"Raga" the film hasn't been seen much in recent years since it was first released by Apple Films in 1972. It's being released for the first time on DVD Oct. 14. The film documents Indian music, its culture and how Ravi Shankar brought the music, through the help of George Harrison, to the West.

But this is not a George Harrison film. His appearances in it are brief. Shankar narrates the film and is seen teaching students, including Harrison, interacting with family and friends, receiving an honorary degree from the University of California and performing in concert with his longtime colleague, Alla Rahka on tabla.

This is not Indian culture with a Western spin. Shankar candidly reflects on the complexity of Indian music and how getting Westerners to perform it correctly is not always easy. Also seen in the film is violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who, like Harrison, became a key Western element in briding the cultural gap between East and West.

The DVD picture looks exceptionally good for an almost 40-year-old film. And the DVD package has new liner notes written by Shankar in which he reflects on the importance of the film. DVD purchasers also get a card for a free download of the audio soundtrack.

Ultimately, "Raga" is a vision of what interested George Harrison in Indian music and why it became popular in the West. Harrison's help in bringing that music to a mass audience is one of his many accomplishments. "Raga" reminds us why.  

The DVD is available from www.eastmeetswestmusic.com and soon on Amazon.com.

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