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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Empathy for animals, power of observation: Behind Manjit Bawa's bovines symbolism
(This is the final instalment of a series on Indian masters and the motifs that appear repeatedly in their works.) Drawing from Indian mythology, folklore, and Sufism, artist Manjit Bawa envisioned a world where humans and animals lived in peaceful harmony. 'He had deep empathy for animals… Completely at ease around them, he would fearlessly approach cows and bulls, and pat them affectionately,' Ina Puri, curator and author of Bawa's biography In Black and White (2017), told The Indian Express. 'His gentleness and familiarity with animals was reflected in his work, and brought a certain level of expertise that can never come from looking at them from a distance,' she said. In particular, Bawa was fond of bovines: cows, buffaloes, bulls, and calves. 'I grew up like Krishna, playing with [cows] and drinking milk straight from their udder… therefore, farm animals like cows… keep appearing in my paintings', Bawa had said in a 2004 interview. Bawa's affinity for cows can literally be traced to his birth: the youngest of five brothers, he was born in a goshala (cow shed) in Dhuri, a small town in Punjab's Sangrur district. He grew up in a family which cared deeply for animals. Puri said, 'He often spoke about going for a walk with a cow or playing with cattle as they bathed in the stream'. Man and nature, for Bawa, were meant to be in unison. 'All living beings in existence were linked with one another through love and integration of identities… His drawings sought commonality through the physical forms he created… Bull humps and a man's knees could not help but have identical curves through the same principle of inter-connectivity,' art restorer and author Rupika Chawla wrote in a 2022 essay for the website of the Vadehra Art Gallery. Evolving depiction While studying fine arts at Delhi Polytechnic in the late 1950s, Bawa would spend hours observing horses in tabelas (stables) and in shelters where tongawalas retired for the night, Puri recalled. These experiences saw him experiment with figurative depictions in gestural brushwork. Over time, more populated narratives gradually gave way to solitary subjects as Bawa's visual language evolved. Instead of the then dominant greys and browns in Indian art, he began opting for more traditional Indian colours such as pinks, reds and violet. 'Until the mid-1980s Bawa's work featured numerous studies and drawings born out of his close observation of the figures and modest modeling. The animals mostly appeared alongside human figures in the narrative scenes,' Manoj Mansukhani, Director Marketing, AstaGuru Auction House, told The Indian Express. 'This changed in the mid-1980s and 1990s, when the colours deepened and the bovine motif became more central, as we saw in several of his Krishna-and-cow pairings,' he said. Over the years, Bawa's figures acquired a sense of weightlessness, as their perfectly rounded forms were portrayed in graded tones, with subtle chiaroscuro defined by the interplay of light and shadow. 'By the late 1990s-2000s, singular bovines dominated, defined by minimal lines and saturated backgrounds. There were no landscapes as the figures were surrounded by solid colour fields, giving them a heightened sense of divinity. Towards the end, we saw more silhouettes in a softer palette,' Mansukhani said. Many meanings 'Bawa wanted his works to be open to diverse interpretations,' Puri said. At times, his depictions belonged to the mythical realm, while on other occasions, they appeared as enduring symbols of humankind's resilience. Bawa, who himself had learned to play the flute from maestro Pannalal Ghosh, could himself be the faultist in his paintings, most often identified as Krishna, Puri noted. A 1992 untitled painting featuring Krishna, which fetched a staggering Rs 25.11 crore at an AstaGuru auction in 2023. In 2017, Christie's had sold Bawa's 1998 Untitled (Krishna and Cow) (1998) for $780,500. In another celebrated 1980 oil on canvas Krishna eating the fire, the deity is seen encircled by a herd of cows and bulls as he literally swallows flaming fire. In 2021, a Bawa canvas went viral after appearing in a Diwali photograph from actor Amitabh Bachchan's home. Painted against a blue backdrop, the canvas had a solitary bull as an emblem of power and resilience. 'The creatures he painted are his — distilled through his imagination, with the sweeping lines of their contours adding a certain vigour and power,' Puri said.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
