Ishanya at Indian Music Experience

Music has been known to be the biggest contributor to the way our neurons work. From firing fast while listening to an upbeat song like Natu Natu or Maari, to making one feel calm and happy when a song like Kesariya or Jhoom starts playing. Then there are songs sung with the traditional carnatic raga, and others with only instrumental tunes of the veena, tabla, guitar or drums. All these notes, tunes, and beats create a neural network which facilitates a total cognitive workout. From helping one de-stress to getting a good night’s sleep,reduction in blood pressure as well as anxiety, and most importantly mental alertness and memory, the benefits of music for the mind can be large scale and wholesome. Keeping these factors in mind, regular exposure to music is a part of the day-to-day activities for all students and educators at Ishanya.?

To experience music on a more practical basis, some of our students along with the educators, went for an experiential visit to the Indian Music Experience museum. IME is the first interactive music museum in India and is located in Bangalore itself.?

Under their Project Svaritha, an outreach program that focuses on providing an interactive and educational tour to neurodivergent individuals and individuals from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, we were hosted by IME on a Friday morning. The introductory session was an icebreaker activity where the students interacted with the volunteers, and a brief introduction about the museum was given. The tour was expected to be at least 3 hours long, and students were provided with healthy and natural refreshments beforehand. Once recharged, we were all taken outside and the tour started at the Sound Garden. Humming stones, musical pillars and sound-vibration flowers were the highlights of this space, and each of us got a chance to try out the displays. We then moved back indoors and were given a short introduction about how music and emotions go hand in hand. Next to that was a space which was a visual and auditory treat for all. An immersive screen spanning across 180 degrees showed a 7-minute-long animated clip about music, varieties, and sound in general. Following this, we were led through different galleries - contemporary like rock and roll, Sufi, artists from the past, songs of the people, the evolution of music from the black and white era till now, and a gallery displaying different gadgets that have been used to play music over the years. All these exhibitions were interactive, with booths where visitors could put on headphones and stream a song or two of their choice. We finally ended the tour with an impromptu quiz in the musical instrument gallery. The knowledge and awareness of the students about instruments and prominent singers was a fresh surprise for everyone.

It was an auditorily pleasing experience for us all. This integration of auditory, visual and tactile experiences left the students, educators, and parent volunteers to be filled with a childlike curiosity when interacting with the different exhibits. We also came to know about our students’ varied interests in the field of music, and hopefully, the visit has motivated them to go ahead with their passions.?

Author: Nivedita Borkakoty, Program Associate/Educator