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My family lived in
Arnold Grove in the 1940s.
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The Liverpool Blitz
was terrifying,
3
00:02:00,709 --> 00:02:02,549
and I will never
forget as a child
4
00:02:02,629 --> 00:02:05,229
the drone of sirens and
approaching bombers.
5
00:02:06,989 --> 00:02:09,189
The Grove's a really
neighbourly place
6
00:02:09,269 --> 00:02:11,629
and we were always in and
out of each other's homes.
7
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What was strange
for me was the music
8
00:02:15,389 --> 00:02:17,149
coming out of the
house at number 12,
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00:02:18,509 --> 00:02:19,909
the home with the
Harrison family.
10
00:02:25,149 --> 00:02:28,069
George's mother Louise loved
to listen to Indian music
11
00:02:28,149 --> 00:02:29,149
on the radio.
12
00:02:30,549 --> 00:02:32,429
I'm told that it
helped to keep her calm
13
00:02:32,509 --> 00:02:34,149
during her pregnancy.
14
00:02:43,269 --> 00:02:46,589
When I first heard Indian music,
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00:02:46,669 --> 00:02:50,589
I just couldn't really believe
that it was so, so great.
16
00:02:50,669 --> 00:02:53,629
And the more I heard of
it, the more I liked it,
17
00:02:53,709 --> 00:02:56,829
and it just got bigger and
bigger, like a snowball.
18
00:03:11,589 --> 00:03:13,429
One day, the telephone rang
19
00:03:13,509 --> 00:03:15,509
and my father
always answered it.
20
00:03:15,589 --> 00:03:18,469
He had a particular sort
of authentic Indian accent.
21
00:03:18,549 --> 00:03:20,389
His Indian accent had
remained unchanged
22
00:03:20,469 --> 00:03:22,069
in all the 40 years
he'd been here,
23
00:03:22,149 --> 00:03:23,669
and he was shouting
down the telephone,
24
00:03:23,749 --> 00:03:26,469
"Ringo who, Ringo who?"
25
00:03:26,549 --> 00:03:28,509
And apparently it
was because Ringo
26
00:03:28,589 --> 00:03:31,429
was on the other end of
the line asking my father
27
00:03:31,509 --> 00:03:33,229
whether he had a
spare sitar string.
28
00:03:35,869 --> 00:03:37,749
The return of the
heroes to their native land.
29
00:03:37,829 --> 00:03:39,509
They conquered the colony.
30
00:03:41,069 --> 00:03:43,309
The Beatles, who originated
as a small-time act
31
00:03:43,389 --> 00:03:44,949
out of Liverpool,
32
00:03:45,029 --> 00:03:47,389
now have no rivals as the
kingpins of the teenage set.
33
00:03:50,429 --> 00:03:51,885
The group had
certainly turned Liverpool
34
00:03:51,909 --> 00:03:53,749
into Britain's answer
to any pop trends
35
00:03:53,829 --> 00:03:54,949
from across the Atlantic.
36
00:03:57,829 --> 00:03:59,509
On every side
there is hero worship
37
00:03:59,589 --> 00:04:02,509
that recall the heydays of
Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
38
00:04:04,229 --> 00:04:06,109
Beatlemania has ceased
to be a phenomenon
39
00:04:06,189 --> 00:04:08,309
and seems to have
become a way of life.
40
00:04:11,309 --> 00:04:12,869
My father had never
heard of The Beatles
41
00:04:12,909 --> 00:04:16,509
so he knew nothing about
anything European or popular.
42
00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:19,229
But what happened was that
they'd broken a sitar string
43
00:04:19,309 --> 00:04:21,029
while George was
recording "Norwegian Wood"
44
00:04:21,109 --> 00:04:22,429
in Abbey Road Studio.
45
00:04:22,509 --> 00:04:24,269
EMI knew my father
46
00:04:24,349 --> 00:04:26,829
because he was often
the person they came to
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00:04:26,909 --> 00:04:28,469
when they required a
group of musicians.
48
00:04:28,509 --> 00:04:30,309
So, when the string broke,
49
00:04:30,389 --> 00:04:32,589
they found my father and
he did have one, amazingly,
50
00:04:32,669 --> 00:04:35,389
he did have a set
of sitar strings.
51
00:04:39,829 --> 00:04:42,189
So the whole family got
in the tiny little car
52
00:04:42,269 --> 00:04:45,629
and they all drove to carry
one string to Abbey Road
53
00:04:45,709 --> 00:04:47,189
and there they handed it over
54
00:04:47,269 --> 00:04:48,749
and they watched them recording.
55
00:04:50,949 --> 00:04:53,949
It started
with the Indian music.
56
00:04:54,029 --> 00:04:57,949
I like so many Indian
instruments, but mainly sitar.
57
00:04:59,269 --> 00:05:01,909
I'd used a little
sitar on our records.
58
00:05:06,229 --> 00:05:09,509
The Beatles had already
discovered Indian music,
59
00:05:09,589 --> 00:05:11,749
I think when they
were making "Help!"
60
00:05:11,829 --> 00:05:13,069
Which is, of course,
61
00:05:13,149 --> 00:05:16,189
the story of a mystic
Eastern religious group,
62
00:05:16,269 --> 00:05:18,469
and they are after
Ringo Starr's ring.
63
00:05:18,549 --> 00:05:19,749
So they'd already discovered,
64
00:05:19,829 --> 00:05:21,069
and there's that famous scene
65
00:05:21,149 --> 00:05:23,389
about them going
into a restaurant.
66
00:05:24,829 --> 00:05:27,309
On the set of how
a sitar was used
67
00:05:27,389 --> 00:05:29,749
in a sort of little group that's
playing in the restaurant,
68
00:05:29,829 --> 00:05:32,389
George picked it up
and was playing with it
69
00:05:32,469 --> 00:05:36,949
and sort of got interested
in sitar because of that.
70
00:05:37,029 --> 00:05:39,789
It was a very inappropriate
film for most Indians
71
00:05:39,869 --> 00:05:41,269
because that film
really lived up
72
00:05:41,349 --> 00:05:43,829
to all the stereotypes
about India,
73
00:05:43,909 --> 00:05:46,589
about bloodthirsty thug cult.
74
00:05:46,669 --> 00:05:49,189
The goddess, which
was named as Kylie,
75
00:05:49,269 --> 00:05:51,869
was really based
on a real goddess,
76
00:05:51,949 --> 00:05:54,469
the Kali goddess, Hindus
are very reverential to her.
77
00:05:56,429 --> 00:06:00,029
So the whole film would be
offending a lot of Indians.
78
00:06:03,949 --> 00:06:06,549
And then there was
this book on the yoga.
79
00:06:06,629 --> 00:06:08,949
While they're on
shoot at Bahamas,
80
00:06:09,029 --> 00:06:12,429
the suddenly come across
this very diminutive yogi
81
00:06:12,509 --> 00:06:14,549
who cycles up to where they are
82
00:06:14,629 --> 00:06:16,469
and distributes this book.
83
00:06:16,549 --> 00:06:18,589
This is Vishnudevananda,
84
00:06:18,669 --> 00:06:22,389
the first illustrated book on
yoga going across the West.
85
00:06:22,469 --> 00:06:25,589
But I don't think The Beatles
paid him much attention.
86
00:06:25,669 --> 00:06:28,109
I think much later
he thought back
87
00:06:28,189 --> 00:06:30,869
and there was this sort of
very mysterious connection.
88
00:06:33,309 --> 00:06:34,549
The palace of the Queen
89
00:06:34,629 --> 00:06:36,549
has lived through
many historic events,
90
00:06:36,629 --> 00:06:38,189
and it's our privilege today
91
00:06:38,269 --> 00:06:41,309
to witness one of the most
earth shaking, The Beatles.
92
00:06:41,389 --> 00:06:43,109
Fresh from an audience
with the Queen,
93
00:06:43,189 --> 00:06:45,789
they hold medals indicating
they have been made members
94
00:06:45,869 --> 00:06:48,149
of The Most Excellent Order
of the British Empire.
95
00:06:48,229 --> 00:06:49,509
The Beatles, of course,
96
00:06:49,589 --> 00:06:52,189
have proven to be one of
Britain's prime exports.
97
00:06:52,269 --> 00:06:53,989
They have brought in
more foreign exchange
98
00:06:54,069 --> 00:06:55,589
than many industries.
99
00:06:55,669 --> 00:06:58,069
And the Queen saw fit to reward
their economic contribution
100
00:06:58,149 --> 00:06:59,029
to the nation.
101
00:06:59,109 --> 00:07:00,389
The award entitles The Beatles
102
00:07:00,469 --> 00:07:02,869
to put the letters
MBE after their names.
103
00:07:05,029 --> 00:07:06,725
That was the most
miserable time of our lives,
104
00:07:06,749 --> 00:07:09,549
was the MBE cop-out period.
105
00:07:09,629 --> 00:07:12,509
We got an MBE, which is
one of the biggest jokes
106
00:07:12,589 --> 00:07:14,909
in the history of
this island probably.
107
00:07:17,829 --> 00:07:19,229
The great cavalcade of empire
108
00:07:19,309 --> 00:07:20,949
makes a grand spectacle.
109
00:07:21,029 --> 00:07:23,829
One of the smallest countries
on the map is responsible for
110
00:07:23,909 --> 00:07:26,309
the mightiest Commonwealth
of nations in history.
111
00:07:29,669 --> 00:07:32,669
India was always in British
lives because of the empire.
112
00:07:32,749 --> 00:07:35,629
We knew about tea and we
knew about, you know, rubber,
113
00:07:35,709 --> 00:07:37,749
but the idea of its music
114
00:07:37,829 --> 00:07:39,549
being, in any way, an influence
115
00:07:39,629 --> 00:07:43,589
on anything from this country
was simply not considered.
116
00:07:49,469 --> 00:07:51,149
From the music that I play
117
00:07:51,229 --> 00:07:52,709
to get better and better,
118
00:07:52,789 --> 00:07:54,909
musicians generally,
in the West,
119
00:07:54,989 --> 00:07:58,189
progress into, say, modern jazz,
120
00:07:58,269 --> 00:08:01,429
but when I first
heard Indian music,
121
00:08:01,509 --> 00:08:03,869
there was so much more freedom
122
00:08:03,949 --> 00:08:06,989
and there was so much more
in it compared to jazz.
123
00:08:09,029 --> 00:08:12,869
I just couldn't really believe
that it was so, so great.
124
00:08:12,949 --> 00:08:14,845
I don't know, then I just
started to listen to it
125
00:08:14,869 --> 00:08:19,269
more and more, and to try
and listen a bit closer.
126
00:08:19,349 --> 00:08:21,669
And the more I heard of
it, the more I liked it.
127
00:08:39,949 --> 00:08:41,349
My mother meets The
Beatles in India
128
00:08:41,389 --> 00:08:42,589
well before I'm even born.
129
00:08:44,229 --> 00:08:46,789
I think she, by virtue of
being in the "Hindustan Times"
130
00:08:46,869 --> 00:08:48,349
at that point,
131
00:08:48,429 --> 00:08:50,445
being a preeminent journalist,
being a chief reporter,
132
00:08:50,469 --> 00:08:53,749
got the opportunity,
but didn't really see,
133
00:08:53,829 --> 00:08:55,349
my God, the magic
of that moment.
134
00:08:57,309 --> 00:08:58,709
And you know, I'm always asked,
135
00:08:58,789 --> 00:09:00,309
what's the one thing
about your mother
136
00:09:00,389 --> 00:09:02,205
that you would have really
wished you would do.
137
00:09:02,229 --> 00:09:04,589
And she's been Indian first
woman war correspondent.
138
00:09:06,269 --> 00:09:08,269
She's done all kinds of
crazy trailblazing thing.
139
00:09:08,349 --> 00:09:10,669
And I always look at this
photograph and I say,
140
00:09:10,749 --> 00:09:13,549
"My God, I wish I
had been that person
141
00:09:13,629 --> 00:09:15,909
sitting between John and Paul."
142
00:09:20,669 --> 00:09:22,909
This was the first
time The Beatles had,
143
00:09:22,989 --> 00:09:24,269
as a group, come to India.
144
00:09:26,189 --> 00:09:29,269
And they symbolised to us,
not just a new kind of music.
145
00:09:29,349 --> 00:09:33,149
It was almost like symbolising
a new kind of life.
146
00:09:34,549 --> 00:09:37,949
They represented the
whole sixties to us.
147
00:09:38,029 --> 00:09:41,029
When I heard they were in Delhi,
148
00:09:41,109 --> 00:09:43,389
I went to the Oberoi
InterContinental,
149
00:09:43,469 --> 00:09:45,789
and I sat in the lobby
and everyone was circling
150
00:09:45,869 --> 00:09:47,789
all the different
entrances of the hotel,
151
00:09:47,869 --> 00:09:49,725
waiting for The Beatles to come
out by the kitchen entrance,
152
00:09:49,749 --> 00:09:51,389
by various ways.
153
00:09:51,469 --> 00:09:56,309
I sat near the lift and I waited
for Brian Epstein to emerge
154
00:09:56,389 --> 00:09:58,469
because I knew he
was their manager.
155
00:10:00,069 --> 00:10:01,765
And sure enough, after
a few hours of waiting,
156
00:10:01,789 --> 00:10:04,309
I saw him come down
and I sidled up to him
157
00:10:04,389 --> 00:10:06,109
and I said, "Excuse
me, Mr. Epstein,
158
00:10:06,189 --> 00:10:07,909
I am from All India Radio.
159
00:10:07,989 --> 00:10:10,029
The government have
scheduled an interview
160
00:10:10,109 --> 00:10:11,949
with The Beatles."
161
00:10:12,029 --> 00:10:13,765
And he stopped in his
tracks and looks at me,
162
00:10:13,789 --> 00:10:15,749
"How dare you!
163
00:10:15,829 --> 00:10:19,109
The boys will not give an
interview. How dare you!"
164
00:10:19,189 --> 00:10:21,909
I said, "I'm just conveying
the decision of the government
165
00:10:21,989 --> 00:10:24,069
because this interview
has been announced
166
00:10:24,149 --> 00:10:27,869
and it would be very
embarrassing if this didn't happen."
167
00:10:27,949 --> 00:10:30,069
"I will not permit
this," he said,
168
00:10:30,149 --> 00:10:33,029
"well, I will give
the interview."
169
00:10:33,109 --> 00:10:34,365
I said, "Good
enough for me, sir,
170
00:10:34,389 --> 00:10:36,389
Brian Epstein, good
enough for me."
171
00:10:36,469 --> 00:10:37,789
Is there going to be any change
172
00:10:37,869 --> 00:10:39,189
in the sort of
work that they do?
173
00:10:39,269 --> 00:10:41,949
Possibly, 'cause,
as I've said before,
174
00:10:42,029 --> 00:10:45,389
there's no dynamic
or important change
175
00:10:45,469 --> 00:10:48,309
but The Beatles have
always progressed.
176
00:10:48,389 --> 00:10:50,109
And to progress,
they have to change.
177
00:10:51,749 --> 00:10:54,029
At seven o'clock I
go up in the lift,
178
00:10:54,109 --> 00:10:57,109
I get out and I walk to
the end of the corridor.
179
00:10:57,189 --> 00:11:02,029
I knock and there's Brian
Epstein in a bathrobe, sweating.
180
00:11:02,109 --> 00:11:05,069
He emerges, walks me across
the length of the hotel,
181
00:11:05,149 --> 00:11:08,109
opens the suite on the
other side of the floor,
182
00:11:08,189 --> 00:11:11,109
and then I was in with The
Beatles, all four of them.
183
00:11:11,189 --> 00:11:12,509
I asked them what
they were doing
184
00:11:12,589 --> 00:11:14,349
and they said they had
an album coming out
185
00:11:14,429 --> 00:11:15,949
in a month's time.
186
00:11:16,029 --> 00:11:18,909
George Harrison mentioned that
he had an Indian influence
187
00:11:18,989 --> 00:11:23,469
in one of the songs, which
turned out to be, "Love You To."
188
00:11:23,549 --> 00:11:25,989
And Paul mentioned that he
had a classical arrangement
189
00:11:26,069 --> 00:11:27,669
behind one of the songs,
190
00:11:27,749 --> 00:11:30,469
which I think must have
been "Eleanor Rigby."
191
00:11:30,549 --> 00:11:33,469
Even then, they were going
to be Indian influences
192
00:11:33,549 --> 00:11:34,549
in their songs.
193
00:11:36,229 --> 00:11:38,909
I personally hope there'll
be more Indian influences
194
00:11:38,989 --> 00:11:41,389
just generally in any music
because it's worth it.
195
00:11:41,469 --> 00:11:43,109
It's very good music.
196
00:11:43,189 --> 00:11:44,749
I just like to see
it more popular,
197
00:11:44,829 --> 00:11:46,469
more people appreciating it.
198
00:11:50,749 --> 00:11:53,709
It was the 6th of July, 1966.
199
00:11:53,789 --> 00:11:55,309
Some foreigner came,
200
00:11:55,389 --> 00:11:57,509
they never knew what the
name of the person were,
201
00:11:57,589 --> 00:12:00,749
but they were interested in
buying some sitars, harmoniums,
202
00:12:00,829 --> 00:12:03,669
and tablas and sarod,
and that's all.
203
00:12:04,909 --> 00:12:07,069
The huge crowd
assembled here outside
204
00:12:07,149 --> 00:12:10,269
looking the new face
of the English people,
205
00:12:10,349 --> 00:12:12,229
like the big hair and all that.
206
00:12:12,309 --> 00:12:13,309
It was a craze.
207
00:12:14,669 --> 00:12:16,829
My father and uncle
went to the hotel
208
00:12:16,909 --> 00:12:20,349
and show an instrument,
and, later on,
209
00:12:20,429 --> 00:12:22,789
gave lesson to George
Harrison specially.
210
00:12:24,549 --> 00:12:27,549
After The Beatles, there
was a big craze for sitars,
211
00:12:27,629 --> 00:12:30,029
tablas, and other instruments.
212
00:12:30,109 --> 00:12:33,549
In a day, in a month, we were
selling sitar like hotcake.
