Aparna Shivapura in conversation with Dr Geetha Bhat.
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Dr Geetha Bhat, is a musician, musicologist, Music Therapist, Writer, Researcher, Pioneer and Connoisseur, working tirelessly for the cause of mentally challenged children using Carnatic Classic Music.
It is an Institution set up to build awareness and promotion of fine arts towards holistic health and enriching the society especially amongst the youth. The cause demonstrates the significance and advantages of classical music and its therapeutic effects on various types of disorders.
Dr Geetha says, “the challenge is greater during Covid19 times because the movement of the afflicted children and their families is restricted. Most of our initiatives involves a face-face or 1-1 interaction, wherein I teach music to ensure they are calm and relaxed. In addition, there are many children and families below poverty line who cannot even afford a computer to access the online classes. There are multi-dimensional challenges, and we have to innovate solutions on-the-go.”
She has initiated a program called ‘Karuna’, wherein she performs different concepts and healing ragas for the family and the afflicted children. This ensures there is something in store for the family to bond and watch together, also creating a platform for learning for the children.
She has also been leading the path in the Covid-times by providing learning material, slide show content, teaching and visual aids so they can be used to their advantage. This is a segment of individuals and families who are far more stressed, challenged and require assistance at every stage. Carnatic Classical Music plays a phenomenal role in aiding healing here.
She has been adopting relaxation techniques, by making ‘progressive connections,’ with her patients, and their families. Using music, she tries to build deep and intensive coping mechanisms. There is a blend of Classical Music, Yoga, Meditation, Comedy and Conversations which delivers the ‘internal medicine’ for these children.
In addition, she also has to empower the family and the entire ecosystem surrounding the patient to ensure, there is no disturbance and the healing is effective. Most often, it is a harsh reality that the fathers abandon the family and the child is left with the mother. The mother goes through tremendous pressures especially dealing with children in the age of 12 – 24. She is designing exclusive programs for such mothers, as coping techniques.
Music Therapy uses all forms of rhythm, tala, beats, and patterns to induce relaxation and calmness in the individual. The classes also drive initiatives in developing concentration, focus and enhancing attention span in them. With dedicated and rigorous practice sessions included, this can definitely calm the continuously and aggressively disturbed mind, especially of younger children.
The Hamsakutira Foundation is doing yeoman’s service in this regard and requires worldwide support to sustain this initiative. They use Music Therapy to address the psychological and emotional needs of the children. “Music therapy is based on the understanding that the ability to respond to music is an inborn quality in all human beings. This ability usually remains unimpaired by impairments, injury or illness and is not dependent on musical training. In music therapy we work to achieve therapeutic aims by developing a musical relationship where emotions and thoughts can be expressed,” Dr Geetha says in Hamsakutira.
For more details on the initiatives, please visit http://www.hamsakutira.in/
There is not enough time, resources and methodologies to expediate this great humanitarian effort. There is far more support and backing required for this to be successful. More musicians need to come forward and teach the children with special needs. They need more music classes, more music sessions and healing. One music session, one music teacher and one raga will NOT suffice. The entire music fraternity needs to come forward to support challenged children, for whom, a few minutes of support ‘musically’ will make a valuable difference.
Aparna Shivapura in conversation with Dr Geetha Bhat.
---------------------------------------------------------
Dr Geetha Bhat, is a musician, musicologist, Music Therapist, Writer, Researcher, Pioneer and Connoisseur, working tirelessly for the cause of mentally challenged children using Carnatic Classic Music.
It is an Institution set up to build awareness and promotion of fine arts towards holistic health and enriching the society especially amongst the youth. The cause demonstrates the significance and advantages of classical music and its therapeutic effects on various types of disorders.
Dr Geetha says, “the challenge is greater during Covid19 times because the movement of the afflicted children and their families is restricted. Most of our initiatives involves a face-face or 1-1 interaction, wherein I teach music to ensure they are calm and relaxed. In addition, there are many children and families below poverty line who cannot even afford a computer to access the online classes. There are multi-dimensional challenges, and we have to innovate solutions on-the-go.”
She has initiated a program called ‘Karuna’, wherein she performs different concepts and healing ragas for the family and the afflicted children. This ensures there is something in store for the family to bond and watch together, also creating a platform for learning for the children.
She has also been leading the path in the Covid-times by providing learning material, slide show content, teaching and visual aids so they can be used to their advantage. This is a segment of individuals and families who are far more stressed, challenged and require assistance at every stage. Carnatic Classical Music plays a phenomenal role in aiding healing here.
She has been adopting relaxation techniques, by making ‘progressive connections,’ with her patients, and their families. Using music, she tries to build deep and intensive coping mechanisms. There is a blend of Classical Music, Yoga, Meditation, Comedy and Conversations which delivers the ‘internal medicine’ for these children.
In addition, she also has to empower the family and the entire ecosystem surrounding the patient to ensure, there is no disturbance and the healing is effective. Most often, it is a harsh reality that the fathers abandon the family and the child is left with the mother. The mother goes through tremendous pressures especially dealing with children in the age of 12 – 24. She is designing exclusive programs for such mothers, as coping techniques.
Music Therapy uses all forms of rhythm, tala, beats, and patterns to induce relaxation and calmness in the individual. The classes also drive initiatives in developing concentration, focus and enhancing attention span in them. With dedicated and rigorous practice sessions included, this can definitely calm the continuously and aggressively disturbed mind, especially of younger children.
The Hamsakutira Foundation is doing yeoman’s service in this regard and requires worldwide support to sustain this initiative. They use Music Therapy to address the psychological and emotional needs of the children. “Music therapy is based on the understanding that the ability to respond to music is an inborn quality in all human beings. This ability usually remains unimpaired by impairments, injury or illness and is not dependent on musical training. In music therapy we work to achieve therapeutic aims by developing a musical relationship where emotions and thoughts can be expressed,” Dr Geetha says in Hamsakutira.
For more details on the initiatives, please visit http://www.hamsakutira.in/
There is not enough time, resources and methodologies to expediate this great humanitarian effort. There is far more support and backing required for this to be successful. More musicians need to come forward and teach the children with special needs. They need more music classes, more music sessions and healing. One music session, one music teacher and one raga will NOT suffice. The entire music fraternity needs to come forward to support challenged children, for whom, a few minutes of support ‘musically’ will make a valuable difference.