THE VOICE OF COOMARASWAMY
RUKMINI
DEVI
Ananda
Coomaraswamy was an extraordinary individual. It is right that we Indians
should celebrate his centenary not only because we want to honour a great man
who has left a treasure of writings on various subjects which are of the
essence of truth but also because so many who did not know of him or his
writings will have a chance to know of his contributions when we honour his
memory. Writers, painters, sculptors and composers leave something behind as a
heritage for many generations to come and we are fortunate to be able to study
these–unlike the dancers and musicians whose art fortunately has merely to be a
memory and an inspiration.
All
great people who have a message to give learn the Truth by their intuition and
not merely by the trading and education that they received in schools, colleges
or universities, Such are born for a purpose of which they and their parents
are unaware. When the time comes and the mind becomes mature, the inner nature
asserts itself and finds a channel for their message, I am sure the parents of
Ananda Coomaraswamy could not have expected him to write such profound
literature particularly on the ancient and traditional arts, crafts and
philosophy of the East, particularly India. Having been brought up in England,
with British education and Christian by religion, he might have been a through
English gentlemen with all the pride of a member of the Indian Civil Service.
But the soul was searching for something else!
When
I first saw him at the Boston Museum I was deeply impressed by this Indian
whose eyes had a mystical expression and whose personality seemed so much like
that of an Indian sage. It was only after meeting him I discovered all that he
was. I remembered the first book of his which I had read, “The Gospel of the
Buddha.” This book was a favourite of mine because I felt he understood the
Buddha and it was not merely a book of analysis, facts and figures which
ultimately destroys. I felt inspired to read his other books not only because
of the impression created by this book but because Coomaraswamy seemed to be
sensitive to the deep truths of our art and ancient wisdom.
All
great people discover something new, not necessarily new to the world but to
them and to succeeding ages, a new experience. This experience comes as a
revelation and, therefore, its presentation becomes vivid and important to
others. It is this discovery of the real that is so wonderful. It may be in a
new philosophical expression, or in poetry, or it may be in the creative beauty
of dance or music. It all depends on the mission for which a person is born. To
discover this, an insight or intuition is of tremendous importance. Ananda
Coomaraswamy’s contribution seems to me to point out to people what the normal
eyes cannot see. Again and again a voice is heard that says “Do not be carried
away by mere superficialities. Do not imitate. Do not throwaway what is
precious in your own environment for we may never regain it.” This to me was
the voice of Ananda Coomaraswamy.
To
me he was a real Indian and far way in the West he represented the highest
values of Indian thought. The cultural ambassadorship from the East to the Wast
had begun even during his time. Tagore and he, as well as others in the
cultural field, independently expressed abhorrence of cheap imitations of the
West which ruined our art.
What
we have to be proud of these days are the great ruins in which our country
abounds. Even the statues and bronzes with arms and legs broken are more
beautiful than what is produced today. In this Ananda Coomaraswamy saw an
eternal truth; that a true artist must see a divine vision before he creates
the forms. Highest spiritual insight combined with a great creative ability and
skill together produced the art forms of India, while today only the skill and
creative genius remain. This was the unique feature of Indian and Eastern art
that he discovered. This insight led him even into such fields of art, as
dance. It is indeed surprising how he was able to see the real nature of our
dance even at a time when it was hardly known outside the temples and the small
circles of South India. In his book “The Mirror of Gesture”, a translation of
“Abhinaya Darpana”, there are a few photographs of Tiruvalur Gnanam, one of the
most famous dancers of her day. She was not a beauty in the ordinary sense of
the word but beauty shone through her music, gestures and “abhinaya” which
conquered the flesh. No ordinary person would have noticed all this in someone
whom the modern world would call ugly. What would he say of the dance of today,
where publicity and flashness are counted greater than sincerity and spiritual
values?
A
great turning point in Indian cultural history was the British period,
particularly the Edwardian period, which was a very poor period artistically.
It was at that time that Indian crafts came under Western influence, when
harmoniums took the place of tamburas and ugly China embroideries, frocks and
frills took the place of our lovely weaving and crafts. Today if Coomaraswamy
were to live here I am sure he would make a call to Indians to appreciate the
exquisite skill of our workmen–even more to apply good taste to every detail of
daily life. Today the imitation of fashions from elsewhere and the lack of
spiritual grace in our art would have made such people as Coomaraswamy and
Tagore equally unhappy. Yet both were universal in their attitude and spirit.
To understand and develop the genius of our country does not mean that one
cannot appreciate genius elsewhere. On the other hand it gives a greater
perception of art as an expression of the soul in any time or place. All true artists are universal in
character.
Ananda
Coomaraswamy, though he wrote and worked for the true place of art, was not
himself an artist. But to understand art and to have insight into the cultural
life of a nation, of a people is also equally an art. In this he was an artist,
while Tagore was both a messenger for modern times and a poet as well.
To
be a signpost in all these fields is a great service to the world, for such
gives eyes to those who are blind and ears to those who are deaf. But the world
is still unable to perceive the truth behind the many forms of life. The
Western world is conscious of India’s deep wisdom but does not realise that the
garb of a Sanyasi is less important than the attitude of mind. On the other
hand India is attracted by Western “Culture.” I can reiterate the same question
asked by Coomaraswamy;
“Is
the compelling upsurge within the country going by the name of Renaissance and
Revival strong enough for the gigantic task before it–the conversion of
generations of aliens in their own surroundings, into Indian?”
How
true is the statement for today! No revival or rebuilding is possible without
the essential spirit of religion for this alone has produced such art that has
lasted in beauty for thousands of years. Religion (not necessarily formal) but
the inner spirit that identifies an individual with the Highest in whatever
name that Highest is called–Krishna, Buddha, Rama or any other–is the
mainspring of art which will never die. With this and a complete impersonality
of a self forgotten, our forefathers created figures of Nataraja, the Buddha,
Devi and many others. These images in mere stone or metal express more than our
flesh and bone, only because of the perfect blending of form and spirit. The
individual who recognises this is the true messenger for the new age and for
all ages. I pay homage to Ananda Coomaraswamy who recognised it, revered it and
lived for it. Truth is never old and this truth is important today as it was a
hundred years ago.
–Courtesy: All India Radio, Madras