Letters of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

[The following letters are addressed by the great savant Ananda K. Coomaraswamy to Mr. S. Durai Raja Singam (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia), a sincere devotee of Coomaraswamy. Mr. Durai Raja Singam has brought out two most valuable books on Coomaraswamy, besides contributing numerous articles to journals. These letters vindicate a glimpses of Coomaraswamy’s mind.  –Editor]

Museum of Fine Arts,
Massachusetts, Boston.
May, 1946

Dear Mr. Durai Singam,

In reply to your various letters I enclose some information. I must explain that I am not at all interested in biographical matter relating to myself and that I consider the modern practice of publishing details about the lives and personalities of well-known men is nothing but a vulgar catering to illegitimate curiosity. So 1 could not think of spending my time, which is very much occupied with more important tasks, in hunting up such matter, most of which I have long forgotten; and shall be grateful if you will publish nothing but the barest about myself. What you should deal with is the nature and tendency of my work, and your book should be 95 per cent on this. I wish to remain in the ground, and shall not be grateful or flattered by any details about myself or my life; all that is anicca, and, as the “wisdom of India” should have taught you, “portraiture of human beings is asvargya.” All this is not a matter of “modesty” but one of principle. For statements about the nature and value of my work you might ask the Secretary of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Society, Poona 4, and Dr Murray Fowler, C/o G. & C. Merriam Co., Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. to make some statement, as both are familiar with it. I would not mind sending you press reviews of my books, but it would take more time than I have to hunt them up; I have no Secretary who would do this sort of thing for me!

Very sincerely,
ANANDA K. COOMARASWAMY

In the Press are “Am I My Brother's Keeper?” (Asia Press, N. Y.) “Rigveda X 90-1 atyatishad dasangulam” (to appear in J. Am Or, Soc. Immediately).
“Graduation, Evolution and Re-incarnation.”

Museum of Fine Arts,
Massachusetts, Boston 15.
13th August, 1946

Dear Mr. Durai Singam,

I have made some corrections on one of your drafts. Otherwise, I have no criticisms to offer.

“The Perilous Bridge of Welfare” is an article by my wife that was published in H.J.A.S. “The Meeting of Eyes” is an article now reprinted in Figures of Speech or Figures of Thought which Luzac must have sent you by now.

I could not think of writing an Autobiography under any circumstances, first because “Portraiture of man is asvargya,” and also for many other reasons I could not think of giving the time to it.

When in Ceylon you might look up the Ceylon National Review in the Museum Library. I am glad the photos, etc., pleased you. I sent two more. I could not give the time to write your son a monthly letter – I can hardly manage that for my own son, who is now in England, studying Tibetan and will go with Marco Pallis to Sikkim soon.

But I will write one letter.

My “poetry” is not of much account: mostly transations. One of the best of these was printed in the Modern Review, March 1920, pp. 267-8, also “Vidyapati” (1915), “Mystery of Mahadeva” (1932, IAL) and “The Taking of Toll” (1915), probably these are available in Colombo Museum, where also you can see Thirty Indian Songs under Tagore’s Foreword. I have received your letter with the Nandalal Bose’s drawing. I like it very much. Could you send me a few “pulls” on better paper, and not falded, only rolled? My treatment of Indian words for Webster’s Dictionary was not printed separately, only incorporated as revision in the last edition. Some of my “poetry” will be included in the Anthology volume of Indian Poetry now being completed by Freedon  Kabraji, 21, Primrose Hill Road, London N. W. 3.

Very sincerely,
A. K. COOMARASWAMY

You will find most of my books and some of my articles in the Colombo Museum Library.

Museum of Fine Arts,
Massachusetts, Boston.
October 26, 1946

My Dear Durai Raja Singam,

As to yours of October 17, there is obviously very much in Gandhiji’s sayings about art that I can fully agree with, but I don’t think any good purpose would be served by trying to draw parallels with things I have said. I have the highest respect for Gandhiji, of course, and also agree with him in all what he and Bharatan Kumarappa have to say about “Inclustrialisation” on the one hand and “Villagism” on the other. But all that Gandhiji has to say about art is a product of his individual thinking; he doesn’t really know what he is talking about, and he often seems to hold the naive view that “art” means just painting, whereas art, from an Indian and all traditional points of view covers all making and ordering, and so embraces about one half of all human activity, the other half being represented by conduct (Urthi). On the other hand all that I have to say about art is not a matter of personal thinking at all, it is a matter of knowledge, based on Sruti and Smriti.

An example of Gandhiji’s deviation, the result of personal feeling, is his attitude to the wearing of jewellery (on which see the Ch. on “Ornament” in my Figures of Speech).Where he should have distinguished between good (significant) and bad (meaningless) jewellery, he simply wants everyone to stop wearing it. This is a part of his propagandist asceticism; his asceticism is right for him, and no one would defend Sannyas against the world more than I would; but he is very wrong in demanding not merely a certain austerity–but particular sacrifices from everyone; that can only result in all the evils of “premature Vairagya”;even Sri Krishna would not have all men follow in his way (B. G. III 23)! Much of all this is due to Gandhiji’s intellectual ground, which is still fundamentally Victorian. So, while I can agree with many things that Gandhiji hag to say about art, I disagree with the general trend of his position in this matter.

