Creativity stems from a place of silence and space. It is a place where there are no rules, no boundaries and time stands still, says Nithya Rajendran
When we look at anything beautiful, we can see the work of a creative mind or creative force behind it, be it man-made marvels like art and sculpture, or natural wonders such as hills, oceans and forests. The former is a result of man’s brilliant creative mind at its best, and the latter, the creative genius of the universal divine force. Creativity in turn stems from a place of silence and space, a place where there are no rules and no boundaries. A place where time stands still... So, if spirituality and creativity are so closely linked, it might be useful for us to understand how we can tune into our spiritual selves, and unleash our creativity with Indian Classical music.
The lineage of Indian classical music stems from the Vedas, giving it depth, and a divinity which remains unsurpassed. Since the Vedas themselves are odes to nature and the creative life forces like the sun, the air and the earth, it is no surprise that singing Indian Classical Raagas and Swars brings us very close to nature, and by extension, its creative forces.
It is no rocket science that a walk on dewy grass, or the smell of monsoon earth, brings us to a state of peace and bliss, a state most conducive to creativity. Engaging in a soul-stirring Raaga is no different. Looking at it another way, the gamut of emotions that are stirred in us by the different combinations of flat and sharp notes in classical music, resonate with the varied colors of emotion that we feel as human beings. When this identification happens, we are disarmed and free to express. This expression takes the form of unbridled creativity.
I would like to share the anecdote of a four-year-old child attending a music session. Considering her young age, the teacher decided, one day, to give in to the child’s desire to doodle on a piece of paper, instead of having her sit in for a formal session. But, in order to make the most of the class, the teacher put on a shloka in Raag Hansadhwani in the background, just to keep the mood of the class intact. The child kept silent through the class as she kept creating small pieces of art with her tiny hands. This went on for a couple of more sessions, much to the teacher’s apprehension that formal learning was not happening.
A few days later, the teacher got a call from the child’s very excited mother. She described how the child had been frequently humming the shloka in Raag Hansadhwani, along with creating beautiful art! She was overjoyed, not only at how the child was able to sing and paint simultaneously, but also at the fact that the child seemed to be doing these from a space of happiness and spontaneity.
What had really happened was that the child’s creative side had opened up in an environment of classical music, even though she did not actually sing in the sessions. Not only did the music penetrate her without her knowledge, it also created a soothing and disarming environment for her art to flourish, and she was left much happier at the end of it all.
This a simple but powerful testament to the enormous power of music to open up our creative side. Indian Classical music indeed holds immense potential as a route to spirituality, and therefore to our creativity. It is emotionally disarming, so it sets the stage for our innermost abilities to come forth without fear of judgement or criticism. This is fertile ground for the endless possibilities of our emotions and imagination to find a way to paint themselves in the canvas of our real world through boundless creativity.
It is time we allowed our creative selves to come forth in a flourish. What easier way to do this than with just a small dose of Indian classical music everyday!
The writer is a versatile Indian Classical vocalist with over 30 years of training