Australia Contents Meetings with Prominent People Visits to Australia Honours and Awards Music Peace Concerts United Nations Activities Art Exhibitions Lectures Literature Relay Events The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles Silent Meditations Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart Athletic Events and Achievements Self-Transcendence Manifestation Events
2 Sri Chinmoy in Australia My Salutation to the Soul of Australia
My aspiring heart is saluting you. My illumining soul is loving you. In you, I see a perfect combination of the mind’s height and the heart’s depth. In you, I see a perfect combination of the body’s service and the vital’s dynamism. Your soul is at once the embodiment of the ancient sun and the revelation of tomorrow’s dawn. Your body-consciousness is the expansion of vastness. Your heart-delight is the perfection of illumination. Slowly and steadily your body walks. Dynamically and confidently your vital marches. Pointedly and unerringly your mind runs. Devotedly and unconditionally your heart dives. Eternally and supremely your soul flies. Your life’s greatness-dream is humanity’s transcendental pride. Your life’s goodness-reality is humanity’s universal treasure.
– Sri Chinmoy (1974)
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 3 Meetings with Prominent People
“I have extremely fond memories of my meeting with Sri Chinmoy in 1976.… his work for peace has shown how one person can have such a positive and profound effect on so many people’s lives.” – Ron Clarke World Champion Runner A sharing of faith between the Anglican Dean of Perth Rev. John Cornish and Sri Chinmoy in 1976. “What you are offering is very simple. They aren’t things to learn, intellectual things. It is an attitude of the heart.” – Bishop Phillip Kennedy Catholic Bishop of Adelaide
“I think a person such as yourself, who is so humble in himself, giving light to people in so-called prominent positions, probably Running champion Ron Clarke discusses the spiritual significance of sport with Sri Chinmoy in Melbourne, in 1976. reminds them to be more humble and more dedicated to the thing they’re serving rather than themselves.” – The Right Hon. Ernest Lee-Steere Lord Mayor of Perth
“I’m glad to have you here for this peaceful moment you have brought.” – John Landy Olympic Athlete
Sri Chinmoy meeting with world champion surfer Ian Cairns in Perth in 1976.
4 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sri Chinmoy in conversation with Bishop Kennedy of Adelaide, in 1976. Sri Chinmoy and Australian UN Ambassador Ralph Harry meet at the United Nations to celebrate Australia Day in 1978.
Rev. John Cornish Reverend Ted Noffs Robert de Castella Anglican Dean of Perth Rector of the Wayside Chapel Marathon Runner 2 March 1976, Perth, WA 6 March 1976, Sydney, NSW World Championships Gold Medallist 27 September 1981, New York Ian Cairns Ron Clarke and 15 September 1984, Canberra, ACT World Champion Surfer World Champion Runner 2 March 1976, Perth, WA 11 March 1976, Melbourne, Victoria Tony Rafferty Ultra-distance Runner The Right Hon. Ernest Lee-Steere Bishop Phillip Kennedy 11 September 1984 Lord Mayor of Perth Catholic Bishop of Adelaide Olympic Park, Melbourne, Victoria 3 March 1976, Perth, WA 12 March 1976, Adelaide, SA Pat Clohessy Charles Smith Sir Mark Oliphant Head Distance Running Coach, Mayor of Nedlands, WA Governor of South Australia Australian Institute of Sport 3 March 1976, Perth, WA 12 March 1976, Adelaide, SA 14 September 1984, Canberra, ACT Jack Davis Ralph Harry Ray Ruffles Aboriginal Playwright and Poet Permanent Representative Tennis Coach, 3 March 1976, Perth, WA of Australia to the United Nations Australian Institute of Sport 27 January 1978, United Nations 14 September 1984, Canberra, ACT
Sri Chinmoy is welcomed by running legend John Landy at the 1987 World Veterans Sri Chinmoy meeting with head long-distance running coach Pat Clohessy at the Games in Melbourne. Australian Institute of Sport, 1984.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 5 “I first met Sri Chinmoy in New York in 1981, and have been involved with many of his initiatives for peace co-ordinated by his students here in Australia … most notably as the Patron of their International Oneness-Home Peace Run.” – Robert de Castella World Marathon Champion
Sri Chinmoy and world marathon champion Robert de Castella meet at ‘Deeks Drive’, the famous Stromlo Forest running trail in Canberra, in 1984. “Sri Chinmoy is driven, isn’t John Landy Lincoln Hall he? ‘Only the strong can be World One-Mile Record Holder Mt. Everest Climber and Author 29 November 1987, Melbourne, Victoria 6 July 1989, Town Hall, Sydney, NSW fearless.’ These are the words Herb Elliott Barton Lynch my coach, Percy Cerruty, used Olympic Running Champion World Champion Surfer for me. Sri Chinmoy is a hero.” 29 November 1987, Melbourne, Victoria 6 July 1989, Town Hall, Sydney, NSW – Herb Elliott John Konrads Dr. Peter Wilenski Olympic Gold Medallist Olympic Swimming Champion Australian Ambassador to the 29 November 1987, Melbourne, Victoria United Nations in New York at the World Veterans Games 2 September 1990, New York, NY, USA Greg Mortimer Professor David Neath “Your honour to me today, I Mt. Everest Climber International Economist 6 July 1989, Town Hall, Sydney, NSW August 1991 and October 1992, know, is not a personal honour, New York, NY, USA but to the country I represent, Australia, and I thank you very much for that. I am very moved to be here, and I hope that I shall go away inspired to do better.” – Dr. Peter Wilenski Australian Ambassador to the United Nations
Sri Chinmoy meets with Herb Elliott (right) and John Konrads (centre) at the World Veterans Games in Melbourne, 1987.
6 Sri Chinmoy in Australia One of Australia’s greatest mountain climbers, Greg Mortimer, chats with Sri Inventor of the sprinting blocks Charlie Booth on the track with Sri Chinmoy at Chinmoy after being lifted at Sydney Town Hall in 1989. Olympic Park, Melbourne, in 1995.
Senator Sid Spindler Peter Norman Kay Elson Federal Greens Senator Olympic 200-metre Silver Medallist Liberal Member for Forde, 26 June 1995, 28 June 1995, Australian House of Representatives Parliament House in Canberra, ACT Olympic Park, Melbourne, Victoria January 2003, Beenleigh, Queensland
Charlie Booth Tony de Domenico Greg Welch Inventor of the Sprinting Blocks Former Deputy Chief Minister of the ACT Triathlon World Champion 28 June 1995, Melbourne, Victoria November 1999, New York, NY, USA November 2004, New York, NY, USA
Sri Chinmoy’s Australian students sing for Australian UN Ambassador Dr. Peter Wilenksi after Sri Chinmoy had lifted him at Aspiration-Ground in 1990. Sri Chinmoy also played tennis with the ambassador.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 7 Visits to Australia
First Visit : 1–13 March 1976
Perth, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. Highlights: -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY MET WITH THE !NGLICAN $EAN OF 0ERTH THE 2EV *OHN #ORNISH s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED AN EVENING LECTURE AT 3T 'EORGES #ATHEDRAL IN 0ERTH -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY MET WITH THE ,ORD -AYOR OF 0ERTH THE 2IGHT (ON %ARNEST ,EE 3TEERE s 3RI #HINMOY PLANTED A ROSE BUSH FOR WORLD PEACE WITH -AYOR #HARLES 3MITH OF .EDLANDS s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED AN EVENING LECTURE AND GAVE HIS lRST PUBLIC CONCERT performance of the esraj at the University of Western Australia in Perth. -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY CREATED Jharna-Kala paintings in Perth, which he presented to the Perth Centre. s 3RI #HINMOY SPONTANEOUSLY PLAYED HIS lRST EXTEMPORANEOUS KEYBOARD IMPROVISATION WHICH later became Side A of the LP album, ‘Improvisations’. s 3RI #HINMOY VISITED 9ANCHEP .ATIONAL 0ARK NORTH OF 0ERTH -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED AN EVENING LECTURE AT THE 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY ANSWERED SPIRITUAL QUESTIONS AT THE 3YDNEY #ENTRE s 3RI #HINMOY MADE THE lRST RECORDING OF HIS ESRAJ MUSIC AT 4IN 0AN !LLEY -USIC STUDIOS in Sydney. He was the first person to record an album there. The LP album, also containing VOCAL TRACKS WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASED AS @0EACE ,IGHT $ELIGHT s 3RI #HINMOY VISITED THE HOME OF lLM46 ACTOR AND SINGER "ARRY #ROCKER IN 3YDNEY FOR A picnic with his students. s 3RI #HINMOY MET WITH 2EV 4ED +NOFFS RECTOR OF THE 7AYSIDE #HAPEL IN 3YDNEY s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED AN EVENING LECTURE AT THE 7AYSIDE #HAPEL IN 3YDNEY -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY CREATED Jharna-Kala chalk sketches in Sydney, which he presented to the Above: Sri Chinmoy in Sydney. Sydney Centre. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: s 3RI #HINMOY TOOK AN EVENING BOAT CRUISE ON 3YDNEY (ARBOUR ON THE #APTAIN #OOK FERRY AND 1. Charming a kangaroo with the gave a talk on the ‘Golden Boat’, which was recorded by a radio station. The captain Western flute at Healesville Sanctuary. allowed Sri Chinmoy to steer the ferry for a time. 2. Playing the bamboo flute at a picnic -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT THE !USTRALIAN .ATIONAL 5NIVERSITY IN #ANBERRA in Sydney. 3. Meditating at Barry -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY CREATED Jharna-Kala pen drawings in Melbourne. Crocker’s home in Sydney. 4. Practising s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT THE 3TATE #OLLEGE OF -ELBOURNE IN -ELBOURNE the Western flute. 5. Enjoying a roller- -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY BEGAN LEARNING THE 7ESTERN mUTE DURING A BUS TRIP TO (EALESVILLE 3ANCTUARY coaster ride at Luna Park, Sydney. 6. With a kangaroo at Taronga Park from Melbourne. Zoo, Sydney. 7. Walking by Sydney s 3RI #HINMOY VISITED /LYMPIC 0ARK n HOME OF THE /LYMPICS n IN -ELBOURNE Harbour. 8. Stretching at Olympic Park, s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT THE -ELBOURNE !SSEMBLY (ALL IN -ELBOURNE Melbourne. 9. On the starting line at -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY MET WITH ONE OF HIS ATHLETIC IDOLS THE CHAMPION RUNNER 2ON #LARKE IN -ELBOURNE Olympic Park. 10. At the Beaurepaire s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT -ONASH 5NIVERSITY IN -ELBOURNE Centre swimming pool, Melbourne. s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT "ROUGHAM 0LACE #ONGREGATIONAL #HURCH IN !DELAIDE 11. A koala receives a special blessing at -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY MET WITH "ISHOP 0HILLIP +ENNEDY THE #ATHOLIC "ISHOP OF !DELAIDE Yanchep National Park, near Perth. s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A LECTURE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF !DELAIDE 12. Driving a ferry on Sydney Harbour. s 3RI #HINMOY CREATED LARGE ACRYLIC Jharna-Kala paintings and 7 pen drawings of birds in Opposite page, centre: Adelaide, which he presented to the Adelaide Centre. 13. A prayerful kangaroo evokes a smile s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED ON THE !"# TELEVISION SHOW @4HIS $AY 4ONIGHT IN !DELAIDE of delight at Yanchep National Park, s 3RI #HINMOY APPEARED ON #HANNEL .EWS IN !DELAIDE WHERE HE PLAYED THE ESRAJ ON TELEVISION Perth. for the first time – Adelaide.
8 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Visits to Australia
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 9 Second Visit : 10–17 September 1984
Melbourne and Canberra.
Sri Chinmoy’s Peace Concert dedication to Australia Australia, my Australia, My Beloved Australia, I bow to your Inner Pilot Supreme, I bow to your fulness-soul, I bow to your oneness-heart, I bow to your vastness-body, With my soulful gratitude-heart. 12 September 1984 – Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne
Highlights: 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A MINUTES SILENT MEDITATION AT THE START OF A KM race sponsored by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. As the race began, Sri Chinmoy jogged and walked 2 km of the course and after the race, he presented the awards. s 3RI #HINMOY WAS GUEST OF HONOUR AT A BREAKFAST IN THE 6)0 ROOMS AT /LYMPIC Park Stadium where he was presented with an ‘Award of Excellence’ by Terry O’Halloran from Australian Runner magazine for his contributions to running. Also present at the meeting were ultra-runner Tony Rafferty and triathlete Rohan Phillips. 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED TWO 0EACE #ONCERTS AT $ALLAS "ROOKS (ALL -ELBOURNE attended by a combined total of 3,000 people. 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY DROVE A STEAM TRAIN FOR THE lRST TIME n @0UFlNG "ILLY IN Dandenong, Victoria. “This has been the happiest day of my life because today I have been able to fulfil a childhood dream.” – Sri Chinmoy 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED FOR Simply Living magazine at the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Canberra. (Published in 1985) 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY INAUGURATED THE 3RI #HINMOY KM RUNNING COURSE AT ,AKE Burley Griffin, Canberra. s 3RI #HINMOY MET AGAIN WITH 2OBERT DE #ASTELLA WORLD RECORD holder for the marathon – 2:08:18) at Stromlo Forest in Canberra. s 3RI #HINMOY VISITED THE .ATIONAL #ARILLON ON !SPEN )SLAND IN ,AKE "URLEY Griffin, Canberra, and listened to a selection of his songs being played by Prachar Stegemann. s 3RI #HINMOY HELD A PUBLIC MEDITATION IN REHEARSAL ROOM AT THE #ANBERRA School of Music in Canberra, at which he played several musical instruments. 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY HAD BREAKFAST IN #ANBERRA WITH A SELECT GROUP OF !USTRALIAN AND .EW :EALAND RUNNERS .ICK DE #ASTELLA BROTHER OF 2OBERT DE #ASTELLA MARATHONER 'ERARD "ARRETT MARATHONER HIS WIFE 3HANE "ARRETT MARATHONER $EREK &ROUDE MARATHONER FROM .EW :EALAND AND RANKED ND ONLY TO 2OD $IXON 3UE #OOK PREVIOUS WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN RACE WALKING HER HUSBAND "RUCE #OOK TOP RANKED WALKER AND ,EN (ENDERSON MARATHONER ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND WRITER FOR Australian Runner magazine). s 3RI #HINMOY INAUGURATED THE !USTRALIAN MUSIC GROUP @3RI #HINMOY 6ISION Muse in Action’ after a performance by the group in the main hall of the Canberra School of Music.