213
00:12:36,949 --> 00:12:40,789
The famous Beatles, they
came in 1966 to our stall.
214
00:12:40,869 --> 00:12:42,469
They were dressed
very differently
215
00:12:42,549 --> 00:12:45,669
so that the people there
could not recognise them.
216
00:12:45,749 --> 00:12:47,309
And they walked into the store
217
00:12:47,389 --> 00:12:50,109
and they started talking about
Indian musical instruments,
218
00:12:50,189 --> 00:12:52,909
especially the sitar, the
tambura, and the sarod,
219
00:12:52,989 --> 00:12:54,349
and also the tabla.
220
00:12:58,749 --> 00:13:00,629
He was a good sitar
player, my father,
221
00:13:00,709 --> 00:13:03,189
and he was showing
them how to play it
222
00:13:03,269 --> 00:13:05,229
and how the finger
movements are,
223
00:13:05,309 --> 00:13:08,229
how to coordinate both
left and right hand,
224
00:13:08,309 --> 00:13:11,109
and, you know, how to
strike the strings,
225
00:13:11,189 --> 00:13:12,469
how to pluck the strings.
226
00:13:13,829 --> 00:13:17,629
They asked him whom he
learned the sitar from,
227
00:13:17,709 --> 00:13:19,829
he said, "With Ravi Shankar."
228
00:13:19,909 --> 00:13:21,909
Pa-pa-pa-pa, ah. Like this.
229
00:13:27,469 --> 00:13:31,389
Ravi Shankar, as I see it, was
really the first ambassador
230
00:13:31,469 --> 00:13:34,869
for all musicians,
artists, singers, dancers
231
00:13:34,949 --> 00:13:36,469
from India to the West.
232
00:13:43,349 --> 00:13:44,629
Over the last few years,
233
00:13:44,709 --> 00:13:48,269
I heard the name Ravi
Shankar mentioned.
234
00:13:50,029 --> 00:13:54,789
A good friend of mine told me
to buy a record, which I did.
235
00:13:56,149 --> 00:13:57,445
This was the first
time I'd ever heard
236
00:13:57,469 --> 00:13:59,349
Indian music properly.
237
00:14:02,309 --> 00:14:03,709
But when I first heard it,
238
00:14:03,789 --> 00:14:06,029
I couldn't really,
couldn't believe it really.
239
00:14:11,229 --> 00:14:12,829
He's also been turned
onto Ravi Shankar,
240
00:14:12,909 --> 00:14:16,029
by the, like, David Crosby and
Roger McGuinn from The Birds.
241
00:14:16,109 --> 00:14:17,509
'Cause Ravi Shankar
had appealed to,
242
00:14:17,589 --> 00:14:19,509
the sort of the Beat Generation,
243
00:14:19,589 --> 00:14:21,029
going back to the
fifties actually.
244
00:14:21,109 --> 00:14:24,189
It was all part of
that kind of ambiance.
245
00:14:24,269 --> 00:14:25,749
I'm sure you must
have been asked this
246
00:14:25,789 --> 00:14:26,869
lots of times before,
247
00:14:26,949 --> 00:14:28,589
but what's your opinion of,
248
00:14:28,669 --> 00:14:30,669
sort of, English pop groups
and American pop groups
249
00:14:30,709 --> 00:14:34,229
using the sitar and the Indian
influence in their records?
250
00:14:34,309 --> 00:14:37,669
It will make me very happy
if I see that some people
251
00:14:37,749 --> 00:14:40,669
take true interest
and learn properly.
252
00:14:40,749 --> 00:14:43,869
Because after having played
the sitar for 36 years,
253
00:14:43,949 --> 00:14:47,709
I feel that one has to give
some time to it.
254
00:14:47,789 --> 00:14:48,789
Indeed.
255
00:14:53,909 --> 00:14:56,109
My father and my
mother were running
256
00:14:56,189 --> 00:14:57,509
the Asian Music Circle.
257
00:14:59,029 --> 00:15:01,869
My father was quite successful
at getting musicians
258
00:15:01,949 --> 00:15:06,229
to come to this country and
he'd put on concerts for them.
259
00:15:06,309 --> 00:15:09,869
It was very much for
erudite English people,
260
00:15:09,949 --> 00:15:11,749
intellectuals who knew
about Indian music.
261
00:15:16,109 --> 00:15:18,189
Yehudi Menuhin, amazing man.
262
00:15:18,269 --> 00:15:20,909
He was the president to
the Asian Music Circle,
263
00:15:20,989 --> 00:15:23,989
and I think it was through him
that Ravi Shankar first came.
264
00:15:26,669 --> 00:15:29,509
And George was
fascinated by our family,
265
00:15:29,589 --> 00:15:33,709
and so he was invited round
to spend the afternoon.
266
00:15:33,789 --> 00:15:35,349
I think he came round for lunch.
267
00:15:35,429 --> 00:15:36,749
Pattie was there as well,
268
00:15:36,829 --> 00:15:39,189
and then George came
quite regularly.
269
00:15:39,269 --> 00:15:42,389
Eventually, I said, if
we could get Ravi free,
270
00:15:42,469 --> 00:15:44,189
and the time George was free,
271
00:15:44,269 --> 00:15:46,085
we'd invite them both
together and introduce them
272
00:15:46,109 --> 00:15:47,389
and see whether they got on.
273
00:15:48,749 --> 00:15:51,389
And the doorbell rang
and I rushed to the door
274
00:15:51,469 --> 00:15:53,949
and there wasn't
George, it was Paul.
275
00:15:54,029 --> 00:15:55,469
Then Paul said, "I'm
Paul McCartney."
276
00:15:55,549 --> 00:15:58,029
And I said, "I know."
277
00:15:58,109 --> 00:16:02,149
And he came in and a
little while after that,
278
00:16:02,229 --> 00:16:04,229
I think George arrived next.
279
00:16:04,309 --> 00:16:07,309
And finally we met, very nicely,
280
00:16:07,389 --> 00:16:09,549
at somebody's house,
having dinner.
281
00:16:09,629 --> 00:16:11,909
We met just as two people
282
00:16:11,989 --> 00:16:14,869
instead of being a
big publicity gimmick.
283
00:16:16,349 --> 00:16:18,429
Ravi came in and we just said,
284
00:16:18,509 --> 00:16:20,669
"Ravi, this is George,
George this is Ravi."
285
00:16:22,349 --> 00:16:25,189
And we had a dinner there,
we just ate and talked.
286
00:16:26,549 --> 00:16:28,349
Paul was a little bit
on the outside actually,
287
00:16:28,389 --> 00:16:31,149
looking a little bit bored,
smoking like a chimney.
288
00:16:31,229 --> 00:16:33,949
My young sister went around
collecting the cigarette butts
289
00:16:34,029 --> 00:16:36,869
to take to school the next
day, the used cigarette butts.
290
00:16:40,229 --> 00:16:44,229
And from then
he offered to give me,
291
00:16:44,309 --> 00:16:48,789
to start me off on sitar with
a few lessons, which he did.
292
00:16:48,869 --> 00:16:52,469
He had many students in India,
very talented musicians.
293
00:16:52,549 --> 00:16:54,029
So to try to explain
294
00:16:54,109 --> 00:16:58,869
what drew George and
Ravi Shankar together
295
00:17:00,189 --> 00:17:02,509
is not easy because
it defies logic.
296
00:17:09,869 --> 00:17:12,349
When George Harrison came to me,
297
00:17:12,429 --> 00:17:14,349
I didn't know what to think.
298
00:17:15,709 --> 00:17:18,789
But I found he really
wanted to learn.
299
00:17:22,389 --> 00:17:26,149
I never thought our meeting
would cause such an explosion.
300
00:17:28,349 --> 00:17:31,189
That Indian music could suddenly
appear on the pop scene.
301
00:17:34,349 --> 00:17:36,789
George said that, "I
want to learn the sitar,"
302
00:17:36,869 --> 00:17:39,629
and Ravi, he said,
"Yes, I can teach you,
303
00:17:39,709 --> 00:17:42,709
but it's a very difficult
instrument to learn,
304
00:17:42,789 --> 00:17:45,229
and you will have to
spend a lot of time
305
00:17:45,309 --> 00:17:48,029
and your fingers will hurt.
306
00:17:48,109 --> 00:17:51,189
It's going to be a difficult
thing for you to do,
307
00:17:51,269 --> 00:17:54,389
but I want you to come to India
308
00:17:54,469 --> 00:17:57,709
and I will teach
you over there."
309
00:18:08,829 --> 00:18:10,869
So when Ravi invited
George and me,
310
00:18:10,949 --> 00:18:12,269
I was thrilled to be going.
311
00:18:13,829 --> 00:18:15,645
You know, 22, I hadn't
really thought much about it.
312
00:18:15,669 --> 00:18:18,109
I thought of the King's
Road and you know, clothes.
313
00:18:19,469 --> 00:18:21,509
And we started off in Mumbai.
314
00:18:21,589 --> 00:18:24,309
Ravi took us to concerts,
private concerts,
315
00:18:24,389 --> 00:18:25,949
that he gave in people's houses,
316
00:18:26,029 --> 00:18:28,389
and then bigger concerts
in front of his students.
317
00:18:30,109 --> 00:18:33,829
George Harrison came with
his wife, September 1966.
318
00:18:33,909 --> 00:18:35,869
You know, Pandit Ravi
Shankar picks him up,
319
00:18:35,949 --> 00:18:39,589
he takes him to the Taj hotel
and within about four hours,
320
00:18:39,669 --> 00:18:42,469
the whole of the people in Taj,
321
00:18:42,549 --> 00:18:45,189
it was just filled with
people and media and fans,
322
00:18:45,269 --> 00:18:47,389
just coming in, shouting,
"George, George, George."
323
00:18:47,469 --> 00:18:50,309
So finally George got just
fed up and he told Pandit,
324
00:18:50,389 --> 00:18:52,149
"Let's give a press conference,
325
00:18:52,229 --> 00:18:53,749
Let's go and talk to the press."
326
00:18:53,829 --> 00:18:55,845
So, of course, Pandit Ravi
Shankar was the music director
327
00:18:55,869 --> 00:18:57,429
of All India Radio
for many years.
328
00:18:57,509 --> 00:19:00,069
So he said, let's go and do a
radio interview, studio one.
329
00:19:00,149 --> 00:19:02,749
This is where Pandit Ravi
Shankar and George Harrison
330
00:19:02,829 --> 00:19:03,829
did an interview.
331
00:19:04,869 --> 00:19:06,109
So we searched for it,
332
00:19:06,189 --> 00:19:07,645
and we actually opened
quite a few spools,
333
00:19:07,669 --> 00:19:10,389
dusty spool lying in
the side of a corner.
334
00:19:10,469 --> 00:19:12,765
And then we found George
Harrison, there was a paper inside.
335
00:19:12,789 --> 00:19:14,269
It said "George
Harrison interview."
336
00:19:14,349 --> 00:19:17,309
The tape hadn't been
played in maybe 30 years.
337
00:19:17,389 --> 00:19:18,749
Good afternoon, George.
338
00:19:18,829 --> 00:19:20,069
Good afternoon.
339
00:19:21,469 --> 00:19:23,069
We would like to know from you,
340
00:19:23,149 --> 00:19:26,869
do you think you could not
make a public appearance?
341
00:19:26,949 --> 00:19:28,749
If I did want to
make a public appearance,
342
00:19:28,829 --> 00:19:30,709
I would have come
here to do a show,
343
00:19:30,789 --> 00:19:33,229
and I would've come with
John and Paul and Ringo.
344
00:19:33,309 --> 00:19:34,589
It's just like,
345
00:19:34,669 --> 00:19:37,189
all our fans who go to
school during the week.
346
00:19:37,269 --> 00:19:38,789
Well if they go on the holidays
347
00:19:38,869 --> 00:19:41,789
and suddenly somebody's
making them learn maths
348
00:19:41,869 --> 00:19:44,229
and learn English
and learn all this,
349
00:19:44,309 --> 00:19:47,269
then they don't like to do
that when it's their holiday.
350
00:19:47,349 --> 00:19:48,589
It's the same for me.
351
00:19:48,669 --> 00:19:50,829
I go around having
my photograph taken,
352
00:19:50,909 --> 00:19:53,429
signing autographs
and waving at people,
353
00:19:53,509 --> 00:19:56,509
and being a Beatle, and
when it comes to my holiday,
354
00:19:56,589 --> 00:19:59,829
then, naturally, I want to not
be a Beatle, I wanna be me.
355
00:20:04,149 --> 00:20:07,869
When I was 19, I went to India.
356
00:20:07,949 --> 00:20:11,229
My aunt greeted me at
the airport and said,
357
00:20:11,309 --> 00:20:14,509
"Do you know that George
Harrison is staying at the hotel?"
358
00:20:16,509 --> 00:20:19,229
We asked around, you know,
"Where's Mr. Harrison,"
359
00:20:19,309 --> 00:20:20,669
and we weren't told,
360
00:20:20,749 --> 00:20:23,629
and then sort of hopped
onto the elevator,
361
00:20:23,709 --> 00:20:25,389
and we started going to floors,
362
00:20:25,469 --> 00:20:27,709
and then eventually
there was one floor
363
00:20:27,789 --> 00:20:31,469
where there was a waiter
standing outside a room.
364
00:20:31,549 --> 00:20:34,789
And I don't really know
what made me do it,
365
00:20:34,869 --> 00:20:37,309
but I sort of hobbled in
366
00:20:37,389 --> 00:20:40,309
and George Harrison asked
what I was doing there,
367
00:20:40,389 --> 00:20:41,949
and I just said,
368
00:20:42,029 --> 00:20:43,749
"I would like your
autograph, Mr. Harrison."
369
00:20:43,829 --> 00:20:46,189
And he said, you
know, he sort of,
370
00:20:46,269 --> 00:20:47,909
he wasn't too happy
about me being there.
371
00:20:47,989 --> 00:20:49,669
I also said to him,
372
00:20:49,749 --> 00:20:52,549
he had numerous fans
outside the hotel,
373
00:20:52,629 --> 00:20:54,989
and his words were, which
I've never, ever forgotten,
374
00:20:55,069 --> 00:20:58,509
"Tell your friends if they
like me, to keep away from me."
375
00:20:58,589 --> 00:20:59,845
Which I thought
was rather nasty,
376
00:20:59,869 --> 00:21:02,349
but I needed the autograph.
377
00:21:06,149 --> 00:21:07,909
Everything
that Ravi had shown us
378
00:21:07,989 --> 00:21:11,749
and told us about him,
introduced us to, made an impact.
379
00:21:13,349 --> 00:21:17,029
He took us to the Ellora
Caves, fascinating.
380
00:21:18,349 --> 00:21:21,229
And we went to
Banaras, Varanasi.
381
00:21:23,469 --> 00:21:24,829
Banaras was unbelievable
382
00:21:24,909 --> 00:21:26,109
'cause we came by boat
383
00:21:26,189 --> 00:21:27,789
and Ravi had explained to us
384
00:21:27,869 --> 00:21:31,909
the whole reason for people
coming to Banaras to die.
385
00:21:31,989 --> 00:21:34,909
And they would request
that they'd be burnt.
386
00:21:34,989 --> 00:21:37,789
And I was fascinated by this.
387
00:21:39,429 --> 00:21:42,149
The pyres and then the family
or the wife or the husband
388
00:21:42,229 --> 00:21:44,789
taking it into the Ganges
389
00:21:44,869 --> 00:21:46,589
and letting their
ashes float away.
390
00:21:49,029 --> 00:21:51,429
So Agra, we went
to the Taj Mahal.
391
00:21:51,509 --> 00:21:54,509
It's beautiful, I love
the story surrounding it.
392
00:21:54,589 --> 00:21:56,589
It was more exquisite
393
00:21:56,669 --> 00:21:59,949
than I could ever have
described to anyone.
394
00:22:00,029 --> 00:22:02,669
And then, towards the end
of our trip, Kumbh Mela.
395
00:22:04,269 --> 00:22:06,349
There were all these sadhus
walking down the road,
396
00:22:06,429 --> 00:22:08,469
and I said, "Ravi,
what's they doing?"
397
00:22:08,549 --> 00:22:10,909
He said, "They walk
hundreds of miles
398
00:22:10,989 --> 00:22:12,589
to come into this Kumbh Mela."
399
00:22:12,669 --> 00:22:14,829
And I was just watching
this spectacle,
400
00:22:14,909 --> 00:22:17,749
and all these people, you
know, families or groups
401
00:22:17,829 --> 00:22:20,149
and sadhus, all of
India, it seemed.
402
00:22:22,789 --> 00:22:27,389
He also told us about Indian
culture and spirituality.
403
00:22:28,749 --> 00:22:32,069
Ravi took us to meet
his spiritual guru
404
00:22:32,149 --> 00:22:34,709
and this man was over 100.
405
00:22:34,789 --> 00:22:36,765
And obviously, we didn't
know what they were saying,
406
00:22:36,789 --> 00:22:39,589
but it wasn't very many words.
407
00:22:39,669 --> 00:22:42,149
And Ravi is a reverential
towards his guru.
408
00:22:44,149 --> 00:22:45,709
Throughout my life
409
00:22:45,789 --> 00:22:50,309
I look to the great yogi Taj
Mirage, my spiritual guru.
410
00:22:51,589 --> 00:22:54,309
As a Hindu, I believe
blessing of guru
411
00:22:55,709 --> 00:22:57,589
is the most priceless
thing in life.
412
00:23:00,029 --> 00:23:01,909
It was very moving for me
413
00:23:01,989 --> 00:23:06,749
to see somebody as powerful as
Ravi, but George adored him.
414
00:23:08,109 --> 00:23:09,869
And here he was humbled
in front of his guru.
415
00:23:11,109 --> 00:23:12,829
Ravi said that
there was something
416
00:23:12,909 --> 00:23:17,069
that I found in George,
where he was so simple,
417
00:23:17,149 --> 00:23:20,869
so down to earth, he
looked upon me like a guru,
418
00:23:20,949 --> 00:23:25,149
like a father, and he had
absolutely no airs about him.
