‘The Triple Stream’

‘Triveni’ seek to draw together cultured men and women in all lands and establish a fellowship of the spirit. All movements that make for Idealism, in India as well as elsewhere, receive particular attention in these columns. We count upon the willing and joyous co-operation of all lovers of the Beautiful and the True.

May this votive offering prove acceptable to Him who is the source of the ‘Triveni’ -the Triple Stream of Love, Wisdom and Power!

….. he that laboureth right for love of Me

Shall finally attain! But, if in this

Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure!

-THE SONG CELESTIAL

LANGUAGE AND MUSIC

For over two years now there has gone on a controversy in South India on the question of the language of songs in public performances, particularly in Tamil Nad. The addresses delivered during the recent Christmas Week in Madras by Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao (at the Music Academy), and Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar (at the Fine Arts Society) in inaugurating the music festivals conducted by the two organisations furnished proof that the controversy is still very much alive

What is now known as the ‘Tamil songs movement’ arose out of a Resolution that was passed by a Conference at Chidambaram, the home of the Annamalai University, urging upon Tamil Nad musicians the desirability of giving greater share to songs in the Tamil language, and to take steps to stimulate their composition in greater number. The famous triad Tyagaraja, Syama Sastry and Muthuswami Dikshitar, who all flourished in the Nineteenth Century, are the classical composers holding the field of Karnatak music, and it has been considered indispensable by every votary of the art to learn up their compositions in considerable number.

It happens that Tamil Nad has contributed a large number of outstanding musicians who have been long accustomed in public performances to present these Classical Compositions, while those in their own mother-tongue, viz., Tamil, did not receive quite so much attention. The Resolution of the Chidambaram Conference was therefore in the nature of an appeal to Tamil musicians to find more room for Tamil Compositions in their public performances in Tamil Nad, and, on its own merits, it was a just and reasonable appeal.

But, good causes are sometimes, marred by bad advocacy and there have not been wanting extremists who have worked themselves into a spirit of holy crusade against songs in an alien tongue. The controversy has tended in some quarters to rouse provincial jealousies, and even to take on the complexion of political partisanship. The debt that South India, including Tamil Nad, owes to the illustrious Telugu composers seems to have been belittled in the zeal of linguistic partisanship, causing a natural resentment in those who hold these compositions in great esteem. The issue has been sidetracked by needless and pointless dispute whether Tamil is or is not a language lending itself to musical compositions of a high order. And the whole evolution of South Indian music, known since the days of the Vijayanagar Empire as Karnatak music, has been ignored in the anxiety to revive what is called ‘Tamil’ music, and in advancing the rather fantastic claim that all the pure musical tradition in South India was really the heritage of the Tamil Nad.

Leaving aside these academic speculations and historical theories, there is the interesting and really pivotal question as to the relative art importance of language and music in a song. "Is the artistic enjoyment owing more to the language used or the musical quality found in it?" A categorical reply to so straight a question is hardly possible, considering the wide divergence that exists, among music lovers and others, in their taste and training. There are also innumerable varieties of songs, ranging from the mere melodies or tunes that are played on instruments or are rendered vocally in alapana, altogether devoid of words,–which are enjoyed not only by connoisseurs but even by laymen–to mere recitative music, where the music plays but a minor role and the import of the words contains the major appeal. Thus between pure melody and raga exposition as in the alapana and mere time-measure air grace and musical recitation, as in the krities or padas, there are numerous gradations into which all musical compositions can be comprehended, according as the appeal is more to the pure musical quality or to the specific literary meaning or subject content. To the extent a musical composition partakes more of the latter quality, the language used, i.e., the language best understood both by the singer and the audience, becomes increasingly important. But where the essential appeal rests on the musical quality, the inexpressible subtlety and charm of melody, and its component graces, language plays but a subordinate role. Otherwise, how can one account for some haunting tune, whatever the language employed, picked up possibly from some favourite ‘star’ or musician catching public imagination and thriving on all tongues for a time, irrespective of the import of the words used? Or, how should music played on instruments like the veena, nadaswara, the violin or any other musical instrument enthral large audiences for hours on end, when no words are used to reinforce the appeal of music? And, in a far truer sense, is that not the purer music?

