Monday, September 25, 2017

two notes to shinoj

1
ഷിനോജ്, വ്യക്തി, വിശ്വാസം, സാമുദായിക പ്രതിബദ്ധത എന്നീ സാമൂഹീക ബിംബങ്ങൾക്കുള്ളിൽ കലയുടെ അക്കാദമിക ചരിത്രമൂല്യം സ്വംശീകരിച്ചു കലയെയും കലാകാരനേയും സാംസ്കാരിക പ്രതിബിംബങ്ങളാക്കി സാമൂഹ്യ അധികാരശ്രേണിയുടെ സൂചികകൾ തായ്യാറാക്കുക എന്ന ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലെ സാന്പ്രദായീക അക്കാദമിക ആശയമായ ജേർണൽ സംസ്കാരത്തിന് ഇരുപത്തൊന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിൽ എത്ര തന്നെ പ്രാധാന്യം ഉണ്ട് എന്നു കൂടി നാം കാര്യമായി ചിന്തിക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. രക്ഷാധികാരികളിൽ തുടങ്ങി ഗാലറികളിലെത്തി, ബിനാലെകൾ കടന്നു ആര്ട്ട് ഫൈറിലെത്തി മോഡെർണിസത്തിന്റെയും പോസ്റ്റ് മോഡെർണിസത്തിന്റെയും വാൿദ്വാരകൾക്കടിപ്പെട്ടു തകർന്നു നിൽക്കുന്ന മുഖ്യധാരാ കലാ ലോകത്തിന്റെ ജീർണതകൾ കൂടി ഇവിടെ കൂട്ടി വായിക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു . അതുകൂടാതെ യൂറോപ്പിലെ മാനിഫെസ്റ്റ, നാഗരിക ഭാഷയുടെ അക്കാദമിക യാന്ത്രികതക്കും നിശ്ചലതക്കുമപ്പുറം മറ്റു മാനങ്ങൾക്കായി വേരുകൾ തേടി ഗ്രാമങ്ങളിലേക്ക് ചേക്കേറേണ്ടിവരുന്ന വിഹ്വലതകളും കലാലോകത്തിലെ അക്കാദമിക സംസ്കാരത്തിലുടലെടുത്ത അപചയത്തിന്റെ ഒരു നേർ കാഴ്ചയാണ്. മൂത്ര കക്കൂസിൽ തുടങ്ങി അമേദ്യം ടിന്നിലാക്കിയ ആശയ കലകളുടെ പ്രവക്താക്കളായി മാറിയ ഘടനാവാദികളുടെയും പോസ്റ്റ് മോഡെർണിസ്റ്റുകളുടെയും അക്കാദമിക ചരിത്ര-ചിന്താ വ്യാഖ്യാനങ്ങൾക്കപ്പുറത്തു കലയെ വാക്കുകൾ കണ്ടെത്തത്തെടുത്തോളം കാലം, കലയിലെ കലാകാരന്റെ പങ്കിനെ, ക്രഫ്റ്റിനെ അനുഭവിച്ചറിയാതിടത്തോളം കാലം, കലയിൽ വാക്കിന്റെ പ്രതീകാത്മക പ്രസക്തി ചോദ്യം ചെയ്യേണ്ടപ്പെടേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു . അതിനാൽ ഷിനോജ് ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന കലയിലെ എഴുത്തുകൾ, ചരിത്രം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അതിനനുബന്ധപെട്ട ചിന്തകൾ വരെ കൊള്ളാം, എന്നാൽ നിലവിലുള്ള കലയെയും, കലാകാരനേയും ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെയും ചിന്തയുടെയും ചതിക്കുഴിയിൽ വീഴ്‌ത്തി കൊട്ടിലിൽ കെട്ടുന്ന ആനയാക്കി വളർത്തുന്ന പോസ്റ്റ് മോഡെർണിസ്റ് വാക്ചാതുര്യമായി അത് അവസാനിക്കാതിരിക്കട്ടെ എന്ന് ആശംസിക്കുന്നു

2

ഷിനോജ്, മുഖ്യധാരാ കലാ ലോകത്തിന്റെ ജീർണതകൾ എന്നുദ്ദേശിച്ചതിതൊക്കെ തന്നെയായിരുന്നു. കാഴ്ചക്കാരനും കലാകാരനും ഒന്ന് തന്നെയാണെന്ന് താങ്കൾ പറഞ്ഞതിനോട് പൂർണമായും യോചിക്കുന്നു . പാശ്ചാത്യ കലയിൽ അറുപതുകളിൽ തന്നെ അംഗീകരിച്ച "റെഡിമേഡ് " കലകൾ കലയിൽ വരുത്തിയ വ്യതിയാനം തന്നെ ഇതായിരുന്നല്ലോ. ആ ആശയത്തെ വിഗ്രഹവൽക്കരിച്ചു കല "സെൻസോറിയൽ മെറ്റീരിയലിറ്റി" (അനുഭവത്തിനുള്ള ആശയത്തിന്റെ ഭൗതീക പ്രകാശനം) അല്ലെന്നും അത് പ്രതീകാത്മക വായനക്കുള്ള അക്ഷരഘടനകൾ മാത്രമാണെന്നുമുള്ള സെമിയോട്ടിക്/പോസ്റ്റ് മോഡെർണിസ്റ് (ഉത്തരാധുനിക) സങ്കൽപ്പങ്ങളുടെ മറപിടിച്ചു, കല ചെയ്യുന്നവരുടെ ആശയങ്ങൾക്ക് പ്രമാധ്യമില്ലെന്നും (death of Author), കലാവായിക്കുന്നവനും അത് വിശകലനം (critical reading ) ചെയ്യുന്നവർക്കുമാണ് അപ്രമാദിത്യം എന്ന തെറ്റിദ്ധാരണ വളർത്തിയെടുത്തു, കലയിലെ കലാകാരനേ പാർശ്വവൽക്കരിച്ചു അക്ഷരങ്ങളുടെ മാറിമായമാക്കിയ അക്കാദമിക സൈദ്ധാന്തിക എഴുത്തു സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ അപകടത്തെ പറ്റിയാണ് ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞത്. കലയിലെ കൈ കാര്യപ്രമാദ്ധ്യമുള്ളവരെ തരംതാഴ്ത്തി, വാക്ചാതുര്യ പ്രാമാണ്യത്തെ കൊണ്ടാടുന്ന ജാതിവ്യവസ്ഥയുള്ള ഇന്ത്യയിൽ, ഈ ഉത്തരാധുനിക പ്രക്രിയ, ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥാ രീതിയുടെ കലാരംഗത്തെ പുനരാവിഷ്കാരമാകുന്നത് നാം കാണാതെ പോകരുത് . ഈ അക്കാദമിക സമൂഹം ജനകീയ മാധ്യമങ്ങളിലെ (മാസ്സ് മീഡിയ) അക്ഷരങ്ങളുടെ അപ്രമാദിത്യം കൂടി കൈയ്യാളി, ഇത് കലയാണ്, ഇത് കലയല്ല, ഇത് കലാകാരനാണ് ഇതു കലാകാരനല്ല എന്നു നിർവചിക്കാനുള്ള അധികാരമാക്കി അതിനെ മാറ്റുകയും , അതിലൂടെ അതൊരു കച്ചവടമാക്കുകയും ചെയ്തതിന്റെ പരിണിത ഫലമാണ് ഇന്ത്യയിൽ ഇന്ന് കാണുന്ന കലയിലെ അപചയങ്ങൾക്കു ഒരു വലിയ പരിധിവരെ കാരണം. ഈ പ്രക്രിയയുടെ ഏറ്റവും ദയനീയത, ഇന്ത്യൻ കല പാശ്ചാത്യ സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ചിന്താസരണികളുടെ സംശോധനമാകണമെന്ന ഇവരുടെ കടുംപിടുത്തമാണ്, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഈ പ്രക്രിയ ഇന്ത്യൻ കലയെ പാശ്ചാത്യ ദൃശ്യ സംസ്കാരത്തിന്റെ പതിപ്പ് മാത്രമാക്കി ഒതുക്കി നിർത്തും എന്ന സത്യത്തെ ഒളിച്ചു വെച്ചു എന്നതാണ് 

