At a time, when social distancing is the norm, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), one of India’s top FMCG companies, is encouraging people to stay home and practice yoga with family by releasing an entire music playlist on YouTube. The playlist is based on the music anthem composed by Dr Ilaiyaraaja for the company.
The playlist has 11 short tracks suited for asanas ranging from physical endurance to breathing and meditation exercises, including one for relaxation. It is available for free at the company’s social media channel. The choice of releasing a music playlist for International Yoga Day also coincides with the day being celebrated as World Music Day.
The playlist has been curated and created by the team at BrandMusiq, whose founder and sound smith, Rajeev Raja, says, “Music has amazing curative and healing powers. It is an acknowledged source of relief for stress and anxiety. We thought it was a perfect antidote for these trying times and are very happy to have created a playlist for HCCB. We applaud their effort to promote one of our national treasures, yoga.”
Reflecting on the playlist and its launch, Kamlesh Sharma, chief communications officer, HCCB, said, “Given the situation this year, people will find their own unique spots and quiet places to do yoga. We therefore felt that a series of good music-only tracks would be a suitable accompaniment for various asanas ranging from meditation to physical exertion.”
“While the charm of doing a group activity on yoga day is hard to compensate, music always provides great company. I take this opportunity to encourage my team, my colleagues, friends and family to whole heartedly participate in yoga celebrations – India’s gift to the world,” he added.
The company wanted to create reflective, ethereal soundscapes which evoked the rasa of Shanti, a perfect backdrop for Yoga Asanas which are more introspective and meditative, whether it is Supta Virasan or even Shavasan. For this the playlist offers a combination of nature sounds, overlaid with prayer bells, flutes, drones and celesta.
On the other hand, the company also created soundscapes that are more powerful and energetic to evoke the rasa of Veera. Using the sounds of drums, and choral voices, these soundscapes are apt for more vigorous Yoga Asanas such as those in the Surya Namaskar sequence.
Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in India. This year because of the Covid-19 situation, people are being encouraged to stay at home and practice yoga with family. The company too is encouraging its employees to stay at home but participate in the Yoga day festivities with enthusiasm.
Programmes at the company include online yoga classes with trained practitioners on Sunday, internal video contests to reward the best practitioners of yoga, spreading awareness around the #MyLifeMyYogaINDIA vlogging contest by the Ministry of Ayush and spreading awareness about yoga and the day through the company’s social media channels.