Kalakosa Foundation Day

The Guru-Purnima day is celebrated as the Foundation Day of the Kalakosa Division. Kalakosa is entrusted with the charge of being the research and publication division of the Centre and it takes pride in bringing out texts on arts, both ancient and modern, along with suitable commentaries/translations. These studies are multi – and inter – disciplinary in their approach and holistic in nature. The scope of its work encompasses Greater India upto China and South-East Asia in terms of geography. Gender and environmental studies are also pursued by scholars of this Division.

This year, Prof. Shashiprabha Kumar, head of School of Sanskrit Studies, JNU, presided over the function, the programme began with traditional lighting of lamp by the chief guest, Dr. K K Chakravarty, Member Secretary, IGNCA and Prof. I. N. Choudhuri, Academic Director, IGNCA. Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra recited verses for the invocation of Vyasa. Young Vedic scholars from R.L. Paliwal Veda Vidyalaya, Delhi performed Samagana chanting. Porf. G.. C.Tripati, HoD (KK), outlined the significance of Guru in his welcome address. Dr. N.D. Sharma, Associate Professor, underlined the achievements of all the units of Kalakosa in his brief report.

Porgramme ‘A’ of Kalakosa is Kalatattvakosa and sixth volume of this lexicon is expected to be brought out this year. In Programme ‘B” i.e. Kalamulshastra, the following fundamental texts are in their final stages of completion: Kanva-satapatha-brahmana, Baudhayana-srauta-sutra, Ajita-mahatantra, Isvarasamhita, Rasagangadhara, Sangitamakaranda, Sarasvatikanthabharana, Caturdandi-prakasika, Illustrated dictionary of Vedic Rituals and Silpaprakasa. In programme ‘C’ i.e. Kalasamalocana, three texts have been published this year and six are nearing completion. In Programme ‘D’ Kaladhara, the ambitious project on the Numismatic Art of India has been completed by Prof. B.N. Mukherjee and is expected to be brought out soon in eight volumes. Programme ‘E’ explores the connections of India with China and South East Asia.

Scholars of the Division, Prof. Madhu Khanna, Dr. Advaitavadini Kaul, Dr. Radha Banerjee and Dr. Bachchan Kumar were invited by different institutions for presenting papers and academic discussions. The Division organised an international conference on ‘Mudra: Meaning, Metaphor and Mystique.’ It also actively participated in the organisation of an exhibition on the same theme. The Research Journal of the IGNCA, Kalakalpa was launched in July 2003, with Dr. Radha Banerjee as the Managing Editor. 

An international seminar on ‘Shaktika on the Ascent: Reframing Gender in the Context of Culture in India’ was organised at Bhuvaneshwar in association with the Department of Sociology, Utkal University, in March 2003. Rta: The Cosmic Order, Edited by Dr Madhu Khanna was published and another volumed edited by her on Vastu-vidya is expected soon. 

Shri Shantanu Panda rendered the Guruvandana and Kumari Kaveri Behara gave a performance in Odissi style on a scene from Gita Govinda. Pt. Bhatt accompanied on the tabla. This was followed by a very interesting dance performance by young girls from Indonesian Cultural Embassy. 

Prof. Shashiprabha Kumar spoke about the importance of Guru in Indian tradition in her presidential address. Prof. B.K. Roy Burman also addressed the gathering. 

In the Varanasi office, Prof. Manjula Chaturvedi delivered a lecture on ‘Foundation of Indian Art’. She said that in order to understand the Indian art one should have a special foresight. She added that Indian art was mainly based on folk-art (loka-kala). Art was part of our life. Through dharma one could know the way of life. Through art we discuss the moral values of human life. Motifs of lotus in art are connected with hamsa, the symbol of moksha. In srsti as well as in art the twin ideas are quite common; for example Siva-Sakti, Radha-Krishna. The symbol of Surya-Chandra signifies the newly married couple, it is the sign of prosperity. Sensitivity, imagination and recreation are three important sources which give rise to any form of art. Painting expresses the imagination of the human mind and values. 

Prof. V.N. Mishra, Prof. Bishwanath Bhattacharya and Pt. H.N. Chakravaraty spoke on different Indological aspects. Prof. B. Bhattacharya expressed his views about the description of the painting of Shakuntala, done by Dushyanta, mentioned in Act VI of Kalidasa’s Abhijnana Shakuntalam. Discussing the portrayal of Shakuntala, Prof. V.N. Mishra added that there was no background in Indian painting, everything was in the fore-ground and had special relevance. 

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