419
00:23:25,229 --> 00:23:26,309
And that is something
420
00:23:26,389 --> 00:23:27,445
-that we also observed-
-That's true.
421
00:23:27,469 --> 00:23:29,949
When he came to our home,
422
00:23:30,029 --> 00:23:34,789
he was absolutely a simple
person, not demanding anything.
423
00:23:36,989 --> 00:23:38,285
I haven't learned
to play the sitar,
424
00:23:38,309 --> 00:23:40,389
I mean, Ravi Shankar
hasn't learnt to play
425
00:23:40,469 --> 00:23:42,549
and he's been
playing in 35 years.
426
00:23:44,509 --> 00:23:47,349
He was not a sitar player
or a star musician,
427
00:23:47,429 --> 00:23:52,109
but I have not seen Ravi have
so much time for someone.
428
00:23:52,189 --> 00:23:56,189
This association, this
link, I can only explain it
429
00:23:56,269 --> 00:23:58,789
that they must've had some
links in a previous life
430
00:23:58,869 --> 00:24:00,269
that brought them together.
431
00:24:02,829 --> 00:24:06,589
When George and we
got connected in '66,
432
00:24:08,989 --> 00:24:11,429
it was like wildfire, you know.
433
00:24:12,869 --> 00:24:14,749
He's like a son
to me. Same thing.
434
00:24:14,829 --> 00:24:16,989
Sometimes I
feel like his dad as well.
435
00:24:18,749 --> 00:24:19,749
He can be.
436
00:24:25,829 --> 00:24:28,629
George Harrison, he loved India,
437
00:24:28,709 --> 00:24:33,469
he loved Indian music, he
loved Indian spirituality.
438
00:24:35,069 --> 00:24:38,789
So this thing, you know,
pushed Indian classical music
439
00:24:38,869 --> 00:24:41,869
on the top, you know,
fusion we can call it,
440
00:24:41,949 --> 00:24:44,389
Western and Indian
classical music.
441
00:24:44,469 --> 00:24:47,389
And that was the biggest
fusion ever happened.
442
00:24:54,669 --> 00:24:57,149
And then Harrison came
here to record "Wonderwall"
443
00:24:57,229 --> 00:24:59,389
with Indian classical musicians.
444
00:25:01,269 --> 00:25:03,549
He was interested in
meeting local musicians.
445
00:25:06,549 --> 00:25:10,469
The Beatles use the
sitars in their record.
446
00:25:10,549 --> 00:25:15,109
Somehow we were able to imagine
The Beatles as our band,
447
00:25:15,189 --> 00:25:16,829
as an Indian band.
448
00:25:19,149 --> 00:25:20,789
And you know, India
was a closed society
449
00:25:20,869 --> 00:25:22,429
and a closed economy,
450
00:25:22,509 --> 00:25:26,229
and it was a not very easy
to get your hands on albums.
451
00:25:26,309 --> 00:25:31,109
In 1962 or very early '63 on
the international shortwave,
452
00:25:32,669 --> 00:25:35,989
a group of people in
Bangalore heard their music
453
00:25:36,069 --> 00:25:38,709
and said, "Hey, wait a minute,
this is very different."
454
00:25:38,789 --> 00:25:43,109
What it did really was to
liberate an entire generation
455
00:25:43,189 --> 00:25:46,069
from the cultural
shackles of the past.
456
00:25:46,149 --> 00:25:48,549
The British had left in 1947,
457
00:25:48,629 --> 00:25:51,589
this core was born
in the late forties
458
00:25:51,669 --> 00:25:53,949
or early fifties, mid fifties.
459
00:25:54,029 --> 00:25:55,309
When they came of age,
460
00:25:55,389 --> 00:25:58,109
they rejected the past
and embraced the new.
461
00:25:59,829 --> 00:26:03,509
In those days, most of the
musicians were really from
462
00:26:03,589 --> 00:26:07,269
the Anglo Indian Catholic
Christian community
463
00:26:07,349 --> 00:26:11,149
because they were the ones who
were more trained in English.
464
00:26:11,229 --> 00:26:14,229
The Jets was really
the first beat band,
465
00:26:14,309 --> 00:26:15,789
it wasn't so much rock music,
466
00:26:15,869 --> 00:26:17,829
but it was known as beat music.
467
00:26:17,909 --> 00:26:21,149
And the word beat was
not far from Beatle.
468
00:26:21,229 --> 00:26:24,829
We started to model our
lives along the lines
469
00:26:24,909 --> 00:26:28,029
of what The Beatles
were doing at the time.
470
00:26:28,109 --> 00:26:30,669
The musicians those days
were more into singing
471
00:26:30,749 --> 00:26:34,229
Jim Reeves, Everly
Brothers, Pat Boone,
472
00:26:34,309 --> 00:26:36,789
and then bang came The Beatles.
473
00:26:36,869 --> 00:26:39,829
And it was like an electric
breath of fresh air.
474
00:26:39,909 --> 00:26:43,189
Whatever we were used to
suddenly lost its relevance.
475
00:26:46,069 --> 00:26:47,909
One day we just woke up
476
00:26:47,989 --> 00:26:51,389
and we saw an image of
the great Shammi Kapoor
477
00:26:51,469 --> 00:26:54,309
with that Beatle
wig in a Hindi film.
478
00:26:55,669 --> 00:26:57,029
That spoke about
the enormous power
479
00:26:57,109 --> 00:26:58,749
and the clout of The Beatles.
480
00:27:00,109 --> 00:27:02,389
My mother was a Indian
classical musician.
481
00:27:02,469 --> 00:27:04,149
And then she bought
me my first 45,
482
00:27:04,229 --> 00:27:06,469
which was, "I Wanna
Hold Your Hand."
483
00:27:06,549 --> 00:27:08,989
Straight away and she bought
me a British pop magazine
484
00:27:09,069 --> 00:27:11,309
where I could read about
what was happening in the UK
485
00:27:11,389 --> 00:27:13,629
and the UK pop scene.
486
00:27:15,029 --> 00:27:16,629
One day one of my classmates
487
00:27:16,709 --> 00:27:18,909
came back to India
after the holidays,
488
00:27:18,989 --> 00:27:20,789
and he brought an
album by The Beatles,
489
00:27:20,869 --> 00:27:22,469
who we'd never heard of.
490
00:27:22,549 --> 00:27:25,429
By 10 o'clock that night, I'd
fallen in love with the music,
491
00:27:25,509 --> 00:27:27,469
that I'd heard it
three or four times,
492
00:27:27,549 --> 00:27:28,949
that music grew into me
493
00:27:29,029 --> 00:27:30,869
and I thought, "Wow,
this is fabulous."
494
00:27:32,509 --> 00:27:35,509
We used to play those records
again and again and again,
495
00:27:35,589 --> 00:27:37,829
you know, somebody listening
to the words, you know,
496
00:27:37,909 --> 00:27:39,829
somebody who's trying to
figure out the chords-
497
00:27:39,909 --> 00:27:42,189
- Yes, the solo.
- And the solos,
498
00:27:42,269 --> 00:27:44,909
and the most difficult
part were the harmonies.
499
00:27:44,989 --> 00:27:47,229
Beatles still remain
one of the greatest,
500
00:27:47,309 --> 00:27:50,429
you know, harmony
groups, you know, ever.
501
00:27:51,789 --> 00:27:54,429
We went to Calcutta, we
stayed with a friend.
502
00:27:54,509 --> 00:27:55,949
And the first night
503
00:27:56,029 --> 00:27:57,685
he took us to a restaurant
called Trinkers.
504
00:27:57,709 --> 00:27:59,189
But when we walked in,
505
00:27:59,269 --> 00:28:00,949
we were dressed in
our Beatle clothes,
506
00:28:01,029 --> 00:28:03,189
and everybody got up
and started clapping.
507
00:28:03,269 --> 00:28:04,789
I don't know why,
508
00:28:04,869 --> 00:28:07,429
maybe they assumed we were some
famous group but we weren't,
509
00:28:07,509 --> 00:28:09,389
but the owner of
the restaurant said,
510
00:28:09,469 --> 00:28:11,949
"Hey, you know, the people
wanna know if you guys sing?"
511
00:28:12,029 --> 00:28:13,349
I said, "Yeah, we sing."
512
00:28:13,429 --> 00:28:15,469
He said, "Would you do
a couple of numbers?"
513
00:28:15,549 --> 00:28:18,829
So we did, "She Loves You"
and "Please, Please Me."
514
00:28:18,909 --> 00:28:20,709
We brought the house
down, shook our heads,
515
00:28:20,789 --> 00:28:21,949
et cetera, et cetera.
516
00:28:22,029 --> 00:28:23,789
The owner came and he said,
517
00:28:23,869 --> 00:28:26,069
"Would you guys
like a residency?"
518
00:28:26,149 --> 00:28:27,829
And that's how our
career started.
519
00:28:29,469 --> 00:28:32,349
We were the first Western
music performing group
520
00:28:32,429 --> 00:28:34,389
to be ever recorded in India.
521
00:28:34,469 --> 00:28:37,989
At the HMV studios, and a song
which, of I'm not mistaken,
522
00:28:38,069 --> 00:28:41,909
there was a song called "Pain"
and "The Girl Next Door."
523
00:28:41,989 --> 00:28:44,189
I think "The Girl Next
Door" had some influences
524
00:28:44,269 --> 00:28:45,309
of The Beatles.
525
00:28:45,389 --> 00:28:46,989
Especially the harmonies.
526
00:28:47,069 --> 00:28:49,629
- Especially the harmonies.
- The harmonies, yes, yes.
527
00:28:49,709 --> 00:28:51,429
I was planning to go west
528
00:28:51,509 --> 00:28:53,989
because, you know, forget
the Indian culture,
529
00:28:54,069 --> 00:28:56,469
the Western culture was
what we youngsters wanted.
530
00:28:56,549 --> 00:28:58,349
By some strange paradox,
531
00:28:58,429 --> 00:29:01,109
The Beatles, who lived
in the culture I wanted,
532
00:29:01,189 --> 00:29:03,069
were making their way to India.
533
00:29:15,629 --> 00:29:18,829
LSD was really beginning
to make its mark in London,
534
00:29:18,909 --> 00:29:21,029
in the the circles
that they moved in.
535
00:29:22,869 --> 00:29:25,069
Some newspaperman
came up and he said,
536
00:29:25,149 --> 00:29:26,749
"Have you had LSD?"
537
00:29:26,829 --> 00:29:29,509
So I thought, well, I'll
either be cagey here
538
00:29:29,589 --> 00:29:31,789
or I'll be honest,
so I said, yes.
539
00:29:35,869 --> 00:29:38,069
Oh God, well,
I mean, the first time
540
00:29:38,149 --> 00:29:40,709
was when George and
Me, John and Cynthia
541
00:29:40,789 --> 00:29:43,989
were invited for
dinner by our dentist.
542
00:29:44,069 --> 00:29:45,389
And that was a bit scary,
543
00:29:45,469 --> 00:29:48,269
because, you know, what
was happening to us.
544
00:29:48,349 --> 00:29:49,429
Do you know what I mean?
545
00:29:49,509 --> 00:29:51,029
It's just, everything
is surreal.
546
00:29:51,109 --> 00:29:54,269
And you look at your hand and
you're like 500 years old.
547
00:29:55,909 --> 00:29:58,669
And then I'd hear my voice
and wonder where it came from.
548
00:29:58,749 --> 00:30:01,909
And colours, and there's
an intensity to it.
549
00:30:05,189 --> 00:30:08,669
When we took the
notorious wonder, drug LSD,
550
00:30:08,749 --> 00:30:12,589
we had it and we went out to
a club and it was incredible.
551
00:30:12,669 --> 00:30:14,229
When I got onto acid, right,
552
00:30:14,309 --> 00:30:17,749
you know the day that you're
at a hundred percent potential
553
00:30:17,829 --> 00:30:19,949
and you can handle
whatever the situation is,
554
00:30:20,029 --> 00:30:22,029
with acid, or just after acid,
555
00:30:22,109 --> 00:30:24,629
the percent of good days
as opposed to bad days
556
00:30:24,709 --> 00:30:26,189
was just a bit better, you know.
557
00:30:28,509 --> 00:30:30,269
They particularly got into drugs
558
00:30:30,349 --> 00:30:32,229
and Indian music
at the same time,
559
00:30:32,309 --> 00:30:34,669
and it seemed like there was
some kind of a connection
560
00:30:34,749 --> 00:30:36,349
between the two, there
wasn't of course,
561
00:30:36,429 --> 00:30:38,909
because they both
preexisted separately.
562
00:30:40,949 --> 00:30:41,829
There must be
an intimate connection
563
00:30:41,909 --> 00:30:43,149
between Indian music and drugs,
564
00:30:43,229 --> 00:30:44,789
maybe because of
the bizarre sound,
565
00:30:44,869 --> 00:30:46,485
and there should be a drug
connection he said that-
566
00:30:46,509 --> 00:30:48,549
Just watch who you're
calling bizarre, Dick.
567
00:30:50,029 --> 00:30:51,645
Yes, I have difficulty
with the word bizarre.
568
00:30:51,669 --> 00:30:54,509
I meant B-A-Z-A-A-R,
the other...
569
00:30:54,589 --> 00:30:56,645
No, wait a minute, there's
no way I can get out of this.
570
00:30:56,669 --> 00:30:58,909
To Western ears,
the unusual sound
571
00:30:58,989 --> 00:31:02,949
might suggest some sort
of chemical intoxication.
572
00:31:03,029 --> 00:31:04,229
I'm not blaming George,
573
00:31:04,309 --> 00:31:06,909
but you know, somehow
because of him,
574
00:31:06,989 --> 00:31:10,789
the sitar became really
popular among the young people.
575
00:31:10,869 --> 00:31:12,069
The hippies were the ones
576
00:31:12,149 --> 00:31:13,549
who caught on to a new music,
577
00:31:13,629 --> 00:31:15,309
and it just happens
that most of them were,
578
00:31:15,389 --> 00:31:18,149
you know, were smoking
pot or something.
579
00:31:18,229 --> 00:31:21,229
And, since then, the two
got caught up together
580
00:31:21,309 --> 00:31:22,629
but it's really a problem.
581
00:31:24,149 --> 00:31:26,629
Yeah, I requests to my
listeners to be in a clear mind,
582
00:31:26,709 --> 00:31:29,709
because I like to
put them, you know,
583
00:31:29,789 --> 00:31:31,909
- make them high with the music.
- Yourself.
584
00:31:31,989 --> 00:31:34,949
Yes, and I feel rather cheated
when they're already high.
585
00:31:38,669 --> 00:31:43,149
LSD opened them up to
experiences and awarenesses
586
00:31:43,229 --> 00:31:46,429
of consciousness that
they wouldn't have got
587
00:31:46,509 --> 00:31:48,029
in any other way.
588
00:31:48,109 --> 00:31:50,749
Eastern religion, I think,
would have been opaque to them,
589
00:31:50,829 --> 00:31:52,765
they wouldn't have been able
to understand it at all,
590
00:31:52,789 --> 00:31:54,749
but, having had that experience,
591
00:31:54,829 --> 00:31:56,869
suddenly these
things made sense.
592
00:31:58,189 --> 00:32:00,509
George said that when
he first took LSD,
593
00:32:00,589 --> 00:32:03,549
he heard voices in
the back of his head
594
00:32:03,629 --> 00:32:05,389
saying yogis of the Himalayas.
595
00:32:11,909 --> 00:32:13,469
Maharishi, good evening.
596
00:32:13,549 --> 00:32:17,069
You once said even if only
1/10 of the adult population
597
00:32:17,149 --> 00:32:19,669
meditated for short
periods each day,
598
00:32:19,749 --> 00:32:21,629
it would not take
more than a few months
599
00:32:21,709 --> 00:32:24,669
to remove the entire
accumulation of tension in the world.
600
00:32:24,749 --> 00:32:25,965
- These are your words?
- I'm absolutely
601
00:32:25,989 --> 00:32:27,509
convinced about it.
602
00:32:29,109 --> 00:32:30,909
I saw an
advertisement in the paper
603
00:32:30,989 --> 00:32:33,669
for transcendental
meditation classes.
604
00:32:33,749 --> 00:32:35,229
So I went with a girlfriend.
605
00:32:36,789 --> 00:32:38,829
England I've been
visiting once every year.
606
00:32:38,909 --> 00:32:41,029
People do feel stress and strain
607
00:32:41,109 --> 00:32:45,589
due to the greater
undertaking in their life.
608
00:32:45,669 --> 00:32:48,669
Paul phoned George and said,
609
00:32:48,749 --> 00:32:50,309
"There's this man
called Maharishi
610
00:32:50,389 --> 00:32:53,389
who's going to come to England
and talk about meditation".
611
00:32:53,469 --> 00:32:55,069
And I said,
612
00:32:55,149 --> 00:32:56,725
"Oh, that's the same guy
that, you know, I follow."
613
00:32:56,749 --> 00:32:58,485
So in those days, when
one Beatle did something,
614
00:32:58,509 --> 00:33:01,029
they all did it, so we all went.
615
00:33:01,109 --> 00:33:02,245
Now you've been
travelling the world now
616
00:33:02,269 --> 00:33:03,749
for many years.
617
00:33:03,829 --> 00:33:05,165
You've made, I think, something
like eight world tours.
618
00:33:05,189 --> 00:33:07,029
Ninth, I returned this time.
619
00:33:07,109 --> 00:33:11,029
This was the ninth completed.
620
00:33:11,109 --> 00:33:13,029
Maharishi was the most powerful,
621
00:33:13,109 --> 00:33:16,269
magnetically charismatic
person I've ever met.
622
00:33:16,349 --> 00:33:19,149
He was also the happiest
person I ever met.
623
00:33:19,229 --> 00:33:21,349
He was filled with this energy
624
00:33:21,429 --> 00:33:23,989
that you wanted to be
near him all the time.
625
00:33:24,069 --> 00:33:26,029
All of us who were on his staff,
626
00:33:26,109 --> 00:33:28,469
we fought each other to
get into the room with him.
