However, in 2015, the Madras High Court dismissed the case against him. In an epilogue, the bench called on the author to start writing again: “Let the author be resurrected to what he is best at. Write.”…writes Sukant Deepak
It is an unusual interaction. You ask the questions, and two kind people who know Tamil translate them for him. He answers in his native tongue, and his replies come back in English. While this delicate ballet takes place, Perumal Murugan never takes his eyes off you. Is he even blinking? It is unnerving. He is perhaps looking inside you.
Long back, he had once asked you, “Isn’t life, but memories?” Maybe he will say something today too that will refuse to leave.
Murugan, who has to his credit twelve novels, six collections of short stories, six anthologies of poetry, and several non-fiction books, with ten of his novels translated into English and is a recipient of the JCB Prize for Literature among several others, starts the conversation with loneliness. He says it is not a bad thing. For him, it has always been extremely important. “How will writing happen if there are too many sounds? Internal isolation magnetizes words. They start coming easy. The mind willingly travels lands far and wide and looks for stories. Melancholy has a strange charm. It is only when alone that you are truly yourself,” he tells IANS on the sidelines of the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), Asia’s largest literature festival being held at Kozhikode Beach.
Currently working on a new set of short stories to be published soon, the author is working on the theme of how pets affect human lives and their affairs. Exploring their connection with men, he adds, “I come from an agricultural family which had lots of goats, cows, and bullocks. In those times, they helped us in their work. Now, with youngsters going abroad for work, pets serve a different purpose for their parents. They depend on them for company now… a one-way dialogue. It is tragic but see, they (animals) are in so many ways more relevant to our lives in present times”
A staunch Marxist, Murugan, despite all the failings of Indian communists politically, continues to stay true to the essence of communism. “Politics is only one aspect of Marxism. It does not matter how relevant they are in terms of vote share. Look at the contribution of the ideology to literature and the arts, how it has been instrumental in making so many of us sensitive towards everything around us.”
The author who hit international headlines post the book ‘One Part Woman’, published in 2010 and translated into English in 2013 faced a lawsuit filed against him by caste-based groups accusing him of hurting their religious sentiments, and he declared on his Facebook page: “Perumal Murugan the writer is dead. As he is no God, he is not going to resurrect himself. He also has no faith in rebirth. An ordinary teacher, he will live as P. Murugan. Leave him alone.”
However, in 2015, the Madras High Court dismissed the case against him. In an epilogue, the bench called on the author to start writing again: “Let the author be resurrected to what he is best at. Write.”
Remembering that time, Murugan says that the judge was not just supporting him but also freedom of expression. “But there is still an invisible fear… of books being banned, of freedom of expression curtailed. Democracy must prevail, under all circumstances.”
For someone who has been translated widely, and published in English by Penguin and HarperCollins India, it is not just about the fact that the translator is proficient in both languages. “He/she needs to understand the intricacies of the village dialects too. The metaphors of the country life can be tough to put in words in another language,” he concludes.
Rama accompanies me, I was reading the farewell, his final departure from the city of Ayodhya. Rama with Sita and Lakshmana marching into the forest – who would not like to be Rama, Sita or Lakshmana…writes Dilip Roy
Like most intellectuals of 19th century Germany, who were influenced and inspired by India’s ancient VEDIC philosophy and epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana among them was composer Richard Wagner the Doyen of German opera and the greatest icon of 19th century Europe was deeply inspired by India’s classical literature and Ramayana was one of them.
Following are the extracts from his diary published in 1865 called the BROWN BOOK: Wagner is constantly reading the Indian epic Ramayana.
Oh, how grand the Rama poem becomes, and ever finer! – Really, merely to secure for oneself the right mood for such a thing must be too able to withdraw from all the vulgarity of the present. That costs total effort, and at the beginning one thinks it won’t work at all: the incomprehensible excesses of the introduction, for example, one feels like yawning and jeering at. But just go on: at last, it dawns on you! What sort of world that is, and how it is built up and executed! ” A work of art to marvel at – against which a modern novel seems like a newspaper article.” I am into the second volume. It is alive, sounding and moving around me. Oh, Rama is divine! How grand, how vast everything becomes for me at having to deal with such people! ” A glorious drama stands there before me, different from all others.”
Rama accompanies me, I was reading the farewell, his final departure from the city of Ayodhya. Rama with Sita and Lakshmana marching into the forest – who would not like to be Rama, Sita or Lakshmana. ” It is almost the finest thing I know Divine land of the Ganges.” At this point everyone gives way to tears, sighs, sobs, weeping howling and wailing – it beats one how the houses stay standing – and I sought the authoress of this misery wondering how she begins to endure such success for her not ardently malicious but merely ambitious undertaking. Then I saw hunch-backed Manthara who had given the counsel, and imagined her gazing down on all the monstrous misery and saying to it will herself coldly: ” Well, it will all pass, and soon at that, then it will be as if it never was, and we shall be the Lords.”
