Gauri Madhuri Dhanraj

So it's more of a social rather than just an individualistic connection.

I think one part is maturity, like just growing up and realizing that I have a choice.

My parents didn't force me to go to temple and then realizing I would still rather choose to go with them rather than stay home.

So that was one aspect.

The other aspect, and I think this happens to a lot of people living abroad, you're so stranded in this foreign world of people who don't look like you, who don't practice the same faith as you, and you search for something that will ground you and tie you to something bigger than yourself.

So that's why a lot of my generation comes back to religion as they get older, because they want something that defines them or that explains who they are.

So that happened to me too when I was in end of high school university.

And I'm like, why am I searching for all of the answers outside when I have everything I need right with me?

And that kind of pushed me back on the path towards my dharma.

I mean, with bhajan jamming, I can see bhajans just growing bigger and bigger.

There's always that risk of polluting, lowering the standard of the bhajans.

And I think that's the risk with everything.

Even when bhajan jamming first came out, there were a lot of people who said, oh, this is heresy, you know, bhajans are pure, they should not be associated with bhajan clubbing or jamming.

While I don't agree with those people because...

I love the accessibility now of bhajan jamming.

I do think us as singers have to remember that these are not like Bollywood songs.

They're still religious.

So when you put them into concerts or things like that, you have to upkeep that maryada or that standard, that dignity with which bhajans need to be treated.

I can see now the music is appealing a lot more to non-Hindus.

So I think that's a really big positive.