From the top: Relaxing in Melbourne; Holding a ‘joey’ (baby kangaroo) at Rehwinkel’s Animal Park in Canberra; Riding on the ‘Puffing Billy’ steam train in the Dandenongs; At the 10 km race in Canberra, holding a bag of sweets for the runners. Opposite: Among the cherry blossoms in Canberra.
10 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sri Chinmoy in Australia 11 Third Visit : 28 November–3 December 1987 Melbourne and Sydney. Highlights: .OVEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY DELIVERED A DEDICATION AND SILENT MEDITATION AT THE COMMENCEMENT ceremony of the 7th World Veterans Games, Melbourne. s 3RI #HINMOYS @7ORLD 6ETERANS 'AMES SONG WAS ACCEPTED AS THE OFlCIAL ANTHEM OF the Games and was performed by Sri Chinmoy’s students at the opening ceremony. .OVEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY GAVE A PIPE ORGAN PERFORMANCE AT THE 3YDNEY /PERA (OUSE RECORDED live by ABC-FM radio. The performance, described by Sri Chinmoy as his all-time favourite, was later released on the CD, ‘Heart-Power-Victory’. s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED FOR !"# &- RADIO BY PROMINENT 3YDNEY ORGANIST Dr. David Rumsey. s 3RI #HINMOY PERFORMED ON THE PIPE ORGAN AT THE 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL $ECEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY LIFTED A DUMBBELL OF KG LB MORE THAN HIS OWN BODY WEIGHT OF KG LB USING ONLY ONE ARM FOR THE lRST TIME ON TELEVISION 4HE LIFT WAS pre-recorded on 29 November, by the TV station following an interview on Good Morning Melbourne, but broadcast on The Today Show, on 1 December.) Sri Chinmoy said, “It was as significant as the 7,000-lb lift.” s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE -ELBOURNE %NTERTAINMENT #ENTRE $ECEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY GAVE A MORNING ORGAN PERFORMANCE AT 3T 0ATRICKS #ATHEDRAL IN Melbourne. s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE -ELBOURNE %NTERTAINMENT #ENTRE
Above: Sri Chinmoy backstage at the Melbourne Peace Concert. Left from top: Sri Chinmoy meditating at the Opening Ceremony at the World Veterans Games in Melbourne; Sri Chinmoy on Melbourne TV, being interviewed, playing the flute and lifting his own body weight (73.5 kg). A relaxing morning at Centennial Park in Sydney.
12 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Fourth Visit: 5–7 July 1989 Sydney. Highlights: *ULY s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED BY 3"3 46 ON HIS ARRIVAL AT 3YDNEY AIRPORT AND THE film went to air on the evening news that night. s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE 3TATE 3PORTS #ENTRE IN 3YDNEY FOR people, during which he recited five poems on peace and delivered a talk. *ULY s 3RI #HINMOY COMPOSED A SONG FOR THE !USTRALIAN MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS 'REG -ORTIMER and Lincoln Hall, entitled ‘Mount Everest Expedition’ which was sung that evening at the ‘Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart’ programme. s 3RI #HINMOY HAD A MORNING INTERVIEW AT THE !"# 2ADIO STUDIOS IN 3YDNEY s 3RI #HINMOY LIFTED PEOPLE INCLUDING MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS 'REG -ORTIMER AND Above: An illuminated roadside sign greets visitors to the Lincoln Hall; world champion surfer Barton Lynch; and Unmilan Howard’s parents, State Sports Centre where Sri Chinmoy performed. at an evening function at Sydney Town Hall. Below: Special moments at Sydney Town Hall where s 3RI #HINMOY COMPOSED TWO MORE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING SONGS ONE EACH FOR 'REG Sri Chinmoy lifted ten Australians. Mortimer and Lincoln Hall. Right: On his last day in Sydney, Sri Chinmoy relaxed at s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED FOR 7IDE 7ORLD OF 3PORT #HANNEL 46 #HANNEL 46 Taronga Park Zoo. News; and SBS TV. *ULY s 3RI #HINMOY TOOK A FERRY RIDE TO 4ARONGA 0ARK :OO ON 3YDNEYS NORTH SHORE
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 13 Fifth Visit : 25–29 June 1995
Canberra and Melbourne. Sri Chinmoy was invited to Canberra by Prime Minister Paul Keating to offer a Peace Concert at Parliament House in Canberra. Prior to Sri Chinmoy’s visit, a public exhibition of his Soul-Bird drawings was on display in the Senate Foyer, Parliament House, from the 7th to the 30th of June 1995. Highlights: *UNE s 3RI #HINMOY WAS INTERVIEWED ON THE #HANNEL @4ODAY SHOW “I am here to be of dedicated service to the soul and heart of Australia. This is my fifth visit – I have been coming to Australia since 1976.” – Sri Chinmoy s 3RI #HINMOY MEDITATED AND GAVE A TALK AT A CEREMONY DEDICATING 4ELSTRA 4OWER IN Canberra as a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Tower. s !T THE INVITATION OF THE 0RIME -INISTER OF !USTRALIA 0AUL +EATING 3RI #HINMOY performed a concert for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in the Great Hall of Parliament House Canberra on the precise date of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. 26–27 June s 3RI #HINMOY VISITED ALL lVE @#ANBERRA n 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE #APITAL SIGNS RECENTLY installed at all entrances to Canberra under the ‘Welcome to Canberra’ signs. *UNE s ! 3RI #HINMOY -ASTERS 'AMES WAS HELD AT THE !USTRALIAN )NSTITUTE OF 3PORT !THLETICS Track. Sri Chinmoy competed in the 100-metre event in the over-60s category, recording a time of 16.62 seconds. He was presented with special awards by the Australian Sports Commission, and the ACT Cross Country Club. *UNE s ! 3RI #HINMOY -ASTERS 'AMES WAS HELD IN -ELBOURNE AT /LYMPIC 0ARK 3RI #HINMOY met with Charlie Booth, inventor of the starting blocks and Peter Norman, 200- metre Olympic silver medallist at the Mexico Games. s 3RI #HINMOY PERFORMED TWO CONCERTS AT (AMER (ALL 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE AND immediately following the first concert the Arts Centre was dedicated on stage by the General Manager, Sue Nattrass, as a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom.
Above: At the AIS Athletics Track in Canberra for the Sri Chinmoy at the Hyatt Hotel, where he stayed while in Canberra; At the AIS Athletics Track in Canberra. Sri Chinmoy Masters Games.
14 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sixth Visit : 3 January–15 February 2003
Cairns and Gold Coast, Queensland. !S PART OF HIS ANNUAL #HRISTMAS.EW 9EAR TRIP ABROAD 3RI #HINMOY VISITED !USTRALIA IN /N A LATE night flight from New Zealand, he flew into Cairns on the tropical northern coast of Queensland — home to the Great Barrier Reef and other natural wonders. There he stayed at the Novotel Palm Cove Resort during January and in February travelled to the Gold Coast on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. During his stay on the Gold Coast, Sri Chinmoy returned to running training after a long, enforced break due to injury. On a makeshift 100-metre track near where he was staying at the Watermark Hotel in Surfers Paradise, Sri Chinmoy lowered his sprint time from 44 to 24 seconds. Highlights: *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOY HELD A @,IFTING 5P THE 7ORLD WITH A /NENESS (EART PROGRAMME IN #AIRNS northern Queensland. *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE .OVOTEL 0ALM #OVE 2ESORT #ONVENTION Centre in Cairns, northern Queensland. &EBRUARY s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED AN EVENING 0EACE #ONCERT AND LIFTED PEOPLE AT THE Sheraton Mirage, on the Gold Coast in Queensland. &EBRUARY s 3RI #HINMOY SIMULTANEOUSLY LIFTED TIME %NGLISH #HANNEL 3WIMMER !LISON 3TREETER and her mother at the Gold Coast, Queensland. &EBRUARY s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE 7ATERMARK (OTEL 3URFERS 0ARADISE ON the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Top left: Sri Chinmoy playing table tennis at Palm Cove near Cairns. Left: Playing cello in concert at Palm Cove. Above, clockwise from top left: At the function room in Surfers Paradise; Deep in writing at Palm Cove; Exercising with weights at Palm Cove; Absorbed in reading on a ferry trip to Green Island, near Cairns.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 15 Honours and Awards
Special Award, Australian Sports Commission Presented by Jim Ferguson, Executive Director of the Australian Sports Commission: “Presented to Sri Chinmoy in recognition of your quest for world peace through your personal sporting achievements and contribution to the development of physical fitness and sport.”
Special Award, ACT Cross Country Club Presented by Trevor Jacobs, President of the ACT Cross Country Club.
Rhododendron Sri Chinmoy /CTOBER The tropical Rhododendron with a white trumpet-shaped flower was officially registered with the Royal Horticultural Society by Botanical Physicist, Dr John Rouse Ph.D.
Australia: A Sri Chinmoy Peace Continent !PRIL Dedicated by Kay Elson, Liberal Member for Forde, Australian House of Representatives; Deputy Government Whip.
The Heart of Australia Award *ANUARY Dedicated by Trish Worth, Liberal Member for Adelaide, Australian House of Representatives.
/RCHID 3RI #HINMOY 2009) Organised by Prayana Geddes of the Geelong Centre, the name was agreed to by the breeder, Pioneer Orchids, Leopold.
World-Peace-Dreamer Statue -ARCH A statue of Sri Chinmoy was installed at the Scented Gardens in South World-Peace-Dreamer Statue Perth, Western Australia. It was sculpted by Kaivalya Torpy, UK, and unveiled by James Best, Mayor of the City of South Perth.
“What a fantastic individual Sri Chinmoy was; the sort of values that he stands for, the work he has done at the United Nations, the work that he has done around the community to bring people together.”
“I am hoping lots of people will come to this location to sit in quiet contemplation and then go back to their neighbourhoods, back to their communities to look at what they can do individually to make more things like this happen.” – Mayor James Best, City of South Perth Orchid Sri Chinmoy Rhododendron Sri Chinmoy
16 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Australia: The World’s First Sri Chinmoy Peace Continent
Support from the Australian Parliament “As a Peace Continent, Australia has a role in joining Peace-Blossom Nations around the world in making the goal of peace a reality and in doing so, leaving a valuable legacy for all future generations.” – Tim Fischer, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the National Party, 1999
“I am honoured and pleased to support this request by the Sri Chinmoy Peace Foundation for Australia to become a ‘Peace Continent’. The Sri Chinmoy Peace programme is an excellent place to start the journey towards a lasting global peace. I encourage all Australians to embrace its message of goodwill.” – Kim Beazley Leader of the Opposition, Australian Labor Party
“As Senators representing the major Parties of the Australian Parliament, it is fitting for us to join at the dawn of a new millennium in supporting an initiative which promotes the most fundamental cause for all humanity, the cause of peace. “The international Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms programme is an inspiring initiative which unifies our hopes and dreams for a peaceful world. Through it we are reminded that, despite our differences, we all share a common goal of peaceful co-operation and harmony. “As a Peace Continent, Australia has a role in joining Peace-Blossom Nations around the world in making this goal of peace a reality and, in doing so, leaving a valuable legacy for all future generations. “We are therefore proud to join this vast land, Australia, with the worldwide family of Peace-Blossoms, as the world’s pioneer Sri Chinmoy Peace Continent.” – Jointly signed by: Senator the Hon. Amanda Vanstone, Liberal Party Senator the Hon. Margaret Reynolds, Australian Labor Party Senator John Woodley, Australian Democrats Senator Bob Brown, Australian Greens
The Heart of Australia Award
“Australia has a proud history. Our nation has shown concern for human rights at home and overseas and has played a leadership role in promoting peace. “In my role as Federal Member for Adelaide, I have joined with school children and community leaders in activities such as the Sri Chinmoy Peace Run to raise awareness in the community. It is fitting to acknowledge the role played by Sri Chinmoy in promoting peace with the Heart of Australia Peace Award.” – The Hon. Trish Worth Federal Member for Adelaide
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 17 Music The Western Flute
The Western flute has become synonymous with Sri Chinmoy. In the hands of a master musician its mellifluous tone has the ability to carry the listener far beyond the worries of the world to a deeply meditative consciousness. Rarely was there a Peace Concert that did not feature one of Sri Chinmoy’s soul-stirring flute solos. But where did it all begin?
In 1976, Sri Chinmoy made two momentous musical discoveries: the esraj and the flute. The esraj he came across in February, in a book of Indian instruments. When he obtained one shortly afterwards, the haunting effect of this bowed instrument delighted his musical ear, and the esraj subsequently accompanied him on a visit to Australia at the end of February.
It was to be here, in Australia, that Sri Chinmoy would become acquainted with the classical Western flute. Previously, he had played considerably on the simple Indian reed flute. Although this instrument has a tremendous purity of tone, he found it lacking in the agility needed to convey subtle nuances and shades of expression. Now, one of Sri Chinmoy’s students, a young girl of nineteen years, introduced him to the modern transverse flute. The grace of the instrument and its clear, limpid sound appealed deeply to Sri Chinmoy and, on March 10th, he requested the opportunity to play it.
The occasion was a bus trip to Healesville Animal Sanctuary just outside Melbourne. As the bus rolled through the foothills of the Dandenong Range, Sri Chinmoy’s first lesson began. His young student carefully explained the art of embouchure and fingering and, in less than two hours, when the bus had reached its destination, Sri Chinmoy had mastered the basic scale. Alighting from the bus, he delighted everyone by walking through the various bird and animal compounds playing the flute to entranced kangaroos, cockatoos and all who would listen. n 6IDAGDHA "ENNETT EXCERPT FROM The Flute of Light)
Flute Anniversaries
s 4O CELEBRATE THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF 3RI #HINMOY LEARNING TO PLAY THE 7ESTERN mUTE -ARCH THE !USTRALIAN 3RI #HINMOY #ENTRES Australiai Western flute arranged for Sri Chinmoy’s flute music to be broadcast on more than RADIO STATIONS INCLUDING ALL !"# REGIONAL RELAY STATIONS AROUND Bhajate shuru kari Australia over 10 days during the month of March. s +AIVALYA 4ORPY 5+ WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE !USTRALIAN #ENTRES TO CREATE Ami ajo benche achi a small sculpture of Sri Chinmoy playing flute, to commemorate the Bangsidhari 20th flute anniversary. The artwork was presented to Sri Chinmoy, who asked that Melbourne Centre be the custodians, since it was in Kanur charan dhari Melbourne where he learnt to play the flute. s 4O CELEBRATE 3RI #HINMOYS TH mUTE ANNIVERSARY THE !USTRALIAN Sri Chinmoy Centres arranged for Sri Chinmoy’s flute music to be Song composed by Sri Chinmoy BROADCAST ON MORE THAN RADIO STATIONS INCLUDING ALL !"# March 19, 1997 regional relay stations) around Australia during 2001.