(Translated from the original German) The concept of Ramayana has been used by Wagner in his grand opera The Ring Cycle.
PS: This article is my homage to the upcoming Ram Temple in Ayodhya and to the Indian PM Narendra MODI who made it all happen. Jai Hind ((Dilip Roy is a Fellow of Royal Asiatic Society UK and one of the greatest admirer of Richard Wagner )
The World Competitiveness Yearbook of the International Institute for Management Development for 2023, revealed the Kingdom reaching the 17th position globally out of 64 countries as the most competitive in the world, and the third among the G20 countries…writes Mohammed Abdul Mannan
Saudi Arabia, where the Indians arrived as migrant workers during the British times after the discovery of oil and currently accounts for 2.2 million – the largest expatriate community – and contributing in US$13.052 billion in 2021, is in the midst of a massive socio-economic and infrastructural transformation. The Arabian Peninsula’s largest country has achieved a significant economic milestone by surpassing a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of SR4.155 trillion (US$1 trillion) for the first time, ahead of its 2025 target. The economy experienced an impressive growth rate of 8.7 per cent, outperforming all other G20 member-states. The private sector contributed SR1.634 trillion to the GDP, constituting 41 per cent of its total. Non-governmental investments experienced remarkable growth, reaching SR907.5 billion. The private sector workforce witnessed substantial expansion, growing to 9.422 million in 2022, reflecting an impressive growth rate of 16.6 per cent.
In May 2023, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) revealed that the Kingdom was the world’s second-fastest-growing tourism destination. It had been ranked 13th globally, advancing by 12 places since 2019 on its index, as one of the top countries receiving international tourists in 2022. According to its barometer, the Kingdom also advanced 16 places in the international tourism revenue index, achieving 11th place in 2022, compared to 27th place in 2019 globally. The country received about 7.8 million international tourists for all purposes during the Q1 of 2023, representing its highest quarterly performance, up 64 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.
In 2023, there had been 20 per cent more international capacity than in 2018 and it now exceeds domestic capacity. In 2023, SAUDIA represented 41 per cent of capacity, with private budget carrier Flyadeal and hybrid short-haul operator Flynas representing a further 25 per cent of the market. Reflecting robust economic growth, its financial markets reported a remarkable performance by the end of 2022, with the Capital Market Authority witnessing 49 new listings, marking a completion rate of 204 per cent. The stock market’s capitalization as a proportion of the GDP also increased by 91 per cent, exceeding the initial Vision 2030 strategic objective of 77 per cent. The World Competitiveness Yearbook of the International Institute for Management Development for 2023, revealed the Kingdom reaching the 17th position globally out of 64 countries as the most competitive in the world, and the third among the G20 countries.
Investment funds soared to a historic peak of 1,130, marking a 34.68 per cent surge from the 839 funds in the same period last year. An official document projected the government would post a budget deficit of 1.9 per cent of the GDP in 2024, 1.6 per cent of GDP in 2025, and 2.3 per cent of GDP in 2026, with “limited budget deficits” continuing in the medium term. The total expenditure is seen rising to SR1.262 billion in 2023, before slowing down marginally to SR1.251 billion in 2024. For 2024, the government expects total revenues at SR1.172 trillion and total spending of SR1.251 trillion. According to a September 2023 report by American newswire Bloomberg, the Kingdom awarded construction contracts worth US$250 billion since 2016, when it embarked on an ambitious plan to transform the economy. Property and infrastructure projects of US$1.25 trillion value have been announced across the country, according to property consultant Knight Frank.
Assets under the management of the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) – the sovereign wealth fund- have swelled to US$603 billion in 2022, and it hopes to boost its total assets to a whopping SAR4 trillion by 2025, of which 24 per cent will be international. As it rides a new wave of socio-economic growth, the oil-rich Kingdom has become a head-turner. As it pursues an ambitious aviation and tourism agenda, it has launched two new state-owned airlines which are scheduled to start flying from 2024/2025. One of the three airlines in operation, national carrier SAUDIA is weighing options including a debut bond sale to fund new aircraft orders, as it prepares to almost double its fleet by 2030. The Kingdom plans to boost international arrivals to 70 million. A whopping US$100 billion has been dedicated to airports and the air transport sector to handle 330 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of air cargo by 2030. It is working towards 250-plus destinations connectivity from across its 29 airports. The Kingdom’s three carriers are set to face stiff competition from the two new state-owned carriers scheduled to start flying in 2024/2025. NEOM Bay Airport is the first of four airports to be developed under Vision 2030, the massive economic development program launched in 2016 with US$100 billion dedicated to airports and the air transport sector.
