Current Topics

Current Topics ¹

THE TWO PATHS

If a violent revolution is ruled out as impracticable or unworthy of India's cultural traditions, the choice must lie between the Patro Committee and the Round Table Conference on the one hand, and Satyagraha and the great march of Mahatma Gandhi on the other. But after the delivery of Gandhiji's letter to the Viceroy through Mr. Reginald Reynolds and the exodus from the Sabarmati Ashram, we doubt if the chances of a Round Table Conference are at all bright. British statesmen might affect to ridicule the Satyagraha campaign involving the defiance of the salt laws and other laws, but as practical men, they ought to realise that a conference without Gandhiji and the spokesmen of the Congress is no better than the proverbial play of Hamlet with the Prince of Denmark left out. The communal settlement sought to be achieved by the Delhi conference is as far off as ever, despite the much-vaunted goodwill and harmony said to have prevailed. We do not deny either the patriotism or the ability of the members of the All-parties conference, but the communal problem inevitably sank into the ground the moment the great march began. The attention of the whole of India and of the world is directed to that thin frail figure that emerged at early dawn on the 12th of March from the Ashram at Ahmedabad, to conquer or to die. Government is playing a waiting game and is evidently resolved to strike down Gandhiji's lieutenants in the first instance. But it is widely rumoured that sooner or later Government intends to come to terms with Gandhiji, because he is indisputably the one man that can deliver the goods. But how soon that settlement will be forced, depends on the country's response to Gandhiji's call to arms. Judging from the reports received from the different provinces, the conclusion becomes irresistible that Gandhiji is by no means the ‘spent force’ in Indian politics he was fondly imagined to be, but the acknowledged commander of the Nation in its final fight for freedom. This is indeed a struggle un-paralleled in the world's history, and its triumph will inaugurate the new era of soul force as a factor in the settlement of international disputes. A first-class fight with a first-class General to lead it! .

THE BHARAT KALA BHAVAN

It is indeed a long leap from Gandhiji's Satyagraha campaign in Gujerat to the permanent Art Gallery at Benares. But, in our view, the establishment of cultural Swaraj is not less important than the winning of political Swaraj, though, for the time being, Gandhiji's movement overshadows everything else. Mr. O. C. Gangoly, Vice-President, the Indian Society of Oriental Art, and Editor of the famous Art Journal-the ‘Rupam’ performed the epoch-making function of opening the first National Art Gallery in India under the auspices of the Bharat Kala Parishad, Benares. In his beautiful language, the Nagari Pracharini Sabha "took in loving embrace" the Bharat Kala Parishad, so that the two sisters, Literature and Art, –the written texts and the painted pictures–might "live and grow, arm in arm, to attain to richer, newer and more fruitful fulfilments." This happy juxtaposition, Mr. Gangoly reminds us, is expressive of the spirit of Indian culture, for, "in the dim sanctums of our old temples, the chanted prayers of the priests have been echoed and re-echoed, in harmonious unison, by the chiselled hymns of the image-makers." Mr. Gangoly also emphasizes the truth that the visual arts have made for inter-provincial harmony in a country like India broken up into different linguistic areas. "The beauties of the Mani Mekhalai are as much inaccessible to our Northern cousins as the treasures of the Ramacharit manas to our Southern cousins." But, on the other hand, "the Gupta images of Saranath, the stones of Varendra, the rock-cut caves of Mamallapuram . . . offer their messages to the representatives of divergent linguistic cultures." We congratulate the Bharat Kala Parishad and Its President, Mr. Sitaram Shah, on their pioneering efforts and their contribution to the Art movement in India.

THE ‘JAYAKARNATAKA’

"Somebody told me that poor Mr. Bendre executed a pronote for a few thousand rupees in connection with a Kannada Journal, and that took my breath away." That was how an esteemed friend spoke of the Jayakarnataka of Dharwar and its new Editor, Mr. Bendre. But to those who have inside knowledge of the chequered history of most Indian Journals, the news need not cause any surprise. It takes a long time even for a first-rate Journal like Jayakarnataka to become a sound financial undertaking, but the idealism and the fervour of the workers make themselves felt even at the start. During a little over seven years, the Jayakarnataka under its distinguished founder, Mr. Alur Venkata Rao, rendered excellent service to the cause of Kannada culture, and now it has been taken over by Mr. Bendre, a leading poet and public worker of Karnatak. We understand that a number of the younger literary men belonging to the Galeyer Gumpu are associated with Mr. Bendre in the conduct of the Journal. The Journal has been improved considerably in the matter of illustrations, short-stories, poems and songs, all indicative of the new life that is pulsating through young Karnatak. It is the duty as well as the privilege of all Kannadigas to support this admirable venture.

