“Take a walk with me…”

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The art of staying positive during the pandemic

– An opinion article by SHILPA NANJAPPA

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This article in simple terms, expounds how performing artistes who are facing tough times during the current pandemic situation, can remain positive and supercharge themselves to meet their creative dreams and objectives.

Editor’s Statement: Shilpa Nanjappa, this article’s author, is a multifaceted professional Bharathanatyam artiste from Kodagu, Karnataka. She is an avid writer, who is on editorial boards of leading magazines. She is known for her choreographies, teaching methodologies and scintillating performances. Shilpa is a Research Fellow with the Government of India and has dedicated her life to working on popularising the Kodava language by adapting it into classical format and Bharathanatyam. She is a poet, orator and linguist and tries to inspire and motivate those around her to find happiness and success.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”11286″ img_size=”375X398″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Mask-up, isolate, sanitize, lockdown, test, vaccine, cases and repeat! Unfortunately, this pretty much sums up this year’s topics. Humanity was thrown a curve ball of sorts and we are yet to come to terms with several aspects of the ‘new normal’. When the whole situation exploded in March, most of us did not know how this year would pan out. While almost all businesses worldwide took a hit, some professions suffered more than others. Artistes belonged to the latter category and continue to strive to make a living in these trying times.

Trauma in life brings out different reactions in everyone. While some handle it more gracefully, some others tend to lash out. During the initial months, we saw artistes arguing on whether one should even share their art online when the rest of the world was suffering through this pandemic.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no” css=”.vc_custom_1474291084926{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]This then turned into arguments about how art should be presented aesthetically or not at all. There were debates on how artistes were continued to be exploited for free art. And now there are arguments about dance history, politics, caste, propaganda and just about any topic one can muster up. The point is that people are invariably arguing about something or the other. With everyone being cooped up in homes with family members who were probably driving each other mad, the heat and viciousness in these arguments were turning white hot! And all this was happening on the geographically free social media.

Personally, I observed several of these discussions, debates and arguments. I even engaged in a few. But I made an important choice through it all. A choice that helped me immensely. A choice that I hope will help you too. Come, take a virtual walk with me.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1604975360798{padding-top: 3% !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]

[/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]I live on top of a hill in a beautiful hill station called Kodagu (Coorg). To buy groceries, provisions or access medical care, I need to travel 15 kilometres, one way, to the nearest town. This means that I have been socially isolated for years. I didn’t miss Swiggy or Dunzo or pizza deliveries because I never had them in the first place! I had learnt to create a vegetable garden in order to cut short our trips to town and always organised my home and family for a week at a time. So, in all honesty, this pandemic hardly changed my lifestyle. As a mother of two and with pets around, I need immense physical and mental energy to get through a day. I consider these as my biggest blessings. However, considering I am a professional dancer and a writer, it was necessary for me to stay connected on social media. I was thus seeing and reading things I probably didn’t want to in the first place, since a lot of this was having a negative effect on my energy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Surrounding Yourself with Positivity

Through these months, I realised that the more I engaged with these social media posts, the more they popped up on my feed. For example, if I typed ‘Atma Shanti’ on a post announcing somebody’s demise, for the next one month, if a person, dog, cat, duck, plant, phone ‘died’ somewhere, it showed up on my feed! This algorithm started becoming more and more prominent. And watching ‘Social Dilemma’ on Netflix further strengthened my observations. So, I implemented a strategic plan. Being on social media is, of course, rather inevitable for most of us. But the choices we make does completely effect what we see out there. Surrounding yourself with positivity is in your hands. If you notice yourself getting sucked into a toxic, negative atmosphere, be aware that you have led yourself there. If you are getting fed up of armchair activism, scroll right on. If you are single and being bogged down by family announcements, scroll right on. If you want to avoid politically charged posts, scroll right on!

No one in this world should possess the ability to judge you for your choices and what you want for yourself. One should be at liberty to choose what makes them happy or whatever floats their boat. My approach to art has been deeply influenced by my Guru and my parents and all of them were extremely apolitical in my formative years. If I choose to say, “To me, art is not political. I refuse to make it so”, it is a personal choice. However, I was recently subject to snide bullying by someone because I declared that I didn’t mix politics and art. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by people who harp on anybody who doesn’t think the way they do or doesn’t necessarily fit their narrative. What I chose to do when facing this situation was to disengage from it and concentrate on my art instead. And art has never disappointed me. I surrounded myself with posts, thoughts and people who were like-minded, less dramatic, without too much emotional baggage and with subdued egos. This helped me flourish and the art within me flourish! I’m not saying you should do this too. By all means, please do whatever floats your boat and surround yourself with whatever gives you mental and emotional peace. What works for me may not exactly work for you. But a peek into finding solutions by disengaging might open up a whole new world of possibilities for you.

We have always heard elders say it or have read in our scriptures that the key to a fruitful life is simple living and positive thoughts. This has been the most amazing lesson to mankind but the most difficult one to implement. This year has pushed most of us to find this in ourselves. I read recently that happiness is not something you chase, but something you recognise. No truer words have been spoken. I have moved a step closer to finding this in the past few months. Can you walk with me and find it too? I truly hope so!

Its been a tough year, but remember you are not alone in this. Let’s light up our lives with positive thoughts and people this Deepavali. Wishing all of you the best of things this season. Stay safe and stay happy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row enable_arrows_animation=”no”][vc_column]

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You may connect with Shilpa Nanjappa on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Website, or reach her at shilpamnanjappa@gmail.com

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