The world’s largest producer and exporter of oil and the fastest-growing tourism market in the G20 is targeting to handle 330 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of air cargo by 2030. It is working to have 250-plus destinations connectivity from across its 29 airports. By that time, the country will house the world’s largest airport by size, spreading across 776 square kilometres in Jeddah. After being shuttered for the 41st time in history due to the 21st century’s second pandemic, the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah are recording the world’s largest human gatherings. The Kingdom wants to raise the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to more than 10 per cent to over US$100 billion to become one of the world’s top five tourism destinations by attracting 100 million annual visitors by 2030. It has pledged to invest up to US$64 billion by 2028 to develop its domestic entertainment sector. Saudi Arabia will see its first underground and driverless Metro of 176 kilometres taking off in 2023/24 to carry 400,000 passengers. The capital city is also developing an integrated 1,900-kilometre bus network with around 3,000 stops and three Bus Rapid transit (BRT) lines as it suffers from chronic traffic jams caused by over nine million road trips a year.
The country is constructing the world’s largest airport by size – spread across 776 square kilometres. Construction is on in Jeddah for a skyscraper expected to become the world’s tallest building, reaching a height of 1,000 metres, taller than the current record-holder, the 828-metre-tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Jeddah Tower will hold a Four Seasons hotel, residences, offices as well as the world’s highest observation deck on a constructed building. The fastest-growing tourism market in the G20 wants to be one of the world’s top five tourism destinations by attracting 100 million annual visits by 2030. It wants to host the World Expo in Riyadh in 2030, and the T20 cricket league. It will host the Asian Cup in 2027. It wants to host the 2034 Asian Games and also the Olympics. Saudi Arabia has started planning to bid to host the football World Cup in 2034 after, abandoning its plans to co-host in 2030 with Egypt and Greece.
It has already won the right to host the 2029 Winter Games. The country is speeding towards becoming a global player in international sports by spending billions of dollars on high-profile deals. Saudi Arabia wants to host 2035 Women’s World Cup for women, and could go head-to-head with an English bid for the tournament. To rejuvenate its domestic football, it has picked up the most sought-after football stars like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, doling out million-dollar salaries and opulent mansions. According to a report in a British daily, the Kingdom has started planning a bid to host the football World Cup in 2034 after abandoning its plans to co-host it in 2030 with Egypt and Greece. The country had already won the right to host the 2029 Winter Games. The Kingdom got an impressive tourism revenue surplus of US$6.1 billion during the Q1 of 2023, an astounding 225 per cent rise compared with the same quarter of 2022.
If the Kingdom gets the rights to host the Expo 2030, the five-month exhibition will welcome over 120 million visitors to Riyadh and 40 million to the massive site. The mega event will be a “unique opportunity for international visitors to experience its impressive transformation, rich cultural heritage and extraordinary hospitality.” Its US$7 trillion investment is turbocharging its drive to be a prime destination in the 21st century, with six UNESCO World Heritage Sites adoring its landscape as it rains on average six times a year.
Saudi Arabia has remained focused on developing cutting-edge Air Traffic Management facilities. Its Jeddah FIR covers all of the Saudi airspace, with only 56 per cent of the airspace fully utilized and used freely and the rest remaining with the military. Saudi Air Navigation Services (SANS) manages air traffic over two million square kilometres across a wide variety of terrains and environments. The sole Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP) has the world’s tallest air traffic control tower at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, since 2017, measuring 446 feet – taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza. Work is underway to deploy the Middle East’s first virtual air traffic control tower at Al Ula International Airport.
The Kingdom has seen 13 commercial airlines take off in its history. The Kingdom recorded the highest-ever passenger numbers – 103 million – in 2019. That year, total international flights number reached 159,795 and domestic flights stood at 225,721. The country also got its first aircraft leasing company. Two new airlines are due to start flying in 2024/2025. It is working towards enabling its airports to handle 330 million passengers by 2030, a decade before the Middle East airports, with Saudi Arabia in the lead, handling 1.1 billion passengers. From having its first airport in Dhahran in the 1940s, Saudi Arabia now boasts 29 airports. Jeddah’s King Abdul-Aziz International Airport tops in connectivity and destinations served – 55 airlines and 109 cities. Next comes Riyadh (38 airlines, 80 cities), Dammam (32 airlines and 48 cities) and Madinah (15 airlines and 28 cities).
Red Sea International Airport will start international operations in 2023/24, with five mini terminals. A new airport in Jeddah, billed to emerge as the world’s biggest facility, will handle up to 185 million passengers by 2050. After being called a ‘Forbidden Kingdom’ for being one of the 10 toughest countries to obtain visit visas, Saudi Arabia is going all out to warmly welcome the world, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) visitors. The Kingdom has introduced one-year, fee-based e-visas for tourism, events, visiting relatives or Umrah, and a free four-day stop-over visa for passengers booked on its flag carrier, Saudia, and budget airline, Flynas. Its goal is to attract 100 million tourists a year by 2030. The government has plans to spend US$1 trillion over the decade to turn the Kingdom into a mass-market tourist destination. The hotel segment alone has been projected to generate US$2.5 billion in revenues in 2023 as life comes back to normal following the years run of the 21st century’s second pandemic. Saudi Arabia’s growth and prosperity in the coming time will for sure make the world astonished. It is right now like a camel on wings.
Embark on hands-on activities like ‘Word Wanderer’ and ‘Eleworder,’ igniting your creative spark. Redesign book covers, immerse in sessions exploring Indianisms, and participate in dynamic library activities…reports Asian Lite News
Get ready to dive into a literary extravaganza as the highly anticipated 47th edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF) unfolds its pages from January 18 to 31, at the Central Park in Salt Lake, Kolkata. This grand event will draw a diverse crowd—from avid readers to manufacturers, distributors, authors, and publishers—creating a vibrant tapestry of literary fervour.
In the spotlight this year is the United Kingdom, designated as the theme country for IKBF ’24. The UK Pavilion will offer an immersive experience, providing a glimpse into the rich educational, scientific, and cultural heritage of the UK.
Marking the 75th anniversary of the British Council in India, the UK Pavilion will emerge as a dynamic hub, brimming with thought-provoking activities and interactive exhibits. Step into a world teeming with cultural and intellectual treasures, celebrating this significant milestone while embracing the modern contributions of the UK to the realms of education and the arts.
Here are 5 reasons why you must visit the UK Pavilion.
Captivating Conversations: Unveiling the Power of Storytelling
Immerse yourself in Prof. Michael Wilson’s exploration of “Why Storytelling Matters” and Prof. Robert Potts’ journey into AI and robotics. Don’t miss the invigorating panel discussions on digital and slow storytelling, offering profound insights into narrative forms. Additionally, seize an exclusive opportunity to engage with esteemed authors like Roma Agarwal, Nandini Das, and Lord Meghnad Desai at the UK Pavilion. Gain firsthand insights into their celebrated literary works, creating cherished moments within the vibrant tapestry of British literature.
Interactive Cultural Engagement for Creative Expression
Embark on hands-on activities like ‘Word Wanderer’ and ‘Eleworder,’ igniting your creative spark. Redesign book covers, immerse in sessions exploring Indianisms, and participate in dynamic library activities. Experience storytelling sessions that transcend conventional narratives, weaving enchanting tales from classic literature into contemporary narratives. Let the artistry of words captivate your imagination in an immersive cultural encounter.
Journey into Language’s Future and Historical Narratives
Explore the “future of English” in a multilingual context, shattering language barriers. Engage in intriguing discussions unravelling historical connections such as “The Cult of Rammohun Roy in Georgian England, 1831–1833,” offering captivating glimpses into the past. Engage in dynamic conversations led by thought leaders, experts, and luminaries, delving into compelling topics like the significance of storytelling. Expect lively debates and insightful perspectives that foster an intellectually charged atmosphere.
Innovative Exhibits and Cultural Delights
Witness the enthralling “Future of English” exhibition, unveiling groundbreaking literary pathways. Seize exclusive book signing opportunities, relish discounts on library memberships, and capture captivating moments at the interactive doodle wall. Experience a delightful journey through a spectrum of activities at the pavilion, from vibrant art events to engaging quizzes and craft sessions. These diverse activities cater to various ages and interests, ensuring a memorable and dynamic visit to the UK Pavilion.
Immersive Tales and Activities for All Ages
Engage in storytelling sessions, art competitions, and minute-to-win games, offering entertainment and involvement for all ages at the UK Pavilion. Immerse yourself in captivating sessions that transport you into the heart of enchanting tales, from spellbinding plots of classic literature to pulse-quickening contemporary narratives, igniting inspiration through the artistry of words.
Again, the book is a journal allowing all the multiple possibilities in its reading. From the attack on Rushdie to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the writer, with his words and artwork, continues making notes, stressing the need to mark memories and to keep believing…reports Asian Lite News
He calls it a happy accident. Author Amitava Kumar had already finished work on ‘The Blue Book: A Writer’s Journal’, but had not stopped drawing or keeping a journal.
One day, his colleague at Vassar College in the US asked him to visit his class on creativity. The colleague had given his students two journals joined together with a thick rubber band: one was blue and it was meant for writing down one’s thoughts, while the other, which was yellow, was for writing other people’s words.
“He gave me the same bound journals as a gift too. I immediately told the class that I had found the title I would give to the sequel,” says Kumar, whose latest ‘The Yellow Book: A Traveller’s Diary’, published by HarperCollins India recently hit the stands.
In his latest, the author allows the reader to see how a writer observes the world.
There are entries — the death of the legendary writer and journalist Joan Didion, the rituals he wants his students on a study tour to follow in London, like taking a picture of the first coffee, going for a run…artist Krishen Khanna’s painting on Gandhi’s death…notes from his visit to his hometown (Motihari) in India.
Again, the book is a journal.. allowing all the multiple possibilities in its reading. From the attack on Rushdie to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the writer, with his words and artwork, continues making notes, stressing the need to mark memories and to keep believing.
He says the practice of keeping a journal has been hugely important for his work and that he uses his old ones as material all the time.
“I always like to quote a friend who has written that if journalism is the first rough draft of history, then perhaps a journal is the first rough draft of literature,” Kumar says.
Like many writers, Kumar has always stressed the need to write every day. He however stresses the need to walk meditatively for ten minutes each day, imagining that with every step they take they are planting lotuses with their feet.
“I learned this from a lecture given by the Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh. It is a way of cultivating mindfulness. It is also a way of exercising and freeing the mind to come up with new ideas,” he says.
The author feels that to travel is to leave behind what is familiar or comforting or stale, taking one out of himself and forcing him to encounter the world.
“It doesn’t mean that you abandon your interiority or your private thoughts: it’s just that you see yourself against a new background,” he adds.
But for a writer like him, who undertook the journey from Bihar to the US and has also written on the immigrant experience — does the immigrant ever stop travelling, even after he has lived in his new country for a long time? The author feels that everything, even what is new, can often quickly become a habit or a part of a routine.
“Let’s say you have gone to a new city, you step out of your hotel room each day to go to the same cafe, and after a while, you recognise the waiter and he recognises you, and maybe you start thinking of yourself as a regular. In a narrow sense, you stop being a traveller. It is the same with an immigrant, the sense of having a home and a bed that is yours even though you have left the home where you grew up. I should add that I draw to pay attention. To break out of routine, pay attention, and see with new eyes.”
For someone who wrote ‘A Time Outside This Time’, a novel about fake news, memory, and how truth gives over to fiction, news should never be consumed passively.
“It was never right to do it and it is especially dangerous to do so now,” concludes Kumar, currently working on the last of the trilogy of drawing books: ‘The Green Book: A Citizen’s Report’.
The set of drawings in his next paper is primarily focused on the environment and climate change and will be published by HarperCollins India at the end of this year.
Risk Art Initiative (RAl) in Abu Dhabi and Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy sign MoU with Abu Dhabi - Kerala Cultural Exchange. The MoU was signed by Meena Wari, Chief Curator and Creative Director of Risk Art Initiative, and N Balamuraliam, Secretary of Lalitha Kala Academy in the presence of Shafina Yousaf Ali, Founder and Executive Director of Risk Art Initiative, Abu Dhabi, and Murali Cheeroth, Chairman of Lalitha Kala Academy.
Shafina Yusuf Ali, Executive Director of RAI, underscored the organization’s commitment to showcasing Kerala artists globally…reports Asian Lite News
In a significant move to foster cultural exchange and promote artists, the Risk Art Initiative (RAI) based in Abu Dhabi has joined forces with Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Meena Wari, Chief Curator and Creative Director of RAI, and N Balamurali, Secretary of Lalitha Kala Academy. The ceremony took place in the presence of Shafina Yousaf Ali, Founder and Executive Director of RAI, Abu Dhabi, and Murali Cheeroth, Chairman of Lalitha Kala Academy.
Risk Art Initiative (RAl) in Abu Dhabi and Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy sign MoU with Abu Dhabi – Kerala Cultural Exchange. The MoU was signed by Meena Wari, Chief Curator and Creative Director of Risk Art Initiative, and N Balamuraliam, Secretary of Lalitha Kala Academy in the presence of Shafina Yousaf Ali, Founder and Executive Director of Risk Art Initiative, Abu Dhabi, and Murali Cheeroth, Chairman of Lalitha Kala Academy.
The collaboration aims to exhibit and market artworks by artists associated with Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy in Abu Dhabi, with reciprocal exhibitions featuring Abu Dhabi’s artworks in Kerala. Shafina Yousaf Ali and Murali Cheeroth expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, highlighting the cultural and artistic similarities between Kerala and Arab countries.
Shafina Yusuf Ali, Executive Director of RAI, underscored the organization’s commitment to showcasing Kerala artists globally. The partnership was initiated with the support of the Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy, acknowledging the artistic and cultural resonance between the two regions.
Shafeena Yousaf Ali shared her inspiration for the initiative, citing her experience studying in London and recognizing the absence of world-class artists from India and West Asia. This realization led her to establish RAI, securing collaborations and government support for the upliftment of artists in Kerala and West Asia.
Shafeena Yusuf Ali, founder and executive director of Risk Art Initiative, launches the Abu Dhabi-Kerala Cultural Exchange by releasing a painting by renowned artist Attingal Ramachandran. Lalitha Kala Academy Chairman Murali Cheeroth, Secretary N Balamurali, Risk Art Initiative Chief Curator and Creative Director Meena Wari etc.
As a concrete step towards collaboration, RAI took over 40 artworks from the Lalitha Kala Academy, previously kept for years, and displayed them in Kochi. Plans are underway to exhibit the works of around 10 Kerala artists in Abu Dhabi this year. Additionally, four artists from West Asia will undergo a four-month training program at RAI headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
The Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy, known for its progressive initiatives, expressed its commitment to long-term projects with RAI across various art forms. Chairman Murali Cheeroth highlighted the Academy’s recent collaborations, including exhibitions with the Japan Foundation and the Calcutta Center for Creativity.
In a momentous event on January 8, 2024, RAI and the Academy unveiled a series of collaborative projects encompassing all aspects of art. Notably, Shafeena Yousaf Ali inaugurated the Abu Dhabi-Kerala initiative by showcasing the works of acclaimed artist Attingal Ramachandran. RAI also presented fellowships of Rs.2 lakhs each to Kerala artists Mibin Bhaskar and Mohammad Yasir, emphasizing their commitment to supporting and promoting local talent.
Shafeena Yousaf Ali, a business leader based in Abu Dhabi, holds an MBA from Oxford University and a Master of Arts degree from Cambridge University. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in artistry, her vision for cultural exchange and artist empowerment is poised to make a lasting impact on the global art scene.
Bhattanarayan is known to have left sixteen sons among whom was Narsingh, the ancestor of the “Thakurs” meaning sacred Brahmin…writes Dilip Roy
The Tagore family ancestry can be traced back to the Gupta Empire of Northern India (350 AD) and were the direct descendants of the much larger Empire going back before the Christian era to around (3000 BCE). However, The Gupta period of medieval India is generally regarded by the historians as the most important. This era was the Zenith of artistic and creative activity which is referred to as the Classical or the Golden age of India this was the time when Sanskrit culture really took off. Both spoken as well as written language were essentially Sanskrit.
The two important cities of the time were KANAUJ and UJJAIN were significant for its artistic and intellectual activity. One is reminded of the great Sanskrit poet KALIDASA who hailed from such a place.
Around the year 900 AD King Vira Singh then ruler of KANAUJ (Ancestral place of the Tagores) sent Pundit Bhattanarayana a Sanskrit scholar and chief of five famous Brahmins, to the neighbouring state of Bengal at the request of King Adisura of Bengal.
Bhattanarayan is known to have left sixteen sons among whom was Narsingh, the ancestor of the “Thakurs” meaning sacred Brahmin. Eighth in the line of descent from him Dharanidhara the author on the commentary on the institutes of MANU (executor of Law} and his grandson Dhananjai, was a judge under King Ballala Sen of Bengal who established the system of “Kulinism” the social classification of Brahmins and Kaysthas of Bengal. These two classes formed the most important social structure and the object according to one Rajah Rajendralal Mitra, was to give preeminence to Brahmins and Kayasthas under the patronage of King Adisura of Bengal.
Dhananjai’s son Halayudha was a Prime Minister under King Lakshman Sen of Bengal (1200) AD and his two grandsons Mahendra and Gunendra were respectively knoen as Elder Prince and Yonger Prince. The sixth in the descent from elder prince was Jagannatha, famous for his learning, was known as Pundi Raja or Prince of Pundits. His son Purushottam was the author of “Prayag Ratnamala” and other learned works.
Sixth in the line from him was “Panchanan Kushari” a chaste Brahmin of Jessore a province of East Bengal. He left East Bengal and came to settle at a place called Govindpur in West Bengal here he boght a land and built a house and a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Panchanan was was the first to receive the title of Thakur or Tagore the anglicised version of the name. He left a son called Jairam rightly reffered to as the commom ancestor of the TAGORES later he moved to a place called Pathuriaghata in Calcutta where he erected a mansion and a bathing ghat, He died in 1756 leaving four sons two of whom, Darpanarayan and Nilmani became the torch bearers of two different branches of Tagore families namely the Senior (Pathuriaghata) and the Junior (Jorasanko).
It is also unique in the annals of Indian history that almost all the three generations of these two branches has produced family of Artists, Intellectuals and Scholars of International repute. The most outstanding among them were Musicologist Sourindro Mohan Tagore ((1840-1914) he belongs to the Senior branch of the family and became the first Indian to be awarded honorary degree in music by Oxford University in 1896. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) belonged to the Junior branch of the family who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 the first Indian to do so.
(Dilip Roy is a Fellow of Royal Asiatic Society UK and is a researcher on cultural subjects)
The first thing that hits about author Belinder Dhanoa’s ‘Kasauli Art Centre, 1976-1991’, set up at Ivy Lodge in Kasauli that artists Vivan and Navina Sundaram inherited from their mother, Indira Sher-Gil, in 1975, published brilliantly by Tulika Books is the fact that it is one of the best-designed books of 2023…writes Sukant Deepak
She was not very clear about what the late artist Vivan Sundaram expected when he asked her to write a book on the Kasauli Art Centre. But certain things were lucid — she would not write a definite history, it would imbibe the fact that people from all across came here, leaving a part of them at the centre. Yes, there would be voices of many, but no paraphrasing and the author would have her space — she would transcend genres, and she would wander to absurd the essence of many minds.
The first thing that hits about author Belinder Dhanoa’s ‘Kasauli Art Centre, 1976-1991’, set up at Ivy Lodge in Kasauli that artists Vivan and Navina Sundaram inherited from their mother, Indira Sher-Gil, in 1975, published brilliantly by Tulika Books is the fact that it is one of the best-designed books of 2023.
One enters the book with caution, first taking in the images of some of the masters like Nilima Sheikh, Gulammohammed Sheikh, Bhupen Khakhar, Geetanjali Shree and Anuradha Kapur who worked and stayed at the Ivy Lodge. There are families, artists are working in the outdoors in rhythm/unrhythm, and there are images of long discussions in the night, of sitting around, children playing and those completely unaware of the camera following them. Sometimes a direct gaze is frozen, and many times eyes focus on nothingness.
Dhanoa, a writer of fiction and nonfiction, with training in Visual and Cultural Studies who teaches Literary Art/Creative Writing at the Ambedkar University Delhi, through a gripping narrative captures the many concerns of those times — the Vietnam War, and interdisciplinary interactions on the rise of fundamentalist ideas. Multiple schools of art, and thought come together, and letters of artists who were part of the residencies provide a glimpse of how the shared space opened many chasms for them. How the space found a permanent spot inside them.
Dhanoa tells that she knew most of the work that had to be done by meeting and interviewing participating artists, that the centre did not exist in isolation and that the people who participated, brought different parts of themselves with them there. “I have brought in Baroda, Mumbai and other spaces. The Centre existed in the times before liberalization, before the many art galleries started dotting major Indian cities.”
Adding that it was paramount to bring to light the critique and dialogue within the artists’ community of that time, the author stresses the fact that the book had to have a lot of voices. “So much is from memory, which may not be a very reliable source, nevertheless it lends many new dimensions when recounted.”
While she managed to put together the book in a year, it took much longer to source photographs, and for the actual production.
Interestingly, the Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation is reviving the Centre which will invite artists, hold workshops and give grants shortly. “While it might be different as we live in a time with other concerns, there will be memories on the wall. I clearly remember one of the artists telling me — ‘A very intense aspect of the Centre was the fact that you could think and discuss issues that you could give only moments to in your everyday life. It was a different space in time there.’”
Dhanoa says despite their immense importance such places do not exist. Adding that dialogue between activists, and people who are involved with culture is paramount, she adds, “We must realise that those involved in the cultural scene are affected by everything around them, and they should have spaces that allow them to discuss.”
The author is currently working on her new novel on silence — not just the one that every individual needs, but also its consequences in tough times.
Involving both senior and young artists, the curator has always been interested in the choreography of work, thinking first about the work and then the artists…writes Sukant Deepak
One of her biggest achievements is being invisible. Her presence in her absence suspends the entire work in the Visual Arts section in an inhibited space. There is a centre, but artworks are allowed to move freely, decide on their spaces, and find their own destiny. A certain freedom never leaves the delicate thread that touches everything that has been created. Long after you have seen/unseen all the artworks, a realization of their togetherness erupts – not with force but with quiet camaraderie.
‘Turning: On Field and Work’, curated by Vidya Shivadas, author and curator of the Visual Arts section (along with Veeranganakumari Solanki) at the recently concluded Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa brought together around 18 artists and institutions including Niroj Satpathy, Amol Patil, Benitha Perciyal, besides collectives like Panjeri Artists’ Union and Britto Arts Trust from Bangladesh.
During the Covid pandemic, Shivadas, also the Director of the Foundation of Indian Contemporary Art (FICA) created a reading forum to associate with artists who are working with agriculture/farming. “They were interested in questions of indigenous farming and the lack of value and different concerns as well. This got me thinking, how does one think of farming and philosophize about it? How do we talk about the environment and other urgent questions?”
This had been growing in her mind for a long time. The curator notes that though artists for a long time now had been spending extensive energy on research, were not bringing this (research) aspect to the foreground. The same holds for archives as well. “Many artists’ work encountered at Serendipity are embedded in materials and come from deep-rooted knowledge. Now, interestingly, two people do not experience the same place in the same way, and neither do not follow the same methodology. Thus what emerges is something truly enigmatic,” notes Shivadas.
