Center for Soft Power

Connecting India to the world • Documenting Indian Culture across the globe | An @IndicaOrg initiative

[Arunima Gupta @ArunimaGupta03]

When PM @narendramodi visited Japan, he was greeted with a Marwadi bhajan by Madhu, a Japanese artist devoted to Rajasthani folk. Here’s my interview with Madhu on her incredible journey of discovery and dedication.

@IndicaOrg @AmbSibiGeorge @BlueKraft

https://t.co/qr0g8lmHVD

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

Tatwa‑Tantu: The Sacred Thread of Reality

📅 September 6-12, 2025 | 📍 Vaidyagrama, Coimbatore, India

Join the Retreat for 6 transformative days where the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda meets the beauty of temple arts, sacred music, Vedic chanting, and the silent language of Pancha Bhutas — earth, water, fire, air, and space.

🕉️ Guided by masters in Ayurveda, Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, ritual, and Sanskrit

Tatwa‑Tantu is a sacred experience of living the interconnectedness of all life.

💫 What to expect:
– Daily reflections from Ancient Indian Knowledge Systems
– Immersive sessions with Artists, Vaidyas, Scholars & Seekers
– Quiet time in nature for integration and healing
– A celebration of art as healing and healing as art

Come be part of a vibrant community that honors embodiment, ecology, and inner awakening. ���

🔗 Register now at https://t.co/GxlbIT0Ka3

Vijayalakshmi Vijayakumar - Director @vijayalakshmiVK , Centre for Soft Power @IndicaSoftPower has curated the Retreat and is one of the faculty members along with Dr. Vinayachandra BK @aurovinaya - Director, Centre for Yoga @YogaIndica .

#TatwaTantu2025 #Vaidyagrama #Ayurveda #IndianKnowledgeSystems #SacredArts #HealingThroughTradition #PanchaBhutas #AyurvedaConference #SpiritualRetreat #TatwaTantu @SaamaanyaJ @dimplekaul_in @AparnaMSridhar @Sai_swaroopa @vaidyagrama @PunarnavaGroup

[Arunima Gupta @ArunimaGupta03]

Spent a beautiful morning celebrating the International Day of Yoga with @CGISFO. Heartwarming to see people of all ages come together, connecting with themselves and embracing India’s yoga heritage. #YogaDay #OneEarthOneHealth

@IndiasporaForum
@IndiaCurrents @IndicaSoftPower

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

INDICA is pleased to announce the release of a new Anthology

Gods in Exile

Curated by Avatans Kumar @avatans

This anthology of short stories draws inspiration from the historical accounts presented in Meenakshi Jain’s @IndicMeenakshi Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples, tracing the Hindu response to the destruction of temples and desecration of their deities during periods of Islamic conquest.

Each story captures moments of quiet resilience and bold defiance—acts of devotion, courage, and cultural preservation in the face of profound loss. For centuries, the devastation of temples and mutilation of deities have left a deep, transgenerational wound in the Hindu psyche—a trauma that has only recently begun to be acknowledged in mainstream historical narratives.

Cantered on the themes of dharmic resistance and spiritual endurance, the anthology honours the efforts of rulers, communities, and individuals who fought to protect, reclaim, and rebuild their sacred spaces. In doing so, it offers a deeper understanding of the cultural and emotional weight these events continue to carry.

#GodsInExile #Anthology #HinduHeritage #TempleDesecration #DharmicResistance #SpiritualEndurance #CulturalPreservation #HinduPsyche #HistoricalNarratives #BookRelease #IndicaPublications #IndicaBooks @SaamaanyaJ @nagaraj_paturi @dimplekaul_in @yoginisd @aurovinaya @nkgrock @AparnaMSridhar @PKaipa @SaiSambat @Sai_swaroopa @AbhinavAgarwal @vijayalakshmiVK @blogsophist @advaitaacademy @indicatoday @YogaIndica @IndicaBooks @IndicaPictures @vipulkocher @SVOjha @zeneraalstuff @indiancatch22 @sanatanrasik @daminijosh @IndicaSoftPower @BluOneInk

[Center for Soft Power @IndicaSoftPower]

Deeply saddened by the passing of Joseph Nye, who coined the term ‘Soft Power’. In an interview with @AparnaMSridhar, he said that India’s soft power story is ancient…and still unfolding.

