Reaching the Divine Through Song

AHMEDABAD—Khushboo Solanki, a classically trained singer, makes herself comfortable on the floor with her mother in her home in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They cross their legs and sit side by side in their personal sanctuary—a common room in Indian households. Facing them is an eternally nine-month old sacred image of Lord Krishna.

Krishna is a popular incarnation of Vishnu, a Hindu god. For all Hindus, sacred images are manifestations of God and are treated with utmost reverence. They’re worshipped through a variety of rituals, but for Vaishnava singers like Solanki, music is the bridge that connects her to the divine.

Solanki, 24, fiddles with nobs on two small machines on her right, an electronic hand-drum and an electronic drone that accompany her as she sings the sacred songs. To her left, her mother holds a book of devotional music and a pair of hand bells, anxious to start. Once the instruments are tuned, the two sing a slow, peaceful hymn called Baithe Hari Radhe Sang (Krishna Resides With His Beloved Radha). Solanki says this hymn is dedicated to her God, Lord Krishna. She emphasizes that these sacred songs aren’t restricted to musical experts and are rarely sung professionally. “You have to feel this,” she explains. “If you feel this, you will enjoy it a lot.”

Khushboo and Privanaba Solanki sing to their murti or metal image of Lord Krishna in their home in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

One of the three main types of worship in Hinduism is bhakti or devotion. Its Sanskrit root means to participate or share, and in practice, it is widely manifested through art, song and poetry. In line with this form of devotion, Vaishnavas believe that God can be reached through music, specifically through a semi-classical form of Hindustani music called Haveli Sangeet, or temple songs.

On this bright Sunday afternoon, Solanki says this hymn describes a relaxed scene in a forest in Vrindavan, a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. It’s believed to be where Krishna spent much of his youth. Vrindavan houses hundreds of temples dedicated to him and his devotee, Radha. As the singer, Solanki says she’s merely describing what she sees. “You can imagine that I am seeing God right now,” she says. “It’s so beautiful. Love is all around.”

Performing Indian classical music requires tremendous training. Willing and able students master it through the Guru-Shishya, or teacher-disciple tradition. It’s a method used in several disciplines in traditional Indian culture and involves a close, nurturing relationship between the student and teacher. It demands a great amount of time, obedience and respect on the student’s behalf.

Only a few young singers can successfully juggle the responsibility and dedication it takes in today’s world, yet Solanki is one of them. She’s received several accolades in devotional music competitions in India. In addition to spending time with her spiritual and musical gurus, she also works at a software development company in Ahmedabad.

Solanki’s Lord Krishna image, surrounded by silver miniature animals, is dressed, fed, and sung to daily.

As an undergraduate student, Solanki says she juggled her time between classes, assignments, musical lessons (which began as early as five in the morning) and spiritual lessons. A firm believer and devotee, Solanki has had two religious teachers who have guided her spiritually.

Her relationship with her current teacher, Tilak Goswami, is based on the same level of respect she gives her musical teachers. But it’s also very personal and informal. She says she regularly messages Goswami on Facebook or Whatsapp whenever life gets her down. He reminds her of her relationship with Lord Krishna and says that in Krishna’s presence, there is no need to fear or worry.

As follower of Vaishnava bhakti, Solanki practices her religion through a strong, human connection with Lord Krishna. Every room in her home has a touch of devotion. The house’s wooden door is marked with a single model of the elephant-headed Ganesha, a Hindu deity whose images are seen all across India. Framed pictures of Krishna at different stages of his life decorate the walls of the living room.

Solanki’s relationship with Lord Krishna is very personal yet very public. She wears a necklace made of holy basil branches, a sacred plant in Hinduism, at all times. “This is a symbol of marriage between me and God,” Solanki says. Browsing through her Instagram profile, one would mostly come across photos of family, friends and animals. But there are also a handful of images of Lord Krishna. One cartoon depiction of a young Krishna playing his flute is captioned with purple and pink hearts. Another photo shows Solanki’s bejeweled, personal God in his shrine, flute in hand with a caption that reads, “Birthday boy! ☺”

Solanki wears her sacred tulsi-bead necklace at all times.

Solanki says faith is a vital aspect of Indian culture, and her profound faith in Lord Krishna helps her get through life’s most trying moments. “You never give up,” she says. “You feel that God is always with you.”

Solanki is always short on time because she’s always working towards her musical and spiritual aspirations. In 2012, she accompanied her vocal teacher, Krishnadas Nayak, on an instructional album of Vaishnava devotional music. They uploaded it onto YouTube so that anyone online could practice the genre, she says. “I personally believe that my art is not for earning money.” Instead, she’d rather help others find God through the heartfelt songs she grew up singing. “It’s good for people. It’s helpful,” she says.

This summer, Solanki is moving to California to receive a graduate degree in software management at Santa Clara University. She’s aware that it will be a tremendous change, but has no reservations about her spiritual or musical routines. She says she can always Facebook message her spiritual teacher, and will rely on YouTube videos or Skype lessons to continue her vocal training.