അതുകൊണ്ടാണ് "നിലവിലുള്ള കലയെയും, കലാകാരനേയും ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെയും ചിന്തയുടെയും ചതിക്കുഴിയിൽ വീഴ്‌ത്തി കൊട്ടിലിൽ കെട്ടുന്ന ആനയാക്കി വളർത്തുന്ന പോസ്റ്റ് മോഡെർണിസ്റ് വാക്ചാതുര്യമായി അത് അവസാനിക്കാതിരിക്കട്ടെ എന്ന് ആശംസിക്കുന്നു" എഴുതിയതു. 
തീർച്ചയായും മലയാളത്തിൽ ജനകീയ ചർച്ചകളോടെ കലയെക്കുറിച്ചു കൂടുതൽ എഴുത്തുകൾ ഉണ്ടാകട്ടെ എന്ന് ഞാനും എല്ലാവരെയും പോലെ പ്രത്യാശിക്കുന്നു. ഈ ചർച്ച തുടങ്ങിയതിനു ആശംസകൾ

Friday, September 1, 2017

snake icon



Sankes and indian iconography. Multi headed snake as a niche (Venomous niche) is an important factor in south east asian iconography especially Indian. 
Left to right 
Vishnu with five headed snake
Parshwanath with seven headed snake
Buddha (china) with five headed snake
Shiva with seven headed snake
Aadishesha with five headed snake
Nagaraja with five headed snake
Buddha with five headed sanke
Lakshmi narasimha with nine headed snake

social restraint

Considering the environmental damage of Anthropocene era, its impact on climate and human society are the biggest worry of humanity today, isn't time the stock exchanges across the world be subjected to a socio-cultural and environment audit?
Considering this money and profit circulated among less than 4% of the people are the only investor in such environment destruction projects that impact rest of the 96% people ( and planet earth as a whole) isn't it morally, ethically and constitutionally important to audit and fix the environment responsibility and accountability for the damages this system of cash trade brings to our day to day life and future generations?
Let us not forget, social restraint of greed is not only a moral and ethical responsibility but it is the fundamental structural need of humanity. #fixresponsibilitytostockexchange#

pieta



Till very late into my youth, I used to get scared by the sight of pregnant women. I would often get down from buses if I find some pregnant women in the bus. Despite the fact that I have a large number of sisters (cousins) in my family and has seen them pregnant, some how the very idea of a pregnant women still scares me a lot.
My fascination for Pieta may have been influenced by this fear.
pregnant women maquett (explorations of/inspired from pieta)

triple talaq

A much welcome decision by supreme court on triple talaq. Now next should be polygamy in muslim community, prohibition of divorce in roman catholics and astrological chart matching in hindu marriage. How many hindu girls are losing their chances of getting matriage due to their family's belief in manglik and other norms. Is any one ready to take them up?

is there an alternative to money?

Perhaps one of the biggest challenge for 21st century human society lies in its inability to comprehend and reinterpret the idea of money and its valuation. The recent economic surveys and study confirms that the periodicity of global economic recession has come down to a seven/six and half year cycle now. In other words in every seven and half years, a large majority of business will collapse impacting the entire economic and banking system across nations. If one further clarify, the money is loosing its value and its capacity to produce profit during every seven and half years. At this rate the day is not too far that it touches the five year cycle, a time a car depreciates( mortgage value ends) or a small and medium scale industry makes a break even!
Or elaborately speaking the current value system of money or economic model of business has reached its dead end. For the larger industry it is much worse as the product life cycle linked to consumption will go through a cycle of market depression and recovery every five years and further before even the recovery of the market take place the next depression would have set in.
Largely speaking the economic model of money, profit and business is fast becoming a redundant system. The valuation models of amazone and uber sort of business - the corporatisation of co-operative economy or privatisation of socialist models and redefining it as service industry - only has accentuated this collapse of money owing to its internal contradiction of valuation of money - between corporate and co-operative idea of profit.
At this rate no country or idealism can survive any longer as human society today is largely an organisation of money and its valuation. The tragedy of human society today is that the very intend of life on earth is now defined by its role in profit valuation linked ability of productivity tells the story. Things are valued at its capacity to contribute or holistically interpreted as one's capacity to be sustainable - a sacred terminology invented for profit viability.
continued...

sane people of my country

Sane people of my country are shocked and feel helpless seeing the mayhem created by followers of grumit singh aka criminal cult leader after court pronouncing him guilty for rape. This socially conscious section of people feels helpless and tragic in front of tv sets wondering how could a rapist like him with criminal history, flamboyancy, arrogance of power, mockery of common sense and money power be a Guru for such a large section of poor people across three to four states and have so much political clout across party line? (to the extent while he stand accused in many criminal cases in courts, even a Prime minister of the country is forced to praise him for his contribution) They ask why would somebody want to be loyal with him?
Hello, from Kashmir to Kannaykumari, through the length and breadth of this country what else are our political leaders,
our religious sect leaders and our film stars are doing?
except a least minority, these segment thrive on these crimes that we are shocked today. They build their career by these power display and we accepted it as normal traits of powerful. We elected or selected them.
What we are seeing today in this country is our failure as human being. We outsource every fights to some idiots who have no other work than being "negative" and "skeptic" and keep on fighting losing political and court battles for justice, environment and ethics.
Why would one want to annoy the power and powerful and destroy the chances of getting some benefits of power and position that may be thrown at us by these powerful socially immoral criminals! Let those "negative" people and "skeptical" people fight it out in streets and courts against these power and powerful. If at all they win we will share their glory, else let us hide behind our comfortable pretentious ignorance or depoliticised sanitised intellectual discourses.
So let us face it. What we are seeing is our own reflection. if you have a doubt ask our children (and ourselves) how much do they know or what is their opinion about Medha patker or Ela bhatt and Sunny Leon***
Answer will reassure our fate!
***No contempt for Sunny Leon intended here, only to highlight the fact that the sane people of my country may know everything about her and would have watched her porno films/clips many times and still will hold her with contempt in their opinion- the moral duplicity of our sane people.

how to fool a nation and a technology addict government


Ask our IT mission people, they will tell you how easy it is.
First they created the UID. They marketed it as the solution for all the Indian problems. They collated and connected all information from biometric to bank and all possible personal information to it. And then they made it compulsory and forced people to surrender by influencing the prime minister. Once they made sure Billions of rupees were invested and the people and companies involved have cornered it, then they made the information vulnerable, or at least they projected it is vulnerable. They same people who vouched for the data safety and unbreakable systems in place for UID, now started shifting their position. They knew there is not much money left in data collation. They started planting stories of vulnerability of the same system in media, the same system they vouched even God can not break in. They have planted stories that now CIA has your Aadhar details . The new big business of data safety has emerged. They are threatening the nation and the government that your data once claimed to be solution of all your problem is now the biggest problem nations faces as it is not safe.
They say we have to now invest billions to safe guard that data. Look at the people who involved in this loot- the people and companies!. some of them are back hale and healthy into the companies that propagated the UID idea to corner data safety investments!!
They have royally looted this nation by fooling the people and government.
Aadhar data is a pandoras box and in the process of its safe storage and retrieval it going to cost hundreds of billions in coming years with very little use.
The day is not too far that it surpasses the actual defence expenses.
Destroy it or lock it up in vault is the best way forward than keeping it alive to save money for welfare of the nation and safeguard its people.

