Raga Yoga Festival

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Raga Yoga Festival 2025

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Hariprasad Varma began his explorations into the rāgās of Indian classical music, navarasās in the Indian classical dance tradition, and Antaraṅga Yoga (Inner Work Through Yoga).

This led to the initiation of a pilot program of Antarnaad with Ashlesha Shintre in May 2020, and into the evolution of the Rāga Yoga series of workshops and retreats in collaboration with Shruti Bode and Aarti Sivakumar from September 2020 onwards.

Over the past five years, he has curated numerous online Rāga Yoga workshops and four Rāga Yoga retreats through Yogaśāla with musicians Shruti Bode and Aarti Sivakumar in Goa (2021), Bir Billing (2021), Dharamkot (2022), and Bangalore (2024).

During this time, he has also collaborated with Vidushi Rajam Shanker during to offer an 8-weeks online program based on her landmark book ‘The Healing Power of Indian Rāgās’ for multiple cohorts of students and practitioners. They also presented a workshop to the students and faculty at the KLE Medical College in Belgaum, Karnataka on the healing potential of music and yoga therapy in treating therapeutic conditions.

Rāga Yoga Festival is a humble initiative initiated as a step toward bringing together experts in the field of music therapy and yoga to spread awareness of the immense healing potential of these two Indian Knowledge Traditions.

When

Sat, Jun 21 2025
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
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Where

Upadesha Academy
15, 80 Feet Rd, Opp. Montessori Training Academy,
Near MD Ceramics, Sahara Layout, Gubbalala,
Subramanyapura Bangalore, Karnataka 560062

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Speakers

Hariprasad Varma

Founder, Zensei & Yogaśāla

Rajam Shanker

Founder, Rajam's Gurukulam

Hamsini M. Murthy

Music Therapist, Rajam's Gurukulam

Shruti Bode

Hindustani Musician & Teacher, Indian Music Experience, Bangalore

Aarti Sivakumar

Musician, Educator, Voiceover Artist, Facilitator

Ashlesha Shintre

Dhrupad Vocalist

Vinay Kulkarni

Founder, ALCHMI, e-Com Elephant & Upadesha Academy

Charumathy Shankar

Fine Music Therapist

Anika Kulkarni

Bharatanātyam Performance

Our Sponsors

Agenda

Saturday, June 21

Vinay Kulkarni

Key Note Speaker

Rajam Shanker

Keynote Speaker

Charummathy Shankar

Keynote Speaker

Hamsini M. Murthy

Co-facilitator

An inner work session exploring the rāgās associated with varṣa ṛtu (monsoon season).

Shruti Bode

Performer

Hariprasad Varma

Co-facilitator

Aligning breath, body, and sound to listen deeply within.

Ashlesha Shintre

Co-facilitator

Hariprasad Varma

Co-facilitator

A rasātmik inner work exploration session through the rāgās associated with different navarasās (the nine primary emotions) of the Indian classical dance tradition.

Aarti Sivakumar

Co-facilitator

Hariprasad Varma

Co-facilitator

Musical performance by Shruti Bode and Aarti Sivakumar.

Shruti Bode

Performer

Aarti Sivakumar

Performer

Anika Kulkarni

Bharatanātyam Performance

Terms and Conditions

  • No cancellations, exchanges, or refunds.
  • Every attendee must get a ticket.
  • A virtual event ticket allows a single connection from a single device. When multiple connections are detected, all previous connections will be automatically terminated.
  • Virtual events may be geo-coded. It is your responsibility to get the ticket appropriate for your location.
  • Replay may be available. It is your responsibility to check the replay terms for your ticket — replay availability period and the number of hours you have to finish watching once you start the replay.

Health Policy

None of the sessions in this festival are a substitute for any kind of therapy.

Hariprasad Varma

Founder, Zensei & Yogaśāla

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  • Rāga Yōga - Exploring Varsha Ṛtu 1:30 – 2:30 PM (IST)
  • Rāga Yoga - Antarnaad 2:30 – 3:30 PM (IST)
  • Rāga Yoga - Navarasa Exploration 3:45 – 4:45 PM (IST)

Hariprasad Varma is the founder of Zensei & Yogaśāla. He is an internationally accredited Transformation Coach, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and Flow Game facilitator, IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist, Applied Theatre practitioner. He is also pursuing an internship in Process Work and is an intermediate level student of Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training program by Somatic Experiencing International.

