‘The Triple Stream’

‘Triveni’ is devoted to Art, Literature, and History. Its main function is to interpret the Indian Renaissance in its manifold aspects.

‘Triveni’ seeks 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

‘TheTripleStream’

By K. RAMAKOTESWARA RAU^*

 

ROMAIN ROLLAND

A great savant and friend of humanity, a lover of peace and goodwill among nations, Romain Rolland was the herald of an age striving to be born: his life held the promise of that new birth. Tolstoy and Gandhi, Rolland and Tagore, form a group by themselves–a fellowship of dedicated spirits working for the unfoldment of the Divine in Man. Rolland’s literary achievement, his contribution to modern European literature, is of outstanding value. To him, as to Jean Christophe, the pursuit of Truth through the beautiful in art and literature was the Great Quest; the artist in him was simultaneously creator and seeker.
Not France, nor even Europe, but all humanity was his province. It was this all-embracing love that led him to a study of the “God-men”, Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. It was this, again, that won him the affection of Tagore and Gandhi. No greater interpreter of the spirit of the East has arisen in recent times than this exiled Frenchman yearning to evaluate the noblest expressions of that spirit in the modern period. India today pays homage to Romain Rolland; she hopes that the memory of his life and work will help a world torn by strife to realize the peace that promotes harmony.

PROGRESSIVE WRITING

In Karnataka and Andhra, the discussion about progressive writing is raging like a flood. It is the reflection of what is happening in other linguistic areas of India, more particularly in Bengal and Maharashtra. The Progressive writer is a remarkably aggressive person. He is armed with all the weapons of offensive warfare, and adroitly puts the opponent on his defence. Like his counterpart in the political sphere, the Communist, he is out to break all conventions, to destroy all old values. His definition of progress is peculiarly his own; he has, in a sense, copyrighted it. That writing alone is progressive which helps to usher a political and social revolution by promoting class-warfare. Verse or song, story or play, every bit of writing must point the way to that many-faceted revolution. God, devotion, righteousness, morality, marriage, family–these are outmoded concepts, utilsed by the higher classes in every country to keep down the masses, by the strong to subjugate the weak. And poets and scholars, from Valmiki’s day to our own, have successfully “doped” the people by investing these concepts with sanctity. This, of Course, is the more extreme position. But even the more “reasonable” Progressive writer cherishes a profound distrust of the literature of all previous centuries; his attitude towards it is one of mild amusement tinged with pity. His anger is directed in an especial measure on to the writers of devotional and love lyrics, stories and plays within the last forty years, who were neither “feudal” in their outlook like the classic poets of old, nor “proletarian” like himself and his present-day comrades, but just “bourgeoise”. These writers of yesterday, now in their “decline”, have led the nation into a morass, and it is the Progressive writer’s job to lift the nation out of it and lead men and women to the high-lights of a “people’s literature”.

But there are some of us interested in literature, who hold that literature ought to be neither devastating flood nor yet a stagnant pool, but a bright life-giving stream, perpetually renewing itselfby contact with contemporary life-currents. This stream must be fed from every healthy source–ancient tradition enshrined inthe memory of the race through art or literature or religion, quite as much as from the everyday life around us. There is continuity inliterary development, and no sudden or violent break with the past will conduce to true progress. The allegiance of all high-minded creative artists must be givento the joyous flow of this stream of progress, not to the faked progress of the red flame of revolution, to class-harmony and not to class-hatred.

The choice of a theme and the manner of its treatment must be left to each individual writer. If the writing has literary merit and appeals to contemporaries, or to succeedinggenerations, through the power of great thought or beauty of expression, itwilllive in literature. So, let progressive writers pursue their way and produce great literature. They need not, in the pursuit oftheir aims, seek to limit the boundaries of literature by stamping as “retrogressive” or “escapist” every kindof writing that does not fit in with their own scheme of values or fails to satisfy their urge towards a brave new world. It is just possible that those who are not in your literary fold are also dreaming of a better world. And who knows if their dream will not come true while yet you are treading barren paths!

THE SAPRU COMMITTEE

Steadfast in aim, and methodical in procedure, the Sapru Committee has already issued an exhaustive questionnaire to important individuals and organisations in all provinces. The replies are due by the first week of February, and the report of the Committee will be available in April. Here are thirty good men and true, bent on finding a solution of the present deadlock in India, and establishing, with that view, contacts with persons of all varieties of political and religious belief. The initial rebuffs from Messrs. Jinnah and Ambedkar have not deflected Sir Tej Bahadur from his main objective of placing before India and the world a reasoned and well documented statement on the impasse, and suggesting, with the help of front-rank jurists and statesmen, a solution commendable in itself and likely to win wide approval. The way of discussion possesses superior merit as against the way of conflict, and everyone must wish the Committee well.