Modi and trump

The one time labour party mp and now right wing propagator lord Meghnad Desai's book equating Narendra Modi and the american mistake (perhaps worst mistake) Donald Trump is confusing.
In the tv discussion although everyone was in praise of the book and the lord, I found it is unbelievable. Meghnad Desai can not be ignorant of the semantics of the title, so his insinuation that the traits that elected Prime minister Modi and Donald trump are same and Mr. Modi and liberal ideals stand as binary as in the case trump are little too farfetched from reality and are an atrocious act from a British MP and a supposedly BJP's right wing supporter.
Although RSS and its fringe outlets may have created fundamentalist mayhem in this country including heinous "cow vigilante" lynching, but except for selected BJP leaders, Prime minister Modi as prime minister, other than his nationalistic streak so far has not exhibited any bigotry or acted in any manner that deserve him to be compared with as horrible person as Donald trump.
The fact is he is yet to match the left of the centre's political idol Indira Gandhi in her worst performance of declaring emergency, destabilising federal system of elected state governments, use of article 356 and undermining constitutional institutions.
So this insinuation from his one time political mentor now looks like his political harbinger is amusing.

guru

Let me bail out myself from this potential agony -in this country of regressive guru concept, keeping my profession in mind whenever somebody refer to me as teacher(guru) , I gets scared and keeps a distance

demonetisation results

Post RBI declaration of demonetisation data bhakts will make Prime minister's position further untenable like the narrative of " the struggle of soldier standing at border" cooked up during demonetisation period 
Fact is many avoidable tall claims by the government, economic under secretary (not even RBI which is responsible for Cash matters) such as terror funding, black money and bringing corrupt to booking and worst the rich will lose their cash made the situation worst for the government. Don't blame anyone else. The whole narratives are still out there in the web before bakhts wants us to blink.
RBI says it is 99% and still many notes are to be counted, and the chances are that the percentage might go up.
Even as we admit the 1% of cash, roughly translated by RBI at 16 thousand crores of un-returned money post demonetisation at the cost of 21 thousand crore printing cost of new currency does not in any manner becomes a consolation for the government for the mere reason 1% cash evaporation is also an equivalent melt down in economy! This is basic economics.
The fault number two of demonetisation lies in the fact that it was projected as an attempt to curb the higher denomination notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000. But with the remonetisation of market with Rs.500 and Rs.2000/- situation has become worse with Rs. 2000/- becoming the biggest circulation!.
Considering according to government's own sources 74% market is remonetized with hard currency, the next big claim of digitisation has become another faulty claim. statistics shows the digital transactions have come down during the last quarter of the demonetisation period.
Tax base widening also has no connection as the government's own statistics shows the tax collection/base increased during the voluntary declaration time and the post demonetisation increase in tax base still remain at 24- 25% the percentage increase during the previous two years.
The list of economic parameters and data refuting the tall claims will go on. But the big question is the prime minister although can not escape the blame, but considering he is not an economist and RBI as a constitutional authority of cash economy did not advise him appropriately and failed the nation should not be allowed to go without action.
The loss of 1.5 million jobs, 150 and odd deaths, as of now without any evidence of recovery of black money, enforced slowing down of economy, increase of budgetary deficit, resource crunch and the monumental suffering to people of the country for an extended period is not something RBI can hogwash. The governor must be made to answer the nation.
Neeti ayog chief of the period any way has escaped before the result came.
5.7% decline of growth rate should not entirely be clubbed to demonetisation as it has a lot to do with the GST implementation, the unification of cash economy along with political unification, a long time need of the country. Also the decline is also a reflection of global economic situation.
But certainly this should be a wake up call for Mr. Modi about the importance of independence of constitutional institutions in India like the erstwhile planning commission and the RBI in their role to interrupt government process to remind the larger consequences of an action of political expediency.
If the planning commission was in position, RBI governor was independent this demonetisation would not have taken place at all and this crisis.
The worst is yet to come in economy. The complex chain reactions only have began. From unemployment to farm and industrial production mismatch is going to be the next big worry. Also considering the projected telecom industry melt down is not any more only a skepticism but a potential danger, the days ahead does not promise anything rosy for this government. Historically in every economy it is seen the governments under such circumstance assert its position by the use of law enforcement agencies like police and income tax to confirm its position and history also tells us the serious consequences of such acts of desperation accentuating the crisis.
Better this government set its record correct than allowing its fake news agencies to make its position further vulnerable. Accept the demonetisation did not achieve its objectives and move on.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

the conundrum of negative in mathematics

Mathematicians are intriguing, much like other religious believers. They demonstrate the existence of an equal and comparable counterpart in the negative realm, extending beyond the concept of nothing: zero. They do this with precision, employing signs and symbols grounded in axioms that hold validity solely in the positive physical world.


One may wonder if there were no religious notions of an afterlife, no concept of heaven and hell beyond the void (zero) for our earthly existence, would these mathematicians have conceived the idea of negative numbers?


Should we anticipate a division of negatives based on merits, somewhat akin to a "heavenly negative" and a "hellish negative"?


Or, perhaps worse, might these individuals discover negative numbers before fully comprehending the positive ones, resulting in a scenario where negatives exist both before and after positives, and they turn out to be distinct?

Nagarjuna and Aadi Shankara challenges special theory of relativity

Aadi Shankara accepted and turned Madhyamika Buddist's principle of "shunyatha" into "nirguna parabhrama" of Advitha. What Nagarjuna missed or deliberately avoided to reject Brahminical "soul" of eternity, Shankara appropriated (events almost sound like Poincare and Einstein's role in the making of the special theory of relativity) to point out "madhyamaka shunyatha is eternal in nature in their own argument". Also, he proves Nagarjuna's "dependent arise of validity" and "Advaita's validity and invalidity of cognisance" are only applicable in the veridical world or Maya.
Together Nagarjuna and Shankara pose a big challenge to the special theory of relativity.
They point out, dependency(relativity) can only be valid in a Veridical world or Maya and it can not be causal or consequential in the absolute universe.
Interestingly we still scout around something in physics that was settled 11 centuries ago or 16 centuries ago in philosophy.

cultural history during 7th -11th century

It is important to revisit the history of Hindu schools of philosophy and social situation in South India between 7th and 8th century. During this period Aadi Shankara from Kerala created a big challenge to orthodox Brahmanical hinduism by completely negating both orthodox Hinduism (read mimansa ritualistic Hinduism) and its plural Gods, by adopting Buddhist concept of sanyasa and sanga into Hinduism and introducing monotheistic Advaitha by creating a bridge between Hindu idea of God with Buddhist void through maya concept. Also, during this period we find the emergence of two saints from Dalit communities in both Shaivism and Vaishnavism who became important religious figures of Hinduism is a point that can not be overlooked. Nandanar from Shaivaite Nayanar saints, Tirupana Alvar from Vaishnavite Alvar saints are those saints. These all pointers indicate a period of sociopolitical upheaval and reformation in Hinduism and particularly in South India. One has to delve much deeper into this period to understand a period of socio-cultural reformation in Indian history that is covered up by both right and left wing factories of Indian history.

