As a 7-year-old, I recall walking with my 9-year-old brother Deepak en route to Sri Vidya Mandir, our school. We enjoyed those long walks admiring the villas and mansions in Malleshwaram, a remarkable residential hub of Bangalore. Our ears were pricked when we heard the gramophones play soulful music. We would instantly jump the high walls and hide behind those large curtained windows to get a closer grasp of the pure sounds emanating from that unseen audio equipment. We were desperate to listen to pure music on an audiophile-grade setup. Those days it was a cherished dream that we harboured. We possessed the golden ears but not the money to afford these dream hardware. My brother grew up to be an Electronics Engineer and built his own amplifier and assembled speakers. It was a great DIY effort. However, he realized his ultimate passion and took up music passionately. He is now an accomplished Santoor Player. Meanwhile, as years rolled by, we managed to slowly upgrade our access to world-class hardware and music recordings that contribute to the sonic bliss. We managed to curate six editions of the Kailasaa Music Festival at our Heaven on Earth abode, the Kevala Foundation. The abundance of nature, music library, serenity, silence, and the unique absorption of sound at this little music paradise cannot be described, one has to experience it and surrender to its ecstatic flows that never ceases to amaze an avid listener.
The Cosmic awareness hints that all of us are living the dream of Maha Vishnu, the sustaining wheels and force of the Cosmos. True mastery is about converting intent into action. Many of us fail to grasp this essence and fall into mediocrity. Creativity is open to all of us at some point in life. Destiny is not as fixed and boring as we imagine. We attract opportunities when we are aligned for higher ways of living. The wise ones realize that we are Gods in Amnesia and we have arrived on this plane to experience the purity and bounty of nature and the creative gifts of our discoveries. The whole Universe is Sound and as we progress towards culturing, we will access its constant waves of Sonic Bliss and the true power of Divinely Calibrated Music to align us to the creative potential of our DNA. Calibration is intricately linked to Celebration. It invokes the purest inner bliss wave which ushers us to divinity in the most assured way.
The 8 Stage Musical Experiences at Kevala
Sonic Bliss on Wheels:
The Unique Panasonic Valve Car Stereo CQ-TX5500D : Celebrating blissful drives
Kevala is surrounded by stunning topography of hills, lakes, waterfalls, mist covered valleys and the craziest cloud formations. It is truly an exotic experience to drive in this terrain. The roads are decent and add to it, a pure dose of music, and the journeys become memorable. Our friends have got a whiff of our crazy audio system and inspure us take them on long drives. We are talking about the phenomenal ‘Panasonic Car Stereo’ which is revered as the best of its kind in the world, owing to its unique ‘valve’ and precision sound which is truly unique. The sound that emerges from this masterpiece transports us to another dimension. I have listened to many expensive car audios from Meridian, Bose, Burmester, Mark Levinson, Bower and Wilkins, but there is no parallel to this Panasonic’s analogue sound that kindles the sonic bliss and makes journeys along the western ghats a true delight. We usually hook this car audio to the CD Player or the ‘Astell and Kern’ AK Mk II-digital music player which is powered by the Cirrus Logic Dual DAC. The choicest world music library that we have carefully selected for a playlist will be an enthralling listening experience.
The Soulful Dining Experience:
Godliness lies in the finest details. Every grain of food we put in our body eventually emerges as the energy that vitalizes us. We decided to install a sleek ‘HT vacuum tube amplifier’` and hook it to the wall panel speaker body. The Phase Technology speakers from the USA do a great job to relay the mids and highs. We have a decent sub-woofer in there which manages to express the low frequencies appreciably. For small family gatherings, we welcome guests to dine in our Kitchen space. The hot meals made of farm-fresh produce and hygienic preparation is our responsibility. Guests do join in to help us with the food preparation and contribute to our extended cuisine offering. The kitchen atmosphere contributes in a big way to our health. The unseen aspect in the quality of thought that goes into cooking. The use of melodious music cleanses the space and elevates the mood of cooking and dining. Our body’s crystalline structure reorients itself to sacred geometric patterns while absorbing calibrated music. In simple words, it means music is the most potent drug. It heals us but we also need to be more responsible in our way of living. The dining experience is enriched when pure music makes its way into our hearts.