Om Shanti 🙏

@IndicaOrg @MinOfCultureGoI

https://t.co/sdRDdKOND0

[Aparna M Sridhar @AparnaMSridhar]

https://t.co/zGCuSEZGAF

Travel of Ayurveda Beyond Bharat's Borders

@IndicaSoftPower @IndicaOrg @vaidyagrama @VarshaVRaman @ArunimaGupta03 @vijayalakshmiVK @moayush

#Ayurveda #Travel #medicine #Healing

[Aparna M Sridhar @AparnaMSridhar]

Sessions on Yogasutra and satsang at Aalst, Belgium yesterday. Led by Shri Vinayachandra Banavathy. With him is Narayan/ Josef Kiekens. Read his interview here: https://t.co/UZWlbcpaKc

@IndicaOrg @IndicaSoftPower @YogaIndica #Yoga #West #Gurus #TravelofIdeas #Mantra #Meditate

[Center for Soft Power @IndicaSoftPower]

On #NationalTextileDay, @ArunimaGupta03 writes about #Ikat's unique journey and popularity across Southeast Asia. This is a testament to our crafts’ timeless appeal and global reach.

@SaamaanyaJ @subhash_kak @AparnaMSridhar @IndicaOrg @vijayalakshmiVK

https://t.co/JRRYi2bzsa

[Arunima Gupta @ArunimaGupta03]

From folktales to motifs, Indian ikats have profoundly influenced textile traditions in Southeast Asia. I write about these connections based on my visit to @GWTextileMuseum.

@IndicaSoftPower @IndicaOrg @AparnaMSridhar

https://t.co/f6PBXkn3Gq

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

Ikat: The Common Thread of Indo-Southeast Textiles

From the Patan Patola sarees of Gujarat to the Pochampalli of Telangana to the Sambhalpuri of Odisha, Ikat has carved a niche in the textile traditions of India.

One of the earliest evidence of this tye-and-dye craft comes from the #Murals of #Ajanta dating almost a thousand years ago.

The popularity and uniqueness of Ikat can be attributed to the meticulous process, in which resist is applied to the yarn before it is dyed and then woven.

This results in the ‘blurriness,’ around the motifs and geometric patterns woven into the garment, making it a distinctive feature of #Ikat weaves.

The threads of Ikat have also woven communities and cultures together since ancient times. Ikat from India travelled far and wide to Southeast Asia, influencing weaving patterns in the region as well as determining trade and commerce. It is also possible that Ikat weaves and craftsmanship travelled west to Egypt, Central Asia and West Asia via the Western trade routes.

A recent exhibition at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, Washington DC, titled ‘Irresistible: The Global Patterns of Ikat’ offers insights into Ikat’s sociocultural, creative and economic importance. While the exhibits included Ikats from Guatemala, Africa, Turkey, Greece, Uzbekistan, China, Japan and a few other countries, it is Ikats from Southeast Asia that found the closest resemblance to India.

In Indonesia, imported Indian Ikat became a priced commodity during colonial rule when the Dutch East Indies company traded Ikats in exchange for spices. However, the trade of textiles by merchants and the accompanying knowledge of design, weaving, dying etc was possibly prevalent even in pre-colonial times, given the deep civilizational connection between the two countries. Many Indonesian ethnic groups and tribes wove Ikats influenced from India, particularly Gujarat.

Tenganan, in Bali, is the most prominent and the country’s only textile center where double Ikat is woven with some motifs directly borrowed from Patola. Only noblemen and women wore these clothes, especially during sacred ceremonies and festivities.

@ArunimaGupta03 @IndicaSoftPower @AparnaMSridhar #SoftPower

[Center for Soft Power @IndicaSoftPower]

CSPS is excited to bring a series of webinars on the spread of Bharat’s knowledge systems beyond its borders.

We start with the journey of Ayurveda on 27 April at 7pm IST.