Art and the Question of Authorship and Ownership in the Internet Era

A couple of years ago, I received an odd request from an unknown person in New York, to authenticate two works of mine. The work looked like mine, except it had some colour fading. It also had my name on the left bottom part in English, as I often write. The only problem was I had no Idea of such a sale or transfer. On further inquiry, I learnt that he sourced the work from a struggling Indian art student. During those days, if anyone would image search my work, Google strangely enough, showed a popular Hollywood actress’s name! This Indian student smartly used that opportunity and somehow managed to convince this poor chap that this actress was a big collector of my work.  During that period, I also had a website where I occasionally published some of my explorations with the caption that ‘none of the works are for sale’. This smart student utilized all these to his advantage to fleece this investor – for a cool $4,800 - for the downloaded prints. But, once the collector began to have doubts about the signature in the authentication letter, he contacted me for verification. The entire episode filled me with mirth. I informed the buyer that there was a colour issue with the print and offered to send him a new set of prints of the same works with my pencil signature (courier costs to be borne by the collector). He happily agreed, and as I did not want the Indian student to get caught in a serious crime in the US, I left it that.

This entire episode provoked me into a deep philosophical question of authenticity of authorship and ownership of an artwork. History of art is filled with stories where the artists and their families died in poverty while their work, later on, made many others billionaires. 

If one would Google, one will find millions of photographs of the same artwork with million others’ copyright watermark on it. Cropped differently (composition) with altered colour schemes and digitally enhancements; most of them render the original work into oblivion. Before one jumps into an ethical or moral judgment about the entire affair, one may have to consider some serious philosophical artistic issues involved with image making in this entire affair. Allow me to explain in detail. 

What is original in art - Labour/craft or concept?


This is a complicated question. In Western art, from the days of guild during Renaissance to today’s postmodern artists, a large section of artists would not be able to claim authorship of the craft of labour. Most of them are made to order or are supervised. So, one may have to safely discount that claim from the originality of art. Then comes the conceptual authorship. Usually in an artwork, there are three ways an artist executes an artwork – translation, transformation and transgression. Considering these three areas are largely dealt by curatorial conceptualization in postmodern art, it leaves very little room for the authenticity of authorship of the artwork. Whereas in a film the director is only one of the authors in the creation of the film and due credit is given to others in the process of film making. In art, unfortunately, a single individual as the artist often claims the whole authorship. One would not hear the name of the craftsmen or other people involved in the execution of artworks. There are many conceptualizations involved in every artwork- technical, spatial, curatorial and finally aesthetical conceptualizations. In other words, it becomes a problematic argument when one considers the authenticity of authorship by a single individual. 

Work of art and its image reproductions


As I mentioned earlier, on the Internet one will find millions of image reproductions of the same artwork with hundreds of copyrights for photography. In other words, the authenticity of authorship gets separated from artwork in its image reproduction as a photograph. Considering both are artistic mediums and artists execute both, one cannot claim the authorship of the other. In other words, one has the artistic liberty for a selective recreation of another artwork in its image reproduction! 

From Greek time onward, this viewer prerogative to reinterpret an artwork as an observer in observer-observed and observation triangulation is already a settled subject. 

This makes the authenticity of authorship complex phenomena in art world. If an artist makes claim of authorship on a craftsman’s labour in transforming a media ( kindly note an artist is not selling art but sells its material transformation ) and a photographer claims authorship of its image reproduction and then a digital media artist claims authorship of reproduction’s reproduction, in today’s contemporary art world authenticity and authorship becomes a complex issue. 

From that US-based Indian student (although I do not know who this person is) I started experimenting with transgressing into master’s works to transform them into historical and theoretical artworks. Still, as I am an old school ethics follower, I do not claim ownership of these works. I only claim the viewer’s transformative inference authorship in such artworks. My experiments are still going on, getting more and more insights into this complex world of authorship and ownership. 

Considering no collector or buyer can claim ownership of art but can only claim the ownership of artwork, in today’s world these collectors cannot claim ownership of its image reproduction, unless and until they commission it or buy its rights. Considering artworks are reproduced in critique and reviews in textual format and it is legal, artists cannot take away the viewers inference right in image format as well. 

why do we teach art

Why do we teach art?
During the last Kochi Biennale, during one of the meetings, while my colleague was introduced to Bose Krishnamachari in connection with my colleague’s proposed upcoming exhibition, instead of sitting idle during their conversation, I had a chance to go through the huge pile of paintings by kids that were collated as part of the Kids paintings regularly conducted at the venue. After going through that large collection, what amazed me was the complete dislocation of these kids from the venue in their imagination and their preference for cliché images.
Most of the drawings were on the theme of village and almost all of them were similar with images of two hills, sunrise, a river with a pyramid structure house with a lady and a child or fish in the water or birds among the clouds. Otherwise, there were Kathakali, pet animals and Family: father, mother and children. There was hardly any work responding to the venue or artworks spread across. For that matter, none of them was responding to the beautiful location of the venue or the contemporary situations in the world or Kerala life. These were the Kids if I am correct were in the age group of 3 to 15/13.
Considering most of these visitors are from semi-urban villages of Kerala where the kind of village image they depicted is of non-existence, it is quite appalling to witness, how clichés are formulating the aesthetics of a large section of children in this highly educated Indian state. It is also worrisome to realise, how the observational skill systematically have got eroded from our society and our education system.
There are few important points to be noted here
1. The examples show that Children are largely subscribed to pre-defined visuals than individual observational engagement to describe a context
2. Children do not interrogate the validity of a prescribed aesthetic notion for a qualitative inference or development of individual perspective or awareness
3. Children do not locate oneself to develop an observational understanding to situate oneself in life and its contexts
4. The ability to imagine and translate or transform an imagination is largely dictated by predefined texts and its linearity. This also limits one’s own ability to experiment and explore to understand multiplicity of an image
5. Overall, this leads to the development/emergence of a generation with Orthodox /skewed worldview dictated by conventional visual culture and it can be foreseen
This is a highly problematic situation that our children are lead into, where their worldview and its influence on cognitive capabilities that will limit them or will incapacitate them to engage with changing world order or technical imaginations and visual culture. One can see the signs already at the horizon with the rising schisms in Kerala society. (as a sample of state of educated population in Indian state). Growing influences of sectarian religious forces of orthodox conventions and problematic gender discriminations are a few among them.
Considering these factors, it becomes a matter of utmost importance to teach students art from very young age to think beyond conventions to build a progressive tolerant society who can imagine and comprehend the multiplicity of life beyond a conventional linearity. Let there be the fishes climb on tree, trees grow on sky, sky lives in sea and sea is full of mind. Let us teach art. Let us aks them to understand questions as seeing, exploring as observing, engaging and expanding of memory as the way of living. Finally deriving joy in short life as art