18 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Songs for Australia
Songs about Australia Songs about significant Australians s / -Y !USTRALIA &EBRUARY s 2ON #LARKE -ARCH s -Y !USTRALIA .OVEMBER s $EEKAS n Song for Robert de Castella 3EPTEMBER s !USTRALIA 9OUR "EAUTYS 3KY 9OUR $UTYS ,AND .OVEMBER s 'AYELENE n Song for Gayelene Clews .OVEMBER s !USTRALIA $O (AVE -Y )NDIAN (EART $ECEMBER s -OUNT %VEREST %XPEDITION *ULY s ! &OUNTAIN (EART ! -OUNTAIN 3OUL $ECEMBER Song for Greg Mortimer and Lincoln Hall s !USTRALIA 9OUR (EART FOR 'OD 9OUR ,IFE FOR -AN $ECEMBER s 0RIME -INISTER 6ICTORY 7INNER -ARCH s / &AUNA / &LORA $ECEMBER Song for Prime Minister Paul Keating s / -Y !USTRALIAN #HILDREN /CTOBER s -Y )NDIAN -IND )S &LYING -ARCH s !USTRALIA 0ARAMANANDE $IYECHI 4OMAI !UGUST Song for Prime Minister Paul Keating Composed on the occasion that Sri Chinmoy symbolically lifted s 4HE /NENESS &RAGRANCE 2OSE the 7 continents at Aspiration-Ground in New York. Song for Ros Kelly Federal MP and Sports Minister -ARCH
My Australia !USTRALIA !USTRALIA MY !USTRALIA Your oneness-heart, your vastness-life Challenge the strength of ignorance-knife. !USTRALIA !USTRALIA MY !USTRALIA You take a drop and give the Ocean. You take a ray and give the Sun. You take a gratitude-plant And give the gratitude-Tree. In you the Nectar-Bliss Of satisfaction free. – Sri Chinmoy
s !USTRALIA (RIDAY +HULIYA $ULIYA $ULIYA -ARCH s )NWARD /NWARD 5PWARD Five other Bengali songs were composed by Sri Chinmoy on 7 March Song for Prime Minister John Howard (5 May 1996) 1995, which he dedicated to Australia: Kanur Benu; Kahar Banshari; s "RIAN 'LEESON 0ROGRESS *OURNEY #APTAIN -AY Bangshidahri Krishna; Kanur Banshi; and He Param Pita. s Song for Kay Elson *ANUARY s !USTRALIAI 7ESTERN &LUTE -ARCH s !USTRALIA !PRIL A song within the Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms-Nations song. Songs set to the words of significant Australians s !USTRALIA IS REFERENCED IN THE )NDONESIA SONG s ) ,IKE TO ,ISTEN TO THE -OUNTAINS *ULY Words by Greg Mortimer Songs about Australian Cities and Landmarks s 4HE -OUNTAIN 4EACHES 9OU *ULY s 'EELONG *UNE Words by Lincoln Hall s -ELBOURNE *UNE s 3YDNEY /PERA (OUSE !USTRALIAS ,IFE %PIPHANY -ARCH Two versions Song specially dedicated to Australia s %KBAR 3HUDHU "ALO n COMPOSED IN $ECEMBER n WAS DEDICATED Songs about Australian Divine Enterprises to Australia on 26 January 1975 when three disciples from Australia s 0URITYS 3TRENGTH )NDOMITABLE 3EPTEMBER INCLUDING 3IPRA ,LOYD lRST VISITED .EW 9ORK s 4HE 2AINBOW 3ILENCE (EART -AY
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 19 Peace Concerts
Date Place Attendance
3EPTEMBER s $ALLAS "ROOKS (ALL -ELBOURNE %VENING ‘Peace: God’s Beauty in His Oneness-Home’ s $ALLAS "ROOKS (ALL -ELBOURNE ,ATE %VENING $ECEMBER s 3PORTS AND %NTERTAINMENT #ENTRE -ELBOURNE ‘Peace: Man’s Life-Tree Progress-Crown on God’s Breath-Seed Success-Throne’ $ECEMBER s 3PORTS AND %NTERTAINMENT #ENTRE -ELBOURNE *ULY s 3TATE 3PORTS #ENTRE (OMEBUSH "AY 3YDNEY *UNE s 4HE 'REAT (ALL 0ARLIAMENT (OUSE #ANBERRA Concert for the United Nations 50th Anniversary (The exact date of the signing of the United Nations Charter 50 years earlier in San Francisco, CA, USA.) A message from Australia’s Prime Minister Paul J. Keating was read out. *UNE s 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE -ELBOURNE #ONCERT (ALL -ELBOURNE PM Concert for the United Nations 50th Anniversary s 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE -ELBOURNE #ONCERT (ALL -ELBOURNE PM Concert for the United Nations 50th Anniversary Organ performance included *ANUARY s .OVOTEL 0ALM #OVE 2ESORT #ONVENTION #ENTRE #AIRNS Prayerful Music by Maestro Sri Chinmoy &EBRUARY s 3HERATON -IRAGE 'OLD #OAST Prayerful Music by Maestro Sri Chinmoy &EBRUARY s 7ATERMARK (OTEL 3URFERS 0ARADISE 'OLD #OAST Prayerful Music by Maestro Sri Chinmoy
Left: Sri Chinmoy playing cello in Sydney, 1989. Opposite Page from top left clockwise: Playing esraj in Melbourne, 1984; Playing esraj in Melbourne, 1987; Playing cello in Melbourne, 1987; Playing electronic keyboard in Melbourne, 1995; Playing (esraj, harmonium, bamboo flute and piano) in Canberra, 1995; Playing esraj in Melbourne, 1995; Melbourne Peace Concert programme, 1987. Centre from top: On stage in Melbourne, 1987; Playing dove-shaped ocarina in Canberra, 1995.
20 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sri Chinmoy in Australia 21 Organ Performances
Date Place Attendance
.OVEMBER s 3YDNEY /PERA (OUSE 3YDNEY Invited guests. s 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL 3YDNEY Invited guests. $ECEMBER s 3T 0ATRICKS #ATHEDRAL -ELBOURNE Invited guests. *UNE s 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE -ELBOURNE #ONCERT (ALL -ELBOURNE PM Part of the Peace Concert.
Sri Chinmoy seated (left of centre) in front of the Sydney Town Hall organ. Sri Chinmoy meditating at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne. This organ has an extremely low bass note, containing one of only two full- length 64-foot pipes in the world.
Above: Sri Chinmoy playing the organ at the Sydney Opera House, the largest mechanical-action organ in the world. Top right: Sri Chinmoy listening to a recording of his Sydney Opera House organ performance. 22 Sri Chinmoy in Australia United Nations Activities
UN Function for Australia Day *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOY HOSTED A PROGRAMME AT THE 5NITED .ATIONS IN .EW 9ORK AS A TRIBUTE to Australia on its 190th founding anniversary. The function was attended by Mr. Ralph Harry, Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations. Sri Chinmoy read out his ‘Salutation to the Soul of Australia’ and Sri Chinmoy’s song ‘O My Australia’ was sung by the UN Meditation Group Singers. Celebrating Australia joining the UN *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOY -EDITATION AT THE 5NITED .ATIONS HOSTED A PROGRAMME AT THE 5. in New York to honour Australia on the anniversary of its entrance into the United Nations. Australia was one of the foundation members of the UN. This Is My Year *UNE s 3RI #HINMOYS SONG @4HIS )S -Y 9EAR WRITTEN IN HONOUR OF THE 5NITED .ATIONS International Year of the Child – 1979 – was performed by a children’s school choir at a ceremony in front of Brisbane Town Hall to mark World Environment Day. /CTOBER s !N )NTERNATIONAL 3CHOOL COMPETITION TO SING 3RI #HINMOYS SONG @4HIS )S -Y 9EAR in honour of the International Year of the Child was launched. A Brisbane choir won joint 1st place. /CTOBER s ! PRESENTATION OF @4HIS )S -Y 9EAR WAS MADE TO THE $EPUTY ,ORD -AYOR OF Brisbane on United Nations Day. Running and Cycling Relays for the UN /CTOBER s 5NITED .ATIONS HOUR "ICYCLE 2ELAY 0ERTH /CTOBER s 5NITED .ATIONS $AY 2UN A KM NON STOP RELAY RUN FROM #ANBERRA TO Sydney carrying a flaming torch. The runners ran with the torch into the official United Nations Day ceremony held in Martin Place, Sydney, which was attended by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler. /CTOBER s HOUR NON STOP RELAY RUN IN -ELBOURNE TO CELEBRATE 5NITED .ATIONS $AY n *UNE s (ARMONY 0EACE /NENESS "ICYCLE 2ELAY A KM THROUGH 1UEENSLAND NSW, Victoria and ACT dedicated to Sri Chinmoy’s completion of 10 years service to the world through his activities at the United Nations. Proclamations and letters of support for Sri Chinmoy and the relay were received from 14 city councils, 4 parliamentarians, the Department of Sport and Recreation of NSW, and the Governor-General of Australia. /CTOBER s 5NITED .ATIONS $AY #YCLE 2ELAY -ELBOURNE s @2UN FOR 0EACE KM RACE 0ERTH /CTOBER n PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED Robert de Castella and Gayelene Clews). s 0UBLIC RACE FOR 5NITED .ATIONS $AY !DELAIDE s -EMBERS OF THE "RISBANE #ENTRE RAN KM EACH FOR THE 5.S TH ANNIVERSARY Above from top: Sri Chinmoy offering a silent Peace Concerts dedicated to the UN meditation at his Peace Concert for the *UNE s 3RI #HINMOY PERFORMED A 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE 'REAT (ALL 0ARLIAMENT (OUSE United Nations in Canberra, 1995; Singing Canberra – the 8th concert in a series of 50 concerts Sri Chinmoy performed ‘O My Australia’ at the United Nations in New worldwide to honour the United Nations 50th Anniversary. York, 1977; Cycling for United Nations Day in *UNE s 3RI #HINMOY PERFORMED TWO 0EACE #ONCERT AT THE #ONCERT (ALL OF THE 6ICTORIAN Melbourne, 1978. Arts Centre, Melbourne – the 9th and 10th concerts in the UN series.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 23
Art Exhibitions
Jharna-Kala
In 1976, on his first visit to Australia, Sri Chinmoy created 31 Jharna-Kala artworks. From time to time, these original acrylic paintings, and chalk and pen drawings, have been displayed at exhibitions around the country. Over the decades, special exhibitions of Sri Chinmoy’s artworks have toured the nation.
Exhibitions of Original Paintings
One of the first Jharna-Kala artworks Sri Chinmoy created in Australia – 4 March 1976, Perth.
Date Location !UGUST s 5NIVERSITY OF 7ESTERN !USTRALIA 0ERTH /CTOBERn.OVEMBER s 6ICTORIA 3QUARE !DELAIDE Featuring the 6x8-foot painting ‘United Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’, Sri Chinmoy’s painting dedicated to the United Nations that travelled worldwide. s 2UNDLE -ALL !DELAIDE Featuring the painting, ‘United Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’. s 7ESTPAC "ANK +ING 7ILLIAM 3TREET !DELAIDE Featuring a window display of the painting, ‘United Nations: The Heart- Home of the World-Body‘. n .OVEMBER s #OMMONWEALTH 3AVINGS "ANK +ING 'EORGE 3QUARE "RISBANE Featuring the painting, ‘United Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’. .OVEMBER s 2ELAXATION #ENTRE &ORTITUDE 6ALLEY "RISBANE Featuring the painting, ‘United Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’. s 7ESTlELD 3HOPPING 4OWN )NDOOROOPILLY "RISBANE Featuring the painting, ‘United Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’. n *UNE s 3ENATE &OYER 0ARLIAMENT (OUSE #ANBERRA Opened by Senator the Hon. Margaret Reynolds and Senator Sid Spindler. *UNE s 4HE &OYER OF THE 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE -ELBOURNE
24 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Dream-Freedom-Peace Birds
Exhibitions of Original Drawings Date Location 3EPn /CT s 4HE "ARR 3MITH ,IBRARY !DELAIDE 5NIVERSITY /CTOBER s 5NIVERSITY OF !DELAIDE !DELAIDE 3OUTH !USTRALIA .OVEMBER s !.: "ANK #OLLINS 3T -ELBOURNE n &EBRUARY s &OUNTAIN #OURT .EW 3OUTH 7ALES 0ARLIAMENT (OUSE 3YDNEY Opened by Sandra Nori, Member for Port Jackson, NSW Legislative Assembly. n -ARCH s %XHIBITION (ALL 3YDNEY /PERA (OUSE 3YDNEY Opened by Sydney Opera House General Manager Lloyd Martin. 3EPTEMBER s 6ICTORIAN !RTS #ENTRE -ELBOURNE Sri Chinmoy completed a painting for their permanent collection, accepted by Antony Rouse, Assistant General Manager in November 1996. $EC n *AN s #ENTRAL #ITY ,IBRARY "RISBANE 1UEENSLAND n &EBRUARY s 4!&% 3HOWCASE 'ALLERY 0ERTH 7! -ARCHn!UGUST s 2AINBOW (EART 3KY !DELAIDE 3! *UNEn *ULY s 3OUTH 0ERTH (ERITAGE (OUSE 'ALLERY 0ERTH 7! Opened by Mayor James Best. *ANUARY s 'ORDON 4!&% 'ALLERY 'EELONG 6ICTORIA n $ECEMBER s 3T *OHNS #HURCH 3OUTHGATE -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA Held in conjunction with the World Parliament of Religions. -AY s 5NITING #HURCH 2ICHMOND -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA .OVEMBERn$ECEMBER s #ITY OF 6INCENT LIBRARY Exhibition of originals (from private collections) and prints opened by the Mayor of the City of Vincent, Alannah MacTiernan.
