Ravi Shankar & The Cross-Cultural Influence Of Indian Classical Music
In 1967, more than 400,000 people gathered at the Monterey Pop Festival, where a sitar performance captivated an audience largely unfamiliar with Indian classical music. That moment marked a turning point in global musical exchange and introduced many listeners to the artistry of Ravi Shankar , whose influence continues to shape contemporary music, education, and cross-cultural collaboration. Why Indian Classical Music Was Long Overlooked in the West For much of the 20th century, Indian classical music remained misunderstood outside South Asia. Its extended performance lengths, improvisational structures, and raga-based system differed significantly from Western harmonic conventions. Many listeners struggled to contextualize its spiritual and philosophical foundations, often mistaking complexity for inaccessibility. This gap limited exposure to one of the world’s most sophisticated musical traditions. Without interpreters capable of bridging cultural and theoretical divides, Indian cla...