Incredible India: A Look at the Amazing Art Scene

India! The land of culture and people of history and traditions, of vibrant past and a phenomenal future. Since early times, eons ago, when Bharat came into existence, we have seen generations upon generations evolve art forms that have made this land mystical. Civilizations from all over the world entangled with these ethereal art forms as they wove in and out, inspiring other cultures and traditions.

Dance, music, paintings, theatre and literature. All these and many more fascinating forms are the basis on which the Indian culture has been built. So let’s take a journey down the memory lane of what made us perhaps the most culturally rich Civilization out there.

• Dance (Natyam)

It is believed in Hindu mythology that dance was conceived when Lord Brahma, the creator of the world according to the Vedas, inspired the great Bharata Muni to write a treatise for dance or the ‘Natya Shashtra.’ It was a treatise on performing arts, dance and drama which would include pathya (words) from the Rigveda, abhinaya (gestures) from the Yajurveda, geet (music) from the Samaveda and rasa (emotions) from the Atharvaveda to form the Natyaveda (body of knowledge about dance.) Hindu epics are rife with the glorious stories of deities like Shiva, Kali, Krishna and so on dancing to the mystical tunes. This form descended down to us in the form of Classical and Folk dance. Classical being the likes of Kuchipudi, Kathak and Bharatnatyam. Folk dance came in the way of Bhangra, Dandiya, etc. The dance forms developed and now we have almost 50 cultural dances and many more inherited from the world over. Mrinalini Sarabhai, Birju Maharaj, Sonali Mansingh and others have dance their way into the hearts of millions.

• Music (Sangeet)

The basis of Indian music rests upon the stimulating raagas that were penned down by our ancestors. Beautifully written and moving, the tunes of India have traveled across continents today to be integrated in cultures all over. Who can resist the soul stirring notes of a Sarod or a Sitar? From Tanpura to Tabla, we have conquered boundaries in the field of music. In fact there have been students from the west who have travelled across the seven seas to learn the soulful music of India. One such eminent name that comes to mind is of Jon B. Higgins (aka Higgins Bhagavatar) who was a prodigy of the renowned T. Ranganathan and T. Vishwanathan. The journey has led us to now having every range of raaga – from classical to krump, India is making music like no other! We have branched into various music forms like Classical (Hindustani and Carnatic) to Light Classical and Folk. The more local and popular forms were the kacheris held by various villages for the entertainment of the local folks. Be it Ali Akhbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, Zakhir Hussain or even the singers like M.S. Subbalakshmi and Lata Mangeshkar, the era of music has had quite interesting growth graph.

• Painting (Chitrakala)

Making expressions come alive even in a still portrait is a true art, an art that Indians have come to inherit. With the oldest museum established in 1814, more than 200 years ago, painting – whether on caves or canvas – has always pulled the Indian psyche. The basis of Indian art lies in the Sadanga – the ‘Six Limbs’ of every painting.  These limbs are

• Rupabheda – The knowledge of appearances.
• Pramanam – Correct perception, measure and structure.
• Bhava – Action of feelings on forms.
• Lavanya Yojanam – Infusion of grace, artistic representation.
• Sadrisyam – Similitude.
• Varnikabhanga – Artistic manner of using the brush and colours.

Consider the Ajanta and Ellora caves paintings or the fine brushwork of M.F. Hussain. They all are a thing of wonder, having their foundation in this very essence. In the modern India today, we have more than a 100 museums showcasing the ancient artifacts and modern mindset. The art here is taking a progressive turn with abstract and contemporary patterns. We are creating compelling caricatures of our culture through this art form.

• Sculpture (Moorthikala)

Perhaps one of the most dominant features of Indian art is sculpture. Being born at the time of Indus Valley Civilization, the influences of this art form can be seen in every part of India. From bronze to copper to pottery, the sculptures of India show the mastery in the hands of our artists. The dancing girls of Mohenjo Daro, the Ashoka Pillar, the relics on famous temple of South India are just a few of the examples that bear testimony to the fact that the streak of sculpture is an exquisite one. And how can one forget the Taj Mahal – one of the Seven Wonders of the modern World! Soaked in history and intricate details, it is the crowning glory to our historical past. As we move into the modern times, we saw artists like Ramkinkar Baij, Anish Kapoor and even female sculptors like Zarina bringing laurels to Indian contextual art.

• Theatre (Abhinaya)

The first ever appearance that theatre made was in Sanskrit in India. Inspired from the Greek and Roman theatres, it started much enthusiastically but fizzled out during the Mughal rule. A revival of sorts was made during the Colonial empire with the British bringing the Broadway. Even after independence, theatres sprung up throughout India, gathering people in the villages’ town halls and enacting skits. A major competition and branching of the art form came through the Indian film and television industry. More and more people became attached to the projections of the drama rather than real life regaling. The craze for it has gone to such peaks that the Bollywood actors are now worshiped alongside the sculptures in temples. From Khaled Choudhary to the Khans, theatre (whether in live or on screen) has become a part and parcel of our lives.

• Literature (Saahitya)

With over 1500 languages being spoken in India every day, we have a diverse pool of literature to dip into. The incubation of the literature began with the Rig Veda written in Sanskrit around 1500 B.C. The river of written works then flowed toward Ramayana and Mahabharata – two scriptures that have perhaps influenced the world and the Nation. An example of the same would be Kalidasa‘s Abhijnanashakuntalam that was first works in Sanskrit to be translated into English ever. Then came the Bhagavad Gita, a treatise on karma and morals. The wisdom of Gita again spread through the globe, with people taking its support in times of need.  Since then we have seen the west turn to India for As we came down the line, the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore penned some works of wonder and even our National Anthem. Now in contemporary Indian literature, there are two major literary awards, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship and the Jnanpith Award. Apart from these classical literature branches, there are even novelists who have put words to thoughts. Salman Rushdie, R.K. Narayan, Jhumpa Lahari, Arundhati Roy are the top of a very long list. Their books showcase the true flavour of the Indian experience.

This is but just a mere glimpse into the colourful and marvelous corridors of the Indian art scene. Through the ages, we have evolved to find ways to show the ocean of creativity that lies inherent in our culture. The country’s artwork speaks of its vibrant past weaving in the possibilities of the future.

After all, art is not about what you see but what you make others see. And the art scene of India paints a spectacular picture!