627
00:33:29,829 --> 00:33:31,125
It was just the
right time, anyway,
628
00:33:31,149 --> 00:33:32,509
there we were
waiting for someone-
629
00:33:32,589 --> 00:33:33,869
Waiting for a guru,
630
00:33:33,949 --> 00:33:35,365
- and he came.
- The great magic man to come,
631
00:33:35,389 --> 00:33:36,589
and he came, you know.
632
00:33:36,669 --> 00:33:38,429
There he was, he's just
talking about it all
633
00:33:38,509 --> 00:33:39,829
and he had great answers.
634
00:33:39,909 --> 00:33:42,589
'Cause he's got that
kind of thing, you know,
635
00:33:42,669 --> 00:33:44,629
and he got a twinkle in the eye.
636
00:33:45,949 --> 00:33:47,909
They told Maharishi
that they'd been seeking
637
00:33:47,989 --> 00:33:49,949
a spiritual experience.
638
00:33:50,029 --> 00:33:51,669
They'd been trying to
do it through drugs,
639
00:33:51,709 --> 00:33:54,029
but it just didn't
work, you know?
640
00:33:54,109 --> 00:33:57,269
And so he invited them to
come to Bangor, North Wales.
641
00:33:59,229 --> 00:34:01,869
Where he would be doing a
meditation retreat for 10 days.
642
00:34:23,829 --> 00:34:25,389
The Beatles seem to be
643
00:34:25,469 --> 00:34:27,485
among your supporters now,
how do you feel about that?
644
00:34:27,509 --> 00:34:30,509
They seem to be very
intelligent and I'm honoured.
645
00:34:30,589 --> 00:34:33,509
And so you think that if The
Beatles adopt your teaching,
646
00:34:33,589 --> 00:34:34,829
then they can spread it
647
00:34:34,909 --> 00:34:35,789
amongst other young
people in England?
648
00:34:35,869 --> 00:34:37,069
And much more,
649
00:34:37,149 --> 00:34:38,949
not only England,
but around the world.
650
00:34:39,029 --> 00:34:42,269
Because the word Beatle has
gone on in all the continents,
651
00:34:42,349 --> 00:34:45,949
and younger people are
fascinated by their name.
652
00:34:46,029 --> 00:34:47,629
What do you
think of The Beatles?
653
00:34:47,709 --> 00:34:49,589
Very good,
intelligent young boys,
654
00:34:49,669 --> 00:34:51,149
and there's great potential.
655
00:34:51,229 --> 00:34:53,109
And their music?
656
00:34:53,189 --> 00:34:54,549
Music I haven't heard,
657
00:34:54,629 --> 00:34:57,149
but because they are
appreciated all over the world,
658
00:34:57,229 --> 00:34:59,949
they must have something
very grateful in their music.
659
00:35:05,589 --> 00:35:07,189
I think he's trying to say
660
00:35:07,269 --> 00:35:09,429
is the things we're getting
into aren't that important.
661
00:35:09,509 --> 00:35:11,429
Money has taken over from God.
662
00:35:11,509 --> 00:35:13,429
Instead of trying
to get where God is,
663
00:35:13,509 --> 00:35:15,749
we all try and get the
biggest bank balance.
664
00:35:15,829 --> 00:35:17,149
That's what it seems to mean.
665
00:35:18,829 --> 00:35:21,109
Peace of mind
is like an ocean, very deep.
666
00:35:21,189 --> 00:35:24,749
And the activity's only
on the surface like that.
667
00:35:24,829 --> 00:35:28,589
So if the waves of the ocean
contact deeper level of water,
668
00:35:28,669 --> 00:35:30,709
then the wave becomes stronger.
669
00:35:30,789 --> 00:35:32,365
That means that we're
going to be happier.
670
00:35:32,389 --> 00:35:37,069
And much happier and
much more creative also.
671
00:35:49,669 --> 00:35:51,589
He was found in his
second floor bedroom,
672
00:35:51,669 --> 00:35:54,189
just after two o'clock this
afternoon by his housekeeper.
673
00:35:54,269 --> 00:35:57,269
Mr. Epstein has been
unwell now for some months.
674
00:35:57,349 --> 00:35:59,069
And he's been in the
habit of taking tablets
675
00:35:59,109 --> 00:36:00,309
to help him sleep at night.
676
00:36:02,069 --> 00:36:05,589
When Brian died, The
Beatles clearly were lost.
677
00:36:05,669 --> 00:36:08,069
They were like jelly, their
manager, their best friend,
678
00:36:08,149 --> 00:36:11,869
their man who they rely
on totally for their fame,
679
00:36:11,949 --> 00:36:15,069
for their fortune, you
know, their guide in life,
680
00:36:15,149 --> 00:36:16,189
was now gone.
681
00:36:19,709 --> 00:36:22,669
John, where would you be
today without Mr. Epstein?
682
00:36:22,749 --> 00:36:23,949
I don't know.
683
00:36:25,589 --> 00:36:28,149
I understand that Mr. Epstein
was to be initiated here?
684
00:36:29,309 --> 00:36:30,549
When was he coming up?
685
00:36:30,629 --> 00:36:32,109
Was he coming up
in the afternoon?
686
00:36:32,189 --> 00:36:34,085
Coming tomorrow. Just
Monday, that's all we knew.
687
00:36:34,109 --> 00:36:36,549
I spoke to him
Wednesday evening,
688
00:36:36,629 --> 00:36:40,789
then evening before we first
saw Maharishi's lecture
689
00:36:40,869 --> 00:36:43,549
and he was in great spirits.
690
00:36:45,069 --> 00:36:45,949
I wanted Maharishi
691
00:36:46,029 --> 00:36:47,245
to bring him back to life again.
692
00:36:47,269 --> 00:36:49,189
You know, I, by this time,
693
00:36:49,269 --> 00:36:51,029
I'm giving him so much power
694
00:36:51,109 --> 00:36:54,829
and how extraordinary that
they were with Maharishi,
695
00:36:54,909 --> 00:36:58,429
who's now going to be, sort
of, their spiritual guru,
696
00:36:58,509 --> 00:37:00,989
but also that they
could lean on him,
697
00:37:01,069 --> 00:37:02,629
because they
trusted him so much.
698
00:37:02,709 --> 00:37:06,549
So, for that moment in
time, he replaced Brian.
699
00:37:08,109 --> 00:37:11,909
I understand that the Maharishi
conferred with you all?
700
00:37:11,989 --> 00:37:16,509
He told us not to get
overwhelmed by grief,
701
00:37:16,589 --> 00:37:20,109
and whatever thoughts we have
of Brian, to keep 'em happy,
702
00:37:20,189 --> 00:37:21,549
because any thoughts
we have of him
703
00:37:21,629 --> 00:37:23,549
will travel to him,
wherever he is.
704
00:37:39,589 --> 00:37:44,349
I come to India because of I
want to leave material world.
705
00:37:45,349 --> 00:37:46,349
Come to a simple country.
706
00:37:48,469 --> 00:37:52,029
Ganga is a holy river because
it comes from Himalayas
707
00:37:53,269 --> 00:37:55,149
and this place has much energy.
708
00:37:57,109 --> 00:38:00,789
And it come down, no? Takes
energy and comes here.
709
00:38:04,669 --> 00:38:05,709
The ashrams or monasteries
710
00:38:05,789 --> 00:38:07,989
of the various religious orders
711
00:38:08,069 --> 00:38:10,189
glimmer over the
smooth green water.
712
00:38:10,269 --> 00:38:12,949
Though the sun is
hot, the river is icy,
713
00:38:13,029 --> 00:38:15,589
flowing from a glacier
high up in the Himalayas,
714
00:38:15,669 --> 00:38:17,349
the land of the Gods.
715
00:38:17,429 --> 00:38:21,109
But Rishikesh, its name
means place of the wise ones,
716
00:38:21,189 --> 00:38:23,869
is far from being a
remote or desert region.
717
00:38:23,949 --> 00:38:26,269
Its one of the most celebrated
centres of pilgrimage
718
00:38:26,349 --> 00:38:27,349
in the whole of India.
719
00:38:29,349 --> 00:38:30,589
In the cool clear air
720
00:38:30,669 --> 00:38:32,749
of Rishikesh, North India,
721
00:38:32,829 --> 00:38:36,349
the meditation retreat
of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
722
00:38:36,429 --> 00:38:38,269
Flower-loving yogi
told reporters
723
00:38:38,349 --> 00:38:40,069
that his brand of peace of mind
724
00:38:40,149 --> 00:38:41,669
could only be truly appreciated
725
00:38:41,749 --> 00:38:43,549
by intelligent men of the world
726
00:38:43,629 --> 00:38:47,029
with rewarding activities
and high incomes.
727
00:38:47,109 --> 00:38:49,749
The purpose of life is the
expansion of happiness.
728
00:38:49,829 --> 00:38:51,629
Anyone can find the way.
729
00:38:51,709 --> 00:38:54,549
That's the basic teaching
of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
730
00:38:54,629 --> 00:38:56,429
Are The Beatles really
going to find happiness
731
00:38:56,469 --> 00:38:57,989
here in Rishikesh?
732
00:38:58,069 --> 00:39:00,045
Are they really going to
become, as Maharishi hopes,
733
00:39:00,069 --> 00:39:02,189
the practical
philosophers of the age?
734
00:39:02,269 --> 00:39:05,149
Or must they return
home unsatisfied?
735
00:39:05,229 --> 00:39:07,589
Eternal, rich, young
men victims of a fad,
736
00:39:07,669 --> 00:39:09,349
looking for something, anything,
737
00:39:09,429 --> 00:39:11,269
to make their lives worth while.
738
00:39:20,229 --> 00:39:22,749
I was a reporter.
739
00:39:22,829 --> 00:39:27,029
I'd heard that the best
thing that a reporter can do
740
00:39:27,109 --> 00:39:30,549
is to beat all the other
reporters in getting to the news.
741
00:39:31,949 --> 00:39:33,869
A friend of mine read
742
00:39:33,949 --> 00:39:38,789
that The Beatles were coming
to stay with the Maharishi.
743
00:39:38,869 --> 00:39:41,349
And he said, "Saeed, do
you know what it means?
744
00:39:41,429 --> 00:39:46,149
The whole world and its
media is going to be here."
745
00:39:59,309 --> 00:40:01,189
The idea is to beat them.
746
00:40:01,269 --> 00:40:03,549
How do you beat them?
747
00:40:03,629 --> 00:40:08,469
"Ah," I said, "the idea
is to become a disciple.
748
00:40:09,789 --> 00:40:12,909
If I become an insider,
I'll get the story."
749
00:40:12,989 --> 00:40:16,029
So I walked in, you
had to make some excuse
750
00:40:16,109 --> 00:40:17,669
if you're a drug addict,
751
00:40:17,749 --> 00:40:19,989
if you had failed,
if you are a junkie,
752
00:40:20,069 --> 00:40:23,429
he whispered a mantra,
a chant, in my ear,
753
00:40:25,989 --> 00:40:29,469
Which I'm not supposed
to share with anybody.
754
00:40:29,549 --> 00:40:33,109
Then I went in, and
again, and again,
755
00:40:33,189 --> 00:40:34,429
until all the sadhus
756
00:40:35,789 --> 00:40:38,269
who were going to be his
managers recognise me.
757
00:40:38,349 --> 00:40:41,189
The password was
jaguar will live,
758
00:40:41,269 --> 00:40:43,189
you said jaguar will
live then you were in.
759
00:40:45,109 --> 00:40:49,989
From Hardwar, to Rishikesh,
760
00:40:51,549 --> 00:40:53,869
across Lakshman Jhula.
761
00:41:08,629 --> 00:41:11,189
I was taking aback.
762
00:41:11,269 --> 00:41:13,429
It was like a locust storm.
763
00:41:14,909 --> 00:41:18,749
Journalist, after
journalist, after journalist,
764
00:41:18,829 --> 00:41:21,429
hundreds of them,
"What's going on?
765
00:41:21,509 --> 00:41:23,629
They're not letting us in."
766
00:41:23,709 --> 00:41:25,629
I said, "They're not
letting anybody in."
767
00:41:27,749 --> 00:41:30,229
Overnight, I went
off to Rishikesh,
768
00:41:30,309 --> 00:41:33,349
with quite a few people
from all over India.
769
00:41:33,429 --> 00:41:36,429
And it was very difficult to
even know where The Beatles,
770
00:41:36,509 --> 00:41:39,309
where the ashram was,
because it was so fortified.
771
00:41:39,389 --> 00:41:41,269
Fortified in the
sense that, you know,
772
00:41:41,349 --> 00:41:42,589
there are a lot of police,
773
00:41:42,669 --> 00:41:44,549
there was a lot of
bundobust in there.
774
00:41:44,629 --> 00:41:47,469
The whole day, we would
just, early morning, wake up,
775
00:41:47,549 --> 00:41:50,949
somebody said, "Hey, The Beatles
are coming to the Ganga."
776
00:41:51,029 --> 00:41:52,829
And so we'd all rush up there
777
00:41:52,909 --> 00:41:54,309
and wait there for
two, three hours,
778
00:41:54,389 --> 00:41:55,989
but nothing would
happen, you know.
779
00:41:56,069 --> 00:41:59,669
But it was like a celebration,
it was like an exhibition,
780
00:41:59,749 --> 00:42:02,749
'cause, you know, there
was so much of joy.
781
00:42:05,669 --> 00:42:08,909
One day, Maharishi
called me in and he said,
782
00:42:08,989 --> 00:42:12,189
"The Beatles are gonna be
arriving in a few days,
783
00:42:12,269 --> 00:42:15,709
but I want you to go
fix up their rooms."
784
00:42:17,429 --> 00:42:21,509
They put me in charge to make
their rooms nicer.
785
00:42:21,589 --> 00:42:23,229
I would have them paint this,
786
00:42:23,309 --> 00:42:24,909
they'd drop so much
paint on the floor,
787
00:42:24,989 --> 00:42:26,829
then they'd have
to paint the floor.
788
00:42:26,909 --> 00:42:29,149
Anyway, we had curtains put up.
789
00:42:29,229 --> 00:42:34,029
We had mirrors, we even had
toilet fixtures that worked.
790
00:42:35,309 --> 00:42:36,669
They have mattresses
on their beds.
791
00:42:38,349 --> 00:42:39,989
There's a fan club
of real beetles
792
00:42:40,069 --> 00:42:41,949
waiting to welcome them,
793
00:42:42,029 --> 00:42:44,029
but the hardest thing about
the life they lead here
794
00:42:44,109 --> 00:42:46,309
are the beds they'll sleep on.
795
00:42:46,389 --> 00:42:49,549
A hard wooden base, a simple,
796
00:42:49,629 --> 00:42:51,429
rather than a spartan existence.
797
00:42:54,909 --> 00:42:56,349
When they did arrive
798
00:42:56,429 --> 00:42:59,789
he introduced them to
me and said to them,
799
00:42:59,869 --> 00:43:02,909
"If you want to anything,
get a hold of Nancy.
800
00:43:02,989 --> 00:43:06,069
Nancy will be my ears and eyes
in case you need anything,
801
00:43:06,149 --> 00:43:07,469
you let me know through her."
802
00:43:19,189 --> 00:43:23,949
So I found my way and I
went to the gate and I said,
803
00:43:24,029 --> 00:43:25,069
"Jaguar will live."
804
00:43:25,149 --> 00:43:27,869
"Ah," they said.
805
00:43:27,949 --> 00:43:30,469
Oh, there was a hell
of commotion outside.
806
00:43:30,549 --> 00:43:32,749
"How did this bastard get in?"
807
00:43:32,829 --> 00:43:36,429
I said, "I'm just a
devotee of the Maharishi".
808
00:43:36,509 --> 00:43:40,669
So anyway, I entered and
there under the tree,
809
00:43:40,749 --> 00:43:45,229
Maharishi, George,
John Lennon, Paul,
810
00:43:45,309 --> 00:43:48,629
their respective
ladies, a whole galaxy.
811
00:43:48,709 --> 00:43:50,549
I mean, I can't keep
describing them.
812
00:43:50,629 --> 00:43:52,149
I need a photograph.
813
00:43:52,229 --> 00:43:53,309
So I called the sadhus.
814
00:43:54,709 --> 00:43:57,549
I said, "Look, I'm
having difficulty
815
00:43:57,629 --> 00:43:59,949
managing this on my own,
816
00:44:00,029 --> 00:44:03,069
I immediately assumed the
role of publicity manager
817
00:44:03,149 --> 00:44:04,909
for the Maharishi."
818
00:44:04,989 --> 00:44:07,349
So I said, "Here's
a name, Raghu Rai.
819
00:44:07,429 --> 00:44:09,509
You go outside, call him in.
820
00:44:12,189 --> 00:44:14,829
This man came, who
was from the ashram,
821
00:44:14,909 --> 00:44:18,149
and he says, "Mr. Naqvi
wants to see you."
822
00:44:18,229 --> 00:44:20,029
I said, "Give me two minutes."
823
00:44:20,109 --> 00:44:24,349
So I went in, I put a big
zoom lens on my camera
824
00:44:24,429 --> 00:44:27,029
and put it inside my labaada.
825
00:44:27,109 --> 00:44:31,829
So when I'm walking nobody can
see if I'm carrying a camera.
826
00:44:31,909 --> 00:44:35,349
So I walked with him for
about eight, 10 minutes.
827
00:44:35,429 --> 00:44:37,549
One sadhu was standing there.
828
00:44:37,629 --> 00:44:41,589
So he was standing next to him,
so Saeed said, "Look there."
829
00:44:42,629 --> 00:44:43,789
I was shocked.
830
00:44:45,229 --> 00:44:46,429
Then I turned around
831
00:44:46,509 --> 00:44:49,749
and I saw that guy sadhu
standing next to us.
832
00:44:49,829 --> 00:44:50,829
And I said.
833
00:44:54,989 --> 00:44:58,389
So he goes to get a
glass of water for me,
834
00:44:58,469 --> 00:45:00,269
and Saeed says,
"Hurry up, hurry up."
