as to get together and practice

During her recent visit to India Swamiji visited the school during the tabla classes; and some harmonium students came to practice.  She sat in the hallway with both groups were playing simultaneously, the tablas in a very small bedroom and the harmonium students in the main room of the house. "The whole place was vibrant with music. I feel the most incredible joy of their learning music, the joy that music has entered in to their lives. And that they can express their love of God through music and can share it with others."

New Location!
The school has found a location of their own so they can move out of the home in the village where they currently hold class and practice. It's a first-floor flat on the main street going into Ganeshpuri, which will make it possible for students to study and practice in a dedicated space.

Supported by Donations
Ashram donors provided the initial funding and committed enough money every month to pay the two teachers and the manager who organizes all the students class times and practice times (about $350 US per month).  In addition, donations have come in from Indian devotees of Bhagavan Nityananda. 

Additional funding is still needed, and is tax deductible to US citizens through the sponsorship of Svaroopa Vidya Ashram.  Click here to make a donation.  For more information, click here to email your question and contact info to Svaroopa^® Vidya Ashram.

About the Ashram's choice to sponsor Mother's Divine Music School, Swamiji says "It's easy to find people who need food and shelter etc., but I always gravitate towards projects that feed the soul rather than feed the body. That's what this school does. Ganeshpuri has many, many very poor people.  Their physical condition has been steadily improving because of charitable projects that started over 50 years ago with Bhagavan Nityananda. To touch their heart and souls is yet an untapped area. I get interested in supporting projects because of a key person involved in it, when someone I trust who is inspiring and manages the money to make every penny count and make miracles happen. And this is absolutely true of Sri Prasad Joshi."