Monday, June 12, 2017

art education

How do we liberate art and design education from a mere relocation of body memories(skill), mental memories (reflection/theory/language), material memories (media/medium) and conceptual memories (tools, technique and methods) are of a rhetoric value than a conscious call of self-positioning; the need of the hour?
Memories can only create evidence of ego, what one needs today is not one more expression of ego, what one needs is the clear position towards billions of discriminations and destruction taking place on earth every moment. It is also not about what we are achieving today but it is about what we are leaving behind for the generations to come and how do we save it for them. Creative education is that position, it can no longer be the memory rehash.

apology

The other day I have criticised an essay published in round table by Kanika S.
1. for its approach towards a serious content like discrimination in visual culture by locating arguments in peripheral dichotomy as discrimination
2. for generalising an entire institution of varied practices and voices by a student work without contextualising 
nuances of complexity exist in academia and its practices
Unfortunately, I did not know this is a work by a student. Initially, I used a post-modernist mockery language to highlight the problem of language and with the response, I should have known this fact.
With due respect to her concerns she raised in the essay, I sincerely apologise her for my non-prudent critique of a student essay. (Kindly do not mistake this act as a top-down commentary of gender or class. This is only a pure democratic response.)

Gandhi is a chatur baniya : Amitshah

Chatur Baniya:-
Anmit Shah's nuanced comment "chatur baniya" or may be a casual comment has provoked many and it is quite amusing to see that many Modi Bhakhts (Mob) also have become slightly uncomfortable with this comment. Considering Shah's operational style, one has to safely assume that It can not be a casual comment but has to be a nuanced comment. It is not even like the rhetoric often Modi uses in his meeting that he is a smart trader, someone who knows how to make best out of his political capital. But here, in this case, more than his comment, the negative connotation towards "Bania" becomes more important.
Once famously known as "Bania jati party", BJP now under present party dispensation has taken an interesting shift from its Delhi-centric Bania party tag. Bania now in Delhi is a Kejriwal force. BJP now has moved on to install Brahmin chief ministers across the states. An exception may be is Khattar, a Khatri by birth. Amit Shah knows that relying on a caste name, which is disliked across the upper Indian villages, especially by the poor and Dalits (Ambedkar termed Bania worse than a degenerated disease) who are traditionally a victim of their business practice is not going to bring more than their 29% vote share. Shah knows it very well that if the party wants to grow beyond its traditional bania- Brahmin vote bank, a mere 29%, it has to shift its focus from Bania- Brahmin to Dalit - Brahmin experiment, something in the past gave a very good dividend for Mayawati in UP. This derogative insinuation should be seen in that context. Chatur bania, pleases his anti-Gandhi-RSS brigade first and then Anti-Gandhi and anti- Bania, Brahmin vote bank next. Then it assumes to give out a political message to anti-Bania- Dalit vote bank. Also, he knows it very well that demonisation has had its impact on Bania's trade in this country and they are very angry about it. Further, he knows very well that after the implementation of GST, it is further going to alienate them from the party. So Shah wants to move on from the traditional Bania jati party tag for party's future and it is very well evident in this clearly articulated insinuation.
But unfortunately what he misses is India believes a Chatur bania Gandhi than a politically (mis) calculative Amit Shah. Even if he throws a million stones at Gandhi, even if they make a million statues taller than Gandhi's statue and make million derogatory comments about Gandhi, he will still stand taller than any political ideology you may propound in this country. With all his failures and fault lines in life and politics, for a Christian, he becomes a Christ, for Hindu he becomes Saint, for Buddist he becomes Buddha, for Muslims he becomes Ali and above all for a politician he becomes Chanakya. His Hinduism has never been the textbook Hinduism of Brahminical order. It is the Bhakti that breaks those orders is his Hinduism and most importantly it is completely ambiguous between faith and morality. In other words, people find their religious teachings of liberation in him and also a rational for their moral orthodoxy. He represents their collective complex faith and social morality and this is what Shah and his mentor RSS misses in this land of faith.
Let us wait and watch what this shift "Chatur Bania" brings in Indian politics. I feel sorry for proud Baniyas for this grand let down by the party they have built from scratch.