Hari grew up with a strong foundation and orientation in Indian Knowledge System (IKS). He began his journey into the IKS world as a teenager with Chinmaya Mission, learning and exploring practical applications of ideas from Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita in daily living.

Later, he left a successful career in the corporate world to pursue his passion for Yoga and Coaching, undertaking deeper study into Yoga in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar under the guidance of Smt. Saraswati Vasudevan of YogaVahini, Chennai.He continued his study and practice of Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtrās and Antaraṅga Yoga under the guidance of Sri Raghu Ananthanarayanan and the Sangha at the Ritambhara Ashram since 2017.

Hari is passionate about exploring the inter-sectionality of inner work through Yoga with classical music, arts, theatre, and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and Flow Game. He designed the Leela workshop series exploring ideas from Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtrās through the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, he began his explorations into the rāgās of Indian classical music, navarasās in the Indian classical dance tradition, and Antaraṅga Yoga. This led to the initiation of a pilot program of Antarnaad with Ashlesha Shintre in May 2020, and into the evolution of the Rāga Yoga series of workshops and retreats in collaboration with Shruti Bode and Aarti Sivakumar from September 2020 onwards. Over the past five years, he has curated numerous online Rāga Yoga workshops and four Rāga Yoga retreats with Shruti and Aarti in Goa (2021), Bir Billing (2021), Dharamkot (2022), and Bangalore (2024). Hari also co-authored a paper on Rāga Yoga with Shruti Bode which was selected for publication in the annual research journal of Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF), Cochin.

Rāga Yoga Festival is a humble initiative initiated as a step toward bringing together experts in the field of music therapy and yoga to spread awareness of the immense healing potential of these two Indian Knowledge Traditions.

Rajam Shanker

Founder, Rajam's Gurukulam

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  • The Healing Power of Rāgās 10:30 – 11:15 AM (IST)

Kalāsārathi, Āchārya Ratna, Vidushi Rajam Shanker (born 1952) is an experienced Indian Classical Music Therapist and Instructor. For over 25 years, she has collaborated with medical and rehabilitation professionals and institutions, working specifically with Autism Spectrum, Neuro-Developmental Disabilities, and Curative Education for children and adults.

She has researched indigenous rāga-chikitsa protocols and employed the traditional nādānusandhāna practice, which uses classical music elements to create scientifically validated, personalized music therapy interventions.

These protocols have been customised for thousands of clients across Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and multiple other locations. In addition to her therapy work, she has trained many intern therapists, musically inclined mothers, caregivers, and special educators. Her unique intervention methods have drawn interest from therapists worldwide.

Vidushi Rajam Shanker holds diplomas in Applied Psychology and Counselling, as well as a Master’s in Vedic Astrology, which she researches as a tool for medical evaluation and diagnosis. She is a Life Member of the NADA Centre for Music Therapy & Research India, and has been affiliated with the Indian Music Therapy Association (IMTA), World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT), and the International Association for Music & Medicine (IAMM). She is actively engaged with music therapy professionals and organisations both in India and internationally.

With over 40 years of experience, Rajam Shanker has uniquely combined her deep knowledge of Carnatic classical music and its therapeutic properties to pioneer Indian Classical Music Therapy. Her self-published hardcover book, The Healing Power of Indian Ragas – Personal Experiences of Ragas Applied in Music Therapy, is now in its third edition, with over 2,500 copies sold and multiple Kindle downloads. The book offers a comprehensive introduction to Indian Classical Music Therapy, featuring detailed illustrations on the Ragas-Chakras relationship, central to her nādānusandhāna practice. This method involves evoking responses from the body’s energy centres to promote healing and wellness.

