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Gandharva Loka Christchurch News – March 2013

Mar 7th, 2013
by Prasasta.
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5th Anniversary of Gandharva Loka Christchurch

Here we are – March 7, 2013 – and the 5th anniversary of Gandharva Loka in Christchurch. We feel a deep sense of gratitude for all of the opportunities that have come our way as a result of opening Gandharva Loka in Christchurch and we would like to thank all of our friends and customers for the support and encouragement we have received over the past five years – you have been awesome!

Body Mind Spirit Festival, Christchurch

Body Mind Spirit Festival, ChristchurchThis coming weekend Gandharva Loka, along with our dear friends from The Lotus-Heart, will have a stall at the annual Body Mind Spirit Festival in Christchurch.

Whether you’re seeking information or inspiration, inner peace or mental stimulation, or you’re just curious about what’s out there, the Body Mind Spirit Festival invites you to revitalise your body, stimulate your mind, and pamper your soul…

With our wonderful selection of exhibitors, our ever popular series of free, inspiring workshops, all day entertainment, and healthy food from Govindas and The Lotus-Heart, the Body Mind Spirit Festival promises something for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you there…

Gandharva Loka to Sponsor Children in Bangladesh

Jan 29th, 2013
by Prasasta.
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We are very happy to announce that the international family of Gandharva Loka stores has recently committed to sponsoring a group of children in Bangladesh through the Surer Dhara School of Music.

Tagore and BannyaShurer Dhara is a school of music modelled after the thoughts and successful experiment in education of the Indian seer-poet and Nobel laureate (Nobel Prize for Literature,1913) Rabindranath Tagore (pictured top right). Tagore’s philosophy places as much importance on aesthetics as it does on intellect.

The community music school was founded in 1993 in Lalmatia, Dhaka, by Rezwana Choudhury Bannya (pictured bottom right), an accomplished exponent of Rabindra Sangeet (music of Tagore), who is a distinguished alumna of Visva-Bharati, the renowned Indian university in Santiniketan founded by Tagore.

Rezwana Choudhury Bannya is also a senior member of the Faculty of Music and Drama, University of Dhaka. Bannya was inspired by her guru, Sreemati Kanika Bandopadhaye, a direct disciple of Tagore, to open a school in Bangladesh to continue the tradition of Santiniketan.

The programme is called Music for Development and it promotes music education as an integral part of children growing up to learn social accountability and asset development skills. When I was in Bangladesh in 2009 as part of a contingent of musicians and singers from Christchurch who performed at the Songs of the Soul concert in Dhaka, I was so inspired to see what a difference the Music for Development programme was making for the children that we met and performed with. The following is from the Music for Development page:

(more…)

Gandharva Loka Christchurch to re-open on December 6!

Dec 3rd, 2011
by Admin.
6 comments

We are delighted to announce that Gandharva Loka in Christchurch will be re-opening at 11am on Tuesday the 6th of December!

Our new location is:
363 St Asaph Street,
(Between Fitzgerald Ave and Barbadoes St
Christchurch.

We have a lovely space that is accessed from the St Asaph Street entrance of The Lotus-Heart restaurant, tea house and health food store – a new location for the popular vegetarian restaurant that is also home to The Gift Shop. At present a new facade is being installed so the building is shrouded in scaffolding. But prepare to be amazed when you step inside – the interior is enchanting!

We now have in stock the best range of instruments we have ever had and we are expecting that more instruments will be arriving in the next few days.

Our hours are:
Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-3pm.
Friday evening 5pm-8pm.
We are happy to accommodate customers outside these hours by appointment if our regular store hours do not suit.

(more…)

Vajin Armstrong Selected For Commonwealth Trail Race

Aug 1st, 2011
by Prasasta.
1 comment

Since the earthquake that closed central Christchurch in February, the managers of Gandharva Loka Christchurch, Vajin and Prasasta Armstrong, have taken the opportunity to travel and find more sources for interesting and unique world instruments. They also attended the opening of the latest Gandharva Loka store on Granville Island in Vancouver and, for the first time, participated in the annual Gandharva Loka conference that brings together all of the members of the global Gandharva Loka family of stores. This years conference was held in Berlin and by all reports, it was a memorable occasion for all with workshops, concerts and plenty of joy!

