Artist Amiya Bhanushali Is Popularising Shibari (Japanese Bondage) As A Form Of Healing

A glimmer of the setting sun reveals crossing points where the rope twists around a torso. Amiya's voice looms sanguinely above the lo-fi beats, cajoling the trussed bodies to breathe through the pain while flickering candles keep vigil. "When you do kink, you always sort of go into this space which is not reality," Amiya observes. This altered state of consciousness or flow has been reported to induce lower cortisol levels and psychological stress in people trying out Shibari and other similar kinds of bondage.

Simply put, Shibari involves tying someone up for a healing experience that detaches them from the overworked, intellectual part of their brain and enmeshes them securely within the here and now.

Studies have proven that this Japanese underground kink is analogous to the mindfulness of yoga or meditation. "There are erotic aspects to it and other artists practise those," Mumbai-based Shibari facilitator and freelance tattoo artist Amiya Bhanushali opines, "but I feel like Silly Hands is very much on the softer, more loving side."

Founded in the midst of the pandemic, Silly Hands Shibari is Amiya's independent foray into unravelling the enigmatic language of ties and knots. "With Silly Hands, my vision is to take more workshops and private sessions but also in the future, I would love to put up Shibari theatre performances," they elaborated. Whether signing up solo or as a couple, anyone entering the rope space must be privy to the risks of being restrained. "There are important conversations to be had before you start the session," Amiya insists, "such as setting roles and defining boundaries that will be played out in the next hour or so."

Amiya emphasises upon holding space for "the possibility of a no or even a slight pause," offsetting the misconception that consent (once procured) is irrevocable. In this manner, Shibari doesn't just introduce heightened awareness to physical touch but also a groundwork for trust and unhindered communication in personal relationships.

After establishing safe words and no-go areas where you don't want to be triggered, Amiya inducts the participants in basic single and double column ties, handling rope tension and navigating different body types. "A lot of people worry that the knots won't be able to bear the weight of bigger bodies," they interject "but I think ropes are very generous."

Ascertaining that safety shears are always at hand, a glass of water with a straw in it sitting close to the person who is pinioned and a relaxing fragrance wreathing through the room, Amiya is diligent about sculpting an environment that is conducive to the emotional catharsis their clients often undergo during the session. "There is some grounding you must do to bring yourself back from the dom or sub space back to reality." They go on to highlight the vitality of an after-care program, "like talking through what you felt and checking for bruises in case of heavier bondage."

It would come as a surprise to many people that being tightly bound can sometimes mirror the psychosomatic response one goes through when being held or caressed, unleashing concealed floodgates within us through which repressed trauma can come coursing through our veins. It is the seeming lack of control that once internalised can help you transmute your deep-seated anxiety into pleasurable surrender.

While Shibari is still very nascent in the homegrown body exploration scene, Amiya's upcoming workshops in Mumbai and Bengaluru could serve as an initiation into rebuilding a more wholesome brand of sensuality.

Airlifting jargon from the BDSM subculture like 'master and pet' or 'rigger and bunny', though there exists an ostensible power play between partners in Shibari, it doesn't need to be gender specific. "In India, you don't see an art form like Shibari being practiced by someone who is femme, non-binary presenting," Amiya reminds us.

A self-driven entrepreneur and an unabashed dominatrix, Amiya believes in propagating a healthy understanding of responsible kink practices and recontextualising the erratic narrative around consent in our society.

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