Welcome back to another interview in our Empowering Voices series that gives us an indepth look into the lived experiences of Indian speaking autistics. In today's interview, we meet, Mr. Ananth Raghunandan who shares his love for natya and his life journey with us. His love for natya reminded me of this poem - Dance an Art! by Geetha Jayakumar
Dance an Art!
Welcome to My World
1Q) Please introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Ananth. I am a dancer, theater artist, a blogger, and coder. I enjoy traveling, watching performances, and spending time with my family.
2Q) Please share your hobbies and interests/passions with us.
I have been learning Bharatanatyam for over 10 years. Bharatanatyam has been my passion for more than a decade. I completed my Bharatanatyam arangetram under the guidance of Professor Mohanan of Kalakshetra, My new passion is storytelling. I became interested in storytelling when I started Bharatanatyam classes with Sri Ujwal Jagadeesh, Senior Faculty and Artiste at the Ramana Maharshi Center for Learning.
This passion has led to our project on Natya for All. Dance is not only for neurotypicals. When Dr. Svetlana Masgutova, founder of Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) suggested dance for me, we were surprised. Later, I discovered that natya helps me in many ways. Three ways in which natya helps me:
1) improves flexibility and movements,
2) relaxation and stress management, and
3) whole-body communication.
Visit our website softer.lifesmart.com Learning Softer Together is a set of choices we have made over the years as a result of our experiences. Over theyears, we have discovered that healthy daily rhythms that blend calming and energixing activities are the key to family fun and learning. Learning Softer Together is based on this key learning. Reacting to stress does not work for me. I am working on building in practices for rest and recharge throughout the day. Learning Softer Together includes many other practices to reduce stress, enhance nervous system harmony and to enhance enjoyment and learning. Follow @ananthsadventures on Instagram for daily reels and other resources. We want to encourage parents and professionals to explore Indian theater arts with ND children, teens, and adults. You can also follow us on @familyfunandlearning on Youtube.
I call my journey A Journey to Bharat through Natya. It is a journey of connecting more deeply through Indian culture through natya. Natya includes five tools: 1) Movement and Dance, 2) Music and Rhythm 3) Storytelling, 4) Drama, and 5) Arts and Crafts. I enjoy exploring all these tools of natya. I started as a Bharatanatyam student, but since coming to Ramana Sunrita Aalaya, I started exploring drama. I performed the roles of Rama, Krishna, and Swami Vivekananda. I am a student ambassador for Theatre arts For Holistic Development (TAHD) and RASA.
Recently, I was given the STAR (Special Talent at RASA) award. See the announcement at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEOn06QPRMx/
3Q) How do you cope when you’re having a bad day..
I listen to chants. I go on walks. I do laundry and other chores. When I was young, I used to fold paper plates and paper circles using the Whole movement approach.
4Q) What are glimmers in your life? (Glimmers are tiny micro moments of joy - fleeting, everyday moments that elicit a rush of happiness, gratitude, calm, peace, safety, or goodwill)
Meeting people, cooking, eating with family, dancing, listening to stories, completing small projects, and interacting with pets makes me feel good. Being out in sunshine and walking in nature make me feel good. Natya provides many micro moments of joy throughout the day.
5Q) When did you realise that you are autistic..
I realised I was autistic when I was 12. Then, I realised that I am good at some things whereas other things are very hard for me. I am very sensitive to sounds and react to them. Thus, ordinary experiences such as walking on the road can be hard for me. While I look forward to celebrations, balloons in birthday celebrations and crackers on Diwali day continue to bother me.
Education and Workplace Experiences
1Q) What are your experiences in school/college… What challenges do you face..
In my kindergarten in public school, students had to sit at the desk most of the day doing work that was not very interesting to me. After I started homeschooling, I could start my day with a morning walk. I got a lot of movement throughout the day. When I was young, I did not sleep well at night, and I was not able to concentrate the whole day. Sleep disturbance was one reason that I preferred homeschool. If I did not sleep well, I could at least move around, take breaks, and work at my own pace. In addition to walks, I also played twister. I enjoyed riding on the scooter, and other movement games in the porch. I also used to do little activities like setting the table to take a break from desk work. I started sleeping better after I started the HANDLE (Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency) program. My sleep continued to improve with MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration). One of the biggest gifts of natya is that now I sleep well at night.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
Movement continues to be relaxing for me and I don’t like sitting down for long stretches of time. I have movement breaks throughout the day. I also have to be careful about food because eating the right foods and movement help me sleep better at night.