Aadi Shankaran

Shinoj Choran I am unable to post in the comment section under your comment, so posting separately
ഷിനോജ്, ഇതൊരു മാർക്സിസ്റ്റ് വായനയിലൂടെയുള്ള പുനർവായന തന്നെയാണ് . ചരിത്രം യാഥാർഥ്യത്തിന്റെ പശ്ചാത്തല പുനർ വായനയാണെന്ന തത്വത്തിലൂടെ നോക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, ഈ മേൽപ്പറഞ്ഞ രാജ്യങ്ങളും സാമ്രാജ്യങ്ങളും ഭരിച്ചത് ഹിന്ദു രാജാക്കന്മാർ ആയിരുന്നു. അവരുടെ ആശയ സംഹിതകളും, രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ നിയമ വ്യവസ്ഥകളും ഹിന്ദു നിയമാവലിക്കനുശ്രുതമായിരുന്നു. വർണത്തിലധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ജാതി വ്യവസ്ഥയിലുള്ള സമൂഹവും ആയിരുന്നു. ഇതിനെല്ലാം നിലവിലുള്ള ചരിത്രപഠനങ്ങൾ തന്നെ മതിയായ തെളിവുകൾ നൽകുന്നുണ്ട്. ഇതിനർത്ഥം മറ്റു സമുദായങ്ങളുണ്ടായിരുന്നിള്ള എന്നല്ല എന്ന് കൂടി ഓർക്കണം.
ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ബ്രാഹ്മണ ഐഡിയോളോജിയെ സ്ഥാപനവത്ക്കരിച്ചു എന്നത് ഓരു ചരിത്രപരമായ പരിമിത വായനയാണ്. ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ നടപടികളെല്ലാം തന്നെ യാഥാസ്ഥിതിക ബ്രാഹ്മണണ്യത്തെ ചോദ്യം ചെയ്യുന്നതായിരുന്നു. അദ്ദേഹം ബുദ്ധമതത്തിലെ പലകാര്യങ്ങളും തന്റെ ആശയങ്ങളിലേക്കും ജീവിതത്തിലേക്കും പകർന്നെടുക്കുകയാണുണ്ടായിരുന്നത് . ചെറുപ്പത്തിൽ ബുദ്ധമത രീതിയിലുള്ള സന്യാസം, സംഘ രീതിയിലുള്ള തത്വ പ്രചാരണ യാത്രാരീതിയും, മഠസ്ഥാപനവും, യഗ്ന ആചാരാനുഷ്ഠാനങ്ങളോടുള്ള എതിർപ്പ് , ബുദ്ധമത സിദ്ധാന്തത്തിലെ ശൂന്യതാ വാദത്തിനനുശ്രുതമായ നിർഗുണ പരബ്രഹ്മത്തിന്റെ അവതരണം എന്നിങ്ങനെ, അന്ന് നില നിന്നിരുന്ന മീമാംസ ബ്രഹ്‌മണ്യത്തെ പൂർണമായും നിരാകരിക്കുകയാണുണ്ടായിരുന്നത്. ഹിന്ദുമതത്തിലെ ദൈവ വാദത്തെ അദ്വൈതത്തിലെ മായ വാദത്തിലൂടെ ബുദ്ധിസത്തിലെ ശൂന്യതാ വാദവുമായി (നിർഗുണ പരബ്രഹ്മൻ) യോചിപ്പിക്കാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞു എന്നതായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹത്തിനെ ഏറ്റവും നേട്ടം. ഇത് ബുദ്ധമതത്തേക്കാൾ അനേക ദൈവ വാദത്തിലൂന്നി നിന്നിരുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണ മതത്തെയാണ് കൂടുതൽ പ്രശ്നത്തിലാക്കിയിരുന്നത് എന്ന് , തുടർന്ന് അതിലുണ്ടായ അദ്വൈതത്തിലെ മായാ സിദ്ധാന്തത്തോടും ഏക ദൈവ വാദത്തിനോടും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന എതിർപ്പിൽ നിന്നും തിരിച്ചറിയാവുന്നതാണ്. അദ്വൈതത്തെ പ്രതിരോധിക്കാനായും മായ വാദത്തെയും ഏകദൈവ വാദത്തെ മറികടക്കാനായും അതിനുശേഷം യാഥാസ്ഥിക ബ്രാഹ്മണ്യം
വിശിഷ്ടാദ്വൈത, ദ്വൈത വേദാന്ത, ബേദ ബേദ, അചിന്ത്യബേദാബേദ, ദ്വൈതവാദ, ശുദ്ധാദ്വൈത തുടങ്ങിയ അനേകം തത്വ ചിന്താശ്രേണികൾ തുടങ്ങുകയുണ്ടായി എന്നത് ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ബ്രാഹ്മണമതത്തിനുയർത്തിയ വെല്ലു വിളിയെ സാക്ഷ്യപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു. അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്തം ബുദ്ധമതത്തിൽ ഇത്തരമൊരു ചലമുണ്ടാക്കിയതിനു അധികമൊന്നും തെളിവൊന്നുമില്ലതാനും.
ആദിശങ്കരൻ അന്ന് നിലവിലിരുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണ സമൂഹത്തിൽ ജനിച്ച തത്വ ചിന്തകൻ മാത്രമായിരുന്നു. അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ അദ്വൈതത്തിലെവിടെയും വേദിക് ദൈവങ്ങളെ കാണാനാകുന്നതല്ല. കൂടാതെ ദൈവത്തിനു ബുദ്ധിസത്തിലെ ശൂന്യതാ വാദത്തിനു സമാന്തരമായ പര ബ്രഹ്മത്തേക്കാൾ താഴെയുള്ള ഒരു സ്ഥാനം മാത്രമാണ് നൽകുന്നതുതാനും. ബുദ്ധമത രീതിയിൽ മഠങ്ങൾ സ്ഥാപിച്ചതും, സംഘ രീതിയിൽ അഘാടകൾ സ്ഥാപിച്ചതും ഇന്ന് ഹിന്ദുത്വ വാദികൾ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ ബ്രാഹ്മണാമതത്തെ സംരക്ഷിക്കാനും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാനുമാണെന്നു വിശ്വസിക്കാൻ യാതൊരു തെളിവുകളുമില്ല. ഈ മഠങ്ങളൊന്നും അന്നും ഇന്നും അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്തമല്ലാതെ മറ്റൊന്നും ഒരിക്കലും പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുന്നില്ല. ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ ഒരു കൃതിയിലും മനുസ്മ്രിതി പരാമര്ശിക്കപെടുന്നില്ല എന്നതും വളരെ പ്രാധാന്യമർഹിക്കുന്നതാണ്. ആദി ശങ്കരൻ തന്റെ ഉപദേശ സഹശ്രിയിൽ വർണ വ്യവസ്ഥയെ തള്ളി പറയുന്നുമുണ്ട് . വർണ വ്യവസ്ഥയെ ശരിയായ ജ്ഞാനത്തിന്റെ തിരസ്കാരമായാണ് അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നത് . ജഗതാനന്ദയുടെ ഉപദേശ സഹശ്രിയുടെ വിവർത്തനം താഴെ കൊടുത്തിരിക്കുന്നു .
One, who is eager to realize this right knowledge spoken of in the Sruti, should rise above the desire for a son, for wealth, for this world and the next, which are described in a five-fold manner, and are the outcome of a false reference to the Self of Varna (castes, colors, classes) and orders of life. These references are contradictory to right knowledge, and reasons are given by the Srutis regarding the prohibition of the acceptance of difference. For when the knowledge that the one non-dual Atman (Self) is beyond phenomenal existence is generated by the scriptures and reasoning, there cannot exist a knowledge side by side that is contradictory or contrary to it.
— Adi Shankara, Upadesha Sahasri 1.44
ഇതൊക്കെയാണെങ്കിലും ആദി ശങ്കരനെ ഒരു സാമൂഹിക പരിഷ്കർത്താവായി കാണാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നത് വലിയ തെറ്റായിരിക്കും. അദ്ദേഹം തന്റെ ചെറിയ ജീവിതത്തിലൊരിക്കലും തന്റെ അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്ത പ്രചാരണത്തിനായുള്ള വൈജ്ഞാനിക മണ്ഡലത്തിനപ്പുറത്തു സമൂഹത്തിൽ എന്തെങ്കിലും ഇടപെടലുകൾ നടത്തിയിരുന്നതായി ഒരു തെളിവുമില്ല. ഇതിൽ ഷിനോജ് ആരോപിക്കുന്ന ബ്രഹ്മണ്യ ഐഡിയോളോജിയും (വർണ വ്യവസ്ഥ) വരും. അതിനുള്ള പ്രത്യക്ഷ തെളിവാണ് ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്തത്തെ പൂർണമായും തിരസ്കരിക്കുന്നതും, ആചാരാനുഷ്ഠാനത്തിലധിഷ്ഠിതമായ നിലവിലുണ്ടായിരുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണ വ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ പുനരാഖ്യാനമായ ഭജഗോവിന്ദം എന്ന കൃതി ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ തലയിൽ, ബ്രാഹ്മണയാഥാസ്ഥിതികന്മാർ കെട്ടിയേല്പിക്കുന്നത്.
"For when the knowledge that the one non-dual Atman (Self) is beyond phenomenal existence is generated by the scriptures and reasoning, there cannot exist a knowledge side by side that is contradictory or contrary to it" എന്നെഴുതിയ വ്യക്തി ഒരു സങ്കുചിത ബ്രഹ്മണ്യ ഐഡിയോളജി എന്ന് ഷിനോജ് പറയുന്ന വർണ വ്യവസ്ഥ സ്ഥാപനവത്ക്കരിച്ചു എന്ന് യാതൊരു തെളിവുമില്ലാതെ കരുതുന്നത് ആദി ശങ്കരനെപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള വളരെ പരിമിത വായനയാണ്.
ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ഒരു താത്വീകാചാര്യൻ മാത്രമായിരുന്നു. നാരായണ ഗുരുവേപോലുള്ള ഒരു മഹാനായ സാമൂഹ്യ പരിഷ്‌കർത്താവ് അതുകൊണ്ടു കൂടി തന്നെയാണ് ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്തം തന്നെ വർണ വ്യവസ്ഥക്കെതിരായി ഉപയോഗിക്കാൻ തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തതും.

