Rajams Gurukulam
Institution for Music Therapy & Integrative Healing Sciences
Rajams Gurukulam — integrating Music Therapy, Chakra Activation, Mantras, and Daily rituals for inner harmonyAbout the Institution
Rajams Gurukulam is an institution focused on advancing music therapy through research, training, and practice. Rooted in traditional knowledge systems, it integrates Nada, yoga, and allied sciences for holistic well-being. Its collaborative model enables personalised interventions and learning across India and beyond.
Full BioRajams Gurukulam is an institution dedicated to the research and application of music therapy and Raga Chikitsa. It brings together a collective of practitioners committed to exploring integrative healing methodologies rooted in Indian classical music and allied traditional sciences.
Over the years, the Gurukulam has developed a structured approach to therapy through train-the-trainer programs, collaborative case studies, and the delivery of holistic wellness solutions.
The Gurukulam functions as a collaborative ecosystem, where practitioners with diverse skill sets work together to study cases and design personalised interventions, integrating both traditional wisdom and practical application.
In addition to music therapy, it incorporates Nada Anusandhana, chakra-based practices through yoga, pranayama, mudras, nadis and Ayurvedic principles — guided by Acharya Ratna Vidushi Dr. Rajam Shanker.
The Gurukulam also offers educational programs — online and offline — supported by The Healing Powers of Indian Ragas as a key curriculum reference.
2023
Raga Chikitsa · Nada Anusandhana · Chakra Activation · Pranayama · Mantra · Ayurveda
IMTA · WFMT · IAMM · NADA · Collaborative institutions across India & internationally
Our Guru
Sri Gurubhyo Namah! In the Indian tradition, knowledge is not merely acquired,it is received. It flows through an unbroken lineage of teachers, seekers, scholars, and practitioners who preserve, enrich, and transmit wisdom across generations. Every insight we explore today stands upon the foundations laid by those who came before us. The work presented here is not the achievement of any one individual, but the continuation of a living tradition that combines ancient textual wisdom, experiential learning, dedicated research, and the blessings of the Guru Parampara. It is with deep gratitude and reverence that we acknowledge the lineage from which this knowledge has emerged and the teachers who have nurtured and sustained it.
We receive this knowledge as a sacred heritage passed down through our Gurus and traditional schools of wisdom. Our primary source texts include Sangita Ratnakara by Sarangadeva, Sangita Kalpadrumam by Dr. L. Muthiah Bhagavatar, and Ṣaṭcakranirūpaṇa by Purnananda Swami.
Sri Kollegal Subramanyam introduced this profound knowledge to Dr. Rajam Shanker and guided her onto the path of Music Therapy. Dr. Rajam Shanker dedicates her entire body of work and over three decades of research to her Guru and has contributed more than 3000 case studies for future students and researchers to explore and build upon.
Hamsini Murthy, along with many of Dr. Rajam's students, continues to carry this precious legacy forward through ongoing research, exploration, and new findings for future generations.
Our humble salutations to all the Gurus — past, present, and future — who continue to preserve and nurture this invaluable heritage.
Kala Sarathi Acharya Ratna Vidhushi Dr. Rajam Shanker
Chief Mentor & Guide
Dr. Rajam Shanker is a pioneering Indian Classical Music Therapist and Vedic Astrologer with over four decades of experience in teaching and therapeutic practice. Her work in Nāda Anusandhāna integrates traditional Carnatic wisdom with evidence-informed therapeutic approaches. She has developed personalised Rāga Chikitsa protocols, impacting lives across India and internationally.
Dr. Rajam Shanker is a pioneering Indian Classical Music Therapist with over 30 years of experience in teaching and therapeutic practice. For more than 25 years, she has worked with individuals across age groups with mental health concerns, including autism spectrum disorders, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and other special needs.
She was trained in the traditional Guru–Śiṣya Paramparā under Brahmasri Kollegal R. Subramanyam, from the Saint Tyagaraja lineage. Her method, Nāda Anusandhāna, integrates ancient Indian musical wisdom with modern, evidence-informed therapeutic approaches. She has developed and applied personalised Rāga Chikitsa interventions across India and internationally — Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, USA, UK, Singapore, Canada, and Australia.
Dr. Rajam holds a Doctorate in Vedic Astrology, a Master's in Carnatic Music (Sangeetha Alankara), and training in Science, Applied Psychology, Counselling, and Vedic Astrology. She has trained interns, caregivers, and educators across India and authored The Healing Power of Indian Ragas (third edition).
She has presented at international conferences in Spain, South Korea, and France, and at leading institutions in India. She is affiliated with IMTA, WFMT, IAMM, and NADA. Her chakra-based approach using rāga, tāla, and śruti has earned her the Acharya Ratna, Rotary Vocational Excellence Award, and IIWA 2023. Featured across 100+ FM and TV broadcasts, she communicates in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Smt Hamsini Murthy
Administration and Facilitator for Rajams Gurukulam
Hamsini M. Murthy is the administrator and coordinator of music therapy programs at Rajams Gurukulam. She plays a key role in structuring, documenting, and disseminating Nāda Anusandhāna and Rāga Chikitsa methodologies. Her work bridges traditional knowledge systems with organised, accessible learning frameworks.
