It has been a decade-long journey for Shivani Arora who started playing the harmonium at religious congregations at Ram Sharnam as a hobby.

Shivani is a teacher and runs the Strawberry Kids Club in Tagore Nagar where she along with her colleagues coach children in the age group of two to ten years. Besides academics, children are also taught extra-curricular activities such as art and craft, painting, yoga and of course, music. Shivani also distributes her morning hours as a co-ordinator at a preparatory school in the city.

Shivani says her life has changed a lot over the last 10 years but the harmonium has remained a constant factor. Moreover, it has become a part of her routine as she feels it is a great stressbuster after a hectic day.

“Initially, I used to play the instrument at the Amrit Vaani satsang at Ram Sharnam. Then I started playing the harmonium for bhajan and shabad programmes as well,” says Shivani, who is married to businessman Vikas Arora and has a five-year-old daughter Siya.

“I learnt to play the musical instrument as a hobby but now it is an inseparable part of my daily routine and I feel something amiss the day I do not spend some time with my music. My family members, including my husband and my mother-in-law, not only encourage me, but also enjoy when I play the harmonium,” says Shivani.

Shivani gives credit of inculcating music in her life to her father, Tilak Walia, who heads the Ram Sharnam Ashram in Amritsar and her guru Bhagat Hans Raj Maharaj in Gohana, Haryana.