From Ayahuasca to Audiophiles: The Story Behind Shravanam Reissue

The Album That Held Space in a Shamanic Ceremony—And Found New Meaning in Reverse

A Sacred Song at the Height of a Vision

Some music arrives in your life at just the right moment, as if it was always meant to find you. For Time Capsule founder Kay Suzuki, Shravanam became the soundtrack to one of the most transformative experiences of his life.

"During my first Ayahuasca ceremony, The Shaman who conducted it played this album at the height of the journey. The ceremony itself was already something beyond words—a moment of deep introspection, where everything felt connected through complex web of multiverse. But this music… it anchored the experience. The stillness, the meditative pull, the way Bombay S Jayashri’s voice seemed to guide me inward—it was as if the music was holding space for something profound to unfold. That night changed my life, and this music has symbolised that shift ever since."

Originally released on CD in 2000, Shravanam had never been available outside of physical copies in India. Nearly two decades later, Time Capsule worked to bring it to streaming, downloads, and a special vinyl edition in 2019 (and in 2024 with a different B side track listing) —making this sacred album accessible to listeners everywhere, in the format that suits them best.

But how did Shravanam come to life in the first place? To understand that, we need to look at Charsur Digital Workstation, the label that first brought it into existence.

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How Charsur Built a Home for Carnatic Music

In the late ’90s, Chennai-based Charsur Digital Workstation was founded by Charubala Natarajan and Suresh Gopalan, two individuals whose lives had been deeply intertwined with music from the start.

“There wasn’t really a label dedicated only to Carnatic music when we started,” Suresh explains. “Most companies would put out a few Carnatic releases, but that was it. We wanted to create something that focused entirely on the music we grew up with.”

Charubala Natarajan

Charubala, coming from a family of musicians, had spent over 17 years in radio and television, crafting and hosting music-focused programs. Suresh was a sound engineer and multi-instrumentalist, trained in harmonium, keyboard, and percussion. Together, they launched Charsur in 1998, initially as a professional recording studio.

Carnatic music is one of the world’s oldest and most sophisticated classical traditions, rooted in the sacred temples and spiritual practices of South India. Unlike its Hindustani counterpart from the North, Carnatic music is more devotional in nature, often centered on the singing of hymns, compositions dedicated to deities, and deeply philosophical themes.

Charsur saw an opportunity—not just to preserve the music but to modernize its presentation.

“At the time, most Carnatic recordings followed a standard format,” Charubala recalls. “We wanted to give them the same level of care as any major recording—thoughtful production, high-quality sound, and well-researched presentation.”

Their approach was archival yet innovative. While preserving the rich tradition of Carnatic music, Charsur also embraced modern recording techniques that elevated the listening experience. They were among the first to experiment with high-fidelity production, recording Carnatic performances in 5.1 surround sound—a rarity in the genre at the time. Unlike many classical recordings that felt rigidly traditional, Charsur aimed to bring clarity, depth, and a more immersive quality to the music, ensuring that the emotional and spiritual intensity remained intact.

This philosophy led to the creation of Shravanam, the very first album in Charsur’s Spiritual series.

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Bombay S Jayashri: The Perfect Voice for Shravanam

If there was one artist who could bring this concept to life, it was Bombay S Jayashri, a singer whose voice carries both deep tradition and soul-stirring emotion.

Born in Kolkata and raised in Mumbai, Jayashri trained rigorously in Carnatic classical music, later expanding her career into film, fusion projects, and global collaborations. She became known for her ability to communicate deep emotions through simplicity, making her voice a natural fit for spiritual and meditative works.

Charsur had already worked extensively with Jayashri throughout the ’90s.

“We had recorded many of her albums for other labels between 1992 and 1997,” Suresh recalls. “She was always meticulous, always deeply involved in the process. When we started Charsur, she was one of the first people we invited to collaborate.”

For Shravanam, she lent her voice to a collection of devotional hymns and chants, focused on the practice of Namasankirtanam—a form of musical worship where chanting divine names is considered a direct path to enlightenment.

"Shravanam means ‘listening,’ but in a way that transforms you,” says Charubala. “It’s part of a three-step spiritual process: listening, reflecting, and meditating.”

The result is an album that guides the listener inward, offering a meditative space through sound.

Even today, the album’s ability to transport the listener is something that stands out.

"Every time I listen, I’m amazed at how such a small ensemble can create such a deep musical landscape,”

Kay Suzuki reflects.

“The incredible production plays a big part. That intricate percussion sounds so clear and sits in all the right pockets rhythmically and sonically. Just by following this groove, I’m put into a timeless zone. But when her voice hits on top of that gorgeous drone sound and I focus on the details of her small melodies within melodies, my heart centres, and I find myself in a blissful place.”

Original CD released in 2000

Why We Pressed This Vinyl in Reverse (And Why It Matters)

While Shravanam is now available in streaming format for the first time ever, we also wanted to create a vinyl edition that would fully do justice to its meditative and immersive nature.

That’s why this release is reverse-cut—it plays from the inner groove to the outer groove.

You don’t need to change any settings on your turntable. Just place the needle where the record usually finishes, and let it play as normal.

Why did we do this? A long-playing record (especially one over 20 minutes per side) tends to have lesser dynamics and sound quality when it’s closer to the centre of the record due to the progressive reduction of linear resolution as the record progresses to smaller diameters. Since Shravanam begins softly and gradually builds in intensity, this method ensures that the most dynamic and powerful moments have the best possible sound quality. It’s a small but meaningful detail that allows the music to shine in its purest form.

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The Music That Listens to You

For those unfamiliar with Carnatic music, Shravanam is an ideal introduction. It’s not built around complex compositions or virtuosity—it’s an album meant to be felt rather than analysed.

“We never thought of these recordings as ‘products’—they’re living things,” Charubala says. “That’s why it’s so exciting to see it being rediscovered today.”

For anyone looking for music that soothes, transports, and transforms, Shravanam remains as powerful as ever.

For this reissue, Berlin-based artist Petra Péterffy created a mesmerizing new artwork and animation, capturing the album’s meditative essence. Her visuals reflect the fluidity and transcendence of Shravanam, offering a hypnotic visual counterpart to its deep-listening experience.

🔊 Shravanam is available now digitally and on vinyl: 🎧 Listen & purchase

Special thanks to Charsur Digital Workstation and Bombay S Jayashri for their insights and dedication to preserving Carnatic music.

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