Bhavanis Prasannalaya

This has been a fascinating journey that began in 2021- a journey fuelled by a deep love for Tamil language and an immense passion for reading and writing the language. To be honest when I started, I had plenty of enthusiasm but very little technical knowledge. However thanks to great opportunities and the right guidance, the journey has been truly wonderful.
During the lockdown I had the chance to learn various technical skills. Online zoom classes were one such discovery. Just as I loved those sessions, I grew to love my audio recording sessions as well.
Now moving from 2021 to the end of 2025, I have completed 13 audio books.
Each book was unique and equally engaging. Narrating to suit various characters was a challenging experience. Attempting to bring out emotions like happiness, sadness and longing through my voice was an incredible process.
I felt a great sense of pride while reading the works of literary legends like Kalki, Na Parthasarathi and Anuradha Ramanan. Similarly reading the books by contemporary writers such as Sudhakar Kasturi, Sathyapriyan, Haran Prasanna, Vidya Subramanian and Jayaraman Raghunathan filled me with immense energy. The appreciation that I received from the authors Sudhakar Kasturi and Sathya Priyan provided me with so much encouragement.
My heartfelt thanks go to two people who have been instrumental in making this journey so beautiful, Sri Srinivasa and K S Raja.
I also extend my sincere gratitude to Pustaka Digital Media and Aurality.

It was a beautiful, cold Sunday morning in Delhi today. When I went to the balcony for coffee, the bench was very chilly. Rehearsals for the upcoming Bhavanis Prasannalaya Dance School Annual Day event start at 10:30 AM. In this cold weather, all the children would arrive rubbing their hands together, wearing sweaters, jackets, and socks.
I decided that ladies' finger stir-fry, small onion vathal kuzhambu, tomato rasam, and dal for mixing with rice would be wonderful for this cold weather.
I quickly finished cooking. In the fridge, I spotted loose corn kernels. I sautéed capsicum, tomato, and onion, and added them to the corn. Sandwiches were ready. The rehearsal would last for two hours; sandwiches were necessary to tide us over until then. As the children began to arrive, I went downstairs with a light shawl. The dance studio was warm and cozy.
As the pages of the script notebook were turned, various stories began to unfold before my eyes. The songs sung by Purandaradasa, Tyagaraja, and Papanasam Sivan provided a strong backdrop to the stories. In between, jathis and korvais flowed like a fountain of enthusiasm, creating a wonderful feeling.
Initially, I had a great deal of fear about how much the children would grasp the essence of the theme I had chosen. But when teaching them, the questions that poured toward me from the children and the exchange of ideas truly amazed me.
Here it is, the dance drama "Navadha Bhakti" (Nine Forms of Devotion), which is going to be staged in just eleven days...
Looking forward to all your blessings...
Bhavani Anantharaman

Navaratri is considered a period of profound spiritual awakening because it encourages self-reflection, inner transformation, and a connection with the divine feminine energy (Shakti) within. This process allows individuals to align with their true inner selves, overcome inner struggles, and cultivate qualities of strength, wisdom, and love, fostering holistic well-being and inner peace.
Tomorrow I shall be presenting Tamil keerthanams of history's most celebrated composers like Papanasam Sivan, Anayampatti AdhiSesha Iyer, to name a few.
Cordially inviting the rasikas.

I believe that the future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways. Conducting online classes was one such skill that I learnt during the pandemic. I realised that this mode of teaching demanded more commitment and discipline from both the teacher and the student. Avani Locharla had her initial training of four years from me in Delhi NCR. Her parents had to move to Mumbai. Therefore she has to continue her classes online. There were hiccups. Both of us tried not to let these disruptions get in the way of our enjoying all of the beautiful things associated with this beautiful artform.
Here she is, ready to present her Arangetram on Saturday, 24/5/25, at Triveni Kala Sangam Mandi House New Delhi.
Seeking your presence and blessings.
Regards