Performing Arts in India (A Policy Perspective)

Performing arts has occupied a distinct and unique position in India since ages. These arts have been part and parcel of the Indian life and its ethos. A unique feature of Indian culture has been is interactions with the outside world throughout its 5000 years of history. This has led to both fusion and synthesis in performing arts. The performing arts over a period of many centuries have been given patronage by the state. In a way it helped in the development of these arts. Since Independence the government has also created a large number of institutions for strengthening these arts. Inspite of various measures and directions and directions given in this area, it looks that these arts under severe test today. The ethos prevailing today seems to be without a national perspective on performing arts because of narrow interpretation of state patronage, apathy on the part of administrators and society and little realization about socioeconomic contribution of performing arts. Over a period of time in the development of performing arts a number of issues are engaging the attention: how to increase awareness of pride in our culture to sustain the interest of artists, etc. It is in this perspective that this book examines the role of governments, private entrepreneur, the common man and of the performing artists. An effort has also been made to the functioning of the performing arts in view of the external stresses tha t we are facing today. This book also reviews the governmental efforts so far and provide a policy perspective on performing arts.

Shovana Narayan has blazed a trail in Kathak, bestowing it with dignity, Her palette contains other media, including films like “Akbar’s Bridge” (Hindi) and “Das Geheimnis des Indisches Tanz” (German). She is also the author three published works, “Kathak: Rhythmic Echoes & Reflections” (1998), “The Dance Legacy of Patliputra” (1999) and “Kathak: The World of Shovana Narayan” (2006).

Her contributions have been recognized through various awards, including the Padmashri in 1992 and theSangeet Natak Akademi Award 1999-2000.

Performing arts has occupied a distinct and unique position in India since ages. These arts have been parts and parcel of the Indian life and its ethos. A unique feature of Indian culture has been is interactions with the outside world throughout its 5000 years of history. This has led both fusion and synthesis in performing arts. The performing arts over a period of many centuries have been given patronage by the state. In a way it helped in the development of these arts. Since Independence the government has also created a large number of institutions for strengthening these arts. Inspite of various measures and directions given in this area, it looks that these arts are under severe test today. The ethos prevailing today seems to be without a national perspective on performing arts because of narrow interpretation of state patronage, apathy on the part of administrators and society and little realization about socio-economic contribution of performing arts. Over a period of time in the development of performing arts a number of issues are engaging the attention: how to increase awareness of pride in our culture to sustain the interest of artists, etc. It is in this perspective that this book examines the role of government, private entrepreneur, the common man and of the performing artists. An effort has also been made to the functioning of the performing

Every human society has its own socio-cultural strain which can be understood in terms of social and economic systems, customs, religion, philosophy, beliefs, education and other. A sum of these could total up to what is termed as ‘culture’.

Yastu uijnanavan bhavati yuktena manasa sada Tasyendriyani vasyani sadasva iva saratheh “He, who is possessed of supreme knowledge by concentration of mind, must have his senses under control, like spirited steeds controlled by a charioteer” (Katha Upanishad, iii, 6). In other words, emphasis has been given to the building up the personality so that he emerges as a ‘thinking individual’. It is then that a person is able to contribute effectively to society. Many contributing tools have been identified in the process and the world of ‘performing arts’ has occupied a distinct and a unique position, so much so, that it has been called the ‘fifth veda’!

The ‘fifth veda’ has traversed an eventful path and in the process, has enriched the ‘culture’ of this land. Today however, the threats or influences being faced are quite different from the influences that were faced in the last thousand years of Indian history. With increasing globalisation, every country is under increasing pressure today from outside influences. A kind of ‘homogenisation’ process seems to have been set in motion. Some call it ‘Macdonaldisation’ or a ‘Disneylandisation’.

Whatever be the term, it connotes eroding of boundaries between different cultures, each with its own distinct flavour. ‘Invasion of foreign culture’ seems to be the oft heard refrain. What the world has always witnessed and is still witnessing today, are ranks of excessive poverty, excessive affluence, but at the time, midstream stagnation and mal-distribution. Therefore, the perfect playground for fermenting of discontent and lack of self-confidence which consequently results in a mindless aping of ‘behavioural attitudes’ of an economically developed society which in such minds, becomes synonymous with ‘superiority’ and the ‘golden hen’. Herein lies the danger of losing one’s own cultural identity! Culture, being a way of life, is an identifying factor, a set of traits or habits, mirroring the mindset of a group of people which leads them to contribute to society in myriad ways.

Indian culture has retained a highly individualistic ethos on the hand, but at the same time, it has had the tendency to leave certain collective affairs to a set of people. This country, in its five thousand years of history, has never remained in isolation. It has always had interactions with the outside world. Of-course, the nature and intensity of such interactions have varied over the ages. Therefore, the term ‘foreign’ is rather relative, because if it denotes that something has not originated in one’s land and that it had been brought from outside, then most of the things within our country would have a ‘foreign’ origin. ‘Sanskrit’ brought in by the Aryans (as there is a marked similarity of the Avestha hymns with that of our Rigvedic hymns), educational, political and judicial systems brought in by the British and many others can be cited as examples.

Therefore, does the term ‘foreign’ necessarily imply something from outside the national boundaries of the Indian state or does it also imply something from outside one’s own little region but within the national boundaries? If the answer to the above query is an affirmative, then the danger of cultural invasion from the urban areas to the rural areas is as true as the cultural invasion from the West. Various factors have led to mass migrations from traditional settings, displacement from traditional occupations, forcible onslaught of ideas leaving them free-floating without anchorage.