Hamsini M. Murthy serves as the administrator and coordinator for the music therapy programs at Rajams Gurukulam, where she plays a key role in carrying forward the work of Acharya Ratna Vidushi Dr. Rajam Shanker to future generations. With a strong foundation in education management and curriculum development, she is deeply involved in structuring, documenting, and disseminating the Gurukulam's approach to Nāda Anusandhāna and Rāga Chikitsa.
Drawing from her extensive experience in the education sector — spanning admissions, content management, training, and classroom engagement — Hamsini brings both organisational clarity and creative insight to the program. She works closely in compiling case studies, refining course material, and ensuring that the knowledge is presented in a structured, accessible, and impactful manner for diverse learners.
Academically, she holds a Master's in Business Administration and brings a unique blend of discipline and experiential learning through her Black Belt in Karate, along with certificates in IKS systems like Sanskrit, Mantra and meditation, Mudra Rahasyam and Indic Psychology. Her personal journey reflects a deep integration of traditional Indian practices and holistic well-being. With training in yoga, pranayama, chakras, Carnatic music, martial arts, and Indian heritage practices, she approaches music therapy not just as a discipline, but as a lived experience.
Her natural affinity for working with children, combined with her ability to translate complex concepts into engaging, experiential learning, makes her an integral part of the Gurukulam's teaching ecosystem. Committed to preserving the depth of traditional knowledge while making it relevant to contemporary contexts, Hamsini's work focuses on bridging ancient wisdom with structured learning frameworks — building a pathway through which Indian Classical Music Therapy can be understood, practiced, and carried forward with authenticity and clarity.
The Healing Power of Indian Ragas
Third Edition
The Healing Power of Indian Ragas explores the relationship between music, emotion, and the human energy system through Indian classical tradition. It presents Dr. Rajam Shanker's applied work in using rāgas as therapeutic tools for emotional balance and holistic well-being. Featuring chakra-based insights and 30 rāgas, the book has reached thousands of readers across three editions.
₹540 + Postage | Also on Amazon
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The Healing Power of Indian Ragas is a thoughtful exploration into the subtle and transformative relationship between music, emotion, and the human energy system. Rooted in the timeless wisdom of Indian classical music, it presents the science of sound alongside the art of feeling as a pathway to balance, awareness, and holistic healing.
The book brings together principles and practices carefully developed and extensively applied by Dr. Rajam Shanker. It offers insight into how rāgas can be used not only as a musical experience, but as a therapeutic tool to influence emotional states, regulate energy, and support overall well-being.
It explores how musical notes connect to chakras, showcasing 30 rāgas and how their vibration and resonance travel through the body — and how each rāga positively affects the body to alleviate the client from their malady. Over 3,500 copies have been sold across three editions, not counting numerous digital downloads.
- Individuals with a basic understanding of music who wish to experience its therapeutic potential
- Readers seeking insight into Indic methodologies of healing through vibration
- Those curious about how musical frequencies interact with the human body
- Learners exploring the storage and expression of emotions through chakras and organs
- Seekers of knowledge on energy flow and emotional dynamics from an Indic perspective
- Readers with minimal or no formal musical training who may be inspired to pursue the sacred art of Indian classical music
Our Journey
Know our journey and our approach to better life
Establishment of Rajams Gurukulam with Smt Hamsini Murthy. Rajam Shanker completed her Doctorate in Vedic Astrology, Music Therapy and their solutions for children in the autism spectrum. We commenced structured 15-week online courses with group sessions under the flagship of Rajams Gurukulam.
Publication of "The Healing Power of Indian Ragas" — a comprehensive introduction to Indian Classical Music Therapy with detailed illustrations on the Ragas–Chakras relationship. This book has 3 editions, sold over 3,000 copies with numerous Kindle downloads. TV programs and podcasts brought awareness of this unique subject to a global audience.
International recognition through presentations at the European Music Therapy Congress in Spain and the World Congress of Music Therapy in South Korea, bringing our methods to global audiences.
Collaboration with Dr Lakshmi Prasanna at Saandeepani in Hyderabad — developing comprehensive evaluation procedures and personalised music therapy protocols for children with developmental challenges.
The research journey into the therapeutic potential of swaras and ragas began under the guidance of Guru Kollegal R. Subramanyam — forming the foundation of our approach to music therapy. A pivotal presentation in Hyderabad following a visit to Sydney, Australia sparked interactions with medical specialists and therapists worldwide, leading to ongoing collaborations that continue to enrich this work today.
Awards & Recognition