Hamsini M. Murthy

Music Therapist, Rajam's Gurukulam

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  • Understanding Music Therapy Through Elements, Energies & Emotions 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (IST)

Hamsini Murthy accompanies her mother, Vidushi Rajam Shanker, in facilitating the course on the Healing Power of Indian Rāgās. She brings two decades of experience as a school administrator to create a seamless online learning experience. She ensures that her mother’s vast knowledge and unique methodology in Music Therapy are conveyed in a structured, accessible, and engaging manner through vibrant, easy-to-understand presentations and assignments.

With many years of experience in Martial Arts and Yoga, Hamsini enriches the course by integrating yōga āsanās, prāṇāyāma, mantrās, and mudras, helping students discover new connections between movement, breath, sound, and healing. This holistic approach allows participants to explore diverse methodologies that complement Music Therapy in addressing physical and emotional well-being.

Shruti Bode

Hindustani Musician & Teacher, Indian Music Experience, Bangalore

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  • Rāga Yōga - Exploring Varsha Ṛtu 1:30 – 2:30 PM (IST)
  • Musical Performance 4:45 – 5:15 PM (IST)

Shruti is a performing artist and Hindustani classical music teacher based in Bangalore, India. She has been pursuing Hindustani Classical music for over 23 years. Shruti received rigorous training in music from her Gurus Vidushi Vani Hardikar and Late Dr. Bharati Vaishampayan. She has also won many State and National level music competitions. Shruti is a B-high grade artist at All India Radio and has also sung in several prestigious TV shows.

Aarti Sivakumar

Musician, Educator, Voiceover Artist, Facilitator

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  • Rāga Yoga - Navarasa Exploration 3:45 – 4:45 PM (IST)
  • Musical Performance 4:45 – 5:15 PM (IST)

An avid proponent of healthy living, Aarti is primarily a vocal instructor, whose passion is to bring people closer to their voices through better awareness of their body. She believes that anyone can sing, regardless of what age/ natural talent one may start with.

Having been surrounded by music of different genres and languages from a very young age, she tries to borrow from all her musical experiences, be it a Carnatic kriti or a Japanese folk song, in everything she does. She brings those nuances with her when she teaches various genres, in combination with voice culture.

Aarti performs Jazz on stage, when it is not 2020. She also lends her voice to advertisements and has collaborated on many award-winning audio/ films projects. When she’s not doing something with her voice, Aarti loves to experience different cultures and food. You can find out more about her at aartisivakumar.com

Ashlesha Shintre

Founder, Zensei & Yogaśāla

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  • Rāga Yoga - Antarnaad 2:30 – 3:30 PM (IST)

Ashlesha Shintre is a Dagarbani Dhrupad vocalist and an IAYT-certified Yoga therapist. Having trained and practised extensively in both disciplines over more than two decades, she explores the many intersectionalities between the two ancient traditions.

She was awarded the Junior Research Fellowship by the Ministry of Culture to study Dagarbani Dhrupad and was a visiting scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata. She composed music for a Doordarshan film in 2018.

Presently, she teaches one-on-one yoga therapy and music classes. She has also been teaching at a special needs school for the last two years and feels immensely grateful for this path.

Vinay Kulkarni

Founder, ALCHMI, e-Com Elephant & Upadesha Academy

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  • Festival Inauguration 10:00 – 10:30 AM (IST)

Vinay Kulkarni is the Founder & CEO of ALCHMI and e-Com Elephant, with 25+ years of global experience in wellness, e-commerce, and consulting. He holds engineering and business degrees from the University of Mysore and the University of Arizona and has led CXO coaching, business turnarounds, and wellness ventures in the U.S. and India.

Deeply rooted in Indian culture, he leads Sanskritishaala and Sanathani.com, and created the Dharmic Enterprise Framework to promote business as a tool for social good.

His latest ventures include Upadesha Academy (retreats), Darshana Books & Gifts, Samvada Bistro, and Shastra Research Lab, blending tradition, strategy, and innovation.

Charumathy Shankar

Fine Music Therapist

  • Understanding Music Therapy Through Elements, Energies and Emotions.experiential 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (IST)

Charumathy Shankar is a Fine Music therapist who has a very good understanding of ragas and how they help in healing. Trained in both Carnatic and Hindustani Sugam Sangeet she always believed in the healing powers of music. She was blessed to find Acharya Ratna Vidhushi Smt. Rajam Shanker who gracefully accepted her as her disciple and she has been learning therapy under her for many years.