3Q) What accommodations ( physical or changes in the mindset of people around you) would help you thrive in this scenario?
Being able to move is important for me. If I am allowed to have movement breaks then I can work better. For example, I get up and walk around a few times during my coding class.
Sensory Challenges
1Q) Please share your sensory world with us.
• I am very sensitive to sounds and react to them.
• Often, I am unable to express my feelings.
2Q) How does it affect your daily life..
I am very sensitive to sounds and react to them. Thus, ordinary experiences such as walking on the road can be hard for me. While I look forward to celebrations, balloons in birthday celebrations and crackers on Diwali day continue to bother me.
Often, I am unable to express my feelings. Recently, there is a significant improvement in my interoceptive awareness and expression. I have been learning Bharatanatyam for over 10 years. While this experience helped, now my dance experience also combines Ramana Maharshi teachings and practices. For example, I listen to Ramanasramam chants daily. I also go for self-inquiry meditation daily. Together, these experiences have helped me identify and express feelings better now.
3Q) What accommodations ( physical or changes in the mindset of people) around you would help you thrive..
I use earplugs when I am in noisy environments. I like to go to calm and quiet places for socializing. For example, I enjoy events at the Ramana Shrine.
Communication Challenges
1Q) How different is your communication style from the Neurotypicals and how does it affect your daily interactions..
I have special interests such as tall buildings, attire etc. I am more interested in talking about such topics. I also had difficulty expressing what I was experiencing. Hence, I would talk more about facts and my interests. Recently, I am able to express ideas and feelings more clearly. I am evolving my communication style over time.
2Q) How do you cope with this challenge..
I talk more to my family because I can talk about my special interests.
3Q) What accommodations would help you thrive?
I try to engage others in topics of interest to me. I am also developing my skills so I can communicate better with NTs. Theatre arts has provided me with a way to engage my family and community.
Relationships
1Q) What do you look for in your relationships with friends/family/colleagues/partners
What challenges have you faced in your relationships?
Common interests are important. For example, I am interested in dance, Indian culture, and travel. It is easier for me to interact with people who have such interests. Family members, colleagues, and others may not have similar interests. I like calm people who talk in a soft voice.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
Theater arts has opened many doors. Ramana Sunrita Aaalya (RASA) and Ramana Maharshi Center for Learning (RMCL) provide many opportunities to socialise in a calm environment. I enjoy going to the Ramana Shrine and RMCL events and interacting with people. I have my Youtube channel (Ananth’s Adventures). I am also doing a series of videos (Fun with Hastas) for the RASA web channel. These experiences help me interact with others. Recently, my uncle asked me to do more videos as he enjoys watching them. My aunts and other family members also watch my videos. I also use theatre activities to engage my 3 year-old nephew. We interact well because of children’s songs and stories that my mother and I share with him.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you would help you thrive?
Performing is a way of interacting for me. I have performed dances and narrated stories for my relatives and the community for the last three years. I think some people are beginning to recognise theatre is a form of interaction for me. I also like to go on long walks. For example, it is easier for me to interact when we go out together. I enjoy going to celebrations. My uncle and aunt invite me for celebrations in their community. For example, I attended the Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations in their community recently.
I also love travelling. Recently, I went to Tiruvannamalai with my dance teacher and mentor, Ujwal Jagadeesh, his friend, and my uncle and aunt. We had a wonderful time visiting the ashram, listening to chants, doing the 14 km girivalam, hiking to Skandashram, and eating in different places. There are many ways in which I enjoy spending time with family and others.
Bullying
Q) Have you faced bullying in school/college/workplace.. Please share a few details
I have not experienced bullying because I am homeschooled. Now, I am involved in organisations that are supportive of neurodivergent individuals.
Masking
1Q) Have you ever had to mask to look neurotypical? Please share your experiences..
I have some unique interests (e.g., tall buildings, environment, different types of attire). So I am quiet in social settings. When I was younger, I would talk about these interests more freely. Now, I only talk about my special interests with my mother and a few family members.
2Q) What challenges have you faced because of masking..
I have to remember not to talk about these topics in front of other people. But since I was homeschooled, I have not faced as much difficulty with masking.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you, would help you thrive..
I would like other people to talk to me about my interests. I can also try to talk about topics that interest others but it would be helpful if I can talk about my interests with others too.