Sri Chinmoy at the exhibition of his Soul-Bird drawings at Parliament House in Canberra, 1995. Above from top: Prominent Australian artist Pranavanta Montefiore giving a talk on Sri Chinmoy’s art at the exhibition opening at the Sydney Opera House, 1996; Dr. Vidagdha Bennett offering insights into Sri Chinmoy’s art at the exhibition opening in Melbourne, 2009.
Right-hand column from top: The exhibition at the Sydney Opera House, 1996; Viewing the display in Melbourne; Sandra Nori MP opens the exhibition at NSW Parliament House, 1996. Soul-Bird exhibition at Rainbow Heart-Sky, 2009.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 25 Jharna-Kala
Exhibitions of Prints
Date Location Date Location /CTOBER s *HARNA +ALA 'ALLERY 0ERTH 7! n -AY s "RACKS ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! Displayed in a church. -AYn*UNE s #ITY OF 3TIRLING ,IBRARY !DELAIDE 3! C s 'EELONG 0UBLIC ,IBRARY n *UNE s *OONDALUP ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! 'EELONG 6ICTORIA *UNEn *ULY s 'OSNELLS ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! s *OHN $RYSDALE -EMORIAL ,IBRARY n *ULY s $IANELLA ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! C s -ELBOURNE 3TREET -ARKET *ULYn !UGUST s .EWCOMB ,IBRARY 'EELONG 6ICTORIA -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA Exhibit of small-framed prints C s 0RAHRAN -UNICIPAL ,IBRARY *ULYn !UGUST s .EDLANDS ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! 0RAHRAN 6ICTORIA *ULYn !UGUST s .UNAWADING ,IBRARY *UNE s #AMBERWELL #IVIC ,IBRARY !UGUSTn 3EPTEMBER s !SHBURTON ,IBRARY -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA !UGUSTn 3EPTEMBER s 6INCENT ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! A performance of Sri Chinmoy’s music n !UG !UGn 3EP s "ELMONT ,IBRARY 'EELONG 6ICTORIA was part of the presentation. Exhibit of small-framed prints n s /NENESS ,IFE 0RESS n 3EPTEMBER s 0ERTH #ITY ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! "RISBANE 1UEENSLAND n 3EPTEMBER s #ORIO ,IBRARY 'EELONG 6ICTORIA A permanent Jharna-Kala gallery set aside Exhibit of small-framed prints for public viewing. 3EPn /CT s 2IVERTON ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! s "ROADWAY 3HOPPING -ALL /CTn .OV s &AIRlELD ,IBRARY "RISBANE 1UEENSLAND /CTn .OV s #IVIC 3QUARE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! *UNEn *ULY s 7HOLEFOODS #AFÏ AND 'ALLERY n /CTOBER s "ENDIGO ,IBRARY "ENDIGO 6ICTORIA 'EELONG 6ICTORIA Exhibit of small-framed prints Exhibit of large-framed prints. .OV n *AN s "OX (ILL ,IBRARY n *ULY s 1DOS 'ALLERY ,ORNE 6ICTORIA n $ECEMBER s 3HOPPINGTOWN ,IBRARY Exhibit of large-framed prints. s 4ORQUAY ,IBRARY 4ORQUAY 6ICTORIA n 3EPTEMBER s "OTANIC #AFE 'ALLERY #OLAC 6ICTORIA Exhibit of small-framed prints Exhibit of large-framed prints. n *ANUARY s 'LEN 7AVERLEY ,IBRARY 3EPTEMBER s 'EELONG #ITY ,IBRARY 'EELONG 6ICTORIA n *ANUARY s "RIGHTON Exhibit of small-framed prints. n !PRIL s +EW ,IBRARY &EBRUARYn-ARCH s #ITY OF "URNSIDE !TRIUM !DELAIDE 3! n !PRIL s 2ICHMOND ,IBRARY !PRIL s -T ,OFTY 4OURIST #ENTRE !DELAIDE 3! !PRILn *UNE s 0RINCESS -ARGARET (OSPITAL FOR #HILDREN Exhibit of small-framed prints. 0ERTH 7! *ULYn !UGUST s 4HE 5NDERCROFT 5NIVERSITY OF 7ESTERN n -AY s 7HEELERS (ILL ,IBRARY !USTRALIA 0ERTH 7! -AYn *UNE s 6ERMONT 3OUTH ,IBRARY 3EPn /CT s #AMBRIDGE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! -AY s "ARR 3MITH ,IBRARY !DELAIDE 5NIVERSITY /CTn .OV s 3CARBOROUGH ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! !DELAIDE 3! .OVn $EC s )NGLEWOOD ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! n *UNE s .ORTH -ELBOURNE ,IBRARY $EC n *AN s !LEXANDER 3TATE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! *UNE s #ITY OF 3TIRLING ,IBRARY !DELAIDE 3! s 1UEENSCLIFF ,IBRARY n *ULY s #LAYTON ,IBRARY 1UEENSCLIFF 6ICTORIA n !UGUST s 3ANDRINGHAM ,IBRARY Exhibit of small-framed prints n 3EPTEMBER s 3T +ILDA n *ANUARY s 2OBERT (UGHES 'ALLERY 3EPn /CT s 4HE "OULEVARD #ENTRE 0ERTH 7! Fullarton Park Community Centre n /CTOBER s "ASENDEAN ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! !DELAIDE 3! n /CTOBER s 4OORAK -ARCH s *OY $ISCOVERY #AFE WAS THE VENUE FOR 3EPn /CT s #LARKSON ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! the visual arts section of the Adelaide /CT n*AN s -T ,OFTY 4OURIST #ENTRE !DELAIDE 3! Fringe Festival. This comprised 50 small n .OVEMBER s !LBERT 0ARK framed Jharna-Kala and Soul-Bird n $ECEMBER s /AKLEIGH prints being exhibited on the walls of *ANn&EB s #ITY OF "URNSIDE !TRIUM !DELAIDE 3! the cafe. *ANUARY s &ITZROY ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) -ARCH s 0ORT !DELAIDE ,IBRARY !DELAIDE 3! &EBRUARY s "LACKBURN ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) n -ARCH s 3OUTH 0ERTH ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! -ARCH s 0ORT -ELBOURNE ,IBRARY n !PRIL s +ARRINYUP ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! (approx. 4 weeks)
26 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Above: Sri Chinmoy’s 1996 artwork especially created for the permanent collection of the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne.
Left: Vidagdha Bennett and Grahak Cunningham with the Mayor of South Perth, James Best, at an exhibition at Heritage House in 2009. (In 2011, Mayor Best inaugurated the World-Peace-Dreamer Statue of Sri Chinmoy Date Location in South Perth.) !PRIL s $IAMOND 6ALLEY ,IBRARY Below: Sipra Lloyd pictured at Adelaide Airport (approx. 4 weeks) in 1977 with Sri Chinmoy’s painting, ‘United -AY s "ORONIA ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) Nations: The Heart-Home of the World-Body’. *UNE s $ANDENONG ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) *ULY s "EAUMAURIS ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) !UGUST s &OOTSCRAY ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) n 3EPTEMBER s #LARKSON ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! 3EPTEMBER s -OONEE 0ONDS ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) /CTOBER s 2OWVILLE ,IBRARY (approx. 4 weeks) .OVEMBER s 4OORAK ,IBRARY APPROX WEEKS *ULY s 7ATSONIA ,IBRARY !UGUST s #RANBOURNE ,IBRARY $EC n-AR s 2AINBOW (EART 3KY !DELAIDE 3! Large prints n /CTOBER s #AMBRIDGE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! $EC n -AR s IL 'ELATO 3UBIACO AND 3CARBOROUGH 0ERTH 7! 3EPTEMBER nPRESENT s 2AINBOW (EART 3KY Jharna-Kala Gallery !DELAIDE 3! Large prints !PRILn -AY s &IDELS #AFÏ &REMANTLE 7! 3EPn /CT s #ANNING "RIDGE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! /CTn .OV s #IVIC 3QUARE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! .OVn $EC s 7ILLAGEE ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! $EC n *UN s 3IENNAS 2ESTAURANT 0ERTH 7! *ANn &EB s "RACKS ,IBRARY 0ERTH 7! -AYn 3EP s 7ESTPAC "ANK %AST 6ICTORIA 0ARK 0ERTH 7! *UNn.OV s #LUB :ING #AFÏ 0ERTH 7! .OVn$EC s 'LOBE #OFFEE (OUSE -OUNT ,AWLEY 0ERTH 7!
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 27 Lectures
In 1976, Sri Chinmoy embarked upon an historic lecture tour of Australia. Travelling to Perth, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, he delivered a total of 10 lectures in 11 days. These talks were published later that year in two volumes, entitled My Heart’s Salutation to Australia.
Thirteen years later, at his 1989 Peace Concert in Sydney, Sri Chinmoy offered his last public talk in Australia. It was SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED IN My Heart’s Peace-Offering. 1976 1. ‘Aspiration’, 2 March 1976 St George’s Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia. 2. ‘Philosophy, Spirituality and Yoga’, 3 March 1976 Winthrop Hall, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia. 3. ‘Aspiration and Realisation’, 5 March 1976 Town Hall, Sydney, New South Wales. 4. ‘Peace’, 6 March 1976 Wayside Chapel, King’s Cross, Sydney, New South Wales. 5. ‘The Eternal Seeker’, 8 March 1976 Common Room, University House, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. 6. ‘The Reality Within’, 9 March 1976 Open Stage Theatre, State College of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria. 7. ‘Simplicity, Sincerity, Purity and Divinity’, 10 March 1976 Melbourne Assembly Hall, Melbourne, Victoria.
8. ‘Happiness’, 11 March 1976 Robert Blackwood Memorial Hall, Monash University, “There shall come a time when this world of Melbourne Victoria. 9. ‘Spirituality’, 11 March 1976 ours will be flooded with peace. Who is going to Brougham Place, Congregational Church, bring about that radical change? It will be you: Adelaide, South Australia. 10. ‘Possession and Satisfaction’, 12 March 1976 you and your sisters and brothers, who are an Napier Lecture Theatre 5, University of Adelaide, extension of your reality-existence. It will be Adelaide, South Australia. you and your oneness-heart, which is spread 1989 11. ‘You Are Our All’, 5 July 1989 throughout the length and breadth of the world.” State Sports Centre, Sydney, New South Wales. – Sri Chinmoy Wayside Chapel, Sydney, 1976 Top left: Sri Chinmoy in Perth on the day of his first lecture in Australia, 2 March 1976.
28 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Literature
Books about Australia by Sri Chinmoy s My Heart’s Salutation to Australia, Part 1 !GNI 0RESS s My Heart’s Salutation to Australia, Part 2 !GNI 0RESS Anthologies s Australia’s Meditation Heart )LLUMINATION 0RESS -ELBOURNE Produced for the Australian Peace Concert Tour; edited by Kishore Cunningham s Sri Chinmoy’s Heart Garden .EW (OLLAND 0UBLISHERS 3YDNEY Aphorisms compiled by Sahayak Plowman s Pire Maa Farmood ;4HUS 3POKE /UR -ASTER= !DELAIDE OF 3RI #HINMOYS APHORISMS TRANSLATED INTO &ARSI 0ERSIAN BY +AZEM !BHARY Books about Sri Chinmoy s Simplicity and Power: the Poetry of Sri Chinmoy, 1971-1981 !GNI 0RESS .EW 9ORK by Vidagdha Bennett s Madal the Child %QUILIBRIUM "OOKS -ANDURAH by Vidagdha Bennett Stories of Sri Chinmoy’s early childhood years. s A Shakpura Village Boy %QUILIBRIUM "OOKS -ANDURAH by Vidagdha Bennett Stories of Sri Chinmoy’s childhood in old East Bengal. Other Publications 1981 Sri Chinmoy’s Peerless Tennis Achievements Part 1 by Vidagdha Bennett (Booklet) 1982 The Path of a Champion Runner by Vidagdha Bennett (Booklet) 1983 ‘Forging a New Language: Sri Chinmoy’s Ten Thousand Flower-Flames’ by Vidagdha Bennett The first published article on Sri Chinmoy’s poetry – Westerly Magazine, December 1983, University of Western Australia. 1984 Guide to Brisbane Running, published by Animesh Harrington. A 40-page colour magazine with a centre-fold feature article about Sri Chinmoy. 1984 Runners: Joy-Discoverers of the Beyond, published by Sipra Lloyd The first issue of a national running magazine. 1985 Runners: Oneness-World Harbingers, published by Animesh Harrington The first issue of a national running magazine. 1986 Sri Chinmoy’s Weightlifting Adventure – August 1983 to March 1986 by Unmilan Howard, edited by Kishore Cunningham (Booklet) 1987 Volcanic Calf-Fire by Vidagdha Bennett (Booklet) 1990 When the Earth was Encircled with Power: the Story of Sri Chinmoy’s 1,300 Lifts by Vidagdha Bennett (Booklet) 2001 Australia’s Heroes 0EACE 2UN 7ORLD (ARMONY 2UN BY -ARK *UDDERY .OIVEDYA AND 6EERAJA 5PPAL !USTRALIAN EDITION OF 53 0EACE 2UN SCHOOL PROSPECTUS America’s Heroes & You, distributed to schools.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 29 Sri Chinmoy’s Poetry
The First Ph.D. Thesis s 6IDAGDHA "ENNETT WAS CONFERRED WITH A $OCTOR OF 0HILOSOPHY IN ,ITERATURE AT the University of Melbourne, Victoria, for her thesis, ‘Simplicity and Power: The Poetry of Sri Chinmoy’ completed in August 1981. It was the first Ph.D. in the world ever awarded for a study directly related to Sri Chinmoy, and was examined by the eminent writer Prof. Sisirkumar Ghose of Santiniketan University, West Bengal.