In between the advocates of Pakistan as defined by Mr. Jinnah in his famous letter to Gandhiji, and those of Akhand Hindustan as envisaged by the Hindu Mahasabha, there are various shades of Nationalists who are keen on removing a formidable obstacle to Swaraj by methods which might seem to savour of compromise and appeasement. If Indian freedom is the common goal of the Congress, the Muslim League, the Hindu Mahasabha, and of every other organisation in the country, would it much matter if concessions were made, in a friendly spirit, to those who seek to exercise, in a modified form, the right of self-determination? It was this feeling that lay of the C. R. and Gandhian formulas. While the principle of division was conceded, it was hedged round by important provisos about plebiscites, territorial as against communal self-determination, and above all, about a common machinery for the control of defence and other important subjects as between Pakistan and Hindustan. Without any desire to prejudge the Committee’s findings on this important issue, we are inclined to think that a solution will be found either in the acceptance of the Gandhian formula or by harking to the 1942 Congress formula of an All India Federation of units–States or Provinces–with the residuary powers vesting in the units.

But Pakistan is not the sole pre-occupation of the Sapru Committee. Questions like the. position of the Indian States, the proper agency for framing the Constitution of Free India, the transitional arrangements needed before the complete transfer of power from British to Indian hands is achieved, the fundamental rights to be guaranteed to every citizen of the land, will be examined by the Committee in the light of the memoranda and other relevant material submitted to it. No one is sanguine about cent per cent success for the Committee. But the attempt to unravel the Indian tangle is supremely worthwhile, and the Committee is approaching its task in the right spirit.

A SCHOOL OF SCULPTURE AND PAINTING

In the course of an editorial note on the sculptures of Nagarjunakonda in the last issue of' ‘Triveni’ I threw out a suggestion for the early establishment of a school of sculpture and painting near that ancient seat of art. The suggestion has been accepted with enthusiasm by the Nagarjuna Vignana Samiti of Macherla near Nagarjunakonda. Before making a general appeal for funds, the Samiti proposes, in the first instance, to collect small amounts from the villagers in Palnad Taluk to make up a sum of ten thousand rupees. This initial outlay will cover the cost of two acres of land and of simple, artistic structures to accommodate the school, as well as the running expenses for the first year. The school will start work in July next with three teachers, two for painting and one for sculpture. It is hoped that, among others, young members from the families of hereditary sculptors and painters will undergo a three years training in healthy, rural surroundings, and eventually contribute to a great art-revival in this part of India.

As the work progresses and attracts more and more of the right type of students, a nation-wide appeal for financial and other assistance will be made by the Samiti. The scope of its activity will be enlarged, so as to include some artistic handicrafts. The main idea behind the scheme is to spread the ideals of Indian art by awakening the dormant art-consiousness of our rural population. Art must become the means of self-expression for every citizen. While everyone cannot become a great painter, sculptor or musician, the capacity to enjoy these arts must be widespread. There is no intention to lower artistic standards or vulgarise art in order to bring it within the reach of the common people; on the other hand there will be a general levelling up of the people’s taste, so that art becomes an all-pervasive influence enriching and beautifying the life of our country-side. This is a necessary part of any scheme of national reconstruction, for art is one of our vital needs, quite as much as food and drink. The Nagarjuna Vignana Samiti, through its art-school and allied activities, will play its role in bringing art to its rightful place in all schemes of national planning.

THE GANDHIAN PLAN

Gandhiji has provided during the last quarter of a century through his innumerable writings and speeches a most persistent challenge to the existing social, economic and political order in India and the world. Though he has been looked upon as a great breaker, his work as a builder is no less imposing, judging from the concrete achievements of institutions created by him like the A.I.S.A., A.I.V.I.A. etc. The ‘Constructive Programme’ has, ever been his confident prescription, however half-hearted the public response and depressing the general atmosphere. The items of this programme, however, have been taken up only with sporadic outbursts of enthusiasm by the country at large. A systematic and persistent drive, and a co-ordination of effort on the part of those engaged in the programmes inspired by Gandhiji, may be said to be lacking. Further a ‘Blue Print’ of the future India of Gandhiji’s conception, presenting a connected picture as one integrated whole, was a great need and the country must be grateful, therefore, to Sri S. N. Agarwal who has supplied it in ‘The Gandhian Plan’. (Padma Publications: Bombay, Price Rs. 2-8-0).