835
00:45:00,349 --> 00:45:01,909
In those days,
836
00:45:01,989 --> 00:45:05,149
we didn't have auto focus,
auto exposure cameras,
837
00:45:05,229 --> 00:45:06,509
so you had to set the focus set
838
00:45:06,589 --> 00:45:08,869
and the exposure, everything.
839
00:45:08,949 --> 00:45:13,749
And I take just one picture,
nicely focused and proper.
840
00:45:16,709 --> 00:45:19,949
Under the tree, Maharishi
Yogi and The Beatles.
841
00:47:25,149 --> 00:47:28,389
See this building, this is
the building where they lived.
842
00:47:28,469 --> 00:47:32,389
This room, I'll
show you this side,
843
00:47:32,469 --> 00:47:35,589
this is the room of John Lennon.
844
00:47:35,669 --> 00:47:37,189
John Lennon stayed here.
845
00:47:37,269 --> 00:47:40,549
Other Beatles were
staying in these rooms,
846
00:47:40,629 --> 00:47:43,469
along with their
wives and family.
847
00:47:49,429 --> 00:47:52,349
So when Beatles came,
I was a little kid.
848
00:47:52,429 --> 00:47:55,949
We were enjoying the whole
atmosphere and the jungles
849
00:47:56,029 --> 00:47:59,069
and Beatles and the
Maharishi, we were very close.
850
00:47:59,149 --> 00:48:01,469
We never find he's a
celebrity, or some big thing,
851
00:48:01,549 --> 00:48:02,749
we should not go near him.
852
00:48:04,029 --> 00:48:06,069
So this was the
place where Maharishi
853
00:48:06,149 --> 00:48:08,589
used to converse with
Beatles and guests.
854
00:48:08,669 --> 00:48:13,349
Straight we can see River
Ganga, clear water and forest.
855
00:48:13,429 --> 00:48:16,549
There was a raised
platform, rectangular shape.
856
00:48:16,629 --> 00:48:19,749
It was used for posing with
the visitors and Beatles
857
00:48:19,829 --> 00:48:21,389
for the group photographs.
858
00:49:04,109 --> 00:49:06,029
Maharishi's
disciples can wander in peace
859
00:49:06,109 --> 00:49:08,909
amongst the trees and bungalows,
860
00:49:08,989 --> 00:49:12,269
or meditate in some quiet
spot overlooking the Ganges.
861
00:49:13,629 --> 00:49:15,469
He doesn't require you
to give anything up
862
00:49:15,549 --> 00:49:17,789
except drugs and
a week's salary,
863
00:49:17,869 --> 00:49:20,429
in The Beatles case around
11,000 pounds a piece.
864
00:49:22,589 --> 00:49:23,805
What exactly
have you been doing,
865
00:49:23,829 --> 00:49:24,829
how do you meditate?
866
00:49:24,909 --> 00:49:26,869
You sit down, you relax,
867
00:49:26,949 --> 00:49:30,949
and then you repeat a sound to
yourself, and it sounds daft,
868
00:49:31,029 --> 00:49:34,309
but it's just a system of
relaxation and that's all it is,
869
00:49:34,389 --> 00:49:35,829
and there's nothing more to it.
870
00:49:37,469 --> 00:49:41,109
By expanding the conscious
capacity of the mind,
871
00:49:41,189 --> 00:49:43,029
mental capacity
will be stronger,
872
00:49:43,109 --> 00:49:44,869
thought power will be great,
873
00:49:44,949 --> 00:49:46,709
and when the
thought power great,
874
00:49:46,789 --> 00:49:50,029
then the thought will find
their fulfilment more easily.
875
00:49:52,389 --> 00:49:56,349
You go into do those
interstellar spaces,
876
00:49:56,429 --> 00:50:00,229
where the spaces ultimately
shrink into your being.
877
00:50:00,309 --> 00:50:05,069
Now, this gibberish goes on
and on and on relentlessly,
878
00:50:06,949 --> 00:50:10,789
and you have these
people close their eyes.
879
00:50:10,869 --> 00:50:14,989
And the more
unintelligible it gets,
880
00:50:15,069 --> 00:50:19,509
the more profoundly
affected they pretend to be.
881
00:50:19,589 --> 00:50:24,349
Because, I can't really imagine
anyone being moved by words
882
00:50:24,429 --> 00:50:29,109
which are patently
and absolutely absurd.
883
00:50:29,189 --> 00:50:31,309
His lectures were in the nature
884
00:50:31,389 --> 00:50:34,749
of this kind of arcane nonsense.
885
00:50:34,829 --> 00:50:38,949
Nothing succeeds like
success, and it succeeded.
886
00:50:39,029 --> 00:50:40,269
Are you a business man?
887
00:50:40,349 --> 00:50:44,189
I don't deal with
money directly,
888
00:50:44,269 --> 00:50:46,989
but I'm conducting the
movement in 50 countries.
889
00:50:47,069 --> 00:50:49,029
I can't be said to
be no businessman,
890
00:50:49,109 --> 00:50:50,869
even though I'm not
dealing with money.
891
00:50:52,709 --> 00:50:55,709
I was a young girl, 21 or 22,
892
00:50:55,789 --> 00:50:58,749
so there I was in
this beautiful ashram,
893
00:50:58,829 --> 00:51:01,909
I was taken to
meet the Maharishi.
894
00:51:01,989 --> 00:51:05,989
He asked me to come close to
him, I did, too close in fact.
895
00:51:06,069 --> 00:51:09,149
He said, I'm going to whisper
something in your ear,
896
00:51:09,229 --> 00:51:11,429
the mantra, then he said,
897
00:51:11,509 --> 00:51:14,509
"I want you to go down
into my prayer room,
898
00:51:14,589 --> 00:51:16,829
and I want you to
concentrate upon that mantra.
899
00:51:16,909 --> 00:51:19,469
You're going to feel
like a new person."
900
00:51:21,149 --> 00:51:24,269
And I actually believed that
this was going to happen to me.
901
00:51:25,909 --> 00:51:29,869
It was a dark room and there
was some incense burning
902
00:51:29,949 --> 00:51:32,549
and there was some things
hanging on the wall.
903
00:51:32,629 --> 00:51:34,709
And I started
repeating the mantra.
904
00:51:34,789 --> 00:51:35,789
I repeated it,
905
00:51:36,989 --> 00:51:39,189
and the only feeling
that I remember
906
00:51:39,269 --> 00:51:42,589
there was this intense desire
to escape from that place.
907
00:51:43,869 --> 00:51:46,949
I went near the
Maharishi and he said,
908
00:51:47,029 --> 00:51:49,149
"How do you feel my daughter?
909
00:51:49,229 --> 00:51:51,469
Do you feel like a
different person?"
910
00:51:51,549 --> 00:51:53,429
I said, "Actually I don't."
911
00:51:53,509 --> 00:51:56,909
He looked at me and he said,
912
00:51:56,989 --> 00:51:58,629
"I going to whisper
another mantra."
913
00:52:00,429 --> 00:52:03,069
"Back you go,
repeat that mantra.
914
00:52:03,149 --> 00:52:05,029
You might have to
spend a little longer."
915
00:52:06,269 --> 00:52:08,069
By now, I was in control.
916
00:52:09,229 --> 00:52:11,509
I repeated the mantra,
917
00:52:11,589 --> 00:52:14,349
and within half an
hour I came upstairs.
918
00:52:14,429 --> 00:52:16,749
I gave him a glorious account
919
00:52:16,829 --> 00:52:20,149
of how I felt like a
totally new human being.
920
00:52:20,229 --> 00:52:22,269
I felt like a different
person all together.
921
00:52:23,269 --> 00:52:25,109
That was the only way to escape.
922
00:52:25,189 --> 00:52:27,869
And I walked out into freedom.
923
00:52:33,349 --> 00:52:35,789
Maharishi really influenced.
924
00:52:35,869 --> 00:52:39,469
The Beatles songs and
lyrics tremendously,
925
00:52:39,549 --> 00:52:41,269
starting with
"Across The Universe"
926
00:52:41,349 --> 00:52:45,389
which is written right after
The Beatles learned meditation.
927
00:52:45,469 --> 00:52:48,589
In that song, it
says "jai guru deva,"
928
00:52:48,669 --> 00:52:51,909
and Maharishi used to use
that expression all the time.
929
00:52:51,989 --> 00:52:55,349
Now once more.
930
00:52:59,069 --> 00:53:01,269
It is in praise of the guru.
931
00:53:01,349 --> 00:53:05,029
So John Lennon put that into
the song, jai guru deva.
932
00:53:05,109 --> 00:53:08,389
And then he said, "om," and
om is the primordial sound
933
00:53:08,469 --> 00:53:10,949
that underlies and gives
rise to the universe.
934
00:53:16,189 --> 00:53:17,949
Just the exposure
to mantras, I mean,
935
00:53:18,029 --> 00:53:19,685
the idea was a repetitious
sound could create
936
00:53:19,709 --> 00:53:21,349
an altered state
of consciousness
937
00:53:21,429 --> 00:53:23,349
and you get it in,
"Hello, Goodbye,"
938
00:53:23,429 --> 00:53:24,869
you get in goo goo g'joob.
939
00:53:24,949 --> 00:53:27,789
Repetitious sounds
creeping into their songs,
940
00:53:27,869 --> 00:53:29,349
whether deliberately or not.
941
00:55:11,949 --> 00:55:13,469
I lived for three
days in a cottage
942
00:55:13,549 --> 00:55:15,029
at a camp in Rishikesh,
943
00:55:15,109 --> 00:55:17,789
just a hundred yards
from The Beatles.
944
00:55:17,869 --> 00:55:20,549
I remember sitting
around a bonfire at night
945
00:55:20,629 --> 00:55:23,669
with The Beatles, and Mike
Love of The Beach Boys,
946
00:55:23,749 --> 00:55:26,949
And Donovan, and others
singing and playing the guitar.
947
00:55:28,549 --> 00:55:31,389
It was a cold, cold
evening, and at some point
948
00:55:31,469 --> 00:55:34,749
I muttered to the person
next to me, "I'm freezing."
949
00:55:34,829 --> 00:55:37,189
A man seated just ahead of me,
950
00:55:37,269 --> 00:55:40,989
wrapped in a huge brown
grey blanket heard me.
951
00:55:41,069 --> 00:55:45,149
He said, "Move up, love, come
and share my blanket with me."
952
00:55:45,229 --> 00:55:47,189
It was George Harrison.
953
00:55:47,269 --> 00:55:48,549
I should have said yes,
954
00:55:48,629 --> 00:55:50,869
but by then I had
successfully cultivated
955
00:55:50,949 --> 00:55:52,709
an air of nonchalance
956
00:55:52,789 --> 00:55:56,469
and looked at George like
he was a nobody and replied,
957
00:55:56,549 --> 00:55:59,349
"No, thanks, George, I'm fine."
958
00:55:59,429 --> 00:56:02,709
Four regrettable words that
I could never take back,
959
00:56:03,949 --> 00:56:06,509
and that have haunted
me all my life
960
00:56:06,589 --> 00:56:08,589
for what could have
been, but never was.
961
00:56:12,149 --> 00:56:17,029
The person who was actually
sincere about meditation,
962
00:56:17,109 --> 00:56:21,869
about Indian culture, Indian
music was George Harrison.
963
00:56:23,229 --> 00:56:26,149
Maharishi said of
all The Beatles,
964
00:56:26,229 --> 00:56:29,709
George is the most advanced,
and this is his last life.
965
00:56:31,029 --> 00:56:33,149
George wanted to understand
966
00:56:33,229 --> 00:56:36,189
why he was chosen to be famous.
967
00:56:36,269 --> 00:56:39,749
He found curious that
he, a boy from Liverpool
968
00:56:39,829 --> 00:56:42,349
who otherwise would have
had a very menial job,
969
00:56:42,429 --> 00:56:45,229
was selected and was famous.
970
00:56:45,309 --> 00:56:47,389
And he wants to know the answer.
971
00:56:49,829 --> 00:56:51,909
Really the
only reason to be living
972
00:56:51,989 --> 00:56:55,029
is to have complete
full knowledge,
973
00:56:55,109 --> 00:56:56,909
full bliss consciousness.
974
00:56:56,989 --> 00:57:00,309
Everything else is just
mundane and secondary.
975
00:57:00,389 --> 00:57:02,189
The purpose is to transcend
976
00:57:02,269 --> 00:57:04,549
from this relative
state of consciousness
977
00:57:04,629 --> 00:57:06,469
to an absolute state
of consciousness.
978
00:57:09,149 --> 00:57:13,909
Maharishi said, John Lennon
has many more lives to go,
979
00:57:15,589 --> 00:57:18,029
and he must not give into
his weakness for women,
980
00:57:18,109 --> 00:57:19,589
or it will ruin him.
981
00:57:20,909 --> 00:57:22,429
Keeping company with himself,
982
00:57:22,509 --> 00:57:24,149
it could be part
of the treatment,
983
00:57:24,229 --> 00:57:25,909
John stalked along
the shady paths.
984
00:57:28,229 --> 00:57:30,829
John Lennon when he
first arrived, he was grey,
985
00:57:30,909 --> 00:57:33,629
he'd been heavily into
drugs, he just looked awful.
986
00:57:33,709 --> 00:57:35,829
And then little by little,
987
00:57:35,909 --> 00:57:37,989
you saw the change that
came over this man,
988
00:57:38,069 --> 00:57:41,149
he had pink cheeks, he
started to be very sociable,
989
00:57:41,229 --> 00:57:44,029
he was out playing his guitar,
chatting with other people,
990
00:57:44,109 --> 00:57:45,749
and he was having
such a lovely time.
991
00:57:47,589 --> 00:57:49,109
Meditation worked
all right, you know,
992
00:57:49,189 --> 00:57:51,829
you can handle each day better
993
00:57:51,909 --> 00:57:53,509
than I could handle it before.
994
00:57:53,589 --> 00:57:56,069
I was mediating 8 hours a
day and things like that.
995
00:57:56,149 --> 00:57:59,349
And it was really some
trip, like acid was nowhere.
996
00:57:59,429 --> 00:58:02,069
Just sitting there just
muttering some word in a room,
997
00:58:02,149 --> 00:58:04,309
that's the biggest trip
I've ever had in life.
998
00:58:06,669 --> 00:58:10,269
Ringo is always in meditation,
999
00:58:10,349 --> 00:58:12,749
and he goes by
feeling and heart.
1000
00:58:12,829 --> 00:58:16,429
Whereas the other Beatles
too much brain is in the way.
1001
00:58:18,389 --> 00:58:20,309
Ringo enjoyed
a peace of togetherness
1002
00:58:20,389 --> 00:58:23,669
with Mrs. Ringo, it was
a very peaceful scene.
1003
00:58:23,749 --> 00:58:25,469
Ringo Starr, two or three days,
1004
00:58:25,549 --> 00:58:27,829
he sees all this
and he declares,
1005
00:58:27,909 --> 00:58:32,669
"It's like a Butlin holiday
camp," and disappears, he left.
1006
00:58:33,669 --> 00:58:35,389
And then there were three.
1007
00:58:36,909 --> 00:58:38,589
Ringo and his wife, Maureen,
1008
00:58:38,669 --> 00:58:41,149
stayed at the
ashram for 10 days.
1009
00:58:41,229 --> 00:58:44,749
Ringo's allergies cause
problems with the ashram food.
1010
00:58:44,829 --> 00:58:46,189
He was allergic
to so many things
1011
00:58:46,269 --> 00:58:48,789
that he took two
suitcases to India.
1012
00:58:48,869 --> 00:58:51,629
One had his clothes
and the other one
1013
00:58:51,709 --> 00:58:54,269
was stuffed with
cans of Heinz beans.
1014
00:58:55,869 --> 00:58:58,629
But the primary reason
that Ringo and Maureen left
1015
00:58:58,709 --> 00:59:01,429
is because they
missed their kids.
1016
00:59:01,509 --> 00:59:03,589
Maharishi, I
thank him, you know,
1017
00:59:03,669 --> 00:59:05,765
all the time I thank him for
giving me what it gave me.
1018
00:59:05,789 --> 00:59:07,189
So I'm glad I've got it
1019
00:59:07,269 --> 00:59:09,149
in case I ever wanna
go into it again,
1020
00:59:09,229 --> 00:59:11,149
you know, you can't lose,
if you learn something.
1021
00:59:27,429 --> 00:59:30,189
Maharishi wanted to
take them off on a trip
1022
00:59:30,269 --> 00:59:32,109
to the Himalayas.
1023
00:59:32,189 --> 00:59:35,469
A company, Ganja's
Helicopter Services.
1024
00:59:39,869 --> 00:59:42,109
I'd always wanted
to become a pilot.
1025
00:59:43,389 --> 00:59:45,189
I became the chief
pilot for the Maharishi.
1026
00:59:46,749 --> 00:59:50,589
And I flew everybody,
including the prime minister,
1027
00:59:50,669 --> 00:59:55,349
and Mahatma Gandhi
also, and The Beatles.
1028
00:59:55,429 --> 00:59:56,909
Paul kept on saying,
"Me, me, me,"
1029
00:59:56,989 --> 00:59:58,389
because he wanted to get in.
1030
00:59:58,469 --> 01:00:00,069
And John said, "No, me, me, me."
1031
01:00:00,149 --> 01:00:03,429
And anyway, finally, John just
pushed him aside and went in.
1032
01:00:05,069 --> 01:00:07,949
I'm flying John on my left
and the Maharishi on my right.
1033
01:00:08,029 --> 01:00:10,829
And the Maharishi
lent across me,
1034
01:00:10,909 --> 01:00:13,869
as you know, he had a
lot of hair and beard,
1035
01:00:13,949 --> 01:00:16,069
it was difficult for me
to fly the helicopter.
1036
01:00:17,509 --> 01:00:20,629
He was telling John down
there in the mountains,
1037
01:00:20,709 --> 01:00:23,949
people lived there, they never
went down to the valleys,
1038
01:00:24,029 --> 01:00:26,029
and they're praying
all the time.
1039
01:00:26,109 --> 01:00:28,229
So John said, "What are
they're praying for?"
