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| Unique Meru Camp Brings a Cultural Discovery of India |
Nirmala Garimella
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"A culture”, Henry Francis du Pont once observed ”is fully known only as its art objects are studied in their rich variety and social context”. To Vanita and Sekhar Shastri, of the Meru foundation, it was a desire to bring the richness and cultural nuances of Indian Art and Aesthetics that resulted in Camp Meru and Summit Meru. Concluding that the arts of the early days would be best appreciated in the context of a systematic approach and methodology to the subject in question , they applied their own cultural awareness and knowledge to charter a curriculum and structure for a unique educational experience. As Vanita Shastri puts it “ For a long time we felt that the way India was represented was really dismal. The textbooks were either misinterpreted or there was too little material. We wished to train and interest people especially the mainstream community about the beauty and essence of Indian Aesthetics”.
The Camp and Lectures organized by the Meru Foundation concluded this August and Vanita seems very elated with the response. “I was very happy with the way it turned out. Initially we were very nervous and apprehensive , since it was tuned to education and was not like a cultural performance. Our intention was to expose people interested in the subject matter and if that could spark a further interest, we would have achieved something. We did a lot of PR and marketing. Of course, we also got a lot of support from the community and friends. Much attention was paid to the venues”. Says Vanita ”We thought that whatever we do, we should present the Indian tradition in style. It has to be seen and understood in very nice ambience.” And choose well they did with the MFA in Boston, the Arthur M Sackler Museum in Harvard University and the National Heritage Museum in Lexington.
Vanita who earlier spent a year in India with her children Veda and Kartik utilized that period to gather support and invite renowned scholars to be part of the workshop.Dr Mukund Lath, a musicologist and a philosopher spoke on the theory and appreciation of music. The best moments were spent with the children, Vanita recalls when she scheduled a field trip at the MFA. “There we were, admiring the Raagmala Paintings and Mukund Lath asked the children to walk around and see them. We then sat on the floor right there and he asked the children “what happens to you when you hear music”. From there on, Vanita says, he brought out the tradition of the Raagmala paintings, on the color, Raag, ethos etc. "It was a wonderful experience", she says animatedly, "to see the kids so involved".
This interest was sustained even in Professor Kutumba Sastry’s talk when he spoke on the Vedic tradition and the art of memorizing the texts. “There is research on how the mind memorizes and how there is a way and structure to it and I had specifically asked Dr Sastry to explain it to the children, and they were totally amazed. With Dr Subhash Kak, it was a great partnership. He was extremely entertaining and provided answers to questions as to why should one learn language? We are all in the West, Why should we be interested in something so old ? What does it do for us ?”It was truly fascinating” says Vanita, “here we have people learning music and dance. If they are interested to pursue these options where would they go ? Only those taking Indology courses in Harvard can do that !
Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, a renowned scholar in Indian aesthetics was one speaker that Vanita found personal fascination with. “When Kapila spoke on the NatyaSastra ,she broke it in different pieces and for the first time we really understood what it is”, Says Vanita,an Odissi dancer herself, “After she finished her lecture, the atmosphere was electric. In the past I had always been fascinated with the theory rather than the movements in dance. In fact, I had also contributed to an article on the evolution of Odissi in modern times” and added “a long time ago, so the lecture really appealed to me”.
The two week camp was based on two themes. The first week dealt with the Ascent of Ganga, the myth,the source, the story , the geographical location, life around the river, Kumbh Mela etc. The second week was on the visual Arts , Miniature Paintings and Temple Architecture. Was it hard for the kids to understand and relate to ? "Not at all", says Vanita, "In fact my niece who is of mixed parentage read the story that I had circulated and was totally involved in it. The kids also got a chance to bond and make friends. And of course, we devoted afternoons to playing Indians games like KhoKho and Kabaddi. Cricket was ruled out, she says ruefully since it was too hard to coordinate.” Yoga, Vedic traditions and the Sanskrit language were among the favorites in the feedback sheets she received from the kids.
Vanita ended on the note that America offers one, the opportunity to be part of both the cultures so she strongly feels given the chance why give up a language , a culture and a tradition that is a big part of your identity.
Dr Vanita Shastri is the Executive Director of the Meru Foundation
Review of the Meru Camp by Pallavi Nagesha
The crux of life: the universal consciousness sought by humankind, an abode that transcends the physical plane of reality into
the ambit of perfection. The three-week summit held by the Meru Education Foundation has certainly taken its audience a step
closer to this perfection.
The innate spirituality of Indian arts was evident in the discourse of each venerable speaker at the Summit. It is indeed true that
you can better appreciate arts when you consider them part of a whole, thus realizing their universal significance. This bird's
eye view helps one investigate the collective understanding that the artist intends.
In the first week of Summit Meru, Dr. Mukund Lath transported us into the realm of music and its structure; the cambers that
enhance the curves of the body of music, and how they take shape and create melody. He spoke about Vedic Saman music
and its original ritualistic intention. Yet, due to an innate vitality that permeates through the universe, the Sama became a divine
offering to God. Through the ages, we have used music to transport ourselves into a transcendental sphere. Dr. Lath recounted
a parable in which the Gods ask Prajapati why he is more benevolent to the Asuras. Prajapati tells them that it is due to the
Sama they sing and then the Gods begin to sing the Sama to gain the same benevolence. When they see no change, they
once again approach Prajapati who tells them that they should learn to rise above the words. To sing the Ashariri (bodiless)
Sama is to go beyond the physical to reach the sublime.