Honours Degree s -RINALI #LARKE WAS CONFERRED WITH A "! (ONOURS $EGREE IN ,ITERATURE AT Monash University, Victoria, for her dissertation on the poetry of Sri Chinmoy. Poetry Readings .OVEMBER s &EMALE STUDENTS FROM THE !USTRALIAN #ENTRES CELEBRATED THE ND anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s poetry book, Transcendence- Perfection, with a nationwide 24-hour Poetry Reading Marathon. .OVEMBER s .ATIONAL 0OETRY 2EADING HOUR 2ELAY IN "RISBANE -ELBOURNE Adelaide and Perth. n /CTOBER s HOUR 0OETRY 2EADING -ARATHON TO CELEBRATE 3RI #HINMOY reaching the halfway point of Ten Thousand Flower-Flames. *ULY s )N CELEBRATION OF 3RI #HINMOY COMPLETING Ten Thousand Flower- Flames, a number of his Australian students performed different feats to transcend current world records listed in the Guinness Book of Records. (See Guinness World Records for Sipra Lloyd, Prabuddha Nicol and Sadhak Hearst in the Self-Transcendence section.) Poetry Competitions .OVEMBER s ST !NNUAL 3RI #HINMOY 0OETRY #OMPETITION !USTRALIA WIDE IN honour of the 5th anniversary of Transcendence-Perfection. .OVEMBER s ND !NNUAL 3RI #HINMOY 0OETRY #OMPETITION !USTRALIA WIDE IN honour of the 6th anniversary of Transcendence-Perfection. Aphorism Cards s @(EART 7ISDOM $ROPS APHORISM CARDS WAS INITIATED AS A WORLDWIDE project in Melbourne Centre. To date, one million cards have been printed and distributed around the world.
Above: Poetry reader Prashanta Cunningham makes the pages of Victoria’s largest circulation newspaper, The Age, in 1977.
Right: A selection of aphorism cards, many of which are distributed far and wide by Pushpendra Uppal as he travels Australia in his capacity of head salesman for Incense of the World.
30 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Relay Events
Relays for Special Occasions
In addition to the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Runs and World Harmony Runs, a number of relay running and cycling relays have been held in Australia. Many of the early relays were non-stop events, where participants would run or cycle continuously throughout the day and night. (Details of these events are listed in other sections of the book.)
s 5NITED .ATIONS HOUR "ICYCLE 2ELAY 0ERTH s 5NITED .ATIONS $AY 2UN KM NON STOP RELAY RUN FROM #ANBERRA TO 3YDNEY s HOUR NON STOP RELAY RUN IN -ELBOURNE TO CELEBRATE 5NITED .ATIONS $AY s (ARMONY 0EACE /NENESS "ICYCLE 2ELAY KM THROUGH 1UEENSLAND .37 6ICTORIA AND !#4 s 5NITED .ATIONS $AY #YCLE 2ELAY -ELBOURNE s / -Y !USTRALIA 3OUTH %AST 1UEENSLAND 2ELAY KM s MILE NON STOP RUNNING RELAY FROM 3YDNEY TO #ANBERRA s 3RI #HINMOY 3ELF 4RANSCENDENCE 2IDE A KM BICYCLE RIDE AROUND 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY 3ELF 4RANSCENDENCE 2IDE A KM BICYCLE RIDE 0ERTH TO !LBANY
Above: Prior to the event, the Courier Mail in Brisbane carried an article on the upcoming Canberra to Sydney United Nations Day Run, 1977.
Above right: A Maryborough newspaper captures a moment on the road during the 1000 km running relay around South-East Queensland, 1981.
Cycling relays, old and new: Two teams of cyclists riding from Brisbane and Melbourne meet at Martin Place in central Sydney before their final ride to Canberra together, 1980; Cyclists stop at Echuca for a presentation during their ride around Victoria, 2004.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 31 Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run
Prime Ministerial Support
Since its inception in 1987, three successive Prime Ministers of Australia supported the
Bob Hawke: “I want to wish the Peace Run every success in its aim of highlighting the common aspirations of so many people in this country and right around the world for a true and lasting peace. This Peace Run is an innovative and ambitious venture which I hope will continue to inspire individuals, communities and organisations in Australia and around the Prime Minister Bob Hawke chats with Peace Run organiser world, to promote a common sense of purpose and co-operation, Prabhir Bothwell in Canberra, 1987. in working together to build a more peaceful and safer world.”
Paul Keating: “From the beginning of time, mankind’s highest and most enduring quest has been the quest for peace. This search is a continuing one, calling for a dynamic commitment from individuals, as well as governments. To this end, I applaud the initiatives of the Sri Chinmoy Peace Foundation in seeking to foster an awareness and a commitment to peace in the hearts and minds of ordinary citizens. The aspiration for peace is shared by billions of people around the globe and initiatives like yours are helping to turn this aspiration into reality, encouraging us all in the conviction that peace is a dream whose time has come.” .OVEMBER
“This Peace Run demonstrates most clearly that the search for peace is not a static dream but a dynamic commitment, paving the way to a brighter future for all people of the world.” (1993)
John Howard: “There are no barriers that the pursuit of peace cannot transcend, and I do take this opportunity to congratulate those, all over the world, who have sponsored and participated in Making headlines around Australia in 1987, the unlikely this Peace Run.” meeting between Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Opposition Leader John Howard was the result of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run’s non-political message of universal peace.
32 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Left: Robert de Castella, Patron of the Peace Run. Right: Article by Noivedya Juddery in the national magazine, The Bulletin
Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run.
1987 Adelaide–Brisbane KM !PRILn -AY Highlights: Peace Runners met with Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Opposition Leader John Howard on 7 May 1987 in Canberra. Victorian Premier John Cain greeted the runners in Melbourne.
1989 Adelaide–Sydney KM -AYn -AY Highlights: Peace Runners met Prime Minister Bob Hawke at Parliament House, Canberra, with champion ultra-runner Yiannis Kouros.
1991 Adelaide–Canberra KM -AYn -AY Highlights: Peace Runners included Olympic gold medallist Debbie Flintoff-King, who presented the Torch to Foreign Minister Senator Gareth Evans and Victorian Premier Joan Kirner. Marathon champion Robert de Castella presented the Torch to Sports Minister Ros Kelly at Parliament House, Canberra.
1993 Melbourne–Brisbane KM -ARCHn -ARCH Highlights: Sports Minister Ros Kelly proclaimed Canberra as a Sri Chinmoy Peace Capital. Official Patrons included Prime Minister Paul Keating and Robert de Castella.
1995 Adelaide–Sydney KM Fremantle-Perth KM -AYn *UNE Highlights: Official Patrons included Paul Keating, Ros Kelly and Robert de Castella.
1997 Townsville–Sydney, Adelaide–Sydney KM *UNEn !UGUST Highlights: The opening ceremony was held in Townsville, where the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was declared a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom in 1996.
1999 Adelaide–Brisbane KM &EBRUARYn !PRIL Highlights: Met with members of the Sydney Olympic Organising Committee in Maitland, NSW. 2001 Western Australia ceremonies Highlights: First edition of Australia’s Heroes published for schools – curriculum devised and written by Noivedya Juddery and Veeraja Uppal.
Above: Peace Run organiser Simahin Pierce striding across the outback. Above right: Runners carry the Peace Torch in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 33 World Harmony Run
s -ELBOURNEn3YDNEY KM Highlights: Second edition of Australia’s Heroes published for schools.
s -ELBOURNEn#ANBERRA KM
s 'EELONG TO -ELBOURNE KM 7ESTERN !USTRALIA KM Highlights: Meeting with Julia Gillard, then Deputy Leader of the Opposition; currently Prime Minister.
s !ROUND !USTRALIA KM Starting and ending in Brisbane Highlights: First around-Australia World Harmony Run, through all states Current Prime Minister Julia Gillard, whose party at the time was in and territories including Tasmania. National Patrons included Ron opposition, releases white doves at the 2007 World Harmony Run event. Clarke and Dr. Fiona Wood. State Patrons included Premiers Anna Bligh 1UEENSLAND -ORRIS )EMMA .EW 3OUTH 7ALES *OHN "RUMBY 6ICTORIA -IKE 2ANN 3OUTH !USTRALIA AND #HIEF -INISTERS *ON 3TANHOPE !#4 AND 0AUL (ENDERSON .ORTHERN 4ERRITORY
s #HRISTCHURCHn#ANBERRA KM Highlights: First link between New Zealand and Australian World Harmony Runs. Meeting with Governor-General Quentin Bryce at Government House, Canberra. Tasmanian State Patron: David Bartlett, Premier.
Events Organised from Australia Peace Runs s !NTARCTICA 1989: A solo Peace Torch marathon at Mawson Base in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Sipra Lloyd presents the torch to President of the Philippines Corazon s 0HILIPPINES Aquino in 1991. 2UNNERS MET WITH 0RESIDENT #ORAZON !QUINO 1993: Sri Chinmoy presented the Peace Torch to President Fidel Ramos. s 0APUA .EW 'UINEA /CT Highlights: A 50-km Peace Run was held from the Kokoda Track to the capital city, Port Moresby, where the Peace Torch was received by the Hon. Joseph Sukwaniomb, Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs. “PNG wants to see peace restored and by involving the Peace Run, the world can know this country wants peace to prevail in all parts of the world.” – John Kambuou, former Olympian, Executive Director of the PNG Sports Commission s 4IMOR ,ESTE “As a lover of Peace, and a firm believer in the potential for Peace among all people, I applaud the effort and inspiration which has made the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run such a success.” – Jose Ramos- Horta, Nobel Peace Prize laureate s 6IETNAM $ECEMBER s #AMBODIA $ECEMBER s 4HAILAND $ECEMBER
World Harmony Run s 6ANUATU *ULY Highlights: A solo run by Grahak Cunningham, who visited five schools on the island.
Noivedya Juddery visits children in Papua New Guinea in 1999. 34 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Executive Director of the World Harmony Run In October 2004, Sri Chinmoy appointed Salil Wilson head of the World Harmony Run. Originally from Canberra, Salil has co-ordinated the worldwide torch relay from New York for the past 7 years.
Sri Chinmoy on stage in New York as Executive Director Salil Wilson announces the start of the World Harmony Run.
Running legend and Mayor of the Gold Coast Ron Clarke carries the torch at Burleigh Heads, Queensland, in 2008.
Prabuddha Nicol presents the torch to Australia’s Governor-General Quentin Bryce at Government House in Canberra in 2010.
Bob Randall, one of the traditional owners of Ulluru in central Australia, holds the torch in 2008. Below: Children of Newman Public School in Western Australia.
Rathin Boulton in front of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sri Chinmoy in Australia 35 The Oneness-Heart- Tears and Smiles
Since 2002, the Australian Sri Chinmoy Centres have sent over 30 humanitarian shipments valued at over US$400,000 to individuals and communities in need, in 15 nations.
These shipments have included the delivery of two ambulances to the Port Vila Hospital in Vanuatu, a specialised ultra-sound machine to the National Referral Hospital, Honiara, in the Solomon Islands and 2.3 tonnes of protein powder to the Ministry of Health, Luanda, in Angola.
Veeraja Uppal and Alf Zollo visited the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in October 2004 and sponsored a return visit of representatives from the Vanuatu Health Department to Melbourne in March 2005.
On 5 October 2004, the Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles Worldwide Humanitarian Service of the Sri Chinmoy Centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Vanuatu to formalise and streamline the provision of humanitarian service to the people of Vanuatu.
Above: The children at the Mele School in Port Vila, Vanuatu were the happy recipients of much needed school supplies and sports equipment.
Left: Veeraja Uppal shows an ambulance packed with supplies that are headed overseas.
36 Sri Chinmoy in Australia The Oneness-Heart- Tears and Smiles Silent Meditations
Moments of Silence During his visits to Australia, Sri Chinmoy delivered lectures, offered Peace Concerts and attended athletic gatherings. At the beginning of each public event, he would meditate in silence, invoking peace and offering his soulful gratitude to all those present.
s 3RI #HINMOYS STUDENTS IN !USTRALIA LAUNCHED A BID TO HAVE 3RI #HINMOY open the XII Commonwealth Games in Brisbane with a silent meditation for peace. .OVEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY OFFERED A SILENT MEDITATION AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 7th World Veterans Games, Melbourne. s 3RI #HINMOYS STUDENTS IN !USTRALIA LAUNCHED A BID TO HAVE 3RI #HINMOY open the XXVII Olympic Games in Sydney with 30 seconds of silent meditation for peace. The bid was endorsed by Olympians Ron Clarke, Robert de Castella and Sudhahota Carl Lewis with letters of support from hundreds of athletes around the world. Meditation Classes Since the 1970s, thousands of courses on meditation have been offered by the Sri Chinmoy Centre at public venues, universities and colleges around the nation. In-house meditation classes have also been offered to the staff of government departments, schools, sporting clubs Sri Chinmoy meditating at the 1995 Peace Concert in Melbourne. and major corporations, including Chase Manhattan Bank, Adelaide Gaol and The Body Shop IN !DELAIDE THE !USTRALIAN 4AXATION /FlCE !4/ IN 0ERTH AND 4HE )NSTITUTE OF #HARTERED Accountants in Australia, in Sydney.
Parliament House n s 4HE 3RI #HINMOY #ENTRE OFFERED FREE MEDITATION CLASSES ON A REGULAR basis to Federal Members of Parliament and staff in the Meditation Room at Parliament House in Canberra. Educational Institutions *UNE s 3IPRA ,LOYD WAS INVITED TO CONDUCT MEDITATION SESSIONS FOR THE !DULT %DUCATION !UTHORITY 7%! IN !DELAIDE 3EPTEMBER s +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM WAS INVITED TO CONDUCT MEDITATION SESSIONS FOR THE !DULT %DUCATION !UTHORITY #!% IN -ELBOURNE 3EPTEMBER s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON WAS INVITED TO GIVE LECTURES ON MEDITATION AT THE 4ECHNICAL AND &URTHER %DUCATION 4!&% COLLEGE IN "RISBANE AND IN 1989 at the WEA in Sydney. s 0RANAVANTA -ONTElORE WAS INVITED TO GIVE LECTURES ON MEDITATION AT TAFE in Newcastle.