The Classical musical composers have, by virtue of their genius, left behind precious musical phrases, superb turns and felicities of melodic expression in numerous ragas sung by them, surcharged with the charm of rare musical excellence. This is an inheritance the worth of which is in no way affected by the particular language used by them. It is no irreverence to the memory of these gifted composers to say that often the words used are no more than pegs on which to hang their rich fancies of musical invention. Tyagayya and Syama Sastry, for instance, are not primarily honoured for their contributions to Telugu Literature, nor Dikshitar to Sanskrit, but because of the legacy they have left to the musical world. It would be a distinct loss and a great folly to deny ourselves the rich store of enjoyment present in them, merely because the language used by them is somewhat unfamiliar. And, after all, the Telugu and Sanskrit words and phrases are by no means so obscure as to be unintelligible to the average Tamilian or Kannadiga.

When we come to the region of songs where the words make an appeal as much as, if not more than, the musical appeal conveyed through them–and these naturally are larger in number and form the staple of popular enjoyment–it is beyond question that the language best understood both by the singer and the audience provides the highest pleasure. Attempts at resuscitating old songs, or stimulating the composition of new ones in every language area are, therefore, in keeping with the spirit of the times and must be encouraged quite as much to stimulate new talent as to add to the richness of present store. Only, such efforts need not be marred by exhibitions of provincial prejudice, or partisanship which expresses itself in petty forms of propaganda, and advancing extravagant claims for one’s own language and culture or crying down those of a neighbour.

ALL-INDIA ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS

The idea of starting an All-India Academy of Arts and Letters is again being canvassed. "Triveni" has also received a circular letter which is perhaps the source of a contribution to the December issue of the "Modern Review" endorsing the idea. The writer of the circular letter, Sri D. Visveswara Rao, knows "that an Academy is not an institution which can be built out of a passing thought of this individual or that. It can only come into existence when there is a genuine demand for it–a demand, voiced and endorsed by the high-priests of Indian Culture, and all its lovers and votaries all over the country." Sri D. Visveswara Rao seems to have ‘put himself into touch’ with a number of distinguished individuals, but we are not told of the response forthcoming. We have not yet seen anything that may be described as a ‘genuine demand–voiced and endorsed by the high-priests of Indian Culture’. It still remains ‘a passing thought of this individual are that’.

Madame Sophia Wadia, the founder and secretary of the Indian P.E.N., has written to the January issue of the "Modern Review" dissenting from this "propaganda" and expressing her opinion that, ‘the day for launching the Indian Academy will not come until India has taken her place among free nations,’ and that ‘distinguished and responsible ing is of the first importance for an Academy worthy of the name’. The organisation and work of the Indian P.E.N. have also been recounted by her.

One may, in this connection, recall the work of the Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad on behalf of which Sri K. M. Munshi and the late Premchandji undertook this work of co-ordination some years ago, and "Hans" was converted into a magazine to publish translations into Hindi of representative work from different language areas. The work was done under distinguished auspices and had the blessings of Gandhiji, Rajendra Babu and others. But the attempt has been since given up, owing, one fears, to lack of adequate support.

Discovering and rewarding literary and artistic talent is a laudable and necessary object; but this can best be done not by an All-India organization, but by the Academies and other Institutions in the respective language areas. There are learned bodies in many provinces already functioning with this object in view. In areas where no such academies already exist, or exist only in name, efforts may be made to start them or to strengthen the existing ones so that they may serve to foster and vivify literary and cultural effort in that area.

Unless every language area is adequately organised it would be premature to speak of an All-India Academy working in the nature of a tribunal to reward or recognise artists and literary men. The present time, in any case, with its uncertainties and anxieties, is certainly not propitious for any efforts in the direction of founding an All-India Academy.