It is not so much the medium of your ecstasy, but the ecstasy itself that achieves this state. This fissure witnesses the
coexistence of Desi and Margi music (the folk and the classical). While one is derived from the other, neither is superior to the
other in its preternatural essence. Dr. Lath gave a magnificent glimpse into the continuing evolution of Indian music until its
most recent creation, the Hindustani Khayal music born in the 20th century.
Dr Lath’s talk, accompanied by snippets of music was rapturous. He is the student of the revered Pandit Jasraj, and the great
maestro's presence on the last day of Dr. Lath’s talk was an added pleasure.
The second week of the summit brought to us the delights of Indian literature. The two speakers, Dr. V. Kutumba Sastry and
Dr. Subhash Kak revealed an invaluable vista of Sanskrit literature creating a chronological framework for their place and
significance.
Dr. Sastry unraveled the unbroken oral tradition of transmitting the Vedas. Dr. Sastry also suggests that the Vedas speak more
of this world and how one can transcend to perfection rather than about the perfection (or heaven) itself. On the second day, Dr.
Sastry gave us a glimpse into the unique analogies of Kalidasa. One of them was from “Indumati Swayamvara”. He described a
scene where all the great kings gather in the court of the King of Vidarbha, waiting for Indumati to choose a companion.
Indumati’s maid is introducing each prince. On one occasion after she is introduced to a prince, Indumati lingers a while before
walking on. Kalidasa describes her movement as that of a river that has encountered a mountain, and having come to a
momentary stop proceeds around the obstacle creating a perfect navel-like whirlpool. By comparing Indumati to a river, he
subconsciously brings the image of the ocean as being her destination. There is also the image of fluidity suggesting that
Indumati was not abrupt or curt, but slow and graceful. The whirlpool could be the turbulence of emotions that are masked
perfectly to appear like a well-formed navel of a young lady or he could be saying that Indumati’s navel is deep and well formed,
like a whirlpool. This is an infinitesimal example of how Kalidasa can convey a myriad of images and messages with just a few
lines.
This segues into the idea of universal imagination. Dr. Kak spoke of ideas or imagination existing in a continuum. A thought
exists without time or space and can potentially strike two people from different eras. It is overwhelming to imagine the
possibilities that this theory presents. Dr. Kak also presented an enlightening account of the scientific thinking that is evident in
our Vedic texts. He elucidated the play of numbers in the Vedas and their correspondence to many of the modern discoveries,
such as the distance between planets and the speed of light. If one accepts the idea of the universal consciousness containing
innumerable ideas and images that one can sense irrespective of the time and age, then a corpus of text as vast as the Indian
literature could possibly have captured many ideas and representations that exist in the world today.
The final week was on aesthetics. Legendary scholar, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan presented the audience with a riveting sermon on
the appreciation of the Indian arts. She urged the audience to consider a work of art as a part of a whole. Through this
perspective, we can infer a meaning that goes far beyond superficial impressions. She spoke of the Yakshini who is a part of
the Stupa at Sanchi. Viewed in exclusion, she is merely a nude sculpture. However, if you stop to consider her bearings, you
will realize that she guards one of the gates to the Stupa. Is she then a siren, luring licentious men into a place of God? Why
do you need a Yakshini to guard a Stupa? You would probably appreciate the Yakshini more if you knew the answers to these
questions. If you delve deeply into the idea of the Yakshini as a part of a greater structure, you will understand her place in the
context of the greater meaning.
On the second day, Dr. Vatsyayan reveals the enigma of Sage Bharata’s “Natyasastra”. Creation of art, she says, entails
vigorous training and meticulous schooling of the techniques involved. Once the artists have perfected the method only then are
they free to create, to improvise. This independence comes with the responsibility to maintain the bounds of the artistic
discipline. The very act of striving through the learning and the ultimate moment of the artist’s creation is the journey of the soul
from darkness to light; the struggle towards the ultimate knowledge.
In the concluding session of the Summit, Dr. Vatsyayan spoke of the significance of Mount Meru. Having risen from the froth of
the churned ocean, this cosmic mountain is not easy to attain. One has to go past mount Kailash and Manasarovar, not to
mention immeasurable physical stress getting there. So is the attainment of Moksha. One needs to go though life with all its
glory and misery and prove eligible to transcend.
Dr. Vatsyayan also illustrated the similarities between the idea of the cosmic mountain and the architecture of many of the
ancient temples in India. From the Sanchi Stupa to the Brihadeeshvara temple they convey this image. The creatures adorning
these structures represent life and that one must rise above to attain the summit. It is interesting to learn that Tibetan
Buddhism also has the notion of Mount Meru. Legend has it that the mountain has its roots in hell and its zenith in heaven and
arises from an ocean. Seven mountains separated by seven spherical oceans. Four continents border it, the southern one being
Jambudvipa or the earth. The other continents are realms inhabited by non-humans. The soul moves from realm to realm until
its birth on earth. Once it is born on earth, the Soul now is unrestricted and can strive towards Nirvana.
I would have been blissfully unaware of this enchanting world of Indian music, arts, and literature if not for Summit Meru. I am
sure that many of the readers will join me in applauding the efforts of Dr. Vanita Shastri and Shekhar Shastri in providing a
platform for cultural osmosis. I enthusiastically look forward to future Meru activities.
Note: Information about Meru Education Foundation, Summit Meru, and the speakers is available at
http://www.merufoundation.org.
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