The Indian content creator industry is blooming at a rapid pace. Creators now have a massive following and influence over the masses. From brands to cinema, everyone caters to them to reach a wider audience. Amongst the solid influx of such creators, Janhvi Singh is one such woman who chose an unconventional genre and niche.
At just 20 years old, she is one of the ace spiritual content creators in the country. She has captivated audiences with her content which is centered around spirituality, Bhagavad Gita, Ved, Upnishads, and more. Janhvi Singh’s knowledge of the Indian culture and history will leave you spellbound. She is also a keen promoter of the Indian “saree” – our heritage fashion garment.
After winning the “National Award: Heritage Fashion Icon” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, Janhvi Singh has now ventured into the world of podcasts. She has started her own “solocast” called “Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath” on Spotify, produced by Pod.One. When she announced her solocast at our Social Nation Festival, we saw an astounding response from Gen-Z who are curious to learn more from her.
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The Social Nation team got the opportunity to chat with Janhvi Singh about her new venture, her affinity to the Indian culture, and life after receiving that prestigious National honour. Read on:
“Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath” is a ‘Solocast,’ unlike a Podcast which is one of the most popular formats for interviews/ conversations. What made you opt for a solocast?
For me, content matlab video. I have been creating content for three years now which has always been in a video format. When I had a conversation with my team for the podcast, they said “you’re already doing good with videos, so why not start a video podcast and that too a solo podcast?” and I was instantly ready for that.
A lot of people have said that you should get started with a podcast, this is the trend now and it is what people will consume. But I have always thought ki podcasts are not my thing. When it comes to interviews and conversations, I can initiate it and take it to a very good level but I still didn’t have the confidence to pull off a podcast very well.
So I was looking for something where I could do it on my own by directly talking to the camera because the camera is my friend now – it’s a daily thing for me. Hence, when the idea for the podcast came up, I was happy to do a solocast.
How difficult and different is it from a regular podcast?
To be honest, it is different, not difficult. Because from platform to platform, algorithm and audience differ a lot. Keeping your audience in mind, what you want to deliver, and what they want to hear from you is a very important aspect to take into consideration.
Starting “Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath” is a very good initiative for me because there is so much wisdom and knowledge that I want to deliver, which I was unable to put in a long format video. Now, through this solocast and with the support of Pod.One and its efficient team, I finally can!
Tell us where can one hear your solocast?
You can not only hear it but also watch it on all major audio and video streaming platforms. The video podcasts will be distributed on Spotify and YouTube, whereas the audio podcasts will also be available on platforms like Apple Podcast, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Gaana.
Tell us what the audience can expect from your podcast “Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath” on Spotify.
There’s a lot to expect! For me, “Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath” on Spotify was a platform to deliver the knowledge and wisdom of Upnishads. It is basically the summary of the 4 Vedas – Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. Iske hi alag alag branches hai Upnishads.
Jo Upnishads ka gyaan hota hai, it is one of the best of the best wisdom that you can get. The biggest personalities around the world have tried to read Upnishads which has impacted their lives majorly. The knowledge of Upnishads can instantly change how you look at your life, how you think about your life and your perspective. I wanted to deliver this very wisdom through the podcast.
So, I will be covering the 11 significant Upnishads out of the total 108 in a video format in this solocast. The audience will get to understand these Upnishads deeply and also in a very layman language that people of my age group (18-25) can understand. They can then apply those things in their life and learn to balance their materialistic and spiritual life in a very smooth way.
What made you explore the Upnishads and Veds?
It all started with my being very naastik. I have always been a borderline atheist person. So I’ve never really believed in it but have always questioned it. I feel real aasthikta or firm belief stems from being naastik. I have been that person who has always questioned my rituals, puja and religion. If we are doing this particular ritual of offering water to the sun, then ‘why are we doing it?’ I want to know the logic and science behind it.
And I think Upnishads and Ved gives you that perspective and all those answers that you’re looking for. If there are some questions in your mind, you will get the answers in Upnishads. But after reading it, some new questions will also arise in your mind and the answer to them will also be found in Upnishads and Ved.
Being Gen-Z, what sparked your interest in Indian cultural history and the Bhagavad Gita?
Maine Srimad Bhagavad Gita padhna shuru kiya jab meri mummy ne shuru kiya. She would tell me to read it but I resisted for a long time because when you’re an agnostic person, you have a lot of ego and arrogance. You think you know everything, and you don’t believe in things like spirituality because you are so-called “cool Gen-Z,” who thinks it is cool to defame our own culture and heritage.
