Yoga retreats have brought the physical and spiritual practice outdoors, blending it with other art forms. Consider ‘yogance’, a trending practice in the city, which is a mix of dance and yoga that brings a coordination between the mind and body. Similarly, aerial yoga has been a hit amongst the T’town celebrities including Adah Sharma and Pooja Hegde. In this type, a soft fabric hammock is used as a support to practice aerial adaptations of traditional poses. However, if you’re looking for some unique yoga experience that helps you detox your body and get back on your fitness track, then Raaga and Yoga is the place to be. The 120-minute event focuses on helping participants connect with their inner self, away from the worldly disturbances.
The duo of Ranjani Sivakumar and Divya Srinivasan have been friends for about 25 years now. While Ranjani is a Carnatic singer, Divya is a yoga trainer from Chennai. “Every time we meet, we have a detailed conversation about our fields of expertise. In one such discussion, we thought we could blend the two and provide a special rejuvenation workshop,” says city-based Ranjani. This is their second such event in the city. The aim of the workshop is to target all the five senses of the human body – touch, sight, sound, taste and smell and tune into each of them through music and yoga.
Unlike usual yoga sessions, this one focuses on elements like wellness, spirituality and mindfulness. The workshop begins with a yoga session where participants are taught simple asanas, to make sure it’s easy for newbies as well. Later, participants are blindfolded and similar asanas are repeated. The idea here, Ranjani explains, is to use other senses to do a particular action. “The five senses work together. When one of them is barred, the other assists you to act,” she adds.
As Divya guides the participants through the yoga segment, Ranjani will perform live acoustics with her tambura (a long-necked string instrument) and sounds of nature (rain and wind) in the background. The singer believes that sound helps people withdraw from their thoughts and focus on their senses, which is the purpose of the workshop. Her set usually changes, depending on the audience. “There have been times when I’ve played lullabies and people have teared up,” she shares. A sathvik (pure) meal completes the session, preceded by a chant for being mindful of the food and also demonstrating how smell and taste are complementary.
Tickets: Rs.1,200. At Saptaparni. January 21, 10 am onwards.