Thanahlakshmi feels that even though she was born into the Hindu tradition, she only realised the spirit of self-enquiry when she started studying Veda.
By Sophia Ann French
Thanahlakshmi Krishnan was born in Singapore, studied in Australia, and works in HR consultancy in Germany. She also practices yoga, Kalaripayattu (an ancient Indian martial arts form), and is a trained Odissi dancer. While her roots are Indian, Thanahlakshmi visited India for the first time at 16, but she was raised in an Indian home and was familiar with Hinduism. “I was always interested in its sounds. I was born into Hinduism, so I never really questioned things like daily prayers and visits to the temple. Whenever I went to a temple and the priests chanted, that sound always stayed with me,” says Thanahlakshmi. She moved to Australia for her degree, returned to Singapore, and then moved to Germany for her MBA in 2019 — she still lives in Germany. While her full-time job is in HR Consultancy, she still finds time to refine and hone her yoga, Kalaripayattu and Odissi practises. She is currently attending the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme, and shares what inspired her to study Veda and how she plans to share her learnings.
Sophia: How did you learn about Veda Studies, and what inspired you to study Veda?
Thanahlakshmi: I think it has a lot to do with my early years of listening to chanting in Hindu temples. I was also inspired during my Yoga Therapy Teacher Training with Nitya Mohanji — she is a teacher based in Singapore and the daughter of teachers A. G. Mohan and Indra Mohan. Part of that TTC module included chanting, and I felt that chanting was a recurring theme in my life (laughs). I started looking for a teacher, and two years ago, I found the Veda Studies account on Instagram. I signed up for the Foundation Course, and I enjoyed the practise of repeating after the teacher for error correction. I started attending community events, studied a few more courses (such as the Gaṇapati Atharvaśīrṣopaniṣat and Rudram). I wanted to learn more in-depth, so I signed up for the Teacher Training Programme. My journey continues.
Sophia: What do you think is the one misconception people have about reciting Veda?
Thanahlakshmi: Even I had this misconception. When I was young, I listened to M.S. Subbulakshmi a lot and thought of all chanting as singing. I didn’t know there were strict rules to follow when we chant Veda. In fact, a year ago, I started taking Sanskrit classes, so that it all comes together.
Sophia: What was your understanding of Veda before you started studying formally? How has that impression changed after you started studying formally?
Thanahlakshmi: Before coming to Veda Studies, I understood the culture and tradition because I was born into it. I didn’t have the spirit of self-enquiry. At various stages in my life, I tried to understand why we pray in a certain way or follow certain observances. I wanted to know about dharma and how we can adhere to it — this was not something I inherited passively. I wanted to understand the rationality behind what we do. When you’re born into a tradition, you don’t necessarily have that self-enquiry already ingrained in you. When I started studying with Veda Studies, I actually learned so much from my classmates who weren’t even born into the tradition. I think that is because of the way Shantalaji marries tradition and the rationale behind it. She teaches in a way that resonates with the students — that is a rare kind of learning.
Sophia: Did anything about the Veda studies tradition of learning and teaching surprise you?
Thanahlakshmi: That my teacher is so strict (laughs). Shantalaji is strict about transmitting correct information and holds herself to a very high standard. By extension, we students know that the expectation is set very high if we want to become teachers. We all need to study and teach with the same rigour, discipline and commitment.
Sophia: What has sustained your commitment to this practice over time?
Thanahlakshmi: Honestly, my commitment was tested at the end of 2025, because I lost my grandmother. When grief arrived, it became a block for me. I felt like my voice disappeared for a while. I couldn’t chant. But I kept listening to chanting, and that gave me the calm I needed to process my grief. I was listening to Shantalaji’s recordings and listened very carefully. Listening to chanting slowly inspired me to come back to it; I found my voice. I feel so lucky that I was already in the teacher training programme and I had this community. That helped me process my grief and keeps me coming back to the practice.
Sophia: How did reciting Veda affect the spiritual practices you were studying before you studied mantras?
Thanahlakshmi: We chant even in Odissi and Kalaripayattu as those practices are lineage-based. Veda Studies is also lineage-based. I just felt like it was bringing my mind and body together. I didn’t feel like there was a disconnect — I felt like I was building connections through the different forms.
Sophia: Tell us about the Veda Studies TTC that you’re attending right now, and how it has added value to your life.
Thanahlakshmi: I am on this path with like-hearted people. I say like-hearted because we are all on this journey of seeking, and it connects us. When we practice in the TTC and in group practice, my own sound is reflected to me by the other teachers in the community, and their feedback has been pivotal to my progress. The community is a safe place to make mistakes and learn to correct them safely. I had to shed some of my fears before I felt confident to recite in a community, but I feel confident now because I know I am held.
Sophia: How do you envision sharing this practice in your own work or community after the TTC?
Thanahlakshmi: Very slowly and with humility. I’m working on myself to improve my fluency and refine each mantra. I want to be able to recite without the colour-coded text, and I have achieved that with some mantras because of consistent commitment to the practice and lots of repetition (laughs). I want to teach when I reach that comfortable point where I can share my learnings with confidence.
Sophia: What would be your advice to people who want to practice and study, and perhaps teach Veda in the future?
Thanahlakshmi: Study without expectations and understand that this is a tradition. It will take time — there are no shortcuts. Trust your teacher, the lineage and the feedback.
Sophia: What does spirituality mean to you?
Thanahlakshmi: Spirituality is personal, and to me, spirituality is a lived experience.
To get in touch with Thanahlakshmi, email her at [email protected]