1040
01:00:28,309 --> 01:00:30,989
So the Maharishi said "They
are praying that we crash."
1041
01:00:31,069 --> 01:00:33,429
And John said, "Goodness, why
do they want us to crash?"
1042
01:00:33,509 --> 01:00:35,509
They said, "Well, they're
on the mountaintop
1043
01:00:35,589 --> 01:00:37,989
with hardly any food.
1044
01:00:38,069 --> 01:00:41,269
And I'm in Rishikesh with
all the celebrities there,
1045
01:00:41,349 --> 01:00:42,949
and all the money in the world."
1046
01:00:43,029 --> 01:00:47,189
So John said, "Maharishi,
if you don't move
1047
01:00:47,269 --> 01:00:51,589
your head and hair their
prayers will be answered."
1048
01:00:51,669 --> 01:00:55,509
And of course, I started
laughing and everybody did.
1049
01:00:55,589 --> 01:00:56,909
He had a sense of humour.
1050
01:01:17,389 --> 01:01:21,789
They were visiting Dehradun,
George, John, and Paul.
1051
01:01:21,869 --> 01:01:24,229
He said this Saturday,
1052
01:01:24,309 --> 01:01:27,509
they're having
celebration in the ashram
1053
01:01:27,589 --> 01:01:31,949
to celebrate the birth
of George Harrison wife.
1054
01:01:32,029 --> 01:01:35,829
If I could could bring some
other musicians along with me,
1055
01:01:35,909 --> 01:01:37,469
they'll be very happy.
1056
01:01:37,549 --> 01:01:40,389
So I said, I told them,
"Okay, I can arrange it."
1057
01:01:46,749 --> 01:01:50,029
So we all sat down,
Maharishi gave us a lecture,
1058
01:01:50,109 --> 01:01:52,189
and then I was asked to play.
1059
01:01:52,269 --> 01:01:54,549
There was a composition
with George Harrison,
1060
01:01:54,629 --> 01:01:58,829
"With In, Without You," which
was based on Dhrag Jhug,
1061
01:01:58,909 --> 01:02:01,389
so I decided to play that.
1062
01:02:01,469 --> 01:02:03,869
And then George was
excited about it.
1063
01:02:05,549 --> 01:02:07,549
And I smiled at him, he
smiled and he waved at me.
1064
01:02:09,109 --> 01:02:12,669
At that time, Nick sang with me,
1065
01:02:12,749 --> 01:02:15,629
and Nick was just
a visiting teacher.
1066
01:02:15,709 --> 01:02:17,949
Now tell me where did
that famous photo of us?
1067
01:02:18,029 --> 01:02:19,829
Was it in the middle
or was it over here?
1068
01:02:19,909 --> 01:02:20,909
Here?
1069
01:02:20,949 --> 01:02:22,149
Okay.
1070
01:02:22,229 --> 01:02:23,669
- In this area, in this wall.
- Okay.
1071
01:02:27,509 --> 01:02:30,589
I have such vivid memories
of that birthday party
1072
01:02:30,669 --> 01:02:34,269
where so much music was
played, so much glamour.
1073
01:02:34,349 --> 01:02:37,389
Pattie Harrison there
in her mauve sari.
1074
01:02:37,469 --> 01:02:40,149
Part of our mission
was to bring her
1075
01:02:40,229 --> 01:02:43,709
George Harrison's birthday
present to her, the dilruba.
1076
01:02:43,789 --> 01:02:46,389
It was so relaxed
coming from Britain.
1077
01:02:46,469 --> 01:02:50,869
The Beatles were impossible
to see or touch or reach,
1078
01:02:50,949 --> 01:02:53,229
and here it was a completely
different atmosphere.
1079
01:02:54,829 --> 01:02:57,829
They were absolutely natural,
all the musicians there.
1080
01:02:57,909 --> 01:03:02,629
I think I spoke to Donovan,
Mike Love, Paul Horn,
1081
01:03:02,709 --> 01:03:06,029
and of course, Paul McCartney,
Jane Asher, John Lennon,
1082
01:03:06,109 --> 01:03:07,789
I don't think I spoke
to George Harrison
1083
01:03:07,869 --> 01:03:10,989
because he was so tied
up in both the occasion
1084
01:03:11,069 --> 01:03:13,869
of his wife's birthday
and also the music.
1085
01:03:13,949 --> 01:03:17,269
He really was playing
music and enjoying music
1086
01:03:17,349 --> 01:03:19,869
and absorbing Indian music.
1087
01:03:19,949 --> 01:03:22,589
There was no pretence about
it. He was completely hooked.
1088
01:03:25,349 --> 01:03:28,709
The music started
off being very Indian
1089
01:03:28,789 --> 01:03:31,269
and played on
Indian instruments,
1090
01:03:31,349 --> 01:03:34,709
but then you could say it
deteriorated into a birthday party
1091
01:03:34,789 --> 01:03:36,589
with the "Happy Birthday" song,
1092
01:03:36,669 --> 01:03:40,709
and the British national
anthem for some curious reason.
1093
01:03:40,789 --> 01:03:44,629
As the evening went on and
perhaps people got a bit fidgety,
1094
01:03:44,709 --> 01:03:46,909
we went outside and
enjoyed fireworks.
1095
01:03:46,989 --> 01:03:48,509
Of course, I went away feeling
1096
01:03:48,589 --> 01:03:51,389
that perhaps the meditation
was all a bit of a lark,
1097
01:03:51,469 --> 01:03:54,029
because they enjoyed themselves
so much in the evening.
1098
01:03:57,229 --> 01:04:00,109
George Harrison was thinking
1099
01:04:00,189 --> 01:04:03,589
mostly of playing
better, serious music,
1100
01:04:03,669 --> 01:04:05,629
which belonged to the world.
1101
01:04:05,709 --> 01:04:08,589
But John Lennon was a
serious human being.
1102
01:04:08,669 --> 01:04:10,629
He was not very talkative,
1103
01:04:10,709 --> 01:04:13,429
but he's thinking
was very beautiful.
1104
01:04:13,509 --> 01:04:17,509
So I was slightly more
fascinated by John.
1105
01:04:20,389 --> 01:04:23,149
I think they gave me so
much respect, you know.
1106
01:04:23,229 --> 01:04:25,589
They treated me very
well, they called me, sir.
1107
01:04:25,669 --> 01:04:28,509
And I was feeling
strange, you know.
1108
01:04:28,589 --> 01:04:30,629
I told them, "Don't
call me, sir, no no no."
1109
01:04:32,709 --> 01:04:34,869
They could not have
seen me at all,
1110
01:04:34,949 --> 01:04:37,749
there was no need
for what they did.
1111
01:04:37,829 --> 01:04:40,669
Success had not gone
to the head, you know.
1112
01:04:40,749 --> 01:04:42,709
They were simple human beings.
1113
01:04:46,909 --> 01:04:48,109
We came up the path here,
1114
01:04:48,189 --> 01:04:50,589
we were killing time
and The Beatles meantime
1115
01:04:50,669 --> 01:04:52,629
had come back to their bungalow
1116
01:04:52,709 --> 01:04:54,709
and they were on the roof,
not just The Beatles,
1117
01:04:54,789 --> 01:04:56,429
but many of the musicians
were on the roof
1118
01:04:56,469 --> 01:04:58,789
of the bungalow playing music.
1119
01:04:58,869 --> 01:05:02,469
And it's the most memorable
thing of my day here,
1120
01:05:02,549 --> 01:05:04,109
was hearing this music,
1121
01:05:04,189 --> 01:05:06,069
which was of course
unrecorded music,
1122
01:05:06,149 --> 01:05:09,949
it was just being
created at that time.
1123
01:05:10,029 --> 01:05:11,589
And we felt we were
in the, you know,
1124
01:05:11,669 --> 01:05:13,469
witnessing the first time round,
1125
01:05:13,549 --> 01:05:15,349
the first version of this music.
1126
01:05:29,749 --> 01:05:32,669
The word was coming
to the Maharishi
1127
01:05:32,749 --> 01:05:35,629
that they had suspended
their meditations
1128
01:05:35,709 --> 01:05:39,269
and that they were sitting and
composing music and things.
1129
01:05:40,909 --> 01:05:42,829
We were there
for about six weeks,
1130
01:05:42,909 --> 01:05:47,269
and during that time was no
pressure from the outside world.
1131
01:05:47,349 --> 01:05:49,909
There was no pressure
of them being Beatles,
1132
01:05:49,989 --> 01:05:52,789
and their creative
juices just overflowed.
1133
01:05:54,189 --> 01:05:56,949
They wrote all the songs
from "The White Album."
1134
01:05:57,029 --> 01:05:59,789
They worked out gradually
what they wanted us to do
1135
01:05:59,869 --> 01:06:02,269
for the rest of their
time as Beatles.
1136
01:06:04,349 --> 01:06:05,645
Other than when they're
we in the studio,
1137
01:06:05,669 --> 01:06:07,589
they didn't get to spend
a lot of time together.
1138
01:06:07,669 --> 01:06:09,349
So in India, they
were suddenly together
1139
01:06:09,429 --> 01:06:11,149
like sort of mates again.
1140
01:06:11,229 --> 01:06:14,589
So they could sit out and play
in the way that John and Paul
1141
01:06:14,669 --> 01:06:17,749
used to play in the council
house where Paul had grown up.
1142
01:06:19,669 --> 01:06:21,989
And you've got Mike Love
from The Beach Boys is there
1143
01:06:22,069 --> 01:06:24,669
so they've got that whole
tributary of American music
1144
01:06:24,749 --> 01:06:26,029
that had influenced them,
1145
01:06:26,109 --> 01:06:28,069
and Donovan with this
kind of folk tradition
1146
01:06:28,149 --> 01:06:30,789
and Paul Horn, who was a jazz
flautist, he was there too,
1147
01:06:30,869 --> 01:06:32,789
so you've got a
lot of interesting,
1148
01:06:32,869 --> 01:06:34,309
sort of, streams coming in.
1149
01:06:38,949 --> 01:06:40,509
I'll show you the stairs here.
1150
01:06:42,189 --> 01:06:45,349
They'd sit here on these stairs.
1151
01:06:45,429 --> 01:06:48,029
There here was bamboo
structure here,
1152
01:06:48,109 --> 01:06:49,829
as a fence, those days.
1153
01:06:49,909 --> 01:06:52,149
They'd come and they'd
make new song there,
1154
01:06:52,229 --> 01:06:55,189
staying here, sitting
on the stairs.
1155
01:06:55,269 --> 01:06:58,349
And that side,
Prudence were living,
1156
01:06:58,429 --> 01:07:02,829
Maharishi told her to be inside,
stay with their practises.
1157
01:07:04,949 --> 01:07:09,709
Mia Farrow's sister Prudence
way ahead of anybody else.
1158
01:07:11,029 --> 01:07:13,149
As soon as she
entered her thing,
1159
01:07:13,229 --> 01:07:18,029
she went into meditation
and she has not emerged,
1160
01:07:18,869 --> 01:07:21,269
it's already 24 hours.
1161
01:07:21,349 --> 01:07:22,629
So she's serious.
1162
01:07:23,869 --> 01:07:26,629
They would invite her outside.
1163
01:07:26,709 --> 01:07:29,349
"Hello, Prudence, come
out, come out, Prudence."
1164
01:07:29,429 --> 01:07:30,669
And she won't come.
1165
01:07:30,749 --> 01:07:33,709
And then they made a
song, "Dear Prudence."
1166
01:07:37,269 --> 01:07:38,909
I think one
that's kind of interesting
1167
01:07:38,989 --> 01:07:43,109
is when I came back from a
tiger hunt with my eldest son,
1168
01:07:43,189 --> 01:07:46,029
when we came walking in,
he said to Maharishi,
1169
01:07:46,109 --> 01:07:50,309
"I shot a tiger today,
is that bad karma?"
1170
01:07:50,389 --> 01:07:53,309
Sitting there observing
this was John Lennon,
1171
01:07:53,389 --> 01:07:55,429
and John said,
"Don't you call that
1172
01:07:55,509 --> 01:07:57,389
slightly life destructive?"
1173
01:07:57,469 --> 01:07:59,789
And I said, "It was
the tiger or us."
1174
01:08:03,109 --> 01:08:05,389
Maharishi glared
at Nancy the whole time
1175
01:08:05,469 --> 01:08:07,109
they were talking about it.
1176
01:08:07,189 --> 01:08:10,509
Life destruction is life
destruction, end of story.
1177
01:08:10,589 --> 01:08:12,509
That's how the song,
1178
01:08:12,589 --> 01:08:16,469
"The Continuing Story Of
Bungalow Bill" originated.
1179
01:08:16,549 --> 01:08:20,429
It was John's answer to
Nancy's paltry excuse.
1180
01:08:22,509 --> 01:08:23,869
Because Mike Love was there
1181
01:08:23,949 --> 01:08:25,309
and they knew The
Beach Boys music,
1182
01:08:25,389 --> 01:08:27,789
it was this kind
of friendly rivalry
1183
01:08:27,869 --> 01:08:29,269
of them wanting
to top each other.
1184
01:08:29,349 --> 01:08:30,629
But "Back in the U.S.S.R."
1185
01:08:30,709 --> 01:08:32,829
Is just like a parody
of a Beach Boys song,
1186
01:08:32,909 --> 01:08:35,349
but instead of being about
the USA, it's about Russia,
1187
01:08:35,429 --> 01:08:37,549
and it was a very
novel idea at the time
1188
01:08:37,629 --> 01:08:39,069
to think of a rock and roll song
1189
01:08:39,149 --> 01:08:40,925
that appeared to be
celebrating Russian culture
1190
01:08:40,949 --> 01:08:42,669
and had all these Russian names
1191
01:08:42,749 --> 01:08:44,589
and Russian places
being mentioned.
1192
01:08:47,949 --> 01:08:49,269
Opposition members today
1193
01:08:49,349 --> 01:08:52,789
demanded in inquiry into
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
1194
01:08:52,869 --> 01:08:56,589
Alleging that Rishikesh have
become a centre of conspirage.
1195
01:08:56,669 --> 01:08:58,789
The issue was raised
by Mr. K. Anirudhan
1196
01:08:58,869 --> 01:09:02,309
after a radio transmitter
was found on a bus
1197
01:09:02,389 --> 01:09:05,029
near the antibiotics
factory in Rishikesh
1198
01:09:05,109 --> 01:09:07,709
belonging to a foreigner.
1199
01:09:07,789 --> 01:09:10,349
The furor broke
out in parliament.
1200
01:09:10,429 --> 01:09:13,789
It was led by the communist,
backed by the socialists,
1201
01:09:13,869 --> 01:09:18,549
and they said that there was
a CIA camp in the ashram,
1202
01:09:18,629 --> 01:09:21,389
and the Maharishi were
getting all these foreigners,
1203
01:09:21,469 --> 01:09:24,309
including The Beatles,
to destabilise India.
1204
01:09:26,509 --> 01:09:30,269
I give the CIA total
credit for sponsoring
1205
01:09:30,349 --> 01:09:33,629
and initiating the entire
consciousness movement,
1206
01:09:33,709 --> 01:09:36,429
counterculture
events of the 1960s.
1207
01:09:38,229 --> 01:09:41,749
This was exactly the
time when Indira Gandhi
1208
01:09:41,829 --> 01:09:43,829
was making friends
with the Soviet Union.
1209
01:09:46,789 --> 01:09:48,349
Today we're going
to show you a cases
1210
01:09:48,429 --> 01:09:50,349
of attempted espionage by agents
1211
01:09:50,429 --> 01:09:53,469
of the Sino-Soviet
Intelligence System.
1212
01:09:53,549 --> 01:09:57,349
If you recognise the way a
Sino or Soviet agent operates,
1213
01:09:57,429 --> 01:10:00,549
both in finding someone
vulnerable to subversion,
1214
01:10:00,629 --> 01:10:03,109
as well as in their
technique of ensnaring him
1215
01:10:03,189 --> 01:10:05,349
and applying pressure
to get him to play ball.
1216
01:10:06,949 --> 01:10:11,549
The KGB sent their top
man in India, Bezmenov,
1217
01:10:11,629 --> 01:10:14,309
to the ashram to check
out the Maharishi.
1218
01:10:16,629 --> 01:10:17,989
My function was to discover
1219
01:10:18,069 --> 01:10:21,509
what kind of people
attend this school.
1220
01:10:21,589 --> 01:10:25,269
Yes, there are some
influential opinion makers
1221
01:10:25,349 --> 01:10:27,109
who come back with
the crazy stories
1222
01:10:27,189 --> 01:10:28,829
about Indian philosophy.
1223
01:10:30,589 --> 01:10:33,629
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a
great spiritual leader,
1224
01:10:33,709 --> 01:10:35,949
or maybe a great
charlatan and crook,
1225
01:10:36,029 --> 01:10:38,549
depending from which side
you're looking at him.
1226
01:10:38,629 --> 01:10:41,989
Beatles were trained at
his ashram, Mia Farrow,
1227
01:10:42,069 --> 01:10:45,909
and other useful idiots from
Hollywood visited his school,
1228
01:10:45,989 --> 01:10:48,149
and they returned back
to the United States,
1229
01:10:48,229 --> 01:10:50,989
absolutely zonked out of
their minds with marijuana,
1230
01:10:51,069 --> 01:10:53,829
hashish and crazy
ideas of meditation.
1231
01:10:55,869 --> 01:10:57,629
Maharishi used to always say,
1232
01:10:57,709 --> 01:11:01,269
"You can never create peace
through signing treaties,
1233
01:11:01,349 --> 01:11:05,549
through legislation, through
any kind of external means.
1234
01:11:05,629 --> 01:11:07,349
The only way to
create world peace
1235
01:11:07,429 --> 01:11:10,229
is for people to meditate."
1236
01:11:10,309 --> 01:11:11,549
See, if you carefully look
1237
01:11:11,629 --> 01:11:13,949
at what Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi is teaching,
1238
01:11:14,029 --> 01:11:15,909
is that most of the problems,
1239
01:11:15,989 --> 01:11:18,349
most of the burning
issues of today,
1240
01:11:18,429 --> 01:11:21,389
can be solved simply
by meditating.