ആദി ശങ്കരനെയും, ഇ എം എസിനെയും , നാരായണ ഗുരുവിനെയും വെറുത്ത വിടുക


സുധാകരൻ സഖാവിന്റെ ആദി ശങ്കരനെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള പരാമർശം ചരിത്രപരമായി ഒരു തെറ്റായ വസ്തുതയാണ്. ബുദ്ധമതത്തിന്റെ അപചയം, ശങ്കരൻ ജനിക്കുന്നതിനു എത്രയോ നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകൾക്കു മുൻപ് ഇന്ത്യയിൽ നടന്നു കഴിഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. ഇന്നത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ പ്രദേശം ക്രി.പി. 320 തൊട്ടു ഭരിച്ചിരുന്ന ഗുപ്ത സാമ്രാജ്യം മുതൽ, പല്ലവ,ചേര, ചോള, പ്രതിഹര സാമ്രാജ്യങ്ങൾ വരെ മുഴുവനും ഹിന്ദു രാജ്യങ്ങൾ ആയിരുന്നു. ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ജനിക്കുന്നത് ഏഴാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന്റെ പകുതിയോടെ മാത്രമാണ് .
ബുദ്ധൻ ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്പോൾ തന്നെ, ബുദ്ധനെ ചോദ്യം ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ടുള്ള അഭിപ്രായ വത്യാസങ്ങൾ സംഘത്തിൽ ഉടലെടുത്തിരുന്നു എന്നതു ചരിത്ര വസ്തുതയാണല്ലോ. ഇത് പിന്നീട് പല വിഭാഗങ്ങളിലേക്കുള്ള വിഭജനത്തിലേക്കും വൈജ്ഞാനിക അപചയത്തിലേക്കും നയിച്ചു എന്നതും എഴുതപെട്ട ചരിത്രമാണ്. അശോകൻ പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ച ബുദ്ധിസം തന്നെ ഒരു പ്രത്യേക വിഭാഗത്തിന്റെ മാത്രം ആശയങ്ങൾ ആണെന്ന് കൂടി ഓർക്കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു.
അതുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ ഏഴാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന്റെ പകുതിയിൽ ജനിച്ച "ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ബുദ്ധമതത്തെ ഇന്ത്യയിൽ നിന്നും തുടച്ചു നീക്കി" എന്ന് തുടങ്ങിയ ഹിന്ദു സമുദായത്തിന്റെ വലിയ അവകാശവാദത്തിൽ എന്തെങ്കിലും കഴന്മ്പുണ്ടെന്നു കരുതുന്നത് ചരിത്ര പരമായ ഒരു വലിയ തെറ്റായിരിക്കും. സ.ഇ എം എസ്സും , സ. സുധാകരനും ആ അവകാശ വാദം ആവർത്തിക്കുന്നു എന്നത് അത്ഭുത പെടുത്തുന്ന കാര്യവുമാണ്.
അതെ സമയം ഹിന്ദു സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ആ അവകാശവാദം മാറ്റിവച്ചു വസ്തു നിഷ്പക്ഷമായി അവലോകനം ചെയ്യുകയാണെങ്കിൽ ഇന്ത്യൻ തത്വ ചിന്തയ്ക്കു ആദി ശങ്കരൻ നൽകിയ സംഭവന അപ്രമാദവുമാണെന്ന് കാണാവുന്നതാണ്. ഗുപ്ത കാലഘട്ട പിന്തുണയോടെ ഇന്ത്യയിൽ വളർന്നു വന്ന ആചാരാനുഷ്ടാനധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ബ്രാഹ്മണിക്കൽ മീമാംസക ചിന്തയ്ക്കെതിരെ അതി ശക്തമായ ഒരു പ്രതിരോധമുയർത്തുന്നതിനും അതിനു ബദലായി ഒരു ബൗദ്ധീക ചിന്താ പദ്ധതി അവതരിപ്പിച്ചു, ആചാരാനുഷ്ഠാനങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും ഇന്ത്യൻ തത്വ ചിന്താ ശ്രേണികളെ പുനരുജ്ജീവിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിലും ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ പങ്കു ആർക്കും തള്ളി പറയാവുന്നതല്ല.
ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനമുള്ള ഒരു സംഭവമായി കരുതുന്നത് മീമാംസകനായ മണ്ടന മിശ്രയെ തർക്കത്തിലൂടെ പരാജയ പെടുത്തിയതാണെന്നു കൂടി ഓർക്കുക. കൂടാതെ അതിനുശേഷം, പതിനഞ്ചാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടു വരെ ശങ്കരന്റെ അദ്വൈത സിദ്ധാന്തത്തെ ചോദ്യം ചെയ്യുന്നതിനും പ്രതിരോധിക്കുന്നതിനും ഇന്ത്യൻ തത്വചിന്തയിലുണ്ടായ അത്ഭുതകരമായ വളർച്ച ശങ്കരനുയർത്തിയ ബൗദ്ധീക തലത്തിലുള്ള വെല്ലുവിളിയുടെ സാക്ഷി പത്രവുമാണ്. ഈ വെല്ലു വിളിയിൽ അന്ന് നിലനിന്നിരുന്ന എല്ലാ തത്വ ചിന്തകളും ഉൾപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. ബുദ്ധമത തത്വങ്ങളും അതിൽ നിന്ന് വേറിട്ട് നിന്നിരുന്നില്ലെന്നു മാത്രം. ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതമായ നാല് മഠങ്ങളും മറ്റു അഘാടകളും , അന്ന് നിലവിലിരുന്ന ബുദ്ധ- ജൈന മഠങ്ങളുടെയും സംഘങ്ങളുടെയും മാതൃകയിൽ അദ്വൈത തത്വ ചിന്ത പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാൻ സ്ഥാപിച്ചു എന്നതിലപ്പുറം, ഇന്ന് ഹിന്ദുത്വ വാദികൾ അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നത് പോലെ ഹിന്ദു മതം സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിന് വേണ്ടിയാണെന്നെല്ലാം പറയുന്നത് ശുദ്ധ അസംബന്ധമാണ്. ഈ മഠങ്ങളും അഘാടകളും ഇന്നും ഹിന്ദു മതത്തിലെ വേറെയേതെങ്കിലും തത്വ ചിന്ത അനുശാസിക്കുന്നതായോ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതായോ കാണാൻ പറ്റുന്നതല്ല. ശങ്കരൻ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നപ്പോൾ തന്നെ അദ്വൈതം പ്രയോഗികാവശ്യങ്ങൾക്കായി വേദത്തിന്റെ അപ്രമാണിത്വ അംഗീകരിച്ച ഒരു ചിന്താ പദ്ധതി മാത്രമായിരുന്നു എന്ന് ഈ അവസരത്തിൽ ഓർക്കേണ്ടതുണ്ട് . ഈ അദ്വൈതത്തിനുൾക്കൊള്ളാനാകാത്ത പ്രയോഗികതയെ "മായ" എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു ഒഴിഞ്ഞു മാറിയത് കൊണ്ടാണ് , അദ്വൈതത്തെയും ശങ്കരനെയും വെല്ലുവിളിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് വിശിഷ്ടാദ്വൈത ചിന്താ സരണി ഉടൻ തന്നെ ഉടലെടുത്തത്. പിന്നീടുള്ളത് ചരിത്രം.
ഇതെല്ലം കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ ആദി ശങ്കരൻ ഇന്ത്യയിൽ നിന്നും ബുദ്ധമതത്തെ തുടച്ചു നീക്കിയ വ്യക്തിത്വമായി അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിൽ ചരിത്രപരമായി വലിയ പാകപ്പിഴയുണ്ട്. അത് പോലെ തന്നെ ഇന്ത്യൻ തത്വ ചിന്തയിലെ ശങ്കരന്റെ സംഭാവന തള്ളിപ്പറയുന്നതിലും അതിലും വലിയ പാകപ്പിഴയുണ്ട്. ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലെ കേരളം കണ്ട ഏറ്റവും വലിയ സാമൂഹിക പരിഷ്കർത്താവായ നാരായണ ഗുരു ആദി ശങ്കരന്റെ അദ്വൈതത്തെ തന്റെ സാമൂഹീക പരിഷ്കാരങ്ങൾക്കുള്ള അടിസ്ഥാന തത്വ ചിന്തയായി അംഗീകരിച്ചത്, അദ്വൈതം യാഥാസ്ഥിതിക ആചാരാനുഷ്ടാനങ്ങൾക്കതിഷ്ടിതമായ മീംമാസ ഹിന്ദു മാതാചാരങ്ങൾക്കെതിരെ ഉയർത്തിയ ചരിത്രപരമായ താത്വീകമായ വെല്ലു വിളികൊണ്ടാണെന്നു നാം മറക്കരുത്. അതുകൊണ്ടു തന്നെ ഇ എം എസിനെയും , നാരായണ ഗുരുവിനെയും , ആദി ശങ്കരനെയും മറ്റും വെറുതെ കൂടി കുഴച്ചു പരിമിതമായ ചരിത്രപരവും താത്വീകവുമായ അവനിർമിതി നടത്താതിരിക്കുവാനപേക്ഷ.

