Finding My Rhythm After the Work Day Ends

Living in Kolkata after years of moving around India and spending time in Singapore, I’ve learned to adapt to a lot of different environments. My roots are Tamilian, but over time, I’ve picked up Hindi, Telugu, and Bengali. I’ve always been someone who enjoys connecting with people in their own language. Professionally, my world is one of numbers, strategy, and high-stakes decisions. As the Head of Corporate Finance at ITC, my mind is constantly occupied with the complexities of the financial world. It’s a demanding role, and for a long time, it was the primary thing that defined my daily existence.

Before the flute entered my life, my days were incredibly predictable. I had a solid routine: a short bout of exercise in the morning to wake up, followed by a very long, intense workday. By the time I got home, I usually felt drained. I would try to unwind with some light reading or by scrolling through an OTT platform to watch a show, just to turn my brain off before sleeping. I typically work six days a week, and sometimes more. While I was successful in my career, I started to feel a certain stagnation on a personal level. I felt like I wasn’t really learning anything new anymore. I was performing, yes, but I wasn’t growing in a way that felt fresh. I did get back into competitive quizzing—a hobby from my student days—which helped a bit, but there was still a void that needed filling.

The moment that changed everything happened quite randomly. I wasn't looking for a musical instrument or a new obsession. I was just casually browsing Facebook one evening after work when I saw an advertisement for a flute webinar by Harsh Dave. Most ads I scroll past without a second thought, but this one made me pause. I went over to YouTube to see a few of his videos. As I watched the music come out of that simple piece of bamboo, I thought to myself, "Why not? There is really nothing to lose." I signed up right then and there.

However, the beginning was far from easy. I hit a major roadblock almost immediately. About twenty years ago, I fractured my left thumb while playing cricket. I hadn't thought about that injury in years, but the moment I picked up a side-blown flute, the pain came rushing back. The way you have to stretch your hand and stabilize the instrument put a lot of pressure exactly where that old fracture was. There were days when the discomfort was so sharp that I seriously considered quitting. I told myself that maybe my body just wasn’t built for this anymore. But I decided to take it slow. I adjusted my grip, did some stretches, and gave my hand time to adapt. Slowly, the pain began to fade, and my hand found a way to hold the flute that worked for me.

The real turning point, though, wasn't physical—it was mental. It happened when I reached the "Bhupali Song 2" assignment. I absolutely loved the composition, but it turned out to be the most challenging thing I had tackled in years. Suddenly, I started getting feedback that my *swars* (notes) weren't quite right. For a high-achieving professional used to getting things right, receiving that negative feedback left me feeling disappointed and honestly, a bit anxious. I tried and tried, but I just couldn't crack it.

I decided I wasn't going to let it beat me. I had a session with a teacher named Rishabh and received detailed feedback from my mentor, Kalai Vani. They helped me realize exactly where I was going wrong with my breath and finger placement. After those sessions, I went home and practiced that one song 150 times. Because of my work schedule, I couldn't even start practicing until after 10:00 PM. I would sit there in the quiet of the night, blowing into the flute over and over again, trying to perfect those notes. I honestly have to thank my neighbors for being so patient; I’m surprised they didn’t call the cops on me for playing flute melodies at midnight! But when I finally got it right, the feeling of accomplishment was unlike anything I’d felt in a boardroom.

Since I started this journey, I’ve noticed a real shift in my daily life. Two things stand out. First, I finally have something to look forward to after a long day at the office. No matter how stressful a meeting was, I know that my flute is waiting for me at home. Second, I’ve noticed I’m sleeping much better. The focus required to play the flute clears out all the "noise" of corporate finance. It acts as a genuine stress reliever. Instead of my brain spinning about budgets and reports until 2:00 AM, it’s focused on the melody.

The way I hold the flute today feels completely different from that first day. In the beginning, it felt like a struggle against an object. Now, it feels like a path toward personal growth. I see a lot of my peers in the class moving ahead much faster than I am, but I’ve learned not to let that bother me. In my job, speed is often everything, but with the flute, I’ve given myself permission to proceed at my own pace. I’ve realized that this isn't a race; it’s a practice.

I’ve decided to keep setting short-term goals for myself and just keep pursuing them, one note at a time. The flute has taught me that even after a busy career and decades of routine, it’s never too late to start from scratch and learn something that makes your soul feel a little lighter.

— Karthik Bhanu Kolkata, India