A lot of times so I have been that kind of person but I thought ki chalo padhke dekhte hai. The first time I read it, itna samajh mein nahi aaya, fir dusri baar padha, tisri baar padha toh dheere dheere cheezein samajh mein aayi and that’s how I started creating content also. Then I developed a lot more interest and explored Upnishads and Ved.
Your bio says “Shastra, Sanskriti, Saree”. What made you pick these topics to create content on? Tell us about your content creation journey.
I think I have not really picked up these topics to create content on, God has picked me to do so. These three things really sum up my content. It is something that I have always wanted to do. I have grown up watching the Internet and YouTube. In seventh class, I developed an interest in social media, so I started my journey as a dance content creator.
I used to be a Kathak performer back then and made content on YouTube for a year. Lekin tabhi content creation was not really a career, it was just ‘YouTuber’ and ‘Instagrammer.’ “Influencer” jaisa koi word exist nahi karta tha. It was just a hobby but then I closed my channel because it was definitely not growing.
Lekin mujh mein abhi bhi voh spark aur inner calling thi ke social media pe kuch karna hai.Then in lockdown, I thought let’s try speaking on camera. Being an introvert I thought this would be a good practice and I can post it online, enhancing my communication skills. I would share my learnings from reading non-fiction books. Fir spirituality, shastra aur culture aaye meri zindagi mein and my content evolved. It was a very seamless transition.
Now I create content around the “shastras” (scriptures) – where I cover the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata and the Upnishads on social media. “Sanskriti” is basically ‘culture’ wherein I share the significance behind the rituals we do and festivals we celebrate. “Saree” is a very favourite part of my content because I love to wear sarees. I have a series called “Saree Ka Sahitya” in which I promote Indian textiles and the different sarees of different states.
Many congratulations on winning the “National Award: Heritage Fashion Icon!” What was the entire experience of receiving this honour from PM Narendra Modi like?
He is one of the greatest leaders in the country. People admire and look up to him from around the world. Receiving an award from him itself is a lifetime moment for me and honestly, I was not expecting it. I’m grateful for that to God.
Basically, there are two sections in my content – one is “sanskriti and shastra” and the other section is “saree.” So when the nominations were going on, I saw my name under the category “Cultural Ambassador of the Year”. I was happy and then my friend told me that you are also nominated in the “Heritage Fashion Icon of the Year” category which I had not even checked!
Then all of a sudden my name got announced and it was a surprise for me. It was magical and surreal, it cannot be explained in words but I’m very happy to receive this honour from Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. It’s a huge moment for my life and for my parents obviously. It’s also a validation to create more and more content on heritage fashion, to promote Indian textiles and ethnic wear.
There have been so many beautiful textiles which are now somehow lost or we’re not even aware of their existence and value. Our weavers work so hard to make that one saree which takes months and years to make. I’m glad that I can be that medium to promote those weavers and this art form.
What does the future of spiritual content creation look like to you?
I think there’s been a wave of spiritual content creators in the last 2-3 years. When I started there were only one or two creators who were making such content. I see this kind of competition also now just because the spiritual niche is trending, a lot of people are trying to be spiritual on social media even though they are not in reality. It is a very controversial statement to make but it is what it is. I have seen my scripts word-by-word getting copied on reels and those people are getting followers.
While there’s nothing wrong with copying my content, the thing you need to ask yourself is how long your content will survive like this. Spiritual content is something that you need to master first. If you have not really read, understood or applied the subjects in your real life, it will reflect in your content and the audience will identify that. They are very smart. But the future definitely seems very bright to me.
About Pod.One
A pioneer in the world of podcasts, Pod.One has established themselves as a synonym for podcasts. With a thoroughly equipped team, they make podcast journeys seem like a cakewalk. From the backend work of starting a podcast to running a successful show, their expertise has helped many people achieve their dreams. Pod.One is also one of the initial few to start video podcasting on Spotify, an innovative leap in the world of podcasts.
Ranging from sports, and informative, to fun podcasts, Pod.One has many successful shows to its name. They have worked with big names in the industry including Leeza Mangaldas, Nishad Pai, Kalyanjit Hatibaruah and many more. They have over 40 podcasts distributed across big platforms such as Spotify, Amazon Audible and Apple Podcasts. To bring your voice to the world, reach out to Pod.One.
As Janhvi Singh steps into the world of podcasting with her debut series, she brings with her a wealth of knowledge. With the backing of Pod.One, a powerhouse in the podcasting realm, her journey promises to be seamless and successful. The inaugural episode introducing you to the Upnishads sets a high standard for the influx of wisdom coming your way through “Jaaniye Shastra Janhvi Ke Saath”.
