Yoga is constantly evolving, what with combinations varying from trance yoga to troga (treadmill yoga) to city musician Yotam Agam performing yoga with funky tunes. Keeping up with this trend is Divya Srinivasan, a yoga teacher and Ranjini Sivakumar, a classical musician who created a one-of-a-kind sensory detox experience where the senses, the mind and the body are engaged to create a meditative ambience. After several cups of coffee and brainstorming in 2017, the two chalked out a framework where they perform yoga asanas and other carefully guided practises against the backdrop of the soulful sounds of classical music.
“We realised how much information we take in through different apps, and then there’s traffic, and loud sounds,” says Ranjani. “This led us to frame a session around the cleansing of our five senses.” Each session is designed to be an intimate gathering of 25-30 people where they will perform asanas that will engage the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste followed by a small meal. Usually held at Rutland Gate Studio, the duo have done about five sessions in total, with one in Hyderabad as well.
Their playlist comprises various ragas, kritis by great saints, folk-style lullabies during the shavasana, raga alapana to suit the mood and sometimes even a number or two by Simon and Garfunkel. Divya chimes in by saying that yoga is not just about asanas and postures. “Any practice like vocal music, instrumental music, live music and even the sounds of nature are a perfect accompaniment to yoga.” Ranjani mentions that some ragas are known to have soothing effects over the listener, like the calming notes of a tuned tambura with om chanting. The duo have been invited to perform in Germany, UK, Bengaluru and Mumbai, and hope to attend international yoga festivals like the Bali Spirit Festival and Barcelona Yoga Festival in 2019.
On April 21, from 10 am to 12 am. At Rutland Gate Studio, Mylapore.