Our group, Aradhna, which means ‘worship’ in Hindi, had its beginnings in England in August of 1999. My friend Peter Hicks and I met up in London and began creating sitar/guitar arrangements of the Yeshu bhajans (devotional songs to Jesus) that I had learned while growing up in India and Nepal.
This live recording called Satsang (pronounced sutt-sung) literally means "gathering of the truth." The concert in Southampton, England, recorded on September 7th, 2003, was a particularly memorable evening as it was the last night of our tour and our final chance to get a good recording for the live album we hoped for. Towards the end of the last song, a little 3-year old girl wandered curiously over to the wall and unplugged the cable that powered everything. The entire recording was lost. After the initial shock wore off, we realized that God wanted us to continue worshiping with whoever could stay. This is the music that followed.
Prem mantra hi hai bas teraa, man pe daalaa sabke deraa. “Love is Your key. It is through Your love that You have captured our hearts.” May this Satsang draw us close to Him.

Thanks:

We want to thank our friends in England, India and USA, who made this tour and recording possible through their love and hard work. Simon and Judy Parnall for your selfless hospitality, friendship, patience, and wisdom, as you hosted us at your home and recorded all the performances. Shahid Suleman Khan for many years of friendship and incredible tabla playing, and Chander Sheikher for all your help with transportation. Vnita Sroa for bringing to Aradhna the sound of your beautiful voice. Travis McAfee for your long friendship and all you have added to Aradhna with your bass guitar. Hampshire Asian Christian Fellowship for your friendship and support over four years, and for hosting this satsang. Simon and Sue Gregory for opening your home to us. For hosting satsangs and always welcoming us back every year, Rob and Sue Allison, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, Pall and Joy Singh, Robin Thomson and the friends at SAC, and David Merritt. Ashish Alexander for all the Hindi work in the CD booklet. Finally we want to thank Fr. Anil Dev, Peter John, Daisy Augustine, and Kiran Pradhan for your beautiful bhajan lyrics and melodies, and for giving us permission to sing and record them. Thank you all.

Further Credits:

Satsang was recorded at the Augustine Centre, Northam Rd, Southampton, U.K. Live recording by Simon Parnall & Jonathan Rosser, Blencathra Recording Mixed at Blencathra Studio, Kingswood, Surrey, U.K., by Peter Hicks & Simon Parnall Mastered at Euphonic Masters by Brad Blackwood Front and back cover paintings by Sarah Hale All photography by Sarah Hale except for dawn boatman shot by Peter Hicks Art direction by Sarah Hale Graphic design by Sarah Hale, and Patrick Duffy for Attention