With regular workshops and demonstrations of classical Indian arts, Chinmaya Swaranjali is a confluence of performers and audiences, and a dynamic platform for new and upcoming artists as well as keen learners, invigorating the artist in everyone.
- Swaranjali Mumbai’s audio-visual multi-media concerts – an amalgamation of devotional music and visual extravaganza of classical Indian art forms – are by far the most acclaimed of its presentations. Benefit events such as ‘Parikrama’, ‘Ai Mann Ho Jaa Magan’, ‘Swara to Ishwara’, ‘Meeradha’, ‘Kanha Aao Raas Rachaao’, and ‘Aan Baso Raghurayi’ have been many feathers in Chinmaya Swaranjali’s cap, raising funds for various social initiatives. Experimental projects like ‘Chinmaya Vani Vadya Vrnda’ (orchestrated theme music) have also met with success. In addition to organising events to celebrate major festivals, a special annual programme called Tridhara is held by all the Swaranjali centres in Mumbai on June 30 to mark Swami Tejomayananda’s birthday and Swaranjali Foundation Day. Members of the group receive regular invitations to perform in temples and Mission members’ residences.
- Chinmaya Swaranjali, Indore started as a modest bhajan group in 1986 with a few devoted singers. It is now a flourishing group of disciplined and dedicated members committed to a soulful communication with the Divine through music. In 2011, as part of its Silver Jubilee celebrations, the Group launched Bhakti Rajat, an earnest compilation of expressive, beautiful and traditional bhajans in a Commemorative Album of two audio CDs. It has thus been spreading its joyous wings of devotional music throughout India and abroad.
- In North America, a number of Mission centres have an active Swaranjali group. Chinmaya Swaranjali Sacramento runs bi-weekly classes where students meet and practice devotional singing. They enthral and uplift audiences with melodious bhajans during various festivals and Mission events, including Annual Day and Chinmaya Family celebrations and Jnana Yajnas.
- Started in 2003, Chinmaya Swaranjali, San Jose, CA has a membership of children between the ages of 5-13. The students meet regularly and practice throughout the year including the summer break. In order to learn and excel, the Group constantly reaches out to local language experts to fine-tune their lyrics and pronunciation.
- Swaranjali Rameshwaran, Tustin, California, was initiated in 2009. Recently the group realised the seriousness of music and the effort and discipline it takes to learn and perform. Meeting once a week, members sing and learn from each other, and enchant all at important festivals and felicitations held at the Chinmaya Mission.
- Chinmaya Swaranjali UK meets regularly at the Chinmaya Mission Centre in Hendon, North London to practice and serve through music. With over 75 members, the Group has a monthly bhajan programme and organises many concerts throughout the year. Its annual fundraiser - ‘Swara to Ishwara’- held successfully, since 2007, involving other local artistes, performs to packed audiences. It also provides a platform to upcoming young and gifted artists to showcase their musical talents. Recently, the Swaranjali UK team published Chinmaya Gitanjali, a bhajan book for its members.
- Murthy Surepeddi, Swaranjali member, London
"Attending Swaranjali class to me is not in the least about singing, it is a Sadhana …it is meditative where the words glorifying the Guru, the Lord, the deity, and His Karuna (compassion) as though melts my heart, brings my mind to a quietude."- Nina Majithia, Swaranjali member, London