Right: A full-page advertisement was placed in the national broadsheet newspaper ‘The Australian’ to gauge public support for Sri Chinmoy’s involvement in the Olympic Opening Ceremony. The subsequent phone poll showed overwhelming support for the proposal.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 37 Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossoms
1. Sri Chinmoy planted a rose bush for world peace at the Nedlands Memorial Rose Gardens, Perth, WA, 3 March 1976. This Peace Rose Bush was rededicated with a NEW PLAQUE BY -AYOR ,AURIE 4AYLOR ON $ECEMBER 2. Sri Chinmoy Recreational Trail, Melbourne, Victoria, 8 October 1983. Sri Chinmoy inaugurated the 800-metre trail with a running race for his students on 11 September 1984. 3. Sri Chinmoy Running Trail, Canberra, ACT, 23 October 1983. Sri Chinmoy inaugurated the out-and-back 10-km trail alongside Lake Burley Griffin with a running race for his students on 15 September 1984. 4. Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile in Southern Parklands, Adelaide, SA, 1986. 5. Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile in Westbourne Woods, Canberra, ACT, 1986. 6. A Sri Chinmoy Peace Grove and Peace Mile, Wentworth Park, Sydney, NSW, 24 October 1986. A grove of 47 Morton Bay fig trees, originally planted in 1910. 7. Sri Chinmoy Peace Triathlon Festival, Canberra, ACT, February 1992. 8. Olinda Rhododendron Gardens, Victoria, 7 March 1993. 9. City of Canberra, ACT, was dedicated as a Sri Chinmoy Peace Capital by the Federal Minister for Sport Ros Kelly on 16 March 1993. 10. Hyatt Hotel Canberra, ACT, 16 March 1993. This was the world’s first Sri Chinmoy Peace Hotel. 11. Bruce Stadium, Canberra, ACT, 16 March 1993. 12. National Botanical Gardens, Canberra, ACT, 16 March 1993. 13. City of Sydney, NSW, was dedicated by Lord Mayor Frank Sartor on 18 March 1993. 14. City of Melbourne, Victoria, 19 March 1993. 15. City of Wollongong, NSW, March 1993. #ASINO .37 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE 4OWN -ARCH 17. City of Lismore, NSW, March 1993. "ALLINA .37 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE 4OWN -ARCH 19. Brisbane Botanical Gardens, March 1993. 20. Kosciuszko National Park, NSW, 1995. 21. Murray River, NSW-Victoria-SA, 1995. 22. The City of Claremont, WA, was dedicated as a Sri Chinmoy Peace City by Mayor Peter Weygers at a ceremony on 24 October 1995. 23. Yarra River, Melbourne, Victoria, 1995. 24. Telstra Tower, Canberra, ACT, 26 June 1995. 25. Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 28 June 1995. 26. State of New South Wales was dedicated by the Hon. Dr. Andrew Refshauge, Deputy Premier of NSW, then Acting Premier, on 28 June 1995. 0OINT $ANGER 4ORQUAY 6ICTORIA .OVEMBER 28. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Queensland, was dedicated by Senator Margaret Reynolds on 2 February 1996. 29. Sydney Opera House was dedicated by the General Manager, Lloyd Martin, on 6 March 1996. 30. Indian Pacific, 1996 – this train traverses 4,352 km between Perth and Sydney. 31. Mt. Lofty Summit, Adelaide, SA, 6 December 1998. 32. City of Geelong, Victoria, 3 March 1999. 33. Australia was dedicated as the first Sri Chinmoy Peace Continent by Kay Elson MP on 12 April 1999.
38 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sri Chinmoy Peace Trees From the 1980s on, usually in conjunction with the biennial Peace Runs and World Harmony Runs, Sri Chinmoy Peace Trees were planted in numerous cities and towns throughout the states of NSW, SA, WA, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT.
s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED BY THE BANKS OF THE "RISBANE 2IVER AT $AVIES 0ARK 7EST %ND Brisbane, Queensland. s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED IN THE 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE 'ROVE IN 3YDNEY .37 AS PART OF THE Peace Run. s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED IN .EWCASTLE BY THE MAYOR AS PART OF THE 0EACE 2UN s ! 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE 'ROVE WAS DEDICATED AT "ORDERTOWN 3OUTH !USTRALIA s ! 0EACE -EDITATION 4REE WAS PLANTED AT -URRAY "RIDGE 6ICTORIA -AY s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED IN #ENTENNIAL 0ARK 3TURT 2ESERVE -URRAY "RIDGE 6ICTORIA by Mayor Toni Robinson as part of the Peace Run. -AY s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED ADJACENT TO $ISTRICT (ALL !GNES 3TREET +INGSTON 3OUTH Australia, as part of the Peace Run. -AY s ! 0EACE 4REE WAS PLANTED IN -OUNT 'AMBIER 3OUTH !USTRALIA BY -AYOR $ON MacDonnell as part of the Peace Run. Sri Chinmoy Peace Miles Throughout the 1980s and 1990s numerous Peace Miles were established in Melbourne and country Victoria, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane.
s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE IN !DELAIDE 3OUTH !USTRALIA s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE IN 7ESTBOURNE 7OODS 9ARRALUMLA #ANBERRA !#4 -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE 'EELONG 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE 9ARRA "END 0ARK #LIFTON (ILL -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE #OBURG -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE $ANDENONG -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE -ILE 4RARALGON 6ICTORIA
Sri Chinmoy Streets Seventeen streets were named for Sri Chinmoy in 2007 and 2008, located throughout Victoria, South Above: Sri Chinmoy at the top of Telstra Tower, Australia, NSW and Western Australia. overlooking Canberra; Sri Chinmoy dedicates Telstra Tower as a Sri Chinmoy Peace Tower, 1995. Sri Chinmoy Days *UNE s 3RI #HINMOY $AY WAS PROCLAIMED IN 7OLLONGONG .37 *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOY $AY WAS PROCLAIMED IN $ALBY 1UEENSLAND Below: A Sri Chinmoy Street in Victoria, signposting a tranquil environment.
Opposite page top: Sri Chinmoy at a Canberra Sri Chinmoy Peace Capital sign, one of five signs that graced the entrances to the national capital at the time, 1995.
Opposite page left: Padmanandana and Padmalaya Marek tending the Mount Lofty Peace Summit site in SA.
Right: The Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile in central Adelaide has been the venue for many races over the years.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 39 Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart
Prominent Australians s 'REG -ORTIMER MOUNTAIN CLIMBER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY In 1984, he summitted Mt. Everest as part of the first Australian ascent, without supplemental oxygen, via a new route on the North Face. He later became the first person ever to walk from sea-level, at the Bay of Bengal, to the top of Mt. Everest without extra oxygen. s ,INCOLN (ALL AUTHOR AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY In 1984, he was part of the first Australian team to climb Mt. Everest. In 1988, before he had met with Sri Chinmoy, he took with him a cassette of Sri Chinmoy’s ‘Flute Music for Meditation’ on a trip to Antarctica where he climbed Mt. Minto. In 2006, he made headlines around the world when he survived after being left for dead on the descent from the summit of Mt. Everest. s 4REVOR (ARRIS ULTRA DISTANCE RUNNER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY He was the world-record holder for 1,000 hours, covering 2.7 km per hour. s "ARTON ,YNCH WORLD CHAMPION SURFER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY s $R "OB (UNTER FORMER PRESIDENT 3CIENTISTS !GAINST .UCLEAR !RMS WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY s -ARGARET "ATES #HANNEL 46 NEWS REPORTER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY s +ERRYN 0RATT #HANNEL 46 SPORTS REPORTER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY s !NDY 0ASCALLIDES 3"3 46 SPORTS REPORTER WAS LIFTED AT 3YDNEY 4OWN (ALL *ULY s 3IPRA ,LOYD REPRESENTING THE CONTINENT OF !USTRALIA WAS LIFTED AT !SPIRATION 'ROUND .EW 9ORK !UGUST Sri Chinmoy symbolically lifted 7 continents by lifting 7 individuals. s $R 0ETER 7ILENSKI !USTRALIAN !MBASSADOR TO THE 5NITED .ATIONS WAS LIFTED AT !SPIRATION 'ROUND .EW 9ORK 3EPTEMBER Before being lifted, Dr. Wilenski spent the morning playing tennis with Sri Chinmoy. s 4RIATHLETES 4ROY &IDLER ,UKE 'RATTAN *ASON (ARPER 3HANE *OHNSON 3UE 4URNER AND COACH 2ON "ONHAM WERE LIFTED AT !SPIRATION 'ROUND .EW 9ORK 3EPTEMBER s #HRIS ,EGH NATIONAL TRIATHLON CHAMPION WAS LIFTED IN .EW 9ORK .OVEMBER s 4ONY DE $OMENICO FORMER $EPUTY #HIEF -INISTER OF THE !#4 WAS LIFTED AT 9ORK #OLLEGE .EW 9ORK .OVEMBER A good friend of the Sri Chinmoy Centre, he was an integral part of the bid to have Sri Chinmoy open the 2000 Sydney Olympics with 30 seconds of silent meditation for peace. s "RIAN 'LEESON !DVISOR 5NITED .ATIONS $EVELOPMENT 0ROGRAM WAS LIFTED IN .EW 9ORK -AY s 'REG 7ELCH TRIATHLON WORLD CHAMPION WAS LIFTED IN .EW 9ORK .OVEMBER
Above from top: Tony de Domenico being lifted in New York; Greg Mortimer being lifted in Sydney.
Sri Chinmoy (centre) with some of the people he lifted at Sydney Town Hall. From left to right: Andy Pascallides, 40 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Barton Lynch, Greg Mortimer, Margaret Bates, Lincoln Hall, Trevor Harris, Dr. Bob Hunter and Kerryn Pratt. Lifting Up the World Athletic events With a Oneness-Heart and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team
Athletic events put on by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team – from 2-mile races to ultra-marathons, from lake swims to triple-triathlons – number in the thousands and have made ‘Sri Chinmoy’ a household name.
Involvement in the Running Community
s +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM WAS EMPLOYED BY THE $EPARTMENT OF 2ECREATION AND 3PORT as the co-ordinator of Fun Runs for Victoria. s +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM WROTE A GUIDE TO ORGANISING A FUN RUN ENTITLED @3TART TO Finish’ based on Sri Chinmoy’s international standards for running races. s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON AND 5NMILAN (OWARD WERE INVITED TO BECOME MEMBERS OF the organising committee for the Australian Marathon Championships INCORPORATING THE #OMMONWEALTH 'AMES -ARATHON 4RIAL AND !USTRALIAN Veterans Marathon Championship). s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON AND 5NMILAN (OWARD WERE INVITED TO BECOME MEMBERS OF the Commonwealth Games Marathon and Road Walk Organising Committee – a seven-person team charged with responsibly of staging these events for the XII #OMMONWEALTH 'AMES IN "RISBANE 4HE MARATHON WAS WON BY 2OB DE #ASTELLA n s 4HE 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON 4EAM CO ORDINATED FUN RUNS AND TRIATHLONS in Queensland and produced a widely popular, reliable event calendar for the STATE .EW 3OUTH 7ALES CALENDARS WERE ALSO PRODUCED n s +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM WAS THE EDITOR OF Australian Runner magazine. The classic youthful running image of -AY s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON WAS ELECTED TO THE COMMITTEES OF .ATIONAL 3TATE 2OAD Sri Chinmoy was chosen for the front Running Associations. cover of the official Commonwealth *UNE s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON PUBLISHED Guide to Brisbane Running magazine. Games Trial programme. $ECEMBER s 3IPRA ,LOYD PUBLISHED Runners: Joy-Discovers of the Beyond – a national running magazine distributed through newsagents in all Australian states and territories. *ANUARY s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON PUBLISHED Runners: Oneness-World Harbingers – a national running magazine distributed through newsagents in all Australian states and territories. n s +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM WAS THE EDITOR OF Australian Runner magazine. n s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON PUBLISHED Athletesworld, a website covering all aspects of running and multi-sports around Australia.
Pages from the two national magazines, one published in Adelaide and the other published in Brisbane, both of which covered the sport of running, nationally and internationally.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 41 Races around the Nation Melbourne 3EPTEMBER s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 2ACE HELD IN -ELBOURNE !UGUST s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON HELD IN -ELBOURNE &EBRUARY s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON HELD IN 1UEENSCLIFF 6ICTORIA The start of the Sydney: Sri Chinmoy Peace-City 10 km Race in Brisbane front of the Art Gallery of NSW at the Domain in the heart of !UGUST s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 2ACE HELD IN "RISBANE KM AT 7EST %ND Sydney. *UNE s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON HELD IN "RISBANE *ANUARY s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON HELD AT 4ALLEBUDGERA 'OLD #OAST 4HE lRST PUBLIC TRIATHLON EVER HELD IN 1UEENSLAND
Perth /CTOBER s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 2ACE HELD IN 0ERTH @2UN FOR 0EACE KM RACE
Adelaide -ARCH s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON HELD AT 7ESTLAKES !DELAIDE 4HE lRST PUBLIC TRIATHLON EVER HELD IN !USTRALIA
Sydney $ECEMBER s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 2ACE HELD IN 3YDNEY KM IN #ENTENNIAL 0ARK
Canberra *ANUARY s 4HE lRST 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON HELD AT 9ARRALUMLA "AY #ANBERRA 4HE lRST PUBLIC TRIATHLON HELD IN THE !#4 A moment of silence and then they’re off at the Sri Chinmoy Running and Fitness Festival at Williamstown near Melbourne. The largest and most significant races include: Marathons
n s 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON AT $ROMANA 6ICTORIA n s 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON IN "RISBANE 1UEENSLAND nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY 2UNNING AND &ITNESS &ESTIVAL -ARATHON IN 7ILLIAMSTOWN Melbourne, Victoria. n s 3RI #HINMOY 2UNNING AND &ITNESS &ESTIVAL -ARATHON IN 3YDNEY .37 s 3RI #HINMOY 2AINBOW -ARATHON IN 3YDNEY .37
Ultra-marathons
n s 3RI #HINMOY (OUR 4RACK 2ACE !DELAIDE 3! n THE lRST HOUR track race in Australia. It was declared the national championships in 1984 through to 2008. In 1997, Yiannis Kouros set a world 24- hour track record of 303.5 km at the Kensington Sports Field Track. Since the relocation of the Sri Chinmoy 24-Hour Race to Brisbane, after many years in Adelaide, race director Avirgyan Rogan has successfully staged this premier ultra-event for the past 3 years.