The Immersive Musical Depth: The Kevala Meditation Hall
Himalayan Kriya Yoga is a phenomenal gift of alignment of mind-body-spirit that is evolved, researched and practised intensively at Kevala Foundation. The sanctified space is perfectly set for exploring the depth of the human essence and faculty. Meanwhile, the space is alive with the most phenomenal world music playing on the exotic audiophile hardware. The space is about 2750 square feet and surprisingly the sound does not echo much despite the fact that we haven’t done any acoustic treatment. The laterite walls do a great job of absorbing the sound. When immersed in those deep moments in kriya, the music permeates and rewires our body much more profoundly. We have deployed the limited edition version of the famed ‘Sonus Faber Musica’ and ‘Hegel D-360’ Integrated Amplifiers to drive the speakers from ‘Acoustic Research’ and ‘Paradigm Studio Reference’. The speaker cables and interconnects are from the famed Japanese designed ‘Audience Ohno’. The speed and audio brilliance of ‘Mac Book Pro M-1 Max’ is apt to unravel the musical content of Apple lossless digital music which needs the healing touch of a pure ‘Digital to Analog’ Converter like the calibrated ‘AKM 4490 DAC’. The overall transparency, dynamics, musicality enthrals an avid listener to immerse into the depths of sonic bliss. Hegel is a masterpiece and invokes musicality which is rare. It is best to match the right and it is only a discerning professional can sense the finer details to associate with the right combination of power conditioners, speakers, cables, spatial positioning to derive the sound stage and a live studio-like feel.
The Heaven on Earth Experience: Manley Stingray & Thiel Coherent Source
The very sight of the ‘Manley Stingray’ integrated tube amplifier gives everyone goosebumps. Its jaw-dropping looks, design, and musicality enable one to surrender easily and recline into a pure listening mode. It is regarded as one of the best ever amplifiers ever made. It truly justifies its stature when it is hooked to the ‘Thiel Coherent Source 3.7’ speakers, which is also revered as one of the best ever speakers designed. The drivers are aluminium baffles that are driven by a unique phase and linear technology concept of timing the spectrum. This floor stander is an irresistible stunner that delivers shockingly deep bass while unleashing those soft and silky mids and highs which waft through the misty valleys of this paradise. It is a treat and one can only thank designers like ‘Jim Thiel’ and ‘Evanna Manley’ for their game-changing design offering to our world.
Hegel & Thiel: Astounding Purity Match
Just when we thought, we had Manley Stingray magic, we got to hook the Hegel D 360 to the Thiel Coherent Source. When the sounds began to pour out, we gave it some time to realign and make friends with its new friend. I have always trusted my intuition to buy audio gear. When I read some crazy reviews and recommendations, I recheck with my heart and wait for its approval. I have bought used masterpieces without even listening to any of them. When we listen and trust the gut and heart, we do get clarity and direction. Thankfully it has worked for me. The fact is that there is no way I can seek a replacement for any damaged gear from this remote space. The presence of genuine friends in this journey is truly a gift. These amazing bunch of friends from across the world are Kevaa’s ‘Hi-Fi Action Squad’ and spring into action whenever I send them a notification of interesting audiophile hardware. They realize how much value these masterpieces add to the musicality at Kevala. Most of them have personally carried large and heavy amplifiers and floor standing speakers and all kinds of accessories all the way to Kevala. One can only remain in purest gratitude for such friendships that truly result in our phenomenal celebration of music and transmission of gamma waves of compassion. Hedonism and self-gratification are pleasure-driven and fail to contribute to a better world. Listening to calibrated music is a strong reminder of tapping into the higher design of living in harmony, purified state and accessing the bounty of nature and value the essence of grace that inspires us.
The Kevala Summit Point: Sonic Heights
Life is meant to be a revelation for a daring explorer. A submitter knows- ‘Higher the Altar, Deeper the Surrender’. Setting up a music listening abode at the highest point in Kevala was a challenge and test of patience. However, as we all know, we can truly enjoy the fruits of labour. We have made an effort to set up the Summit Room as a pure sonic bliss zone. The speciality of this room is the all-round windows that carry breeze and give us the mountain fresh, oxy-rich air which truly is a blessing. We believe in minimalism as the way of living. This message is accentuated in this little room with just a mattress and the audio gear. The famed Meridian Power Amplifier stands out as a black beauty. We use the Astell & Kern as the Music Source and as a Source, DAC and Pre-Amp. The vintage JBL Studio Monitor 4440 packs a punch and delivers the musicality that keeps us gripped in awe of the analogue like sound. The consecrated room truly lives up to its name as the Summit Room with a view. The stunning view of Deviramma Peak, the shrill cicadas screaming their lungs off in harmony sets the background tonal consistency and the unique vibrancy in the space adds to the magic that continues to surprise a listener. The best times for listening are in late evenings with lights off. The eerie forest-like feeling is a bonus while the phenomenal depth of music permeates the heart. It is hard to describe the feeling of immersive listening when the external world ceases to exist and there is a supra-conscious drift that sets the heart in a crazy syncopated beat with the music. Great music is meant to surprise us each time with its depth of creative calling. The wise ones realize that every sound recordist has conceived the studio recording with expansive awareness of the sound stage. Hence every component in the audio gear is a vital link to the purity of sound. There is no room for complacency when it comes to subtlety, nuances, finer details. The heavenly feeling of being transported in the dimensions of Gandharvas, the celestial musicians is truly exotic. It reignites our DNA strands to its peak expression. Music is the most potent drug ever known. However, we have to be aligned enough to absorb it.
