We were lucky to catch up with Nirmala Sesnarayan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nirmala, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

When I was four (4) years old, my Dad decided to take me to religious functions in order to learn about our culture and religion. He just felt it best to immerse me into it rather than just teach me verbally. My parents also enrolled me in a Hindu elementary school which added to my knowledge and most of all singing. My Dad’s coaching coupled with the songs I learnt at school were the two ingredients I needed to start singing at religious functions. Every Thursday night and Sunday morning, I would go with my parents to the temples we attended and I would sing the bhajan (devotional song) he taught me. I was just four years old. That continued throughout my elementary school years.

When I was ten (10)years old, my father decided to ask my teachers if I could participate as a solo in an inter-school music competition. They hesitated at first but then they entrusted my Dad with the coaching. I placed first at this competition and the prize included a scholarship to study music at the Caribbean School of Indian Music under the tutelage of Dr. Mungal Patasar and a trip to the UK to sing at a festival. It is here my formal knowledge of music and performance started. I spent ten (10) years at the Caribbean School of Indian Music and then went on to learn from other gurus such as Shri Ram Narayan Jha of India, Shri Kries Ramkhelawan of Suriname and currently, Shri Sudhir Narain of India.

A huge part of learning my craft came from that London trip at age 10. My Dad used to accompany me musically but he was unable to financially afford the trip. Therefore, I had to learn my instrument – the harmonium. That was painstaking but I will never ever regret it. It allowed me to be somewhat in control of my performances and the musical content I am able to present.

Much of the experience I have coupled with my formal musical education came from the hidden curriculum, as we call it in education. The hidden curriculum is a set of values, beliefs, norms, and expectations that are taught in school through interactions, modeling, and classroom culture, but are not explicitly stated. Yes, I had the knowledge but how to use it came from observing others – my elders, my role models and even my peers.

Personally, I don’t think I would speed up my learning process. I think the pains and gains were necessary and journey is what is most valuable, not the destination. For me, the skills that were most essential was being able to engage an audience, music selection, vocal endurance and most of all versatility. All of these were learnt through experience.

Obstacles, that stood in the way of learning was that being in the Caribbean made it difficult to access certain resources – such as a personal teacher from India. Also, my mainstream career of being an educator and furthering my studies in those areas, did have to take priority at times, However, it all helped to mold me into the all-rounded woman I am today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Nirmala Sesnarayan. I am originally from Trinidad and Tobago but currently reside in Baltimore, Maryland. I started my musical career officially since I was 11 years old and there has been no stopping since. I started singing with my Dad and then I branched out on my own, forming my band Nithya, which concentrates on Light Indian Classical Music. We use a combination of traditional and modern instruments to create a unique sound for a repertoire which includes bhajans (devotional songs/hymns), Bollywood songs (both old and new), Indian folk songs for Weddings and Birth and Mehephils (musical evenings). My band is 100% live which makes us stand apart from the others. I am most proud of the fact that as a woman, I can lead a band that keeps the soul of Indian music alive.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

When I think about my creative journey and my mission, my goal is to use my talents, my professional and musical experiences to touch the lives of others. I have always dreamt that my music should touch souls. This is not about popularity. This is about adding value to lives so that the legacy lives on for generations. I am in no way close to where I want to be musically but I will continue working to get there. However, one way I have started working on this mission is by providing online music classes for vocal and harmonium for persons ages 8 and up. I feel that the more knowledge I share, the more I shall gain. I am in no way a Guru but it is just my goal to share whatever I have inside with my students. They keep me going musically and bring me joy when they shine.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I would have to say that the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when the audience feels the dedication, devotion and energy you put into a performance or your music. People use music as a means of escape from the world. They use it to immerse their sorrows. They use music for healing. When I am in front of any audience, I always somehow have this at the back of my mind. I pour my soul into my singing whether it is a devotional hymn or it is a Bollywood song. I always pour my energy out to the audience so that the music and my voice can give them whatever they need in that moment.

The rewards from that effort come when people greet you after a show or any function and say, “You know that particular song you sang, I felt my hairs stand on end…” If even I touched that one person, I know I served my purpose. One memory comes to mind as I share these thoughts with you. Once, I was singing at a 25th wedding anniversary mehephil (musical evening) and I sang appropriate songs from the Bollywood movies that would resonate with the couple and the journey of their relationship. There was an old man, about 80 years old, sitting at the front and there was this song I sang entitled “Bachpan ki Mohobat ko,” and he cried through the entire song. I noticed him but I let him be until I was done. He approached me thereafter and told me that he enjoyed every minute of that song because his wife had just passed and that was the song they listened to while they were dating over sixty years prior. My heart smiled.

When music touches people in the most emotive way, it will be etched in their memories forever. This is what makes all of the sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears worth every minute.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nirmala.sesnarayan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nithyaentertainment/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nirmalasesnarayanjaimangal
• Other: Here is the link to my latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP_9TGMFhmE