@IndicaOrg @SaamaanyaJ @AparnaMSridhar @vijayalakshmiVK

Join us - https://t.co/rC5DwFCm2B

[Aparna M Sridhar @AparnaMSridhar]

Vijaya Ekadasi. Read this piece by @VarshaVRaman https://t.co/1s8gm4SzNo

@IndicaOrg @IndicaSoftPower @ayurveda_tamil @vijayalakshmiVK

#Fasting #SriRama #VijayaEkadashi #Ayurveda #health #seasons

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

Join us on insta live for an interesting session on making #kumkuma with organic turmeric & all things natural, doing alankara to the Devi,chanting suktams, doing Rangoli & more

@IndicaSoftPower @vijayalakshmiVK @AparnaMSridhar
⁩ ⁦

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

Join us on insta live for an interesting session on making #kumkuma with organic turmeric & all things natural, doing alankara to the Devi,chanting suktams, doing Rangoli & more

@IndicaSoftPower @vijayalakshmiVK ⁦⁦@AparnaMSridhar⁩ ⁦

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

Smt @vijayalakshmiVK invites you to 'Kumkuma' this Sunday, March 10th at 8.30 AM IST

@IndicaSoftPower @heritage_blr @AparnaMSridhar @SaamaanyaJ @ArunimaGupta03 @VarshaVRaman

[Indica Yoga @YogaIndica]

Upcoming residential workshop on "Exploring Dimensions of Health & Well-being" by Sri Sridhar Deshmukh, Consultant in Preventive Healthcare and Therapeutic Yoga. Workshop will focus on:
1. Aetiology: Genetic, Environmental, Nutritional, Physiological & Psychological Factors in Health & Disease.
2. Understanding and managing stress
3. Diet & Nutrition: Aspects of Positive Health and Vitality Quotient.
4. Praxis- Exercise modules, Pranayama and other yogic techniques
For more details and registration visit: https://t.co/WqMKIpiBFi

[Aparna M Sridhar @AparnaMSridhar]

Congratulations to world renowned violinsts Mysore Manjunath ji and Naganna (Mysore Nagaraj for the Bharatiya Samagana Matanga award. He spoke to @IndicaOrg on why Indian music is popular all over the world @IndicaSoftPower @iccr_hq

#Indianmusic #ragas #violin

[Center for Soft Power @IndicaSoftPower]

“The Global Music performance/album win is a testament that Raga Music holds a special place not only in Indian culture but also in the broader landscape of global music.”

@RamyaShankar shares her experience of Grammys 2024.

@ZakirHtabla @Rakeshflute

https://t.co/8KQv3xA0kp

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

#GudiyaSambhrama l Bharatanatyam: Be transported to realms of the divine, this Saturday

Venue: Gudda Ramanjaneya Devasthanam, Bengaluru

Join us at this @heritage_blr festival!

@vijayalakshmiVK @IndicaSoftPower @AparnaMSridhar @SaamaanyaJ @VarshaVRaman @ArunimaGupta03

[INDICA @IndicaOrg]

The album As We Speak, featuring musicians Ustad #ZakirHussain, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and #RakeshChaurasia, secured a dual win at the #GRAMMYs in the Best Contemporary Instrumental and Best Global Music Performance categories.

As We Speak (Thirty Tigers) not only showcases the group’s breathtaking abilities as instrumentalists, but underscores the wide range of influences at their command.

Across a dozen songs, the quartet glides easily between the cerebral complexity of Indian rhythm and the gut-level groove of a funky bass line, sounding equally at home with the rigors of #raga.

Weaving a sonic tapestry of banjo, tabla, double bass, and bansuri, these artists convene to make some of the most soulful, fascinating and undefinable music found in today’s world.

Aparna Sridhar (@AparnaMSridhar) had the privilege of speaking to Vidwan Rakesh Chaurasia on this new album and what it means to Indian music

Read the Full Interview: https://t.co/Rb2SEObfjR

#Music #Grammy #ZakirHussain #RakeshChaurasia #SoftPower @IndicaSoftPower