Classical way to art of yoga

Two young minds - Shruti Chatur Lal Sharma, granddaughter of BAFTA awardee and Oscar Nominee Tabla Stalwart Pandit Chatur Lal and Suman Kanawat, a yoga choreographer - thought of combining Indian classical music and dance with yoga, and created ‘Euphonic Yoga’.

Shruti Chatur Lal Sharma belongs to a lineage of a musical family who is involved in music for three generations now. “Being born in a rhythmic family, the sense of music flows in my blood. My exquisite taste in Indian classical music and hunger to come up with new ideas helped me with an idea to combine music and dance with yoga,” says Shruti.

Suman Kanawat, the other partner of this production has been practicing yoga for a very long time, and when she collaborated with Shruti she could fit lock with key by combining the two art forms with her mastery in yoga.

“After a year long combined research and lot of deliberations with various yogic gurus and renowned veterans of Indian classical music and dance, we came to know a deep connection between the three art forms. This connection has its roots in Chakra system or the energy centers,” says Suman.  

Shruti says, “We are researching from last three years, and then decided to introduce our research under the banner of ‘Euphonic Yoga’ which was officially launched a year back on November 19, 2016 by none other than Sarod Legend Padma Bhushan Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Sukanya Shankar, wife of Bharat Ratna Sitar Virtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar.” 

“‘Euphonic Yoga’ is a concept designed specially to help people cope up with stress. It is also a merger effort to bring the Indian culture closer to the people in the most perceivable form while with an aim to make our audience more aware about the seven chakras and their mammoth impact on the human body,” she says. 

“The different combination of musical notes form 'Raaga'. Ragas are designed to help activate specific chakras, which allows the Kundalini energy to rise easily and energize and nourish the chakra. The raga also influences the chakra to maintain its optimum spin and balance, ensuring a balanced energy supply to different organs that are connected to the specific chakra,” she adds. 

Several workshops, performances and personalised sessions of Euphonic Yoga gained appreciation. Under the wings of Euphonic Yoga, the team- Shruti ChaturLal Sharma, Suman Kanawat & Sumant Sharma have started an initiative called “Can & Able” where 250 underprivileged & differently abled kids were adopted and trained with nuances of Euphonic Yoga. 

Currently a workshop is being held for 150 children of TSW Residential Fine Arts School, Malkajgiri district, under Government of Telangana followed by a performance on 1st April 2018.