“Satyam Shivam Sundaram” — The True, the Auspicious, and the Beautiful are One.
The world, at its core, is sustained by rhythm, grace, and harmony. When the inner and outer worlds unite at that sacred point of balance, creation happens — and we call it Art.
The river of life finds its expression through painting, music, dance, poetry, and countless creative forms. A brushstroke mirrors the heartbeat, a melody echoes the breath, and a sculpture captures the silence between two thoughts.
Art, in its purest essence, is not merely a pursuit of beauty — it is a communion of being. When words fall short, colours speak. When logic pauses, rhythm flows. From ancient cave paintings to contemporary murals, art has always been humanity’s way of processing emotion, connecting communities, and seeking meaning.
Today, as the world grapples with rising stress, anxiety, and isolation, the therapeutic power of art is being rediscovered — not only by psychologists, but also by educators, healers, and changemakers who see in it the timeless possibility of healing through harmony.
The River Within: Science and Soul of Healing through Art
The river flows majestically — serene, alive. Birds sing along its banks; water nourishes green fields; wild animals come to drink; life hums in rhythm. Then one day, the sky darkens, the mountain crumbles, and the river’s path is blocked. Water gathers, pressure builds, and when it can hold no more, it bursts — sweeping everything away.
The same happens within us. When emotions remain unexpressed — when grief, anger, fear, or loneliness are dammed up — they seek release in unexpected ways: outrage, conflict, depression, even self-destruction.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 970 million people globally struggle with mental-health disorders. One in every eight lives under the shadow of anxiety or depression. In India alone, nearly 15 percent of adults experience some form of mental distress — much of it unspoken and unseen.
That is where Art becomes Therapy.
Art opens a passage where the inner river can flow again — gently, safely, meaningfully. It channels emotional turbulence into creative movement, transforming chaos into composition. This is why we find peace in the hills, why music on a Goan beach feels liberating, why painting under open skies stills the mind. In those moments, we are in rhythm with ourselves — in harmony with nature, with sound, with colour, with life itself.
Modern neuroscience confirms what our ancient seers intuited: creativity heals. Engaging in art activates the brain’s reward system, releases dopamine, and lowers cortisol levels. It helps individuals externalize feelings of grief, fear, or trauma — turning pain into patterns that can be seen, understood, and transcended.
Whether it is a cancer survivor painting their journey, a war refugee sketching memories of home, or a child with autism expressing emotion through rhythm — art provides a non-verbal sanctuary of healing. Structured creative activities, as studies by the American Art Therapy Association reveal, enhance emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience.
When the soul paints, words heal. And when we create, we reconnect — not just with beauty, but with balance.
The Development Dilemma
As luck would have it, I was born and brought up in the sleepy town of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh — cradled by hills that whisper ancient tales. Life took me across India’s spine: from the snow-clad silence of Kashmir to the rain-kissed rhythms of Meghalaya, through the golden hush of Rajasthan’s desert, and finally into the heart of Bastar.
Among the tribal communities of Bastar, I spent four transformative years — years that changed how I understood development. The theories I had learnt in classrooms felt suddenly distant and incomplete. Bastar gently asked questions that pierced the heart. Here were people living in rhythm with nature — their lives attuned to the forest, the soil, and the seasons.
In the name of progress, we often drift them away from this harmony — from traditional knowledge, from customs, from the soul of community life. Yet here, when a child is born, they celebrate with food, drink, and dance. When someone departs, they mourn — and still, they eat, drink, and dance. Joy and grief both find expression in their art, in what the world calls Bastar Art.
And I, as a development professional, often ask myself: Should I change it? Or should I learn from it? Today, I feel certain — let the art flow, let it express. Please, do not block this river of experienced spirit. Let it flow.
Healing the Heart of Humanity
Art teaches us to slow down, to observe, and to empathize. It reminds us that healing is not always about cure — sometimes, it is about connection. Whether on a therapist’s canvas, a child’s notebook, or a village wall, every colour tells a story of survival and hope.
As we step into an era of growing mental-health awareness, may we remember that art — in its myriad forms — holds the power to heal not only individuals but also the collective spirit of humanity. It is both a mirror and a medicine, reminding us that even in pain there is poetry, and in every stroke of colour, a promise of renewal.
Like time itself, art flows — sometimes gently, sometimes in storms, yet always forward. It reminds us that nothing remains static: grief softens, seasons return, creation continues.
The opening lines of the Mahabharata television epic come to mind: “Main Samay Hoon” — I am Time. Time, the eternal witness, moves on — healing what is broken, erasing what is cruel, nurturing what is beautiful.
Art, too, is like time. It flows through us, carrying away the debris of sorrow and leaving behind patterns of meaning, hope, and grace.
In that continuous flow — of colour, sound, rhythm, and silence — life finds its harmony again. And perhaps that is what art truly is: time made visible, healing made beautiful.