The Immersive Music Zone
There are only 2 dimensions that we truly need to deal with. The inner and outer. Life can be boring or demanding if we only operate under the influence and pulls of the outer dimension. We all need to dive within and stay immersed long enough to be healed and aligned with the core. We all enjoy the privilege of absorbing music from high-resolution music emerging out headsets like Hi-Fi Man, a revered brand that stands out amongst the best in the world. The Sources we use are lossless music players like the SONY Walkman, Hi-Fi Man and Astell & Kern. The listening is truly immersive and transports one into Gandharva Mandala, the celestial domain of music. Listening in pure solitude and silence is a healing process. It is a pure joy to unwind from the mental chatter and step into the zone of calibrated music. Each of us has a strong preference to music and a personal listening session is a way of discovering the connection within and aligning to the purity of music.
The Brahma Mahurat Sessions
Nada Brahma, the sonic absolute can never be experienced or related with through our perceptive tools. We can merely tap into a few cosmic strains of music if we are supra-consciously ready to absorb. Most of us are operating in a crowded and noisy environment within and around us. The forest ambience can be alluring to tune in as the sound of cicada sets the constant meditative mood. Brahma Mahurat is between 3 and 5 am, the sacred hours when the ozone downpour is at its peak and earth wakes up to the flow. If we have an inkling of awareness, we can feel the pure joys of the cosmic sounds, strains of music, gamma wave transmissions that are passing through us.
We can gather the intent to wake up at these sacred hours and stay in a meditative state. The magic of kevala is the silence that prevails and tunes a deep meditator into the innate dimension of zero field magnetism. The outer world is deep in slumber at this hour and catching up on their dreams and sleep. Interestingly, the lung channel is open by 4 am to absorb the deepest breath and unlock its gateways. For those who are confused about their priorities, we need to remind ourselves that life is all about the choices we make. We can either crash into the world of dream sleep or stay awake to invoke the awakened awareness.
One of the most intriguing activities during the waking hours is to tune into Hindustani Morning Ragas and Carnatic Classical music of Mandolin U Srinivas. We have incredibly sweet sounding Edifier powered speakers in our rooms that are perfect for those early morning listening sessions. These look ordinary, however are audiophile-grade and deliver an enigmatic dynamism and transparency that keeps one engaged in awe of its musicality and presence.
There is no space like Kevala Foundation. We have aligned it to be true heaven on earth. Nature takes care of us when we do not come in its way of the elemental flow. The cosmos is sound in itself and the music is a privileged channel for the connoisseurs of the creative engagement. If you have your heart in place, deep enchantment for music, free-spirited attitude to explore, experience and elevate, you will be truly aligned to your real nature at kevala. The clouds are waiting to play with you along with birds that welcome you to this magical space.
Namaste Guruji !
Alluring description of the Sonic bliss that permeates Kevala ~
Exhilaration permeates to the core with the thought of basking in the nature & flowing with the elements
of all that is offered from the Source & freely celebrated at Kevala.
Looking forward to visiting & experiencing Heaven on Earth !!!
Much love,
Jacqueline
I was/ am one among the blessed lot to experience the trance for hours through music as medium at Kevala. I remember that was my first visit and Gurudev made me stand in front of the music system with closed eyes. As soon as I heard the strings of guitar play, a swirling energy started dancing inside me. With my feet glued to the floor, my body started swinging like a tree with smile on my face. I experienced ‘ananda’ for the first time my in my life. And that went for hours. I didn’t want to come out of the joyous experience. I want to be there for ever. I never knew Spanish Guitar had so much of mesmerizing effect on mind and body. Even today, it takes me no time to go into that state Evey time I visit Kevala. My journey in search of ‘happiness’ has ended at Kevala. Over he years, the sound and music quality, variety, intensity has been on the refining path and we have best of the equipments for our trip to musical cosmos. The experience is new and renewed every time Guruji plays choicest of music for each of one of us !! ❤️
Absolutely stunning explanation of the true beauty of Kevala – heaven on earth. I can’t wait to visit you early 2022 in Kevala. I’m absolutely ready for further sonic bliss.
Such a beautiful journey, have enjoyed every bit being under your guidance, wish you immense love, energy and flow to continue on this path.
Love and deepest regards ?.