Charumathy has been working on Autistic children with ragas and has helped them improve a lot in their abilities. For her recent autistic kid, the child has reduced her problem of Echolalia to almost Nil and has improved a lot in her understanding skills and mathematics through her therapy. She has designed a program called “Kokhiladhwani” for corporates, in which she helps in performance enhancement and stress relief of employees through the therapeutic effects of Ragas.

Trained in Classical music from her age of 3, Charumathy’s Sangeeta Gurus are Smt. Pitchammal, Smt. Rajalakshmi Padmanabhan (Coimbatore), Guru.Smt.T.R.Balamani (Mumbai) and now Smt.Ranjani Chander(Chennai). She has also learnt Marathi Bhakthi geet from Shri.Madhusudhan Kulkarni, Pune. Charumathy is an AIR Artiste, in Youth category. She has won various contests and has performed in various prestigious sabhas which includes Chembur Fine Arts Mumbai and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore.

Apart from teaching music for more than 30 years, She has sung in various devotional albums available in Youtube. She has sung some songs in Tamil and Kannada films and has performed in the prestigious Kappa TV, Music Mojo programs. She has a music band called Voice Virus, through which she entertains people with her lovely voice. Being a regular meditator and in spiritual path, she wants to help more and more people through her God gifted voice and her Music therapy skills.

Anika Kulkarni

Bharatanātyam Dancer

  • Bharatanātyam Performance

Kumari Anika Vinay Kulkarni, whose name “Anika” (अनीका) means “splendor” and is another name for Goddess Durga, began her journey in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of four. Her initial training was at the esteemed Abhinava School of Dance, founded by the celebrated dance couple Nirupama & Rajendra. At age six, she came under the mentorship of her present Guru, Smt. Samhitha Raj, at Nritya Samhitha Academy, where her learning deepened through years of dedicated practice, discipline, and love for the art.

Anika’s performances are noted for their grace, emotional depth, and precise expressions—qualities nurtured by her unwavering focus and artistic sensibility. She has also pursued Karnataka Shastriya Sangeeta training under Guru Smt. Bhanumathy Iyengar, further enriching her understanding of classical rhythm and melody.

She has successfully completed all four levels of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya examinations and passed her Junior Bharatanatya Examination with distinction under the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board.

Anika’s talent and dedication have been recognized with numerous accolades, including:

  • Bala Ratna 2025 Award by TSAL and the American Institute of Culture and Management
  • Natyashree Award from Kala Mandapam at the All-India Classical Dance Festival (Season 2)
  • Natyakala Sharade Award at the Natyakala Sangama Dance Festival 2022

 

She has consistently secured top prizes at state-level competitions and community celebrations such as Ganesh Utsav.

Anika has taken on significant roles in thematic dance dramas choreographed by Nritya Samhitha Academy, including:

  • Shiva in Ganesha Janma Katha
  • Mahishasura in Mahishasura Mardhini


She has performed at several esteemed cultural venues and events, including:

  • Royal Club Events
  • AMR Foundation
  • Vasavi Trust
  • YSC – Rotary Club of Bengaluru
  • Dodda Ganapati Temple
  • Sanskriti Sourabha Trust
  • ⁠Sri Vidya Ganapati Seva Trust
  • Sri Guru Raghavendra Swami Trust
  • Taluku Vishwakarma Samaja
  • Sri Kalikamba Devi Temple
  • Rama Mandira
  • Hornadu Annapoorneshwari Mandira
  • ⁠Kanikaparameshwari Mandira
  • ⁠Raghavendra Swamy Mandira
  • And several other prestigious temples and cultural programmes


Anika is currently transitioning to homeschooling to further pursue and deepen her artistic interests.

Beyond dance and music, she has a wide range of interests including baking, cooking, crochet, painting, badminton, basketball, and is also an avid reader—reflecting her vibrant, curious, and well-rounded personality.

With quiet strength, artistic integrity, and an unyielding passion for Bharatanatyam, Anika continues to blossom as a promising young artist—a proud torchbearer of India’s rich classical dance tradition.