Sapta Svara: Discovering the Rhythm of Life

SaptaSvara, curated and created by Raghu Ananthanarayanan and Sashikala Ananth, cofounders of Ritambhara Ashram, is a metaphor for the seven key values and practices that can provide the foundation for a meaningful life grounded in joyous wonder and fulfilment. Over the last two decades, Sashi and Raghu have offered the practice of SaptaSvara to several seekers, yoga practitioners, people from diverse backgrounds, institutions, and business organisations.

The fictional narrative of the book is a contemplative conversation between the two protagonists – Ramya and Bharat, and their inner journeys, which grounds the narrative framework svara by svara. The narrative unfolds as a seamless conversation between the two characters through their internal reflections and sharing of their contextual reality, and the core of each Svara is explored through conversations.

Raghu Ananthanarayanan, Dr Nandini Murali and Ankush Vij, the authors of SaptaSvara: Discovering the rhythm of life, are SaptaSvara practitioners. They bring together a self-reflective and contemplative conversation between two characters as they explore the SaptaSvara and embrace the struggles and challenges in their quest for a meaningful life in a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA).

Both characters are on an exploratory quest. Their free, frank and fearless conversations are like that between two best friends in the true sense of the term. This deep engagement enables “sticky” issues to surface. Each of the characters is a mirror that reflects the other and in the process enables them to “see” each oneself completely—warts and all—perhaps for the first time.

Ramya and Bharat are metaphors for the light and shadow aspects of the psyche. In a mature psyche, both light and shadow are complementary and integrated. It is an invitation to experiment with oneself and delve into the depths of the invisible, the unarticulated, and the disowned parts of oneself by confronting the disowned “other.”

Raghu Ananthanarayanan, a disciple of Yogācārya Śrī Krishnamacharya and Śrī TKV Desikachar, spent over a decade immersed in Yoga Śāstras. With an engineering background from IIT Madras, Raghu's journey has been enriched by his association with J. Krishnamurti and Prof. Pulin K. Garg (IIM Ahmedabad). He has pioneered a unique framework called "Citta Vidya," integrating insights from Yoga, behavioural sciences, theatre, and dance to foster personal growth and organizational transformation. His model, the "Tensegrity Mandala," has been implemented widely, combining traditional theatre and the Mahabharata to create impactful experiences in leadership and coaching. With nearly four decades dedicated to transforming organizational cultures, Raghu has influenced entities from grassroots organizations to modern corporations.

His publications include Learning Through Yoga, Antaranga Yoga: The Foundation of Indian Psychology, The Totally Aligned Organization, Leadership Dharma, and Organizational Development and Alignment: The Tensegrity Mandala. As Director of the Centre for Citta Vidya and Indian Psychology, Raghu collaborates with the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore. Alongside his wife, Sashi, an architect rooted in the Vaastu tradition, he serves as a mentor at Ritambhara Ashram in the Nilgiris, guiding individuals on a Dharmik journey.

Dr. Nandini Murali is an author, seeker, and dreamer whose work spans fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Grounded in both Modern and Indic psychology, Dr. Murali brings a unique depth to her explorations of the human psyche, drawing from contemporary insights and ancient Indic knowledge systems. A practising Sri Vaishnavite, she approaches her scholarship and writing as a personal sva-dharma-a dedicated path to reclaiming the wisdom of Indic knowledge traditions. This quest is supported by her daily sādhanā, which she views as essential practices for nurturing inner clarity, resilience and creative expression.

Passionate about decolonizing Indic traditions, Dr. Murali envisions her work as a bridge between worlds-traditional and modern, spiritual and empirical. Her translations, including a signature edition of the Śrimad Bhagavad Gītā (2015), strive to make age-old teachings accessible to modern seekers. Holding a doctorate in Gender Studies, she is actively engaged in the field of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, weaving insights from Indic thought into her advocacy. Dr. Murali's journey as a writer is a deep calling, one that she honours with purpose, discipline, and reverence for the wisdom that guides her path.

Ankush Vij, a Chartered Accountant with over two decades in consulting and transaction advisory, turned to yoga in 2017 for personal healing and transformation under Raghu's guidance. Deeply impacted by the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras, along with insights from the Upaniṣads and Mahabharata, Ankush committed to three years of Vedanta (Prasthāna Trayam) and Sanskrit studies within the guru-śiṣya tradition. He then pursued a five-year study of the Yoga Sūtras with Raghu and senior teachers in the Śrī Krishnamacharya lineage.

A member of Ritambhara's Acharya Sangha (RASA), Ankush remains dedicated to deepening his practice of Yoga, Vedanta, and their applications for personal and organizational development. He believes that self-knowledge arises within a systemic context, a perspective that aligns his inner purpose with his life's pursuits-his true raison d'être.