42 Sri Chinmoy in Australia *UNE s 3RI #HINMOY (OUR 2ACE -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA s 3RI #HINMOY +M 2UN #ANBERRA !#4 3EPTEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY +M 2UN .37 !CADEMY OF 3PORT 4RACK .ARRABEEN Lakes, Sydney, NSW. -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY (OUR 2ACE !)3 !THLETICS 4RACK #ANBERRA !#4 s 3RI #HINMOY MILE 2ACE -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY (OUR 4RACK 2ACE "RISBANE 1UEENSLAND
Biathlons, Duathlons, Triathlons and Swims
!PRIL s 3RI #HINMOY *OY $AY )NVITATIONAL 4RIATHLON 4ALLEBUDGERA 1UEENSLAND – the first triathlon ever staged in Australia. MILE SWIM MILE CYCLE MILE RUN -ARCH s 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON 7ESTLAKES !DELAIDE 3! n THE lRST PUBLIC Beached kayaks at the Sri Chinmoy Multi-Sport Classic in triathlon held in Australia. Jindabyne. n s 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON 6ICTORIA nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY 4RIATHLON &ESTIVAL #ANBERRA !#4 Previously the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team’s largest competitive event worldwide, with 3,500 competitors each year during the 1990s. Declared the Australian National Triathlon Championships, 1989-90, 1999-2000. nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY "URLEY 'RIFlN ,AKE 3WIMS #ANBERRA !#4 /CTOBER s 3RI #HINMOY "IATHLON AT "ONDI "EACH 3YDNEY .37 $ECEMBER s 3RI #HINMOY "IATHLON AT $OLLS 0OINT 3YDNEY .37 nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY 4RIPLE 4RIATHLON #ANBERRA !#4 s 3RI #HINMOY 'EELONG 4RIATHLON 'EELONG 6ICTORIA nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY ,AKE %NDURANCE 3WIM #ANBERRA !#4 nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY -ULTI 3PORT #LASSIC *INDABYNE .37
International Races
*ULY s 3RI #HINMOY )NTERNATIONAL MILE 2ACE HELD AT .EW &ARM 0ARK A chilly start to the swim section of the Sri Chinmoy Triathlon Brisbane, Queensland. Festival in Canberra. /CTOBER s 3RI #HINMOY )NTERNATIONAL MILE 2ACE IN HONOUR OF THE TH anniversary of the United Nations, held at Wentworth Park, Glebe, Sydney, NSW. SnS s !DELAIDE "RISBANE #ANBERRA -ELBOURNE AND 3YDNEY HELD SEVERAL International 2-mile races, winning some of the international awards.
Special Running Events
n s 3YDNEY 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE #ITY KM 2UN IN THE $OMAIN 3YDNEY .37 #ELEBRATING 3YDNEY AS A 3RI #HINMOY 0EACE #ITY THE EVENT had the largest field assembled for a single race, with almost 1,000 competitors.) nPRESENT s 3RI #HINMOY 2UNNING AND &ITNESS &ESTIVAL -ELBOURNE 6ICTORIA 4HE 3RI #HINMOY -ARATHON 4EAMS LARGEST RUNNING EVENT WORLDWIDE with over 2,000 competitors each year.) n s 3RI #HINMOY 2UNNING AND &ITNESS &ESTIVAL "OTANY "AY 3YDNEY .37
Mountain bikes perched on racks await their riders in the Sri Chinmoy Off-Road Duathlon in Canberra.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 43 Athletic Achievements
Three Australians ran the first Sri Chinmoy 47-mile race in New York – Sipra Lloyd, Kishore #UNNINGHAM AND !NIMESH (ARRINGTON !UGUST
Kishore Cunningham, Prabhir Bothwell and Animesh Harrington 2AN TOGETHER FOR HOURS NON STOP KM EACH TO CELEBRATE THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF 3RI #HINMOYS ARRIVAL IN THE 7EST !PRIL
Sipra Lloyd First woman home in the South Australian State Marathon breaking the South Australian state MARATHON RECORD IN HOURS MINUTES
Prashanta Cunningham 7ON THE 3RI #HINMOY -ILE 2ACE !UGUST AND
Animesh Harrington 0LACED RD IN THE lRST EVER 1UEENSLAND -ILE 3TATE #HAMPIONSHIPS 3EPTEMBER
Kishore Cunningham 7ON THE SPECIAL -ILE 2ACE TO COMMEMORATE 3RI #HINMOYS TH BIRTHDAY !UGUST
Above: Animesh Harrington and Kishore Cunningham finishing together in the inaugural 47-Mile Race in New York, 27 August 1978.
Left: South Australian women’s marathon champion Sipra Lloyd interviewed by ‘The News’ in Adelaide, 2 August 1979.
44 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Dipali Cunningham $IPALI FROM -ELBOURNE NOW BASED IN .EW 9ORK IS ONE OF !USTRALIAS PRE EMINENT ULTRA MARATHON runners. She won the Sri Chinmoy 47-Mile Race every year between 1983 and 2009, achieving a personal best time of 6 hours, 14 minutes, 18 seconds. She has won the women’s division of the Six-Day Self-Transcendence Race in New York every year since its inception in 1998 and in 2009, at the age of 53, she set a new women’s world road record. From the 31 multi-day events she has COMPLETED $IPALI HAS lRST PLACE WOMENS WINS AND OVERALL MEN AND WOMEN WINS Her ultra-running achievements include: s -ILES IN !UG .EW 9ORK n !USTRALIAN RECORD s -ILES IN DAYS -AY n !USTRALIAN RECORD s -ILES IN DAYS 3EP .EW 9ORK n RD IN THE WORLD s +M IN DAYS 3EP n !USTRALIAN RECORD World record holder Dipali Cunningham at the 2010 Self- s -ILES IN DAYS 3EP n !USTRALIAN RECORD Transcendence 6 Day Race awards ceremony. s (OURS COVERING MILES /TTAWA n !USTRALIAN OVER RECORD s HOURS COVERING MILES KM *ULY 0RAGUE – Australian Open and over-50 record. s $AYS COVERING ¾ MILES .EW 9ORK n 7ORLD RECORD Prachar Stegemann 7ON THE 3RI #HINMOY -ILE 2ACE IN .EW 9ORK !UGUST JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER PLACING lRST in the 1-Mile Track Race at the Sri Chinmoy Sports Day. Anubha Baird 7ON THE (OUR 3RI #HINMOY .ATIONAL #HAMPIONSHIP WOMEN AND IN !DELAIDE BEST DISTANCE KM IN Rathin Boulton #OMPLETED THE 3ELF 4RANSCENDENCE -ILE 2ACE IN DAYS DAYS AND DAYS )N HE COMPLETED MILES IN DAYS finishing at midnight on the last day. Grahak Cunningham #OMPLETED THE 3ELF 4RANSCENDENCE -ILE 2ACE IN DAYS AVERAGING KMDAY IN DAYS AVERAGING KMDAY AND IN HE PLACED ND DAYS AVERAGING KMDAY MAKING HIM THE RD PLACED MALE WORLDWIDE AND ESTABLISHING A new Australian record; Won the Bunbury 50 km Ultramarathon, 17 May 2009. Granantan Boyle Won the Self-Transcendence Marathon in New York in August 2008, August 2009 and April 2010. In 2009 he came second in the 47-Mile Race, less than two days after winning the Self- Rathin Boulton, the first Australian ever to complete the 3100 Mile Race in New York. Transcendence Marathon. Other Multi-Day Runners Aryavan Lantham, Avirgyan Rogan, Niboddhri Ward, Saranyu Pearson, Satyakarma Elliott and Simahin Pierce have all competed in multi-day races. Solo Runs for Special Occasions *ANUARY s #ARRYING A SMALL !USTRALIAN mAG !NIMESH (ARRINGTON RAN KM AROUND Brisbane, crossing all inner-city bridges, to commemorate Australia Day. The run attracted state-wide newspaper coverage, since it was the only public event on Australia Day that year. !PRIL s !NIMESH (ARRINGTON UNDERTOOK A HOUR SOLO RUN AT 1%)) TRACK IN "RISBANE to celebrate the 19th anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s arrival in the West. English Channel Swim *ULY s 4EJASWI VAN DER 7ALT SWAM THE %NGLISH #HANNEL IN A TIME OF HOURS Grahak Cunningham, current Australian record holder for minutes. 3,100 miles and 5,000 kilometres.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 45 Self-Transcendence
Guinness World Records by Students of Sri Chinmoy !PRIL s 3TRETCHER BEARING n 5NMILAN (OWARD 127 miles non-stop in 45 hours and 45 seconds, as part of a 2x4-man team, New York. !UGUST s &IRE EATING n 3IPRA ,LOYD lRE sticks in two hours to honour Sri Chinmoy’s 51st birthday, New York. n *ULY s ,ECTURE n 3IPRA ,LOYD NON STOP hours, WEA rooms, South Terrace, Adelaide Sipra read Sri Chinmoy’s poetry to celebrate the completion of Ten Thousand Flower-Flames. n *ULY s /NE MAN BAND n 3ADHAK (EARST hours to celebrate the completion of Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, Brisbane. /CTOBER s &IRE EATING n 3IPRA ,LOYD lRE STICKS IN TWO HOURS "RISBANE *ULY s 3ITTING MOTIONLESS n 0RABUDDHA .ICOL HOURS MINUTES TO CELEBRATE the completion of Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, Adelaide. n *UNE s /NE MAN BAND n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS "RISBANE *ULY s &IRE EATING n 3IPRA ,LOYD IN HOURS 0OINT ,ONSDALE 6ICTORIA n 3EP s 'UITAR PLAYING n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS .EW 9ORK n .OV s /NE MAN BAND n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS -ELBOURNE /CTOBER s !CCORDION PLAYING n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS .EW 9ORK -AY s /NE MAN BAND n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS .EW 9ORK /CTOBER s 'UITAR PLAYING n 3ADHAK (EARST HOURS .EW 9ORK Other record-breaking achievements *ULY s *UMPING JACKS ON A MINI TRAMPOLINE n 5NMILAN (OWARD IN HOURS to celebrate the completion of Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, Brisbane.
Sipra Lloyd eats fire 8,157 times in 2 hours; Prabuddha Nicol sits motionless for 10 hours; and Sri Chinmoy visits Sadhak Hearst during his 331-hour one-man band world record in New York.
46 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Manifestation Self-Transcendence Events
Centres established
3YDNEY #ENTRE s n n nPRESENT Established 13 April 1972 Perth Centre 1974–1982, 1991, 1995–present -ELBOURNE #ENTRE s nPRESENT Established 11 November 1974 !DELAIDE #ENTRE s nPRESENT Established 7 February 1976 "RISBANE #ENTRE s n nPRESENT Established 7 January 1977 Geelong Centre 1976–1978, 1996–present Canberra Centre 1982–present Newcastle Centre 1986–1995 Wollongong Centre 1995–1999 Hobart Centre 1996–1997
Divine Enterprises s &LAME 7AVES Vegetarian restaurant, Perth, 1974–1980 s 4HE )NNER 3MILE Bakery, Perth, 1977–1978 s 3UPREME ,IGHT Vegetarian restaurant, Adelaide, 1979–1981 Sri Chinmoy outside the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Brisbane, 2003. s /NENESS ,IFE 0rinting and publishing, Brisbane, 1980–1989 s /NENESS (OME Vegetarian restaurant, Canberra, 1982–1987 s 0URITYS 3TRENGTH )NDOMITABLE Health food store, Melbourne, 15 February 1983–1993 s "OUNDLESS ,IFE Health food store, Adelaide, 1984–1988 s 2UNNERS *OY $ISCOVERERS OF THE "EYOND National running magazine, Adelaide, 1984–1986 s 2UNNERS /NENESS 7ORLD (ARBINGERS National running magazine, Brisbane, 1985–1986 s 5NMILAN )NDUSTRIES Exercise machines, Brisbane, 1986–1989 s (EALTH 3TRENGTH &LIGHTS Baked potato café, Melbourne, 1988–1995 s 4HE 2AINBOW 3ILENCE (EART Café/restaurant, Melbourne, 1995–2009 s -Y 2AINBOW $REAMS Health food store, Canberra, 27 July 1998 s )NCENSE OF THE 7ORLD Wholesalers, Melbourne, 1998–present s 0URITYS 3TRENGTH )NDOMITABLE Tea room, Melbourne, 1998–2000 s *OY $ISCOVERY Vegetarian café, Adelaide, March 8, 2004–present s 0AWS TO (EAL Holistic veterinarian, Geelong, October 2005–present s -Y (EART 'ARDEN Eatery, café, Brisbane, 2006–present s 3ERVICE 0LANTS Ayurveda nutrition, Melbourne, May 2008–present s -Y 2AINBOW $REAMS Café, juice bar and gelateria, Canberra, 2008–present s 2AINBOW (EART 3KY Florist, gift shop and gallery, Hahndorf, The Rainbow-Silence-Heart Café in Melbourne. Adelaide Hills, 2008–present
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 47 ‘O My Australia’ campaign
Sri Chinmoy gave his approval for his Australian students to try and have his song ‘O My Australia’ accepted as the Australian national anthem: “This is an excellent project, excellent! I approve wholeheartedly.” &EBRUARY 1978)
The song was sung for the first time in public at the United Nations in New York on 27 January 1978, for Mr. Ralph Harry, Permanent Representative OF !USTRALIA TO THE 5NITED .ATIONS 3UBSEQUENTLY A BANNER WITH THE WORDS of the song was presented to Mr. Rex Harris, Deputy Consul-General, Australian Consulate-General in New York on 10 February 1978. )N !USTRALIA THE IDEA TO OFFER 3RI #HINMOYS SONG TO THE NATION QUICKLY gained momentum. Headed by Prabhir Bothwell from Perth, who Sri Chinmoy had personally charged with leadership of the project, a team from around Australia pooled their resources, ideas and inspiration together and the campaign began in earnest. They corresponded with heads of government such as Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser; the Governor-General of Australia Sir Zelman Cowan and many Australian State Governors and Premiers; the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Reverend T. F. Little; as well as mayors and city officials around Australia. Whenever meetings with prominent Australians took place, the song was sung and the banner was presented. Newspapers carried articles and radio stations far and wide broadcast interviews and played recordings of the song.