INTER-PROVINCIAL CONTACT

Meanwhile, all good men and true have enough work to do to promote inter-provincial understanding and appreciation. One of the signs of a resurgent India is the pronounced enthusiasm for fostering the languages and culture of the different provinces. This has manifested itself, now and again, in strengthening parochial patriotism, and rousing a certain amount of misunderstanding, left undissolved, between neighbouring provinces. Friendly contacts between workers engaged in literary and cultural pursuits even in provinces contiguous to each other are yet very much lacking. Let neighbourly contacts be promoted in increasing measure, by arranging for the visits of men of letters and others interested in cultural efforts from adjoining provinces, either informally, or on occasions of literary or similar conferences. The tours of such cultural good-will missions will prove to be of incalculable benefit. Only thus would grow mutual understanding, esteem, and valuable personal friendships that will bear fruit in time to come. This would liquidate to a considerable extent the spirit of insular self-complacency and the superiority complex that seems to be engendered by a somewhat passionate devotion to the arts and culture of one’s own province.

There is another matter in which co-ordination of effort is woefully lacking. Successful attempts have been made for years now at introducing the Indian languages as media of instruction in higher education. Some provinces and universities have forged farther ahead than some others. Committees have been set up to compile glossaries of technical expressions, specially in the various positive sciences. But these Committees rarely, if ever, look across their border nor has there been any conscious effort to introduce uniformity of terminology, even when the common philological source has been Sanskrit. This ‘provincial’ fervour has entailed the expenditure of energy and in genuity which could well have been more usefully employed. If it be granted that the medium of instruction in all subjects even in the highest grades of instruction should be the regional language, is it not necessary and desirable that we work towards evolving a uniform terminology of technical terms? Otherwise, it is more than likely that the attempts to introduce this educational reform will lead eventually to ‘a babel of tongues’.

This is a field of work in which, naturally, duly authorised bodies like the Inter-University Board, the Indian Science Congress and the various Literary Academies are the most competent to work with an all-India outlook and with a greater chance of success. Informal and non-official agencies may, of course, still do some spadework, and make a preliminary contribution towards the solution of this problem.

THE BHANDARKAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE, POONA

We offer our heartfelt felicitations to the Bhandarkar Research Institute, Poona, on its completing twenty-five years of illustrious life and celebrating its silver jubilee. The Institute, named after Sir R. G. Bhandarkar, one of the most distinguished scholars of an earlier generation and one who was an Institution by himself, has justified itself by, among other things, undertaking the publication of a scholarly edition of The Mahabharata. It provides a shining example of what can be achieved by private effort in a field of activity where it might be considered almost impossible for anything to be achieved without the active patronage, and the large resources of a Government. Research in ancient Indian Literature, History and other branches of humanistic knowledge, was initiated,–be it said to their credit,–by foreign savants and it remained very largely the preserve of foreign Indologists. Things have now changed considerably. Competent Indian workers have come to the field in greater number, and have done valuable work by adding to our stock of knowledge of ancient India. Maharashtra has ever been in the van of such patriotic endeavours, and the value of the work of the Bhandarkar Institute lies as much in the inspiration it has provided to workers in other provinces as in the intrinsic worth of the work done under its auspices.

PURGATION BY FIRE

They used to burn witches at the stake in mediaeval Europe to rid the country of undesirable characters that were supposed to be in league with the Evil One. In more recent times the burning of effigies of persons who were anathema to the public provided amusement, even as the firing of crackers on the Deepavali Day does to Indian children. The fashion traveled over to India along with other idiosyncrasies and the burning of effigies has been resorted to as part of political demonstrations in recent times, merely to add a festive touch and fiery show to mass propaganda.

Some fiery spirits, calling themselves self-respecters in South India, have indulged in the pastime of staging ‘burning’ demonstrations of an altogether different variety. In the early days of the movement the "Manu Smriti", supposed to be the malignant text of the much- hated caste system, received their particular attention.

The latest move of the self-respecters of Salem included not only the "Manu Smriti" but the "Periapuranam", and the "Ramayanam" of Kamban–both first-rate Classics revered alike by the Brahmin and Non-Brahmin in Tamil Nad.

We are glad that wiser counsels have prevailed and the unseemly threats and gestures of vandalism have been withdrawn.