Executive Functioning Challenges
1Q) What executive functioning challenges ( adaptable thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organising) have you faced and how does it affect your life..
I have faced many executive functioning challenges. However, consistent and sustained work with motor and other skills has developed my executive functioning skills. Bharatanatyam and other theatre experiences help develop executive functioning skills. Because when I play a role I have to consider the stage, other characters, and many other elements.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
I continuously improve my executive functioning skills through theatre arts as well through calming practices. It is not a big area of challenge now.
Social life
1Q) What challenges have you faced in your social life..
Problems in social life arise from sensory challenges. I enjoy birthday parties and enjoy theatre shows. But auditory and visual stimulation are overwhelming for me.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
The Six Ss (Smile Brightly and Dance, Silence, Soothing chants, Storytelling, Self-inquiry and Surrender) are six key elements of my daily rhythms. I cannot cope with these challenges in experiences unless we have daily rhythms that support my nervous system.
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you would help you thrive..
If people think about environments, experiences, and interactions, they will realise that noisy environments distract and overwhelm me. I enjoy socialising but prefer calm environments. Many of my family members are aware of these challenges. For example, my sister-in-law Sherry got tickets for Sound bath experiences in London as she realises that I prefer such experiences more at this time.
Comorbidities
1Q) Please do share about what comorbidities have you faced..
Stress, anxiety, and alexithymia are all challenges that I have faced. I think these relate to interoception. One story my mother tells me is that when I was in a daycare, a boy bit me. I just stood there and did not respond until the teacher pulled me away. On another occasion, I was very upset when a therapist made me run because to me higher heart rate meant anxiety.
2Q) How do you cope with these challenges..
After I started Bharatanatyam, interoception improved.
It has improved significantly after my Ramana Maharshi experience. My guru, Sri Ujwal Jagadeesh, integrates Ramana teachings in my dance class. When I went to Tiruvannamalai, I heard the Tamil Parayana chanting. These chants stopped the thoughts in my head and made me feel very peaceful. The chants helped me break the tired but wired pattern. When I was tired, I used to surf but that me more wound up and tired. Now, I listen to the chants several times a day.
We have arrived at a point where I include calming activities throughout the day. We discovered the Six Ss that we now use as the foundation of daily rhythms.
- Smile Brightly and Dance
- Silence
- Soothing chants
- Storytelling
- Self-inquiry meditation
- Surrender
3Q) What accommodations or changes in the mindset of people around you, would help you thrive..
People with autism experience emotions and want to socialise like any other person. We may have many sensitivities, get overwhelmed, and can have trouble expressing ourselves.
Towards a better tomorrow
1Q) Please share your message to parents of autistic children in how they can create a nurturing environment at home..
They can create a nurturing environment at home by not giving them high work loads. They can create environments that are calming. The message to parents is about remediating or addressing the child’s challenges. While we need support in some areas, parents should also focus on environments, experiences, and interactions. There are many factors that influence a neurodivergent learner’s ability to learn and grow.
2Q) Please share your message to therapists on how they can include neurodiversity affirming practices in their approach..
Theater Arts for Holistic Development (TAHD) by Dr. Ambika Kameshwar shows how we can create neurodiversity affirming environments and experiences in a systematic way. My mother and I are both TAHD ambassadors. We hope to share information for parents, artists, and others on neurodiversity affirming practices.
3Q) Please share your thoughts on how we can work towards an inclusive and neurodiversity friendly society..
In my experience, changing the mindset from fixing the individual’s challenges to creating the right environments and experiences for every learner at their point of learning is the most important shift. The situation may be getting better now but when I was growing up, the focus was primarily on remediating challenges. I was fortunate that I was homeschooled in an environment that was right for me.
Dr. Ambika Kameshwar, Founder and Director of RASA says:
“The word 'inclusion' suggests something or someone was left out before. In the TAHD way, we focus on enjoying artistic unity rather than excluding others, making deliberate inclusion efforts unnecessary.”
Now, most of my experiences are with Ramana Sunrita Aalaya (RASA), Ramana Maharshi Center for Learning (RMCL), and HashHackCode (HHC). The work of these organizations provides many insights into how we can work towards an inclusive and neurodiversity friendly society.
I hope reading this interview has been as insightful and uplifting for you as it was for me. God bless you dear Ananth, may all your dreams come true!
