Our Visions & Values

Sohamasmi is a word from a shloka in the Ishopanishad, which translates as “I am you“, means as being the same as ‘that’ which is being prayed to, or a part of an indivisible whole. This meaning (the notion of an underlying indivisibility of human experience from the search for its deepest expression of oneness universally) is transferred to our organizations’ core values – Art for the sake of furthering that search, to express one’s creative values in a moral and integral (Dharmic) creative space without the oppressive value systems that today’s ‘Art for entertainment‘ value system imposes on our artistic vision. 

We recognize that both India and Australia have had a long-standing colonized history. This history continues to impact us in today’s time as a form of transgenerational ideological trauma which is seen in the civilizational devaluing of its own arts and their truncated histories. This ideological decolonizing finds home in the expression of “Indic values”. Sohamasmi as an organizational entity holds on to a vision of promoting and propagating Indic based value systems, Politics and Art forms. These stand for a concept of self-assertion and ownership not necessarily by race or ethnicity but by authentic learning and education. 

The pedagogy follows the Gurukul value system. This system values the indivisible bond shared by the teacher and the student, which is not based on hierarchical systems but on a lifelong journey of exchange.  We recognize that Art is used as a tool to chisel the inner personality, to create a bond of mutual growth, artistic excellence that is confident and self-aware. The Gurukul tradition being the only time-tested method where traditional art forms can be taught in a contemporary exchange of continuous cyclic reinvigoration. With time being of essence, the devaluing of time into quick and instant workshops that only cater to a rote learning by item selling/teaching has reduced the quality of the significance of the art form and the deeper relational value of learning from a Guru. 

Our vision is moving towards building a Gurukul in Bhubaneshwar which is the homeland of our art form Odissi. The Gurukul system brings the teacher and the students under one roof for an extended period of time to live and interact on a daily basis. The Gurukul will be based on extensive relationship building be it with the Guru and Disciples, or with local scholars, musicians and other artists. The Centre will house an extensive archive of music and visual documentation of Odissi dance. This will give us the needed space for research and intensive learning with teachers/scholars/artists from interdisciplinary backgrounds who will congregate to live with the students under the same roof, teaching, sharing daily life and passing on the skill-set holistically. 

The Gurukul will house an exclusive space for intimate performances using minimum technological interventions to maintain the holistic environment which enhances the subtle nuances or Rasa experienced by the audience. The Gurukul will be the space for committed students of Odissi dance and music from Australia and around the world to congregate for an extensive period of time to live and learn together under the same roof with their teachers.