1241
01:11:21,469 --> 01:11:25,189
Don't rock the boat,
don't get involved,
1242
01:11:25,269 --> 01:11:27,909
just sit down, look at
your navel and meditate,
1243
01:11:27,989 --> 01:11:30,549
and things, due to
some strange logic,
1244
01:11:30,629 --> 01:11:34,789
due to cosmic vibration will
settle down by themselves.
1245
01:11:36,349 --> 01:11:41,029
The single aim of spiritually
regenerating every man
1246
01:11:41,109 --> 01:11:44,229
everywhere in the world,
and creating peace.
1247
01:11:47,149 --> 01:11:48,869
You can get control of yourself
1248
01:11:48,949 --> 01:11:50,869
just by sitting quietly,
1249
01:11:50,949 --> 01:11:55,469
and by turning off from the
external problems we have,
1250
01:11:55,549 --> 01:11:57,429
and all this society,
1251
01:11:57,509 --> 01:11:59,589
you can go inside yourself
1252
01:11:59,669 --> 01:12:01,429
where it's always
calm and peaceful.
1253
01:12:02,749 --> 01:12:04,749
This is exactly what the KGB
1254
01:12:04,829 --> 01:12:06,789
and Marxist Lenin's
propaganda want,
1255
01:12:06,869 --> 01:12:10,069
to distract their
attention and mental energy
1256
01:12:10,149 --> 01:12:14,909
from real issues into non-issues,
into non-existent harmony.
1257
01:12:16,429 --> 01:12:18,709
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
obviously is not on the payroll
1258
01:12:18,789 --> 01:12:22,429
of the KGB, but whether
he knows it or not,
1259
01:12:22,509 --> 01:12:23,749
he contributes greatly
1260
01:12:23,829 --> 01:12:26,229
to demoralisation
of American society.
1261
01:12:34,149 --> 01:12:37,229
Paul McCartney and his
girlfriend, Jane Asher,
1262
01:12:37,309 --> 01:12:39,749
stayed for five
weeks and they left
1263
01:12:39,829 --> 01:12:43,189
because Jane had a theatrical
commitment back in London.
1264
01:12:45,589 --> 01:12:46,469
This presumably
1265
01:12:46,549 --> 01:12:48,469
is your first big meditation,
1266
01:12:48,549 --> 01:12:50,829
and what effect
has it had on you?
1267
01:12:50,909 --> 01:12:52,469
I think it calms you down.
1268
01:12:52,549 --> 01:12:54,029
It's hard to tell
1269
01:12:54,109 --> 01:12:56,149
because it was so
different life out there.
1270
01:12:56,229 --> 01:12:57,829
It'd be easy to tell
now that I'm back
1271
01:12:57,909 --> 01:12:59,669
and we're doing
some ordinary thing
1272
01:12:59,749 --> 01:13:01,669
to see just what it does.
1273
01:13:04,349 --> 01:13:07,309
They were four working
class guys from Liverpool.
1274
01:13:07,389 --> 01:13:11,029
They had an innate sense of
not being taken advantage of.
1275
01:13:11,109 --> 01:13:12,749
So when they get
together with Maharishi,
1276
01:13:12,829 --> 01:13:16,509
Maharishi is inevitably
tempted to capitalise
1277
01:13:16,589 --> 01:13:19,949
on his sudden worldwide fame
1278
01:13:20,029 --> 01:13:21,709
because of The
Beatles association.
1279
01:13:23,069 --> 01:13:25,229
They realise that
maybe Maharishi
1280
01:13:25,309 --> 01:13:27,869
had been using them all
along for publicity,
1281
01:13:27,949 --> 01:13:29,869
ever since the final record,
1282
01:13:29,949 --> 01:13:32,989
that was "by The Beatles
Spiritual Teacher,"
1283
01:13:33,069 --> 01:13:34,909
it said on the album.
1284
01:13:34,989 --> 01:13:39,029
So John and George started a
think something fishy is here.
1285
01:13:39,109 --> 01:13:40,869
He's using us for publicity.
1286
01:13:42,589 --> 01:13:46,149
So they began to hear little
bits of news here and there,
1287
01:13:46,229 --> 01:13:47,789
from the grapevine of, you know,
1288
01:13:47,869 --> 01:13:50,229
your Maharishi's planning
this and planning that,
1289
01:13:50,309 --> 01:13:53,389
and you're gonna be in it
and they're going, "Are we?"
1290
01:13:53,469 --> 01:13:56,789
Maharishi kept promising ABC
1291
01:13:56,869 --> 01:13:59,669
that he would do a
special with The Beatles.
1292
01:13:59,749 --> 01:14:01,109
And The Beatles kept saying,
1293
01:14:01,189 --> 01:14:02,829
"We're not gonna
do this special,"
1294
01:14:02,909 --> 01:14:06,469
but Maharishi kept
promising it over and over.
1295
01:14:06,549 --> 01:14:08,389
There comes a time in late '67,
1296
01:14:08,469 --> 01:14:10,469
when Paul and
George go to Sweden,
1297
01:14:10,549 --> 01:14:13,469
basically to tell the Maharishi
to cool a bit, you know.
1298
01:14:13,549 --> 01:14:15,789
"Don't start making
plans that involve us
1299
01:14:15,869 --> 01:14:17,429
without telling us first."
1300
01:14:17,509 --> 01:14:18,869
We're glad to have you here.
1301
01:14:18,949 --> 01:14:20,189
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
1302
01:14:20,269 --> 01:14:22,869
We do appreciate
your music and...
1303
01:14:24,349 --> 01:14:25,229
That's a posy, yes?
1304
01:14:25,309 --> 01:14:27,309
The smell of the flowers.
1305
01:14:27,389 --> 01:14:29,749
We only decided
to come yesterday,
1306
01:14:29,829 --> 01:14:32,349
just to pop over to
have a little chat.
1307
01:14:32,429 --> 01:14:33,709
Yes, yes.
1308
01:14:33,789 --> 01:14:35,829
And when The Beatles
were in Rishikesh,
1309
01:14:35,909 --> 01:14:39,189
he, without their knowledge
was having the discussions
1310
01:14:39,269 --> 01:14:40,709
with a Hollywood film company
1311
01:14:40,789 --> 01:14:43,109
called Four Star International.
1312
01:14:47,109 --> 01:14:49,029
Maharishi promised them
1313
01:14:49,109 --> 01:14:51,229
that they could have
exclusive rights
1314
01:14:51,309 --> 01:14:55,349
to make a film about Maharishi
and about Maharishi's guru.
1315
01:14:55,429 --> 01:14:57,869
But unfortunately, Maharishi
made the same promise
1316
01:14:57,949 --> 01:14:59,349
to someone else.
1317
01:14:59,429 --> 01:15:02,829
He had given rights to
Four Star Productions.
1318
01:15:02,909 --> 01:15:06,789
The lawyer arrived in Rishikesh
with a signed contract.
1319
01:15:06,869 --> 01:15:09,829
They gave exclusive
rights to film Maharishi
1320
01:15:09,909 --> 01:15:12,269
for the next five years.
1321
01:15:13,949 --> 01:15:17,189
Some suits arrive from
Hollywood and a crew,
1322
01:15:17,269 --> 01:15:19,469
and John and George were going,
1323
01:15:19,549 --> 01:15:21,869
"We didn't want this, you
know we are here to meditate,
1324
01:15:21,949 --> 01:15:24,029
we don't want these
film people here."
1325
01:15:24,109 --> 01:15:26,269
And there was a
confrontation with Maharishi
1326
01:15:26,349 --> 01:15:28,629
about, "Why you're doing
this, we told you not to".
1327
01:15:30,109 --> 01:15:31,709
In any case,
1328
01:15:31,789 --> 01:15:33,909
The Beatles became quite
disillusioned about that.
1329
01:15:33,989 --> 01:15:36,709
The film was really
kind of a deal breaker,
1330
01:15:36,789 --> 01:15:38,229
and they got very angry
1331
01:15:38,309 --> 01:15:41,309
because they had been
granted exclusive rights
1332
01:15:41,389 --> 01:15:44,309
to do this film, and now
another film company is there.
1333
01:15:44,389 --> 01:15:45,949
So the whole thing
just fell apart.
1334
01:15:51,069 --> 01:15:52,949
I don't know what
happened, I still don't know.
1335
01:15:53,029 --> 01:15:56,189
But I know there many rumours
around, but John said,
1336
01:15:56,269 --> 01:15:59,269
"That's it we're, we're
going, were going."
1337
01:15:59,349 --> 01:16:03,189
But I know John wants to come
back to England and see Yoko,
1338
01:16:03,269 --> 01:16:06,589
and so any little excuse
and John was ready to go,
1339
01:16:06,669 --> 01:16:08,149
'cause we'd been
there for weeks.
1340
01:16:09,509 --> 01:16:11,669
Well, it was only
John who was upset.
1341
01:16:11,749 --> 01:16:14,069
John dragged George along.
1342
01:16:14,149 --> 01:16:16,789
And I still think it
was when Magic Alex came
1343
01:16:16,869 --> 01:16:18,309
from the Apple Corps group.
1344
01:16:22,229 --> 01:16:25,749
Alexis Margas was one of
The Beatles associates.
1345
01:16:25,829 --> 01:16:27,909
In fact, he was
very close to John,
1346
01:16:27,989 --> 01:16:30,549
and sort of attached
himself to John's hip,
1347
01:16:30,629 --> 01:16:33,309
and Cynthia really
didn't like Alexis.
1348
01:16:33,389 --> 01:16:36,909
She was very concerned about
this Svengali influence
1349
01:16:36,989 --> 01:16:39,349
that he was having on John.
1350
01:16:39,429 --> 01:16:43,269
John had introduced
Alex as, "My new guru."
1351
01:16:43,349 --> 01:16:46,349
He was this electronics marvel.
1352
01:16:46,429 --> 01:16:48,629
Supposedly, he
introduced himself
1353
01:16:48,709 --> 01:16:52,189
as somebody who is like
Edison and Marconi combined,
1354
01:16:52,269 --> 01:16:55,389
but in fact, he was
just a TV repairman.
1355
01:16:55,469 --> 01:16:57,349
He's just a friend of
ours who's in electronics.
1356
01:16:57,389 --> 01:16:59,029
Oh yeah.
1357
01:16:59,109 --> 01:17:01,389
He's called Alex, and he's
great, he's a Greek fella.
1358
01:17:01,469 --> 01:17:02,845
-And he's invented things-
-You know he's Greek.
1359
01:17:02,869 --> 01:17:04,829
He's invented incredible things.
1360
01:17:06,509 --> 01:17:08,349
He was a minx,
yeah, naughty, little boy.
1361
01:17:08,429 --> 01:17:10,789
You see, he wanted to
have power over John,
1362
01:17:10,869 --> 01:17:13,709
so he would, you know,
create all these things,
1363
01:17:13,789 --> 01:17:15,349
pretending he's a scientist.
1364
01:17:15,429 --> 01:17:17,509
He said, "Oh, here's this
one from new wallpaper,
1365
01:17:17,589 --> 01:17:19,069
but it's all speakers,
1366
01:17:19,149 --> 01:17:22,429
so the whole room will
have this one big speaker."
1367
01:17:22,509 --> 01:17:25,429
So he loved all that,
controlling John.
1368
01:17:25,509 --> 01:17:28,669
So clearly and obviously
Maharishi was in the way.
1369
01:17:29,669 --> 01:17:31,269
One night, John and Maharishi
1370
01:17:31,349 --> 01:17:33,229
were having this
wonderful rapport,
1371
01:17:33,309 --> 01:17:35,749
and I, you know how
you can see sometimes
1372
01:17:35,829 --> 01:17:38,669
when a person let's the
mask drop from their face,
1373
01:17:38,749 --> 01:17:42,349
and I could see this
really dislike of Maharishi
1374
01:17:42,429 --> 01:17:44,389
on Magic Alex's face.
1375
01:17:44,469 --> 01:17:47,549
It disturbed me and I felt
something was going wrong.
1376
01:17:48,829 --> 01:17:51,229
No one ever saw him meditating.
1377
01:17:51,309 --> 01:17:52,429
And as a matter of fact,
1378
01:17:52,509 --> 01:17:55,029
he admitted that
he came to India
1379
01:17:55,109 --> 01:17:58,909
for the purpose of getting The
Beatles away from Maharishi.
1380
01:17:58,989 --> 01:18:03,789
Alexis said, "Oh, it's because
we don't want Maharishi
1381
01:18:05,549 --> 01:18:09,069
to have that much
influence over the boys."
1382
01:18:11,189 --> 01:18:14,069
I'm totally
convinced that Magic Alex
1383
01:18:14,149 --> 01:18:17,229
made a friend of one of the
young women at the ashram,
1384
01:18:17,309 --> 01:18:20,389
and he got her to
tell John Lennon
1385
01:18:20,469 --> 01:18:22,949
that she was having
sex with Maharishi.
1386
01:18:23,029 --> 01:18:25,109
Is this just horrified all of us
1387
01:18:25,189 --> 01:18:26,589
when this whole thing happened.
1388
01:18:27,909 --> 01:18:30,749
I believe that
Maharishi made a pass.
1389
01:18:30,829 --> 01:18:32,429
And the reason I believe it
1390
01:18:32,509 --> 01:18:35,949
is because he made a pass
at many women that I knew.
1391
01:18:36,029 --> 01:18:38,149
Wasn't the first
or the last one.
1392
01:18:39,709 --> 01:18:41,589
Well I remember
Maharishi saying that, you know,
1393
01:18:41,669 --> 01:18:43,229
"If you haven't an
ugly woman over here,
1394
01:18:43,269 --> 01:18:45,349
and a beautiful
woman over there,
1395
01:18:45,429 --> 01:18:46,869
it's just easier
for your attention
1396
01:18:46,949 --> 01:18:48,269
to go to the more beautiful."
1397
01:18:51,429 --> 01:18:53,829
John and George
didn't believe it at first,
1398
01:18:53,909 --> 01:18:55,949
but finally Alexis
convinced them
1399
01:18:57,349 --> 01:18:59,549
and then went and got
taxis for all of them
1400
01:18:59,629 --> 01:19:01,429
before they could
change their mind.
1401
01:19:03,109 --> 01:19:05,749
While they were waiting
for the taxis, John wrote,
1402
01:19:05,829 --> 01:19:08,509
"Maharishi, Maharishi,
what have you done?
1403
01:19:08,589 --> 01:19:10,789
You made a fool of everyone."
1404
01:19:10,869 --> 01:19:13,749
The song had a lot
of expletives in it,
1405
01:19:13,829 --> 01:19:17,989
and George said, "You can't
say that, that's ridiculous".
1406
01:19:18,069 --> 01:19:21,429
So John changed the
lyrics to "Sexy Sadie."
1407
01:19:23,109 --> 01:19:25,309
Yeah, "Sexy Sadie," it was
actually called "Maharishi."
1408
01:19:25,389 --> 01:19:27,229
And it was a put
down in the Maharishi
1409
01:19:27,309 --> 01:19:29,349
in very vicious terms.
1410
01:19:29,429 --> 01:19:31,149
I don't think the
chance of it getting out
1411
01:19:31,229 --> 01:19:33,869
with the words that
John had originally,
1412
01:19:33,949 --> 01:19:35,549
but basically denounces him
1413
01:19:35,629 --> 01:19:36,949
and says he was
a bit of a rogue.
1414
01:19:39,429 --> 01:19:41,709
John dragged George along
1415
01:19:41,789 --> 01:19:44,949
and then he just
bolted from the ashram.
1416
01:19:45,029 --> 01:19:46,909
I think Maharishi was a mistake.
1417
01:19:46,989 --> 01:19:48,309
What do you
mean he was a mistake?
1418
01:19:48,389 --> 01:19:50,029
We made a mistake.
1419
01:19:50,109 --> 01:19:51,885
We thought there was more
to him than there was,
1420
01:19:51,909 --> 01:19:54,629
you know, but he's human,
1421
01:19:54,709 --> 01:19:56,149
and for a while we
thought he wasn't,
1422
01:19:56,189 --> 01:19:57,749
you know, thought he was a.
1423
01:20:29,989 --> 01:20:31,709
The Beatles, they
were opening us up
1424
01:20:31,789 --> 01:20:34,949
to different experiences
in various ways, you know.
1425
01:20:35,029 --> 01:20:38,069
Indian philosophy
and Indian music.
1426
01:20:38,149 --> 01:20:39,709
And then when they
went to Rishikesh,
1427
01:20:39,789 --> 01:20:42,389
you know, it was the
idea of Indian travel.
1428
01:20:42,469 --> 01:20:45,909
It's like, "Wow, looks
nice over there, you know,
1429
01:20:45,989 --> 01:20:48,189
they're enjoying themselves
in the sunshine."
1430
01:20:50,509 --> 01:20:53,629
There'd been a hippie trail,
an embryonic hippie trail,
1431
01:20:53,709 --> 01:20:56,149
in the early sixties, a
few people had gone out.
1432
01:20:56,229 --> 01:20:59,029
The whole point being
that you drove over land,
1433
01:20:59,109 --> 01:21:02,789
the ultimate destination was
in fact Katmandu in Nepal.
1434
01:21:02,869 --> 01:21:06,069
I'm sure The Beatles inspired
lots of people to go,
1435
01:21:06,149 --> 01:21:08,229
because this little
trickle of people
1436
01:21:08,309 --> 01:21:11,469
on the hippie trail beforehand
suddenly turned into a flood.
1437
01:21:15,189 --> 01:21:17,389
Did you enjoy
the trip over to India?
1438
01:21:17,469 --> 01:21:21,669
Yes, The journey was terrible,
but the trip was all right.
1439
01:21:21,749 --> 01:21:23,669
There was a report that we get
1440
01:21:23,749 --> 01:21:24,509
-we got a very bad report-
-Yeah its true,
1441
01:21:24,589 --> 01:21:25,589
we smashed him.
1442
01:21:27,389 --> 01:21:28,829
You didn't like him,
1443
01:21:28,909 --> 01:21:30,565
or you didn't have the patience
and decided to go home.
