Art & Photography

Sri Chinmoy was a prolific painter of mystical art, having painted over 140,000 paintings in a 33-year span. 

Many of Sri Chinmoy's students are also enthusiastic photographers - some of them spent many years with Sri Chinmoy documenting his life and activities in photos. You can browse a range of contributed photos in our member galleries.

Olympic-Mountains-Also.jpg(photo by Pranlobha Kalajian)

Photography in the Sri Chinmoy Centre

an article by Shardul Dillicar

Most of us, at some time or another, have wanted to create or have enjoyed observing images that capture a special moment in time and space - perhaps a moment that moves us in some way and reflects our feelings, our hopes, our joys and aspirations. Images capture a representation of who we are, not only as individuals, but also as a society - they reflect what we observe without and what we feel within.

The American photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams had this to say on the subject of photography: "A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety... There are worlds of experience beyond the world of the aggressive man, beyond history, and beyond science. The moods and qualities of nature and the revelations of great art are equally difficult to define; we can grasp them only in the depths of our perceptive spirit."

Sri Chinmoy was once asked the question, "What is the spiritual significance of a photograph?" His answer unveils much about the inner and outer significance of photography: "A photograph," he answered, "is at once meaningful and fruitful. The inner life can be seen on the outer face. The inner reality can be visible on the face of the outer reality. The inner height can be measured by the outer eyes. The inner depth can be felt by the human heart. Each photograph, if it is taken from a higher plane of consciousness, leaves behind a new hope, a new aspiration and a new realisation for Mother Earth to cherish and treasure." A lover of and contributor to the arts in many of its aspects, Sri Chinmoy also enjoys taking photographs.

Below are links to pages that deal with the subject of photography - and also to galleries of photographs offered by Sri Chinmoy's students. We hope you enjoy them.

Links to pages on photography and video:

Articles and tips:

  • Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Prashphutita Greco is an avid photographer who has been exposing film to light for over two decades now. He has published a number of articles on the subject and presents them to us on his homepage. You will also find a large selection of Prashphutita's images in his Photo Gallery.
  • Zurich native Kedar Misani has been a keen photographer since his father presented him with a camera during childhood. Working for many years in the media industry, Kedar naturally extended his capacities into the field of film production - and then to video in 1987 when he recorded Sri Chinmoy in concert in Switzerland. Kedar also has an extensive collection of images in his Photo Gallery.

A story from Sri Chinmoy:

  • The Art of Photography - by Sri Chinmoy. A story about an incident in the life of the spiritual Master Shyama Charan Lahiri.

Photo Galleries

General:

Video Links:

  • Sri Chinmoy TV - video clips of Sri Chinmoy meditating, performing in concert, painting, weightlifting, reciting poetry and more. This site also features video footage from Sri Chinmoy's students - their athletic events and various activities - and Inspiration-News: Inspiration from around the world.
  • Kedar Misani is a member of the dedicated team at Sri Chinmoy TV and offers some basic guidelines for beginners and advanced videographers in his article Shooting Videos.

Photography Poems by Sri Chinmoy:

When God is proud of a seeker,
He invites the seeker to pose
For a photograph
With Him.
There are many things we cannot do,
But there is one thing
We should and must do:
We must safeguard
God's Heart-Photograph
Inside our own aspiration-heart.
Each seeker-face
Is undoubtedly
Another beautiful and meaningful
Photograph of God.

Source: Sri Chinmoy Library.

Photography Humour:

Like many of history's spiritual teachers, Sri Chinmoy has a wonderful, childlike sense of humour. "A sense of humour," he offers, "ought to be cultivated by everybody every day, for a sense of humour is nothing short of a wisdom-tree. This wisdom-tree serves us, feeds us, illumines us and protects us."

Q: What is the thing that you get back after you have had it taken?
A: Your own photograph.
Source: Relaxation-Secrets For The Pressured Mind - by Sri Chinmoy.

 

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