The comprehensive view taken of Indian regeneration, the stress laid on the human factor, the distrust of mere averages, the tremendous emphasis laid on the ‘resuscitation of Village Communities with the largest possible autonomy’, the powerful plea made for ‘decentralised cottage industrialism’ are among the distinguishing features of the Gandhian Plan. Sri Agarwal has discussed the why and wherefore of Gandhian ideology and planning in the first part (53 pages) and the plan proper in the second part (51 pages). It is impossible to summarise what is in itself a summary and categorical presentation of Gandhiji’s ideas for Indian regeneration in every sphere, economic, social, political, educational and cultural. Relevant facts, figures and estimates are provided and the entire estimated cost is Rs. 3500 crores non-recurring and Rs. 200 crores recurring, which compares very favourably indeed with estimates worked out by other ‘Plans’ in the field. It is an invaluable handbook for every worker engaged in national uplift and we tender our congratulations to the devoted author and the enterprising publishers on bringing out what is probably an epoch-making publication.
K. S. G.

A NOTABLE PUBLICATION

Sri D. S. Sarma, whose luminous discourses on the Bhagavad Gita and allied subjects are well-known, has presented the public with a valuable treatise, “Studies in the Renaissance of Hinduism in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries”. ^* The present Indian Renaissance is one affecting all departments of life; but the term has usually been applied to the developments that have taken place in the field of art and literature. The initial urge, however, came from the inspiration provided by the teachings and lives of dynamic spiritual personalities from Ram Mohan Roy to Gandhiji. In this book the author gives an account of the life, work and message of ten such outstanding figures: Ram Mohan Roy, Ranade, Dayananda, Annie Besant, Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Tagore, Gandhiji and Radhakrishnan. “There is no doubt,” says the author, “that Hinduism to-day is as fresh and vigorous as it was in any of the periods we have considered in this chapter” viz., ‘Historical Introduction’ giving the history of Hinduism up to the 19th century.

Some writers, particularly those from the West, have used the expressions Neo-Hinduism, and Neo-Vedanta to describe the reform movements initiated by the great leaders studied in this book. It is true that the movements have been protestant in character, have attempted a re-interpretation of old scriptures and a restatement of old truths and have, generally speaking, been confined in their appeal to the intelligentsia. But the book tries to show that the emergence of there leaders of Modern India proves the abundant vitality, and the eternal character of the Hindu faith. Says the author:

“To sum up, the present Renaissance has raised the status of India in the eyes of the world, it has reasserted the faith of Hinduism that all religions are true, it has enabled us to view Hinduism apart from its old mythological and ritualistic forms, it has initiated a large number of beneficent social reforms, it has made us pay more attention to life on earth and the well-being of society, it has reinterpreted Hinduism in the light of modern scientific thought, it has fostered a feeling of unity in Hindu society and it has strengthened the bonds between Hinduism and Buddhism.”

The author does not claim to give an exhaustive account of all the religious movements and prophets–and there, are many of them in all parts of India like, for instance, Ramana Maharshi of Tiruvannamalai in South India. The influence of these, though each confined to a small region, has been enormous on the aggregate–and, quite conceivably, a number of them have themselves felt, to a greater or less extent, the beneficent influence of the great personages dealt with in this book.

The author’s account of the lives selected for presentation and his exposition of the main teachings reveal conscientious industry and painstaking scholarship. It is noteworthy that not more than four out of ten of these leaders may be said to be purely religious teachers, while the others were or are busy people–each engrossed in his or her own way with the affairs of the world, Gandhiji (to whom over 180 pages of the book are devoted) being the greatest of them all, in the author’s opinion.

As Sir S. Radhakrishnan truly remarks in his brief introduction to the book “the author wields a flexible. English style easy, natural and dignified,” which makes the book one of the best written in recent times. We tend our congratulation to the learned author on this notable contribution to literature on the Modern Indian Renaissance, valuable alike as a compendium and a hook of exposition.
K. S. G.
^* Jan. 10, 1945.
^* Published by the Benares Hindu University- (The Pratapsingh Gaikwad Library.) Price Rs. 15/.