INDIA'S PRIDE: Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra
Last month, when UNESCO announced the latest additions to its Memory of the World Register, there was jubilation in India. Of the 74 items inscribed, two hailed from India—Bharatamuni's Natya Shastra and the Bhagavad Gita, one of India's most revered spiritual texts. For millions, this was not only a recognition of India's cultural depth but also an affirmation of its enduring contribution to global heritage. The Memory of the World Register is a UNESCO initiative to preserve and provide access to the world's most precious documentary heritage. As of 2025, it holds over 500 inscriptions, now including India's two monumental texts. A Timeless Text on the Arts For the uninitiated, the Natya Shastra is a centuries-old Sanskrit treatise authored by Sage Bharata (Bharata Muni). It is regarded as a treasure trove on the performing arts—covering dramaturgy, music, dance, theatre, stage architecture, acting techniques, and aesthetics. Among its most significant contributions is the theory of Rasa—the philosophy of evoking moods and emotions in audiences through performance. The influence of this monumental work extends far beyond India. It shaped South and Southeast Asian performing arts and even influenced architecture. The Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur famously depicts most of the dance poses (karanas) described in the text. Because of such contributions, India is often referred to as Prachi Sudha—'Nectar of the East'—celebrated for its rich traditions of music and dance. The UNESCO recognition, many believe, strengthens this reputation. Pride—and a Sense of Delay The honour has been warmly welcomed, though many in the art community feel it came later than it should have. As one dancer remarked, 'This recognition was long overdue. The Natya Shastra deserved this place on the world stage years ago.' Still, the consensus is clear: better late than never. Across India and the world, the text is studied in academic institutions where classical dance and theatre are taught. Yet the recognition prompted many to ask: have we given the Natya Shastra the attention it deserves at home? Voices from the Dance World Padma Bhushan awardees and Kuchipudi legends Raja and Radha Reddy called the honour 'a moment of great pride and inspiration.' They noted that Indian classical dance, a holistic blend of drama, music, poetry, and storytelling, draws its very framework from the Natya Shastra. Celebrated Bharatanatyam dancer Alarmel Valli echoed the sentiment: 'That UNESCO has finally recognised this timeless text is a matter of pride for Indians everywhere. The Natya Shastra is a fountainhead of aesthetics and performance, inseparable from the cultural forms of India and Southeast Asia.' She highlighted its unique duality—providing a rich vocabulary and grammar for performers while leaving space for individuality and creative exploration. Dance scholar Arshiya Sethi, Founder of the Kri Foundation, remarked: 'This recognition makes the Natya Shastra a global inheritance. It highlights the antiquity of Indian knowledge systems, which organised and preserved wisdom in a manner unparalleled among ancient cultures.' The Challenge of Dissemination While academic institutions include the text in syllabi, private dance schools and home-based training often overlook it. Students practice art forms deeply rooted in the Natya Shastra without engaging with the text itself. Barriers include the language of Sanskrit and the paucity of time—since most schoolchildren already juggle heavy workloads alongside dance lessons. Experts suggest a balanced solution: dance teachers should introduce students to the text, offer an overview, and spark curiosity, leaving deeper study to motivated learners. As Yamini Krishnamurthy and Sanjukta Panigrahi—actively sought both practical and theoretical knowledge years ago. Similarly, today's students should be encouraged to engage with the text to understand the roots of their art. The Reddys emphasise that without a grounding in theory, performance risks losing its 'soul.' They advise teachers: 'Introduce students—even at a young age—to the text and its concepts. When dancers know where their art comes from, their expression becomes more meaningful.' Beyond Classical Dance The Natya Shastra is not confined to classical traditions. As Arshiya Sethi insightfully notes, it also resonates with Indian cinema, today's most powerful form of drama. 