RELIGION WITHOUT CHURCH

The dissolution of the Order of the Star by Mr. J. Krishnamurti caused a ‘profound sensation in certain circles, and his incessant appeals to drop all ‘forms and ceremonials’ as being ‘unnecessary’ and ‘limitations of Truth’ have set people thinking furiously and rearranging their mental make-up. Men's minds are being very much exercised over the question as to whether he is or is not a manifestation of the World-Teacher, and if he is, whether the entire consciousness of the World-Teacher or only ‘a fragment’ of it is expressing itself through Mr. Krishnamurti. But, strangely enough, the person least worried about these problems seems to be Mr. Krishnamurti himself. He emphatically denies any intention on his part to found a new church or a new religion. He does not want any followers. He merely claims to have ‘attained’ and he proclaims that it is possible for everyone else to attain likewise. He does not seek to lead anyone to Truth, for Truth is a ‘pathless land’, and each has to struggle in his own way and with the aid of his own inner strength. We give below two significant passages from a lecture by the Rev. J. T. Davies who feels that, "we must estimate his messages quite apart from any claims advanced on his behalf, but simply on their own merits."

"In reading his poems, in reading his addresses and his parables and his rhapsodies, I seem to hear once again the voice of Kabir; I seem to see the penetrating wisdom of Yajna-valkya; I seem to hear again the tenderness of Buddha; I hear again the harshness of the Galilean speaking to the Pharisees; I hear again the simplicity of Ramakrishna. I do not know who he is, or what he is, but I hear that ancient voice repeated again. That is the first, that is the last message of all religions: ‘I am He.’"
"In throwing you upon yourself, in depriving you of inspired book and inspired teacher, of master and lord, of priest and prophet, of holy writ and holy church, in stripping you naked to the storm, in flinging you bare upon the mosaic pavement of the temple of life, he is giving you a million times more than he takes away. He is giving you your greatest treasure, because he is giving you your freedom and your lost self. He is giving you your strength and your fortitude. He is giving you your God whom you thought to be outside you, your universe with all its stars and wonders and vast spaces. He is giving you your heaven, your dream of ages, your quest of myriad lives. He is giving you the joy of the morning stars. He is giving you the goal of aeons of strife. He is giving you the Beloved, God, That, the Whole."

KRISHNA RAYA AND SHIVAJI

The third centenary of the birth of Shivaji was celebrated in 1927, but according to a different calculation, the tercentenary falls this year. By a fortunate coincidence, the fourth centenary of the passing away of Krishna Deva Raya, the greatest of the Vijianagar Emperors, is also being celebrated this year. The names of Krishna Raya and Shivaji will be associated for all time with the last of the Hindu Empires in Indian history. At the commencement of the Christian era, the table-land of Dakshinapatha was ruled by the great Satavahana Emperors, and throughout the subsequent history of India, the eastern and western portions of the Deccan witnessed the rise and growth of powerful monarchies, which conserved the art and culture of the Nation and left a precious heritage of achievement. We refer to the Eastern and the Western Chalukyas, and after them, the rulers of Warangal and Devagiri. It was, therefore, in the fitness of things that the Andhra-Karnataka Empire of Vijianagar, and the Maharashtra Empire under Shivaji and the Peshwas, should have risen from the ashes of these old Hindu monarchies and stemmed the tide of foreign conquest. Today we are once again witnessing the birth of a free and yet mightier Indian Nation, which embraces the different sub-nationalities. And the hegemony–not in power, but in service and sacrifice, –passes to Gujerat and to Gandhiji.

THE SAMSKRlTA ACADEMY, MADRAS

Among the few institutions that bear witness to the lingering love of Samskrit culture in modern India, mention must be made of this excellent association. Started a couple of years ago, the Academy has drawn unto itself the love and the regard of the aristrocracy of culture in South India. The Report speaks of the celebration of the Valmiki and Kalidasa days, the staging of Samskrit dramas and the holding of elocution contests. A fine collection of valuable books has been secured through the generosity of Messrs. Thandalam S. Ramaswami Iyer and R. Krishnaswami Sastrigal. All this is to the good, and the energetic secretaries must be congratulated on their achievements. But while the Academy has a name, it has no local habitation. A strong committee has been formed to collect funds for the construction of a suitable building. We rejoice to learn that the proposed Hall will be named after that illustrious patriot and lover of learning, the late lamented V. Krishnaswami Aiyar. We earnestly hope that this supremely noble cause will meet with adequate response.

1 15th March 1930.