Shiva in the land of Mozart

‘The hills are alive with the sound of music…’. The sound of Shiva’s ‘stotras’, ‘Raga Ahir Bhairav’ and rapid tabla beats livened up the Alpine terrains of Austria this summer.

Sohini Roychowdhury, the international danseuse, author and creative director of ‘Sohinimoksha World Dance and Communications’ with Indro Roy Chowdhury on sitar and Sanjib Pal on tabla mesmerised Austrian audiences, children and young adults in the schools, colleges and concert auditoriums by spreading Shiva’s philosophy of empathy, oneness and peace through dance and music. Healing with ‘mudras’ and ‘ragas’ and celebrating the inner self with a complete understanding of our Vedic philosophy, Shiva’s philosophy of cosmic unity is their mantra as an antidote to violence and strife.

With almost 20 concerts at various venues in the Alps, Sohini brought India’s story, Vedic wisdom, Shiva’s philosophy and the ways of ‘Shaktism’ to Austria via effective storytelling through ‘Bharatanatyam’. The students participated after the recital and performed to the themes of Shiva’s symbolism, along with Sohini as Indro and Sanjib played on the sitar and tabla respectively.

Shiva’s ‘tandav’ and the sound of his ‘damaru’ and the cycle of destruction and creation were explained via dance, music and tabla beats to a curious and wonderstruck audience. The closeness of all our Gods and Goddesses to nature and music was emphasised upon the concept of the ‘vahana’, along with how all our divine figures have a spirit animal with the underlying message of music, dance and the arts being vital to the curriculum and kindness to animals as a way of life.

In today’s war-torn world, the Shiva philosophy is the most relevant, palpitating and spiritual way to grow empathy, understanding and humanity as a whole towards ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (‘The world is our home’).