Kamakshi Khurana and Vishala Khurana, sisters, are also the young founders of ‘The Sound Space’, an entrepreneurial venture that uses the power of sound in different forms to offer therapeutic treatment to people with different needs.
How was the idea of The Sound Space born?
Kamakshi: From my teenage years I always knew I wanted to use my music knowledge and passion for music in a different way. Further studies in Music and Psychology helped me develop the concept of The Sound Space.
Did any research precede the setting up of The Sound Space? Tell us more about it.
Vishala: Our in-depth study of music and its effects on humans have been an on-going effort for the past eight years. We studied the chakras and their responsiveness to sound, after which we researched on music therapy and conducted several experiments on adults and children.
The following questions have been answered by both Kamakshi and Vishala.
I understand that your parents are also closely involved in this work. What’s the role that they have played in your journey thus far including the setting up of this initiative?
Our Father Harendra Khurana has been in this field for the past 35 years. It is his expertise and knowledge that inspired us to set up The Sound Space. Our mother Rajni Khurana was the driving force behind the administration of the concept.
On a personal note, what does music mean to you? What type(s) of music do you listen to? Who are your favorites?
Music is our way of life. We listen to absolutely all kinds of music. As our study is Indian classical music, we listen to almost all the maestros. We also like to be in touch with commercial music, Sonu Nigam being our most favourite.
Do specific instruments help in treating particular ailments? Could you give us some instances?
Definitely! String instruments are related to the water element of the body thus influencing the emotional imbalances in the body. Percussion instruments help enhance concentration and regulation ,.and therefore are used to help treat depression. Similarly, different instruments affect different areas of the human body.
You have something called the ‘Chakra Alignment and Awareness’ workshop. What is that all about? What does this therapy aim to cure?
When the chakras are aligned, the body is in a state of well-being. This module is designed to help align the chakras with the power of sound. Each chakra responds to a different vowel sound sung in a particular pitch. It aims to help one experience a sense of wholeness and stability.
Are there some simple music-related therapies that can be done at home? Can you share some of them?
Chanting is extremely beneficial. Humming sends vibrations to the brain that help both sides of the brain to work in coordination, thus enhancing concentration.
If I am not wrong, you have been doing workshops primarily in Mumbai. Do you plan to have workshops in other Indian cities too?
Yes, we are planning to do workshops in other cities too. We are likely to start that in another six months. Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune are some of the cities we are planning to cover.
Innovation is the name of the game in any venture. In a field like yours, what are the measures you take to constantly innovate?
Updating ourselves with new studies is one way that we try to innovate. The experience of working with different people and constant research help in developing new ideas.
You work with people in all age groups – from children to adults. Who do you think are most receptive (in terms of the promptness of response) to your treatment? How long does it usually take for someone to start responding to your therapy?
Each person has their own degree of reception. We find working with children very fulfilling. On an average, a person will begin to see an effect after three sessions.
Do you give therapeutic treatment for differently-abled children and adults, particularly Downs’ Syndrome and autistic persons? Does treating differently-abled people require a different approach?
Yes, we do treat differently-abled persons. With them, each person is given an individually designed treatment based on his or her specific need.
When you look back at your journey so far, how do you feel? What are the future plans for The Sound Space?
The journey has just begun and it has given us insight into music therapy and its effects on people. As for our future plans, we would like to reach out to as many people as possible and introduce them to the power of sound.