Ravi Shankar at Monterey Pop Festival

This image captures Ravi Shankar performing on the sitar at the Monterey International Pop Festival, seated onstage with his eyes closed in deep concentration. The richly decorated sitar dominates the composition, while Shankar’s poised hands and serene expression convey the precision and emotion of his performance.

Shankar was already internationally celebrated as a master of Indian classical music when he appeared at Monterey. His performance before the festival’s predominantly rock audience earned an enthusiastic reception and became an important moment in the growing Western appreciation of Indian music during the 1960s.