My first connection with Guru

I became a disciple when I was 10 years old. There was a meditation group and my mother had been going to meditate with the group for maybe a few months.

Then there was an exhibition of Guru's Jharna-Kala paintings in London.
There was a film of Guru, who had just completed one hundred thousand paintings. I went to this film and I remember seeing and hearing Tanima's group, the Bengali singers with saris on singing Guru's songs. The music just hit me like this [pointing to her heart].

A few weeks later I was with my mother; we were passing the place where the exhibition was, and I was singing a song. I said, "Mum, where does that tune come from?" It was the most beautiful melody. It was just going round inside me. My mother, of course, didn't know. She didn't remember anything. I said, "You have to tell me where the tune comes from." She couldn't help me.

A few weeks later I found out that it was one of Guru's tunes. It was the original Jharna-Kala song! I always say that was my first connection with Guru, and it was a connection that I made myself. It wasn't until I was 13 that I saw Guru for the first time.

I am happy, supremely happy,
Because my Inner Music Teacher,
God the Supreme Musician,
Takes my aspiration-heart
As His choice instrument.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 228, Agni Press, 1996