Gandhiji is a saint, not an intellectual giant; I am neither, but I do say that those whose authority I rely on when I speak have en been both.

By the way, I can’t find time to write to your son yet awhile, anyway he ought to write to me first!

Very sincerely, 
ANANDA K. COOMARASWAMY

Museum of Fine Arts,
Massachusetts, Boston,
July 21, 1941

Dear Raja Singam,

I think you had better use your article on art as it is, with correction of spelling and punctuation in a few places. If you wish you can also quote me as follows:

On the last page it is a pity that Sanjiva Dev uses the word aestheticism because this word, like aesthete, has always a bad meaning, which the words aesthetic, aesthetics, do not necessarily have. So it is not true that 1 consider “Aestheticism to be a sine qua noh in the daily life of man.” What I say is what Ruskin said, that “Industry without art is brutality,” or, as St. Thomas Aquinas expressed it, “There can be no good use without art.” In his capacity as Creator, God is the archetype of the human as manufacturer; which is what is meant when “art is called an imitation of nature in her manner of operation,” i. e., of the Divine Nature Bharatan Kumarappa’s understanding of the place of art in human life–stated in his wise and splendid book Capitalism, Socialism, or Villagism–isfar deeper than Gandhiji’s who is too ready to give expression to his own feelings on a matter about which he really knows almost nothing.
Very sincerely, 
ANANDA K. COOMARASWAMY

TO S. DURAI RAJA SINGAM

August 15th, 1947

Replies to some Questions
Ques.   Would you not visit India and Ceylon in the near future?
There are many anxious to have your ‘darshan.’

Ans.     My wife and I are returning to live in Northern India for the rest of our lives. This will be by the end of 1948. We mean to live in retirement. I shall not take part in any public functions or affairs whatever, but individuals who wish to do so will be free to visit us.

Ques.   What is your messageto the New India of our dreams?

Ans.     “Be your Self. Follow Mahatma Gandhi, Bharatan Kumarappa, D. V. Gundappa,  Abul Kalam Azad, Abdul Gaffar Khan and Sri Ramana Maharshi. Co-operate with such men as the Earl of Portsmouth, George Bourne, Wilifrid Wellock, Jean Giono, Fernando Nobre. “Why consider the inferior philosophers! Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

Ques.   What is your tribute to Gandhiji for achieving freedom through non-violence?

Ans.     I have the highest respect for Mahatma Gandhi’s work in this field. By his advocacy of Satyagraha he has reminded India of one of her most ancient ideals and is not only a teacher for India but a jagat-guru. But non-violence, as he also knows, is not merely a matter of refraining from visibly violent actions; it is a matter of making peace with the selves, one of learning to obey our Inner Man; for none but the Outer Man or Ego, is aggressive.

Ques.   What is your estimate of Dinabandhu Andrew’s work for India?

Ans.     I cannot say much. Andrews fought bravely against oppression, but I doubt if he had any profound grasp or understanding of Indian culture or religion. His mentality was excessively “Western.”

Ques.   Under present day conditions, how best can the affinity and understanding of a once common Hindu heritage be fostered between India and Java, Bali, Malaya, Siam, Cambodia and Ceylon?

Ans.     Educationally, by exchange professorships and studentships. Establishment of chairs for Indian cultural history in the wider aspects. Renewed contacts as contemplated in the recent All Asia Conference, Delhi.

Ques.   What steps should Indians and Ceylonese take to strengthen their ties in the New Asia   of tomorrow?

Ans.     In the educational field, exchange professorships and studentships. Politically, alliance for common defence.

[These were replies to the questions I sent to him a fortnight before India’s Independence Day (August 15th, 1947) –S. D. R. S.]

To GANDHI-KI- JAI-SINGAM

Museum of Fine Arts,
Massachusetts, Boston 15.
January 17, 1947

My Dear Gandhikijai,

I received your note of 20-11-’46 safely and I suppose you have been expecting to hear from me. But you have no idea how busy I am–I don’t have time to attend even to my own affairs much less to answer all my letters. We get up at 6 and work at our typewriters till 10, then go to the Museum where we work till 4.30, then home and work again from about 7.30-930 and even so things get done very slowly! In the summer I have to work in the garden too; and you know, we don’t have servants here to help, but do everything in the house ourselves.

Our son Rama Ponnambalam (age 17) has been learning Tibetan and is on his way to spend two years in Sikhim, with Marco Pall is (I am sure you must have read his book, “Peaks and Lamas”).

I just sent your father* a report of the conference at Kenyon College which will interest him. Later on the speeches will be printed.

My advice to you is to know Tamil and Sanskrit and read all you can. I wonder if you expect to go to the University, Ceylon later on! You know, we see many Indian students here, but most of them are engineers, and quite ignorant about their own country, which seems very queer to Americans. It is quite true that Western civilization is an “organised barbarism”, but some of these mechanically-minded Indian students are not much more than disorganised barbarians, and I hope you won’t be like them!Anyhow, whatever you do, do something well.
With love and best wishes from

ANANDA K. COOMARASWMY

* S. Durai Raja Singam