!PRIL s 4RANSLATIONS OF @/ -Y !USTRALIA INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES n "ENGALI %SPERANTO Aboriginal, Chinese, French, Greek, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Pidgin English, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese – were printed in a booklet to honour Sri Chinmoy’s 14th year in the West. /CTOBER s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO AUTHOR #OLIN 4HIELE IN !DELAIDE /CTOBER s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO AUTHOR !LAN -ARSHALL AT HIS HOME IN Victoria. $ECEMBER s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO FORMER 0RIME -INISTER OF !USTRALIA Sir William McMahon and his wife Lady Sonia McMahon at the Gold Coast in Queensland. s !N @/ -Y !USTRALIA ART COMPETITION WAS HELD FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND PAINTINGS WERE exhibited at a function at the UN on 30 January 1979. s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO HISTORIAN 0ROFESSOR -ANNING #LARKE by students of Sri Chinmoy in Victoria. !PRIL s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO ARTIST 7ILLIAM 2ICKETTS IN -ELBOURNE !PRIL s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO ULTRA RUNNER 4ONY 2AFFERTY BY STUDENTS of Sri Chinmoy in Melbourne. -AY s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO THE !MBASSADOR OF #YPRUS BY STUDENTS of Sri Chinmoy in Canberra. -AY s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO THE HEAD OF 2ED #ROSS BY STUDENTS OF Sri Chinmoy in Canberra. -AY s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO SCIENTISTS AT -T 3TROMLO OBSERVATORY by students of Sri Chinmoy in Canberra. s @/ -Y !USTRALIA WAS SUNG AT A SPECIAL 5NITED .ATIONS !SSOCIATION FUNCTION IN "RISBANE s ! PRESENTATION OF THE @/ -Y !USTRALIA SONG WAS MADE TO 3IR (UBERT /PPERMAN EX GOVERNMENT minister and champion cyclist, by students of Sri Chinmoy. *ANUARY s / -Y !USTRALIA 3OUTH %AST 1UEENSLAND 2ELAY n A MAN TEAM RAN NON STOP FOR KM in 4 days, 6 hours. Banners with the words of Sri Chinmoy’s song ‘O My Australia’ were presented to mayors and city officials along the route. Letters were received from the mayors and shire chairmen of Bundaberg, Maryborough, Kingaroy, Gin Gin, Toowoomba, Dalby, Nambour and Caboolture as well as ultra-runner Ron Grant. *ANUARY s 3RI #HINMOYS !USTRALIAN SONGS WERE SUNG AT THE !USTRALIA $AY &AIR IN !DELAIDE
Top left: Sri Chinmoy reads out ‘My Salutation to the Soul of Australia’ at a special Australia Day function held at the United Nations in New York (1977). Top right: Presentation of the ‘O My Australia’ song to Australia’s Ambassador to the UN, Mr. Ralph Harry; Australian Deputy Consul-General, Mr. Rex Harris; author Colin Thiele; author Alan Marshall; historian Prof. Manning Clarke; former Prime Minister of Australia Sir William McMahon; and Victorian Minister for Youth, Sport and Recreation Brian Dixon.
48 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Sri Chinmoy’s Weightlifting “In August 1983, Sri Chinmoy asked for 50 exercise machines to be made. All his disciples who were inspired tried to make their machines and then present them to him for approval – or otherwise. Mostly it was otherwise. Kishore Cunningham had an idea for a machine and suggested that together we could make it. When the machine was finished, we presented it to Sri Chinmoy. He sat in it and within minutes had completely wrecked it. ‘Useless, totally useless!’ was his comment.” – Unmilan Howard
Sri Chinmoy’s historic 7,063¾-lb right-arm lift, 30 January 1987.
The rest is history… Unmilan went on to make not only exercise machines for Sri Chinmoy, but the VERY EQUIPMENT 3RI #HINMOY NEEDED TO SAFELY LIFT THE ENORMOUS WEIGHTS HE WOULD EVENTUALLY ACHIEVE Unmilan came up with the idea to support the heavier weights in a rack, so that the lift could start at SHOULDER HEIGHT &ROM TO HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING AND BUILDING ALL THE EQUIPMENT Sri Chinmoy used – the one and two-arm lifts; the standing and seated calf-raise machines; the ‘Lifting Unmilan Howard constructing exercise machines in the Up the World with a Oneness-Heart’ platform; and the two immortal 7,000-lb lifts, with their truss- basement of Agni Press in New York. supported 15-foot spans.
Weightlifting celebrations -ARCH s #ELEBRATING 3RI #HINMOYS LB LIFT STUDENTS FROM 3YDNEY "RISBANE Canberra and Melbourne, ran a 200-mile non-stop relay from Sydney to Canberra carrying a baton. &EBRUARY s #ELEBRATING 3RI #HINMOYS HISTORIC ¢ LB LIFT STUDENTS IN !DELAIDE AND Brisbane released helium balloons. The Adelaide event was held in Rundle Mall in the city centre where it appeared on TV. During the same month Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting achievements were on display in a glass case in the mall. On the Gold Coast, in Queensland, messages in bottles were also RELEASED !ND ON -ARCH A FEATURE ARTICLE ON 3RI #HINMOYS ¢ LB lift appeared in Queensland’s Sunday Mail. !UGUST s )N HONOUR OF 3RI #HINMOYS TH BIRTHDAY 'EELONG #ENTRE BAKED cookies, which were distributed to members of their local community, through the Geelong Library and the Geelong Saturday Markets. .OVEMBER s 4O CELEBRATE 3RI #HINMOYS LB RECORD BREAKING WRIST CURL !DELAIDE Centre offered 270 litres of ice cream free to the public outside Joy-Discovery. A 203-lb ice cream gave-away, celebrating Sri Chinmoy’s .OVEMBER s 4O CELEBRATE 3RI #HINMOYS LB WRIST CURL THE -ELBOURNE #ENTRE DISTRIBUTED 203 lb wrist-curl. 203 pounds of ice cream for free at the Olympic Dream Run. Similarly, the Geelong Centre offered free ice cream at the Belmont Markets Radio Interviews Many radio stations around Australia have broadcast interviews about Sri Chinmoy and his activities, but one interview stands out: On a national ABC Radio programme called ‘Australia Talks Back’ on 12 -ARCH HOST 3ANDY -C#UTCHEON EXPLORED THE QUESTION h7HERE HAVE ALL THE GURUS GONE v Just after performing a Peace Concert at the Lincoln Center in New York, Sri Chinmoy gave the answer to Australian listeners when he was interviewed live. Of all the gurus who had been popular during the
1960s and ’70s, Sri Chinmoy was the only one to be interviewed on the programme. Sri Chinmoy in Australia 49 Musical Instruments Over many years, Prashphutita Greco and Nipun Patterson designed and built musical instruments for Sri Chinmoy, which he played at Peace Concerts around the world. While Prashphutita constructed PRECISION ELECTRONIC KEYBOARDS .IPUN HANDCRAFTED EXQUISITE VERSIONS OF THE TRADITIONAL )NDIAN ESRAJ and an original four-string plucked instrument that Sri Chinmoy affectionately called “the Australian instrument”. Music Productions s !USTRALIAN STUDENTS IN 0ERTH PRODUCED AN ,0 RECORD TITLED )MPROVISATIONS s !USTRALIAN STUDENTS IN -ELBOURNE PRODUCED AN ,0 RECORD TITLED 0EACE ,IGHT $ELIGHT s 0RACHAR 3TEGEMANN RECORDED AND PRODUCED SEVEN CASSETTE TAPES OF HIS MUSICAL group, Sri Chinmoy-Vision-Muse in Action, consisting of musicians from the Canberra 3CHOOL OF -USIC 2ECORDINGS INCLUDED 4HE 3EEKERS *OURNEY &LOWERS OF "EAUTY AND $ELIGHT 0EACE 'ODS "EAUTY IN (IS /NENESS (OME 4HE 2OAD OF %CSTASY / .ECTAR /CEAN OF )NlNITY 4HE )DENTITY OF THE 'REAT 5NKNOWN %ARTHS #RY "LOSSOMS INTO (EAVENS 3MILE AS WELL AS A SOLO ALBUM OF 0RACHAR 3TEGEMANN SINGING WITH PIANO %VEREST !SPIRATION
In-flight Music Arranged from Australia, Sri Chinmoy’s music has been played on the in-flight music channels of Qantas, Royal Brunei Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Vietnam Airlines since 1999. Concerts and Performances !UGUST s 3ADHAK (EARST ARRANGED FOR 3RI #HINMOYS &OUR 5NIVERSALS n @7ELCOME ‘Congratulation’, ‘Thank You’ and ‘Parting’ – to be played on a carillon in Brisbane. It was part of a worldwide event called ‘The Songs Heard Around The World’, celebrating Sri Chinmoy’s 15 years of service to mankind. 3EPTEMBER s 0RACHAR 3TEGEMANN PERFORMED 3RI #HINMOYS SONGS ON THE .ATIONAL Carillon in Canberra. n s 4HE !USTRALIAN MUSIC GROUP 3RI #HINMOY 6ISION -USE IN !CTION GAVE several concerts in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. -ARCHn!PRIL s 4HE &RENCH ENSEMBLE 3RI #HINMOY 3ONG 7AVES TOURED !USTRALIA PERFORMING concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra, to a combined audience of 3,500 people. Literary Dedications Sri Chinmoy watches a performance of the s .OIVEDYA -ARK *UDDERY WELL KNOWN AUTHOR INCLUDED QUOTES FROM Australian music group ‘Sri Chinmoy-Vision- and other information about, Sri Chinmoy in his book 1975: Australia’s Muse in Action’ in Canberra, 1984. Greatest Year *OHN 7ILEY 3ONS s .OIVEDYA -ARK *UDDERY INCLUDED AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO 3RI #HINMOY in his book OverRated 0ENGUIN 50 Sri Chinmoy in Australia Artistic Achievements s 0RANAVANTA *OHN -ONTElORE ACCLAIMED ARTIST DEDICATED MANY OF HIS PAINTINGS TO Sri Chinmoy. These were displayed in several public exhibitions. Pranavanta created artistic backdrops for Sri Chinmoy’s Concerts in New York and Australia. He also conducted numerous classes, exploring the links between art, creativity and meditation. s !SIDHARI "URNS n )N !SIDHARI CREATED A LIFE SIZE BRONZE STATUE OF 3RI #HINMOY IN his younger days striding forwards. The statue was later transported to Guatemala City and exhibited at the National Book Fair where it was seen by more than 30,000 people. s +AIVALYA 4ORPY n )N +AIVALYA WAS INVITED TO !USTRALIA TO ATTEND THE DEDICATION OF HIS bronze statue of Sri Chinmoy at the Scented Gardens in South Perth.
Book Donations Above: Sri Chinmoy applauding artist Pranavanta (John Montefiore) *ANUARY s OF 3RI #HINMOYS BOOKS WERE DONATED TO -ELBOURNES PUBLIC LIBRARIES for his stage design at the Canberra Peace Concert in 1995. Right: A small detail from the backdrop, painted by the artist. Website Tribute Sri Chinmoy Reflections – www.srichinmoy-reflections.com – launched on 13 April 2009, is a website dedicated to Sri Chinmoy, offering an overview of his life and teachings and featuring articles by writers from around the world. It also features an interactive timeline of Sri Chinmoy’s life and achievements. Video Productions )N THE EARLY S +ISHORE #UNNINGHAM SCRIPT WRITER !NIMESH (ARRINGTON SCRIPT WRITER AND 0RACHAR 3TEGEMANN MUSIC ARRANGER TOGETHER WITH +AIVALYA 4ORPY "RITISH NARRATOR produced several videos about Sri Chinmoy including, ‘Who is this man?’, ‘Niagara Falls: A Sri Chinmoy Peace-Falls’ and ‘Sri Chinmoy at the United Nations’. Birthday Tributes !UGUST s !USTRALIAN MALE STUDENTS LED BY 'UINNESS 7ORLD 2ECORD (OLDER 3ADHAK Sri Chinmoy Reflections has been accessed by people in more than Hearst, worked for 51 hours non-stop at Agni Press in New York to 2,000 cities, in over 100 countries. CELEBRATE 3RI #HINMOYS ST BIRTHDAY 4HEY WERE GIVEN AN AWARD FROM Sri Chinmoy.) !UGUST s !USTRALIAN MALE STUDENTS WORKED FOR HOURS NON STOP AT !GNI 0RESS TO celebrate Sri Chinmoy’s 52nd birthday. !UGUST s Sri Chinmoy’s 60th Birthday – A Dedication from Australia 1972-1991 booklet was produced by Kishore Cunningham to celebrate Sri Chinmoy’s 60th birthday. !UGUST s Sri Chinmoy and Australia 1972-2001 book was produced by Anubha Baird to celebrate Sri Chinmoy’s 70th birthday.
Race Timing System /CTOBER s ! COMPLETELY INTEGRATED LAPTOP COMPUTER TIMING SYSTEM AND DATABASE producing internet-ready results, was developed by Animesh Harrington in collaboration with race director Veeraja Uppal for the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team’s monthly races in Melbourne. Photographic Contributions Since 2001, Prashphutita Greco has been contributing many feature articles to Australian Photography MAGAZINE !USTRALIAS LARGEST SELLING PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE !S A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR MONTHLY 1UESTIONS AND !NSWERS COLUMN HE HAS INCLUDED MANY pictures of Sri Chinmoy. For example, a picture of Sri Chinmoy lifting 200 lb in each arm Next page: One of the last pictures of Sri Chinmoy taken in published in the Image Doctor column, was highly acclaimed by the judges. Prashphutita is Australia, by Prashphutita Greco, 2003. (Sri Chinmoy offered also the main contributor to SriChinmoyPhoto.com. his dedication to Australia at the Peace Concert in Canberra, 26 January 1995.) A very large, and constantly growing, collection of his albums appear on the Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries. Many photographs within this book were taken by Prashphutita.
Sri Chinmoy in Australia 51
A Dedication to Australia
O Australia, O ancient land, you take a drop from the rest of the world and in return, you offer an ocean. You take a streak of light from the world and you offer the sun. Your heart’s magnanimity will forever and forever remain unparalleled in the inner world of aspiration and the outer world of dedication. To you, to your heart, to your life and to your soul, I bow and bow and bow. – Sri Chinmoy (1995)
52 Sri Chinmoy in Australia