'If one limits Bharata's work to classical forms alone, one misses its essence. The Natya Shastra is about dramaturgy, and Indian cinema—with its songs, dances, and stories—is the modern continuation of that tradition. The text is ever open to reinterpretation and application.' This observation widens the horizon: far from being a relic of the past, the Natya Shastra remains a living, evolving body of knowledge that shapes both heritage and contemporary popular culture. Looking Ahead The UNESCO honour ensures greater global recognition for India's performing arts. It will likely inspire more seminars, workshops, and academic courses both in India and abroad. Yet, as many artistes emphasise, the deeper responsibility lies within India itself—to popularise, teach, and engage with the Natya Shastra at all levels. For now, however, celebration is in order. The Natya Shastra has finally received the recognition it has long deserved. Its inscription on the Memory of the World Register is not just a validation of India's past but also a beacon for its future—reminding us that the aesthetics, wisdom, and creativity encoded in Bharata's text are as relevant today as they were centuries ago.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Sobhamrutham – A garland of grace for a beloved guru
Recently, the hallowed stage of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Auditorium blossomed into a shrine of rhythm and devotion. Here unfolded Sobhamrutham, a lovingly conceived and meticulously presented dance offering by Smt. Amrita Singh — a work that was, in every sense, a heartfelt tribute to her revered guru, the late Padmashri Dr Sobha Naidu. Amrita Singh, a distinguished Kuchipudi exponent, choreographer, and teacher, has been shaped by years under the luminous guidance of her legendary mentor. From Dr Sobha Naidu, she imbibed not merely the intricate grammar and lyrical grace of the form, but also the intangible essence of guru-shishya parampara — discipline, humility, and a deep spiritual connection to the art. Her studies have been further enriched by a profound engagement with the Natyashastra Karanas, lending her performances an arresting blend of aesthetic refinement and spiritual depth. In 2023, she first envisioned Sobhamrutham — a solo presentation of five timeless Kuchipudi pieces, all choreographed by her guru — as an artistic garland woven with memories, reverence, and gratitude. The success of that evening planted the seed for Sobhamrutham 2.0, an evolved tribute that saw her disciples breathe new life into her guru's choreographies. Through this living production, Amrita ensures that Dr Sobha Naidu's artistry continues to flow like an unbroken river, nourishing future generations. Her institution, Kuchipudi Kalamrita, founded in 2019 at Begumpet, Hyderabad, stands as a beacon for the preservation and propagation of traditional Kuchipudi values. It carries forward her guru's vision, nurturing students in both the rigour and joy of the art. The evening's repertoire unfurled like a vibrant tapestry. Kuchipudi Kalamrita's coordinated renditions of Ganesa Pancharatnam, Swagatam Krishna, and Kuntalavarali Tillana drew warm appreciation, each a confluence of precision and charm — though the customary stage 'smoking' could perhaps be set aside. Guru Sudheer Rao, who rarely graces the stage, was magnetic in his portrayal of Ravana during Bho Shambho in Revathi ragam. His abhinaya, rich in dramatic nuance, lent itself naturally to storytelling — a moment of sheer theatre when, as Ravana, he opened his stomach to play the veena with his intestines, to appease Lord Shiva. The group Natyasathpadam, with its four spirited young men, delivered Ananda Tandavam and Tillana with the unmistakable vigour and masculine dynamism of Kuchipudi. Gangadhar and Deekshitulu shone with remarkable stage presence, while Pasumarthy Kumara Datta and Chakravarthy lent additional lustre to the performance. Adding yet another layer of radiance, senior guru Kalaimamani Sailaja from Chennai and her students offered scintillating pieces, infusing the programme with colour and variety. When Amrita herself took the stage for Kanjadalayatakshi Kamakshi by Muthuswami Deekshitar in Kamala Manohari raagam, the auditorium seemed to hold its breath. Draped in elegance, her anga shuddhi, perfection of movement, and graceful aaharya spoke of rare dedication. Each gesture was steeped in both artistry and devotion, touching the hearts of all present. In that moment, the audience felt not just the mastery of a performer, but the love of a disciple carrying her guru's flame forward. Though Dr Sobha Naidu no longer walks this earth, one could almost sense her invisible blessing — a gentle whisper from the heavens, urging her beloved student to keep the Kuchipudi flag flying high, as the fragrance of Sobhamrutham lingers in every soul who witnessed it.
