Omkara: The Sound of Divine Love by Rupam Sarmah is an extraordinary project both musically and therapeutically. Collaborating with a very impressive group of musicians from India and all over the world, some of them Grammy Award winners, Sarmah has created a work of staggering proportions. Omkara means “Sound of God.” Based on years of research, the music of Omkara demonstrates the positive connection between music, fundamental science, the creative frequencies of the universe and chakra energy. (The seven chakras are the energy centers in our bodies that balance the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects of being.) The eight tracks, ranging from about 5 1/2 minutes to almost 24 minutes, combine classical Indian melodies with ragas, western musical styles, new age and world music. The instrumentation is as varied as the musicians which makes for a unique listening experience.

Each of the first seven tracks represents one of the chakras. The eighth track represents a new energy point named “Heaven Bridge” and was composed with nine different creative frequencies to take listeners on a journey from birth to enlightenment. The research on Omkara Music Therapy is currently being conducted at disability institutes and with cancer patients. The deliberate use of musical sounds has been shown to have healing vibrations that can help to uplift and even help to stimulate brain signals of people with disabilities. Sound vibrations can be used effectively to relieve pain, depression, and even diseases. Amazing stuff!

Conceived and produced by Rupam Sarmah, the instrumental and vocal arrangements were created with the majestic sound of Mohan Veena (slide guitar) by Grammy winner Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Best World Music). Other musicians on this project include Padmashri Sumitra Guha, Grammy winner Laura Sullivan (Best New Age), Rocio Marron, Pandit Subhen Chatterjee, Pranjal Borah, Matthias Muller, Jonathan Kay, and many others. The album was mastered by four-time Grammy-winning engineer Brian Vibberts.

Rupam Sarmah is originally from Assam, India and currently lives in California. Over the past twenty years, he has written many songs in a variety languages, screenplays, and film scores that have earned international awards. As a film director, Sarmah earned the Best Documentary Award for the film In Search of God at the International Indian Film Festival. He is a Guinness World Record holder for composing and directing a symphony, A Musical Journey for World Peace, with 315 unique musical instruments from all over the world and over 500 performers onstage.

Omkara: The Sound of Divine Love is available from OmkaraDivineLove.com, Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby.