Journal of Arts & Ideas, no. 16 (Jan-Mar 1988) p. 3.


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In any case this journey from Ram Lila to Abhinavagupta very easily and convincingly should make it clear that all art forms in India, whether classical or folk, or as in music, Desi and Margi, etc., are in a continuum in the same way as Saguna and Nirguna Bhakti are. The latter continuum is amply demonstrated by the word Svarupa; compare its usage in the Ram Lila tradition and its other usage in mysti-cism where the knowledge of Svarupa would indicate Atmajnana, In this continuum there are clear and categorical distinctions which would tell you where the folk ends and the classical begins, or to borrow terms which Rustom Bharucha uses in the other article in this issue, what is Lokdharmi and Natyadharmi. Rustom Bharucha's efforts at 'living the tradition', the title of Rajadhyaksha's review article, through his study ofKerala's Krishnattam, does raise the right kind of questions. If we were to explore the Ananda that these art forms generate, we might still be able to do some justice to these forms. Bharucha might even discover that these art forms do not either treat anyone as or let anyone have the feeling that he is an outsider. All these are Lilas and forms of worship at the same time. Where one ends and the other begins, it is hard to say. In the Indian tradition, worship and enjoyment get mixed up. It all depends upon the way of seeing. But even that is no solution. Darsana in Sanskrit means both seeing and philosophy. Where does one end and the other begin?

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