Keen athletes both, Vajin and Prasasta have maintained their training schedules throughout their travels and have some wonderful news regarding Vajin’s running career. Prasasta reports from a running camp high in the Italian Alps…

(more…)

The Lotus-Heart is reopening!

Jul 24th, 2011
by Shardul.
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Along with hundreds of other businesses in central Christchurch, Gandharva Loka remains closed and somewhat homeless for now. Our world music store will reopen in Christchurch at some stage – we are just not sure when or where. It is a shared experience for many small businesses in Christchurch and one that can only be met with hope, optimism and determination. The spirit that makes Christchurch such a special place is the same spirit that will help us to accomplish the task of rebuilding this beautiful city.

The Lotus-HeartThere is always some good news though and we are very happy to be able to announce that The Lotus-Heart vegetarian restaurant is reopening this coming Wednesday (July 27, 2011) at its new location in St Asaph Street. The managers of Gandharva Loka in Christchurch, Vajin and Prasasta Armstrong, are also a part of The Lotus-Heart team and worked part-time at the restaurant in Cathedral Square. The original Lotus-Heart café, which was in the same block and two doors from Gandharva Loka, was also destroyed during the February 22nd earthquake. The building that The Lotus-Heart restaurant was in, the original Chief Post Office building in Cathedral Square, is still standing but, as with the entire central business district of Christchurch, remains unusable and closed for now.

Like Gandharva Loka, The Lotus-Heart is owned, managed and staffed by members of the Christchurch Sri Chinmoy Centre. Since April The Lotus-Heart team has been working very hard to convert and make ready an area within premises on St Asaph Street just outside the Christchurch CBD. This from The Lotus-Heart website:

The Lotus-Heart Restaurant & Tea House

We are delighted to advise that The Lotus-Heart will be open in a new location from Wednesday 27 July 2011, initially by reservation only. Kindly phone or send a text message to 021 256 6702 to make a reservation or use our online reservation service.

We are eager to resume service and therefore will open with further renovations yet to come, so kindly bear with us as we fully develop our new location. Read more »

Congratulations to all those involved in the rebuilding and reopening of The Lotus-Heart!

Gandharva Loka opens in Vancouver!

May 12th, 2011
by Admin.
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We are very happy to announce that a brand new Gandharva Loka store has opened in Vancouver, Canada! Located in the heart of Vancouver on Granville Island, a bustling market place that is home to numerous artisans, performers and unique stores, Gandharva Loka Vancouver is the first Gandharva Loka store in North America and will offer a huge range of world music instruments. Store location and hours can be found here.

We wish our new sister enterprise well and we are sure that the Vancouver team look forward to serving their customers as the northern spring becomes summer on Granville Island…

Granville Island in Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada
Bustling Granville Island in Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada – home to
the latest addition to the Gandharva Loka family of world instrument stores.


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Boxing Day Replay: Saturday 12 February, 2011

Feb 11th, 2011
by Admin.
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Boxing Day Replay – Saturday February 12th, 2011As many know, the Boxing Day sales of 2010 came abruptly to a halt at about 10.30 am due to the 4.9 magnitude earthquake that shook central Christchurch that morning – with aftershock on the side! It was a very sharp earthquake (some say more violent than September 4th) but it was thankfully short. Remarkably, again, no one was injured but the inner city was basically shut down while officials assessed the damage and subsequently, over 100 more businesses were closed. This was the second big hit to the business life of central Christchurch, especially in the view that the Boxing Day sales were a big opportunity for both retail businesses and shoppers.

The Central City Business Association of Christchurch has decided to have another shot at the Boxing Day Sales with a Boxing Day Replay this coming Saturday, February the 12th. Gandharva Loka will be open between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm on Saturday.

Parking

TWO HOURS FREE PARKING in all Council run city parking facilities. Visitors to the central city will be able to get the first two hours free parking in all council run off street city facilities until the end of February. Details and map here »

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