Stressing that as a curator, she is pleased that the exhibition managed to move people at different levels as a whole and not just through the prism of single objects. “People could feel the connections. There is an interest in transformation, and witnessing a relationship being formed with everything around — the want of being related to something. All the projects, in the most artistic of ways brought forth points of connection. Multiple themes came together and also stood out. I am glad the festival could support around seven major projects and several new projects also saw light of the day.”
Involving both senior and young artists, the curator has always been interested in the choreography of work, thinking first about the work and then the artists. “One whole wing looked at work and the materials that are around us: Bricks, seeds — their qualities. The other one was about archives and collectives rising while the third dealt with displacement.”
Talking about FICA (Roshini and Parul Vadehra are the trustees), which gives grants to artists and is involved in art education, the curator says, “The artist community is not that very well supported and that is where we come in to create bridges. There is also a library, which can be transformed into a space for talks and interactions. There is a project space where inhabit it. The idea is also to think about how artists are creating.”
Observing that a lot of young artists are curating themselves, she smiles, “ Maybe artists are more resourceful than the curatorial community. Interestingly, I see a whole generation of new writers (art writing), that is emerging,” she concludes.
The Chairman of Hero Enterprises, admits that it has been an intentional move not to brand his company at SAF…writes Sukant Deepak
While stressing that not just corporates, but everyone has a responsibility towards the arts, Sunil Kant Munjal, the Founder Patron of Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), held annually in Goa feels that though the government has an important role in promotion of the arts, it is high time corporates came forward to play theirs.
“Considering they have a larger responsibility in society, thus their roles towards the arts, too, becomes increased,” he tells IANS during the recently concluded SAF.
Talk to him about deciding on a non-metro destination for the festival, and he is clear that the effort was not to ‘move away’ from anywhere, in fact, Goa was chosen owing to its unique micro-culture.
“People from across the country have moved and settled here. Not to mention, our partnership with the Goa government has been excellent. If you have noticed, most of the venues are heritage buildings.”
Even as getting a hotel room in Panjim becomes a struggle during the festival days, the patron smiles, “Yes, the festival has helped the local economy, bringing in tourism. The general population sees the festival as their own which is an achievement.”
The Chairman of Hero Enterprises, admits that it has been an intentional move not to brand his company at SAF.
“It is deliberate as we do not want to turn this into a corporate programme.”
“SAF is held with the sole aim of promoting the arts and the access to art. If we start branding our company, it takes away many things from the festival. We have invited other corporates to come. Our message is clear — arts need patronage.”
Mahindra, which holds several festivals across the country at different times including the popular ‘Kabira Festival’, ‘Santatkada Festival’, ‘Blues Festival’, ‘Roots Festival’, ‘Percussion Festival’, and ‘Excellence in Theatre Awards’, and just prefixes ‘Mahindra’ before each one, ensures that the brand’s products are not promoted in any way at these popular festivals.
Jay Shah, Vice-President — Cultural Outreach of the brand, stresses the return to the brand in terms of value is when people recognise that they have been subtle.
“And that comes back in many ways. Frankly, with all these festivals, we want the audience to focus only on art and culture and do not want the festival to be lost just because we want brand exposure. I firmly believe that if we start exposing our brands here, the same will bring a negative value,” he says.
About how these festivals, many held in non-metro cities, are accelerating the growth of the local economy, Shah cites, “As soon as we put out the announcement for the ‘Kabira Festival’, our partner hotels sold out in minutes. Many other hotels witnessed a huge rush in bookings. And it is not just to do with the economy. We also do a lot of community outreach and hold workshops with children. Schools also come and perform. There are always some local names.”
Shah feels it is important to look beyond metros but each destination is not a draw of lot.
Stressing that locations are decided strategically, he cites an example, “Realising that we did not have a festival in the South, Bangalore became a destination. Also, to cater to Generation Z, Mahindra got into rock and percussion.”
For someone like Sanjoy Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, which produces more than 25 performing arts, visual arts, and literary festivals across 40 cities, including the famed Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), the effort is to create more opportunities and create value for heritage and local economy.
Believing that metros are not festival cities, Roy who is set to start festivals in Madurai, Hampi, and Bengal now says, “Take the example of Varanasi, where we produce the ‘Mahindra Kabira Festival’. It is a festival city which has heritage and history. In such cities, people quickly ‘adopt’ the festival as their own, and the latter keeps reinventing itself, which is very interesting. The effort is to ensure that we work with the locals and bring people who otherwise won’t have a platform.”
Currently writing a book on his experiences with the supernatural — from Kolkata to Jerusalem, he says that while they look at the government for permissions, etc, more corporates must start supporting the arts.
“They can use it to build trust and also give back. Over the past few decades, there has been a definite increase in the number of corporates backing art festivals. We just hope that the graph keeps going up,” he concludes.
