Gurudev: On the Plateau of the Peak : The Life of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

It was an era when the wisdom of yoga had been buried under years of ritual practices, when religion outweighed human values, when games were becoming wars and wars were being played like games. It was at such a time that, in a quaint village in south India, a young boy was found in deep meditation. He would say, ‘I have family everywhere. People are waiting for me.’

Nobody believed him then.

Time revealed the destiny of the millions who came to him to discover themselves. Over the years, his sublime presence and pragmatic teachings would foster the values of joy, peace and love across the world. His transformative art of breathing, the Sudarshan Kriya, became a household practice, an alternative way of life that inspired people to seek self-realization. He became the guru who made the ethereal tangible, who brought about a profound shift in every sphere of human endeavour—from art to architecture, health care to rehabilitation, inner peace to outer dynamism.

From a carefree child to a teenager often found in the company of saints, from a young meditation teacher to a revered spiritual Master, this book is an intimate and affectionate account of the life of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar by his sister Bhanumathi Narasimhan, who witnessed his mystical life unfold up-close.

Gurudev: On the Plateau of the Peak is an attempt to fit the ocean in a teacup, offering readers a sip of infinity.  

Bhanumathi Narasimhan is the younger sister of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Innocently at first, and with joyful awareness later, she has followed her brother, her Master, throughout her life. She shares his vision of putting a smile on every face on the planet. 

Gurudev says, ‘Meditation is smiling at yourself.’ Bhanumathi is a meditation teacher. Her workshops have brought about an experience of deep inner peace to thousands of people worldwide. The outer expression of this peace is service to humanity. 

Bhanumathi leads the women welfare and child care initiatives at Art of Living. From a small free school with thirty children of construction workers, the Gift a Smile project now supports 435 schools with over 58,000 underprivileged children. As the chairperson of the International Women’s Conference, her vision is to create a global network of responsible women to catalyse positive transformation in society. Over 5000 women from eighty nationalities have participated in these conferences so far. 

She holds a master’s degree in Sanskrit Literature from Bangalore University. Trained as a Carnatic singer, people across the world wake up to her soulful albums of sacred chants and melodious bhajans. She has previously authored two books, Tejasvini and Lalitha, which expound on the spiritual significance of popular Hindu scriptures and practices.