STUDIES AND SKETCHES: A REVIEW
By Sir C. P. RAMASWAMI AIYAR
(We
have great pleasure in publishing the following letter from Sir C. P. Ramaswami
Aiyer to Sri K. Chandrasekharan–Editor)
Jan., 26, 1951.
My dear
Chandrasekharan,
In
the bright and bracing winter sunshine of the Nilgiri Hills and on the Republic
Day, I completed the perusal of your ‘Studies and Sketches’. 1
You
have perceived and sought to express the two truths that are so often forgotten
or ignored–namely that the longer one lives and studies life and literature,
the more does it become clear that behind everything that is precious stands
the personality of the individual (our ancients enunciated the
truth by the statement that the monarch is the maker of his age). It is not the
period
or the moment that makes the man but the man who creates the age. Nextly, there
is no question that in the words of that baffling genius
Oscar Wilde, the two supreme arts are “Life and Literature–Life and the perfect
expression of life”. With Literature and on the same pedestal stand the
arts–architecture, painting and above all music. Rightly did Pater exclaim,
“All art constantly aspires towards the condition of music.”
In
what you have consistently and often half consciously
uttered, you have felt that to realise our age and its
workings, one must realise all the past ages which have contributed to its
making.
And,
above all, you have exemplified the maxim in which I firmly believe that even a
so-called ‘Critic’ cannot be ‘fair’ in the normal meaning of that word. It is
only regarding matters that do not intrest a person that he gives what is
called a “really unbiased opinion”. Almost always such opinions are futile. It
has been remarked that only an auctioneer can equally admire all schools of
art.
It
is abundantly clear that in the appraisal of Rabindranath Tagore’s Symbolism
and suggestiveness, of Jawaharlal Nehru’s reflectiveness and philosophy and the
individuality and glamour of Dr. Rangachari, your portrayal is that of an
admirer out and out. Fine though it be, I appreciate more the restrained and
delicate handling of themes like Sir Sivaswami Iyer and Pandit Malaviya whose
little mannerisms and petty foibles are hinted at without losing sight of their
essential nobility and significance.
Your
unflinching adherence to “the things that are more excellent” and condemnation
of the spurious and meretricious elements of recent-manifestations have been
exhibited in the fine sketch of Rukmini Devi rightly called by you the
“tireless sentinel” and of Balasarasvati,
the last reminder of
the great tradition of Nrittta and Abhinaya.
But
to me the two finest studies are those of Ananda Coomaraswami and of the
‘mystic and musician.’ In the latter is contained a fine analysis of the Adi
Kavi’s synthesis of Sahitya and Sangita culminating in a
breathlessly enthusiastic resume of Sri Tyagaraja’s devotional artistry. The
former essay vindicates Coomaraswamy’s position as one of the earliest and most
authentic champions and interpreters of our artistic heritage in the domains of
sculpture, painting and music. His exposition of sadrisya quoted by you
is an instance of the originality and validity of his views.
Before
I conclude, I must pay a tribute to the remarkable combination of candour and
appreciation that you have exhibited in the performance of a peculiarly
difficult task–the task of dealing even in snatches with the personality and
life-history of your father–so dynamic and tempestuous and yet so tender and
essentially humble in outlook.
Pray accept my sincere congratulations and my best wishes and also my apologies for the belated fulfillment of my promise to review your book.
Yours
sincerely,
1
Published by S. Viawanathan, Central Art Press, 11, Menichol Road, Chetput,
Madras. Price Re. l.8.0)