1444
01:21:30,589 --> 01:21:33,149
We were there four month
so, George and I were.
1445
01:21:33,229 --> 01:21:35,429
Did you think
this man was on the level?
1446
01:21:35,509 --> 01:21:37,189
I don't know what level he's on,
1447
01:21:37,269 --> 01:21:40,989
but we had a nice holiday in
India and came back and rested.
1448
01:21:43,389 --> 01:21:45,909
Maharishi looked visibly frail
1449
01:21:45,989 --> 01:21:48,749
and without his
usual effervescence.
1450
01:21:50,069 --> 01:21:52,589
His brilliant and
beautiful yogic radiance
1451
01:21:52,669 --> 01:21:55,829
was reduced to
grey and to ashen.
1452
01:21:55,909 --> 01:21:57,469
He became physically sick
1453
01:21:57,549 --> 01:22:00,989
when the chorus moved
from Rishikesh to Kashmir.
1454
01:22:02,349 --> 01:22:04,349
He's still a nice fella,
and everybody's fine,
1455
01:22:04,429 --> 01:22:06,509
but we don't go out
with him anymore.
1456
01:22:08,069 --> 01:22:10,549
When the Rishikesh
experience finished,
1457
01:22:10,629 --> 01:22:13,309
Paul, John and Ringo
just kind of carried on,
1458
01:22:13,389 --> 01:22:15,069
resumed with their lives,
1459
01:22:15,149 --> 01:22:18,229
but for George, India was
never a five minute thing.
1460
01:22:18,309 --> 01:22:20,869
India was a lifetime devotion.
1461
01:22:20,949 --> 01:22:22,349
And he wasn't just
gonna give it up
1462
01:22:22,429 --> 01:22:24,429
because of the way
that Rishikesh finished
1463
01:22:24,509 --> 01:22:26,269
with a bit of a sour taste.
1464
01:22:26,349 --> 01:22:28,789
India for him was something
that he continued to push.
1465
01:22:31,389 --> 01:22:33,669
George didn't
want to go back to London.
1466
01:22:33,749 --> 01:22:35,829
George was still
in meditation mode,
1467
01:22:35,909 --> 01:22:38,629
and he didn't want to go
straight back to see the press.
1468
01:22:38,709 --> 01:22:41,469
So he said, "Let's go down
to Kerala, just for a week."
1469
01:22:43,069 --> 01:22:45,109
And it was very calm
then, and then, you know,
1470
01:22:45,189 --> 01:22:49,309
he wanted to slowly come
back into the business life,
1471
01:22:49,389 --> 01:22:52,749
as it were, in London,
slowly, in his way.
1472
01:22:55,909 --> 01:22:57,149
I mean, because everybody,
1473
01:22:57,229 --> 01:22:59,589
all of a sudden
became an individual.
1474
01:22:59,669 --> 01:23:03,309
John, Paul, Ringo and George.
1475
01:23:03,389 --> 01:23:06,909
The Maharishi phase
faded out, you know,
1476
01:23:06,989 --> 01:23:10,349
but the Indian aesthetics
and the etiquettes
1477
01:23:10,429 --> 01:23:12,069
remained with everybody.
1478
01:23:12,149 --> 01:23:15,189
Using the influence of
Indian music and the culture.
1479
01:23:17,069 --> 01:23:19,629
You know, when you look
back at The Beatles story
1480
01:23:19,709 --> 01:23:23,389
on their return to the
UK in the spring of 1968,
1481
01:23:23,469 --> 01:23:25,109
there was still the comradery
1482
01:23:25,189 --> 01:23:28,229
that saw them through the
madness of Beatlemania.
1483
01:23:28,309 --> 01:23:30,589
Soon to dissolve as
the fraught sessions
1484
01:23:30,669 --> 01:23:32,749
of "The White Album" began.
1485
01:23:32,829 --> 01:23:36,269
Working separately most of
the time and not as a unit,
1486
01:23:36,349 --> 01:23:39,229
and with Ringo quitting the
band for a short period,
1487
01:23:39,309 --> 01:23:42,309
remarkably, they delivered
what many would call
1488
01:23:42,389 --> 01:23:43,989
one of their greatest albums.
1489
01:23:45,549 --> 01:23:46,909
When The Beatles were in India,
1490
01:23:46,989 --> 01:23:48,869
Maharishi told them,
1491
01:23:48,949 --> 01:23:52,029
if they don't continue
meditating regularly
1492
01:23:52,109 --> 01:23:53,669
their band would break up.
1493
01:23:58,109 --> 01:24:00,309
Now, does this mean a business
1494
01:24:00,389 --> 01:24:03,189
or emotional split
within The Beatles?
1495
01:24:03,269 --> 01:24:04,829
I should think a bit of both.
1496
01:24:04,909 --> 01:24:06,909
It's probably to do with
growing up and to do with
1497
01:24:06,989 --> 01:24:08,485
there was a time when there
were just four of them
1498
01:24:08,509 --> 01:24:10,909
but now they're married
and there are children.
1499
01:24:20,949 --> 01:24:24,229
I was born in 1971.
1500
01:24:24,309 --> 01:24:28,149
Same time around when
Beatles broke up.
1501
01:24:28,229 --> 01:24:29,509
I mean, even like,
1502
01:24:29,589 --> 01:24:33,189
I guess it's about 50
odd years or something,
1503
01:24:33,269 --> 01:24:35,389
it still sounds fresh.
1504
01:24:35,469 --> 01:24:37,069
It sounds amazing.
1505
01:24:38,189 --> 01:24:39,509
The world would have been like,
1506
01:24:39,589 --> 01:24:42,149
so shit without them, you know?
1507
01:24:42,229 --> 01:24:44,469
The world is so much
better to live in
1508
01:24:44,549 --> 01:24:45,789
with that music around.
1509
01:24:47,389 --> 01:24:49,349
The songs that they made
in India, in Rishikesh,
1510
01:24:49,429 --> 01:24:51,669
I had no idea and out of them
1511
01:24:51,749 --> 01:24:54,589
some of the songs like
"Blackbird," like "Dear Prudence,"
1512
01:24:54,669 --> 01:24:56,229
like these are some of the songs
1513
01:24:56,309 --> 01:24:59,589
that I used to perform in
my old band in Chennai.
1514
01:24:59,669 --> 01:25:02,349
To have known that they have
written these songs in India,
1515
01:25:02,429 --> 01:25:04,389
it just gave it so
much more meaning
1516
01:25:04,469 --> 01:25:06,709
because I used to
connect to these songs
1517
01:25:06,789 --> 01:25:08,349
as a classical musician,
1518
01:25:08,429 --> 01:25:11,389
more than a person who
loves English music.
1519
01:25:12,949 --> 01:25:14,549
I was born in '74,
1520
01:25:14,629 --> 01:25:17,469
so for me to get to know The
Beatles happened much later.
1521
01:25:17,549 --> 01:25:20,269
We were not really born at
the time when the dressing,
1522
01:25:20,349 --> 01:25:22,749
how a Beatles haircut or
the dress that they wore
1523
01:25:22,829 --> 01:25:25,629
really attracted us, I
mean, we didn't see that.
1524
01:25:25,709 --> 01:25:28,709
We only heard the music.
It's purely the music.
1525
01:25:28,789 --> 01:25:31,869
It sounded very
simple, very catchy,
1526
01:25:31,949 --> 01:25:34,429
and you could, you know,
have a high recall.
1527
01:25:34,509 --> 01:25:36,909
So whenever you heard a
song, you would remember it.
1528
01:25:36,989 --> 01:25:39,509
But when you sat
down to work on it,
1529
01:25:39,589 --> 01:25:41,869
to try and see if you
can sing that song,
1530
01:25:41,949 --> 01:25:45,189
that is when you realise
the complexity of it.
1531
01:25:45,269 --> 01:25:47,669
I don't know how it was
appreciated when it was released,
1532
01:25:47,749 --> 01:25:50,709
but it's something that
is still relevant today.
1533
01:26:00,029 --> 01:26:02,309
They came to see, in
the fullness of time,
1534
01:26:02,389 --> 01:26:03,829
in particular, in George's case,
1535
01:26:03,909 --> 01:26:06,909
George discovered from
gathering evidence
1536
01:26:06,989 --> 01:26:10,109
what exactly happened at the
end of their stay in Rishikesh,
1537
01:26:10,189 --> 01:26:11,829
and how Alexis Margas,
1538
01:26:11,909 --> 01:26:14,749
Magic Alex had cooked
up this whole thing.
1539
01:26:16,029 --> 01:26:18,149
George always loved Maharishi,
1540
01:26:18,229 --> 01:26:19,789
and toward the end of his life
1541
01:26:19,869 --> 01:26:21,589
he went back to see Maharishi.
1542
01:26:22,909 --> 01:26:24,989
George said to Maharishi,
1543
01:26:25,069 --> 01:26:27,269
"I came to apologise"
1544
01:26:27,349 --> 01:26:30,709
and Maharishi asked "For what?"
1545
01:26:30,789 --> 01:26:33,509
And George replied,
"You know, for what."
1546
01:26:34,989 --> 01:26:37,389
Maharishi apparently
said to George,
1547
01:26:37,469 --> 01:26:40,829
he believed that The
Beatles were angels on earth
1548
01:26:40,909 --> 01:26:43,669
and that they were not guilty
of any crime themselves.
1549
01:26:43,749 --> 01:26:45,829
So when George came
away from that meeting,
1550
01:26:45,909 --> 01:26:48,309
he felt cleansed of his guilt
1551
01:26:48,389 --> 01:26:51,669
of the method of their
departure back in 1968.
1552
01:26:53,789 --> 01:26:55,149
I got into India,
1553
01:26:55,229 --> 01:26:57,589
I think that was the
one thing in my life
1554
01:26:57,669 --> 01:26:59,909
that I could have done
without everything else,
1555
01:26:59,989 --> 01:27:04,909
but that one thing of getting
in touch with what's inside
1556
01:27:04,989 --> 01:27:08,149
through Maharishi and Ravi
Shankar and indie music.
1557
01:27:10,469 --> 01:27:13,309
And as for the others,
well they all warmed again
1558
01:27:13,389 --> 01:27:16,829
to the culture and the
spirituality of India.
1559
01:27:16,909 --> 01:27:18,429
The only way we can
change the system
1560
01:27:18,509 --> 01:27:20,509
is by changing it non-violently,
1561
01:27:20,589 --> 01:27:22,949
because they've done the
violent for millions of years.
1562
01:27:23,029 --> 01:27:25,349
I think the only way to
do it is Gandhi's way,
1563
01:27:25,429 --> 01:27:27,949
and that's nonviolent,
passive, positive,
1564
01:27:28,029 --> 01:27:29,429
or whatever they
call it these days.
1565
01:27:31,389 --> 01:27:35,189
John Lennon spoke kindly of
Maharishi in other interviews.
1566
01:27:35,269 --> 01:27:37,789
Ringo and Paul have
both said the same,
1567
01:27:37,869 --> 01:27:40,789
everything became okay
again, in the end.
1568
01:27:42,349 --> 01:27:44,989
Years ago, we studied
meditation with the Maharishi.
1569
01:27:45,069 --> 01:27:46,749
He was one of the ones
that wasn't a fake.
1570
01:27:46,829 --> 01:27:48,165
There were a lot of
them around that time
1571
01:27:48,189 --> 01:27:50,149
who were into Rolls
Royces and chicks.
1572
01:27:50,229 --> 01:27:51,909
He wasn't one of them.
1573
01:27:51,989 --> 01:27:53,789
I actually met him
quite recently.
1574
01:27:53,869 --> 01:27:55,389
He lives in the Netherlands now,
1575
01:27:55,469 --> 01:28:00,189
and I took Stella, my daughter
and James, my son with me.
1576
01:28:01,189 --> 01:28:02,589
And he is a spry old codger,
1577
01:28:02,669 --> 01:28:04,669
he in his eighties and
he's still working,
1578
01:28:04,749 --> 01:28:05,749
he's still going.
1579
01:28:14,709 --> 01:28:18,269
The day when Maharishi
died, there was a big storm.
1580
01:28:20,789 --> 01:28:24,029
The water from the river
Ganges came whirling up
1581
01:28:25,469 --> 01:28:28,109
and it showered in this area.
1582
01:28:28,189 --> 01:28:30,029
The local folks who
came here to pay
1583
01:28:30,109 --> 01:28:32,109
their tributes to
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
1584
01:28:32,189 --> 01:28:33,949
were amazed to see this
supernatural thing.
1585
01:28:34,029 --> 01:28:36,629
It was a power of Maharishi
1586
01:28:36,709 --> 01:28:40,109
which brought Gunga on
this top of mountain.
1587
01:28:49,189 --> 01:28:50,949
When I first came
here 10 years ago,
1588
01:28:51,029 --> 01:28:53,949
this was just jungle,
ruins and jungle.
1589
01:28:54,029 --> 01:28:55,405
And we would sneak
in through the back,
1590
01:28:55,429 --> 01:28:56,989
there were cracks in the wall,
1591
01:28:57,069 --> 01:28:59,469
and you would smoke pot
and see leopards at night.
1592
01:28:59,549 --> 01:29:02,029
This is what people did.
1593
01:29:02,109 --> 01:29:04,829
So I take tourists into the
ashram, I show them everything,
1594
01:29:04,909 --> 01:29:07,909
and I'm trying to bring
them back into 1968
1595
01:29:07,989 --> 01:29:10,589
and give them some of the
experience of The Beatles here.
1596
01:29:12,269 --> 01:29:13,965
Tourists that come here,
they really appreciate it.
1597
01:29:13,989 --> 01:29:16,869
They really appreciate to
have the sense for The Beatles
1598
01:29:16,949 --> 01:29:19,749
as a historical entity.
1599
01:29:23,029 --> 01:29:25,349
My experience when I went
to The Beatles ashram
1600
01:29:25,429 --> 01:29:27,309
was super magical.
1601
01:29:27,389 --> 01:29:29,469
These huge superstars,
1602
01:29:29,549 --> 01:29:32,509
you wouldn't really think that
they'd go to a really simple,
1603
01:29:32,589 --> 01:29:35,909
no-frills ashram in Rishikesh.
1604
01:29:38,829 --> 01:29:40,789
The most exciting
thing about music
1605
01:29:40,869 --> 01:29:44,629
is the way that it has the
capacity to shift cultural norms
1606
01:29:44,709 --> 01:29:46,429
and expand people's minds,
1607
01:29:46,509 --> 01:29:49,149
and in India, that's
exactly what The Beatles did
1608
01:29:49,229 --> 01:29:51,989
by bridging the gap
between East and West
1609
01:29:52,069 --> 01:29:54,909
in a country that was very
much under this, you know,
1610
01:29:54,989 --> 01:29:58,109
dark cloud of colonial rule.
1611
01:29:58,189 --> 01:30:01,949
Which in many ways created
a culture of apology
1612
01:30:02,029 --> 01:30:06,509
for being Indian and a reverence
for whatever was foreign.
1613
01:30:06,589 --> 01:30:08,349
That what was so powerful
1614
01:30:08,429 --> 01:30:12,189
is for the most powerful
band in the world
1615
01:30:12,269 --> 01:30:14,589
to come and revere our culture.
1616
01:30:16,069 --> 01:30:18,389
They had descended in
our part of the country,
1617
01:30:18,469 --> 01:30:21,789
and they had embraced the
spiritual narrative of India,
1618
01:30:21,869 --> 01:30:23,109
and they had come to Rishikesh,
1619
01:30:23,189 --> 01:30:26,909
and there were images
of them with Mahesh Yogi
1620
01:30:26,989 --> 01:30:31,789
and then suddenly we
look, they are one of us.
1621
01:30:33,989 --> 01:30:35,309
As kids, as Indian
kids, you know,
1622
01:30:35,349 --> 01:30:37,029
we're always rebelling
against our culture.
1623
01:30:37,109 --> 01:30:38,485
And then you realise
that like something
1624
01:30:38,509 --> 01:30:40,749
that is so influential
in pop culture,
1625
01:30:40,829 --> 01:30:42,949
took a lot of
influence from India.
1626
01:30:43,029 --> 01:30:46,349
My introduction to them
was I happened to be part
1627
01:30:46,429 --> 01:30:49,029
of the age of
illegal downloading,
1628
01:30:49,109 --> 01:30:50,989
at the time of like
Napster and stuff.
1629
01:30:51,069 --> 01:30:53,829
We used to have "The
White Album" on CD.
1630
01:30:53,909 --> 01:30:55,869
That was my first
introduction to The Beatles.
1631
01:30:55,949 --> 01:30:58,029
We still felt it's influence
1632
01:30:58,109 --> 01:31:01,749
even though we were born like
in the eighties and nineties.
1633
01:31:01,829 --> 01:31:04,229
India is considered this
place where you could go
1634
01:31:04,309 --> 01:31:07,149
for a spiritual
awakening, for meditation,
1635
01:31:07,229 --> 01:31:09,749
so I think The Beatles came
to India to look for that.
1636
01:31:09,829 --> 01:31:11,789
And in some ways they
really did find that.
1637
01:31:16,029 --> 01:31:18,389
I guess that's a small gift
that India gave the world
1638
01:31:18,469 --> 01:31:19,989
through The Beatles.
1639
01:31:23,989 --> 01:31:25,469
The happiest time in life,
1640
01:31:25,549 --> 01:31:28,069
one of the happiest
times was in India.
1641
01:31:28,149 --> 01:31:30,429
I mean, it was
just such a groove.
1642
01:31:30,509 --> 01:31:32,309
And it was such a pure thing,
1643
01:31:32,389 --> 01:31:35,069
everything is slightly
more in perspective.
1644
01:31:36,149 --> 01:31:37,029
The whole of life
1645
01:31:37,109 --> 01:31:38,669
should be a spiritual experience
1646
01:31:38,749 --> 01:31:42,789
because we are spirits who
are just encased in bodies.
1647
01:31:42,869 --> 01:31:45,269
People forget that and think
they're just this body,
1648
01:31:45,349 --> 01:31:48,389
but we're actually
spirits in bodies.
132623
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