The Beatles collaborated with various people in their solo careers, and one famous collaboration came between George Harrison and Indian musician Ravi Shankar.
The Beatles famously spent time studying in India, attempting to find spiritual enlightenment or further spiritual connection.
However, this journey was not for them something which they enjoyed, and later the members spoke out about their feelings about the course.
In February 1968, the group left the UK to travel to Rishikesh, India, to meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
He ran an ashram in the city, and The Beatles arrived to take part in his three-month meditation course.
Their time in India was very creative and they wrote a huge number of songs, many of which appeared on The White Album which was released in November 1968.
The band wrote between 30 and 50 songs, according to director Paul Saltzman who was with the men for some time, which included Dead Prudence, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Sexy Sadie and Helter Skelter.
He even recalled seeing John, Paul and Ringo Starr trying to work through a melody together on the steps of a cottage, which later became Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.
Speaking about the men themselves, Paul said: “Lennon was the funniest, with a wry, teasing wit. Starr appeared very calm and grounded. “George was the quietest and most available for intimate conversations. And Paul was the most friendly and playful member of the band."I only knew them for eight days. But it was all very magical.”
While it may have been a great time from a musical perspective, it seemed the band did not enjoy the spiritual side as much as they would have hoped.
According to Jonathan Gould’s book Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain and America, Ringo struggled with the food and chose to leave after 10 days, while Paul grew bored by the meditation and left after a month. John and George remained longer, but, according to Jonathan’s book, they opted to leave after it was alleged the Maharishi had made advances towards women in the group.
George became especially interested in Indian culture and its music and collaborated with sitar player Ravi Shankar.
George and Ravi met in London in June 1966, and later that year George went to India to learn sitar from the master.
Howard Worth, a documentary maker, filmed much of this experience and released Raga, a documentary, in 1971.
Ravi’s music became popularised because of this association, which also changed George’s life as well.
Olivia, George’s widow, said of their meeting: “When George heard Indian music, that really was the trigger, it was like a bell that went off in his head.
“It not only awakened a desire to hear more music, but also to understand what was going on in Indian philosophy. It was a unique diversion.”
In 1971 Ravi played at the Concert for Bangladesh, and during that year the pair worked together a great deal, recording Shankar Family & Friends in 1973, as well as touring America and Europe together with Music Festival from India.
As well as this, Ravi wrote a second autobiography off the back of their time together, with George acting as the editor.
In 2010, the Collaboration box-set of CDs was released which included their work together from the 1970s, as well as some unreleased music from later in their career.
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