Singer Vasuda Sharma’s song for Maha Shivratri

Vasuda Sharma's 'Shiv Shiv: The Eternal Chant' video captures the essence of Shiva with a contemporary touch.

Ahead of Maha Shivratri, singer-songwriter Vasuda Sharma released a video single, ‘Shiv Shiv: The Eternal Chant’. Her rendition of the Tulsidas composition adds a contemporary touch to the traditional lyrics.

Launched under her music label, Song Nest, the video captures the essence of the Shiva theme. Filmed by the director of photography, Manoj Kumar Khatoi, on the banks of the Ganga River in Varanasi, the picturesque setting of the ghats by the river, with the singer strumming on her ukulele, adds depth to the visuals.

Vasuda explains that Manoj, upon hearing the song, was inspired to shoot the video in Varanasi. They conducted a recce of the location one day and proceeded with the shoot the following day.

Vasuda grew up in a small town in Haryana in an environment where most devotional songs were primarily focused on Krishna bhajans. Vasuda was initiated into singing by an aunt, who was a singer and by age four, she could sing nearly 400 bhajans on Krishna. However, Vasuda says there has always been an underlying connection with Lord Shiva since childhood, and she learned a version of a song dedicated to him.

“During the lockdown, my husband and I stumbled upon the teachings of Sadguru and the Isha Foundation. During this time, my childhood connection with the song about Shiva resurfaced. My journey took a significant turn when I had the opportunity to visit Kailash Manasarovar. The experiences I had there were truly surreal and beyond comprehension; it felt like a profound calling to express myself creatively, and music has always been my preferred medium of expression. Thus, the timing felt right to work on this composition, especially for the upcoming Shivratri,” says the former member of the pop band Aasma.

The band Aasma was formed through the Coke (V) Popstars talent hunt in 2003, and they gained popularity with songs like ‘Chandu Ke Chacha’ and ‘‘Tumse Hi Pyar’‘. Vasuda Sharma, then 18 years old, was the band’s youngest member. They had a brief but impactful stint in the Indian music industry.

Vasuda describes being part of Aasma as a life-changing experience. Initially, she was met with resistance from her family, who had traditional career aspirations for her. “I eventually convinced them to support my musical journey. Joining Aasma opened doors I never imagined, exposing me to the glamour and excitement of the music industry.”