For Sure, it will be heard by the World.

His mystical creation called Orion has been chosen as the melody for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

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New Delhi, May 24: The Olympics is going to sway to the tunes of sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. His mystical creation called Orion has been chosen as the melody for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Orion is a composition based on Raag Nada Bhairavi in a rhythmical cycle of nine beads and has its roots in the Carnatic music tradition. Originally supposed to be performed by his daughter Anouskha, it will now be performed by his chosen disciple Gaurav Mazumdar.

Anoushka backed out citing personal reasons making way for the sitar player who holds the distinction of being the only Indian to have performed at the Vatican City. The entire 40 member orchestra to play the Olympic theme composition, with guest artists from US, Brazil, Canada, Greece and Australia, is being put together by world renowned American composer Philip Glass.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle a couple of days before he leaves for Athens, Gaurav Majumdar said “Orion will be a very haunting melody with its roots in Carnatic music. It has been composed by my guru Pandit Ravi Shankar. The composition is intricate and has a lot of fast passages and movement of notes that makes it very difficult to perform. The composition has never been performed before and will premiere at the Athens Olympics.

I was chosen to perform this difficult piece after Anoushka backed out for personal reasons.” “However, it is the legendary Philip Glass who was the brain behind Orion. Since he is a great admirer of Panditji, Philip approached Ravi Shankar to compose the music for his orchestra, in which the sitar would play the main melody,” he said.

Already happened decades ago!