jeevan thomas

A must read. His comment on radical movement, particularly its inconsistencies and diabolical leadership crisis require a serious study. Everybody knows that there are inconsistencies in the story as it is presented as history today. A revisit is a must for Indian art history.
ജീവിതമൊക്കെ അങ്ങനെ തന്നെയായിരുന്നു, ഭയങ്കര ലക്ക് ഉണ്ടെന്ന് വിചാരിക്കുന്ന സ്ഥലത്ത് എത്തുമ്പോള്‍ അതങ്ങ് പോകും. അല്ലെങ്കിലും ഇവിടെ കിട്ടുന്ന ചാന്‍സ് പോലും ഞാന്‍…
AZHIMUKHAM.COM|BY SAFIYA SAJU

stairs to outer space

what if we construct steps to outer space and we carry a satellite on our backpack and leave it in outer space, will it fall back or continue to remain in outer space? or may be a bridge and carry a satellite on a bullock cart and leave it in outer space? just joking about escape velocity... okay :-)

raid raj

During Vajpayee time, all his glory was brought down by his own party men and party affiliate. They were in an eager to amass and expand. Most of his time had been spent on sorting out the troubles created by his almighty Fringe RSS and its affiliates to save his government's progressive image.
Prime Minister Modi's history is also no different. Even as one can not negate his dictatorial tenacities, considering his party's overall fundamental structure that lay emphasis on the primitive arguments of patriarchy, I wonder what alternate does he has with the party men who grew under it?
If one look at the times of Vajpayee, one would not be able to find any difference in attitude and culture of the present government and the fundamentalist forces. Things were same, Ideas were same and agenda were same. Perhaps one difference would be the industrialised television news channels and social media imputes something new to this government's time.
That point of time also people were scared of talking about Advani an equivalent of present day Modi. I think except RK Lakshman who always portrayed him with a crown to represent his archaic mindset in relationship to his hawkish Hindutva agenda of patriarchal nature, no one dared to speak up against the government. All those who tried paid the price very badly. Tehelka is the classic example. The opposition was in a complete disarray.
But Vajpayee with his non-BJP allies with roots in non-Hindutva roots somehow could manage his big brother RSS and its fringe using coalition compulsions. Still, Advani's hawkish interventions and coercive politics brought down Vajpayee government. Unfortunately, Modi did not enjoy the privilege of coalition compulsion to rein in his party men and as a hawkish politician himself and his lieutenant Amit Shah, his government may not require any other person to bring it down.
His Amit Shah wipes will not last for long, as their "aya ram -Gaya ram" kind of politicians adopted from other parties who gave the limited edge in states, will become their biggest threat in 2019 or at least post 2019.
History of Indian politics, from Indira Gandhi onwards, to whom Prime Minister has indebted many things for his style and methods, if at all proves one thing, what brought down Congress is not the corruption or leadership issues, but the downfall started with their threat culture of using CBI and Income Tax to tame the leaders and businessmen. When your own back yard is not clean, people will reject it as one more nonsense. Also, a new set of leaders will emerge in those parties, who will be beyond those threats.
In the entire history of Indian politics, except a very few, no leader has ever lost their position in politics on corruption charges. Party structures in India are corrupt owing to the election expense compulsions and its crony capitalism. In India, a local constable onwards is appointed at the behest of a local crony businessman and their political representative that this agenda of corruption starts. One has to understand the frame of corruption as popularly interpreted. In a population of billion people with less than a million options of employment, business and the never ending long lines of waiting for everything and anything, corruption will never go away as a means of practice in our daily life. If a selected few still remain politically and morally incorrupt, it owes it's complete indebtedness to religious morality and ethics. Gandhian politics is a classic example of it. Also, the classic example is, in spite of very tall leaders of moral high ground existed in left atheist leaning politics, Left could never impact the Indian politics, also most of them could not find a place in left politics itself. That is also the reason, Kejriwal's idealistic opposition against corruption is getting deranged in his power politics and losing his face day by day.
In a democracy, when the citizens as varied in culture, language, tradition, aspiration, food habits, literacy and religion exist, consensus politics only work for a better long time political dividend. Coercive politics will only make them rebel and victim. With a 40% below poverty line people, aggrieved farmers, a large section of unemployed educated youth and many of them with heavy educational loans, large-scale displacements, this coercive terror plank is not going to work with any leader. Remember all they have to do is identify with these youth who have a distrust of the government or is building its momentum and also have nothing to lose.
This Corruption, Mandir and cow policies is of no relevance to the city dwellers, the largest vote bank of BJP. For them their daily life expenses, income and employment for their children are important. In fact, they wouldn't even mind taking the ugly root of corruption to settle their life, priorities, children and their aspiration.
Recently my daughter did a school project of surveying two city markets: KR Puram in Bangalore market and Mittayee theruvu in Calicut. Shockingly every shop owners only had one story to tell about the disaster brought upon to their business by the demonetization. Most of these small-scale business people have never made large profits but were only managing their daily expenses by the business of " rolling money" or settling through credit servicing. With demonetisation, this meagre managing has become a mere survival and that too in a big loss that they expect if they are able to survive for another couple of years in business, then they may be able to bring up to a living support.
The government of the day should remember there is no eternity and Utopia in politics when your country has a population of one billion people and out of that half of them are poor. Let them live, do not destroy their life any further. They don't need your cow belt policies of mandir and cow slaughter ban. You have taken away their basic money from their pocket for bank defaulters, now you are ruining their another meagre earning of cattle income. Unlike corporates, none of the farmers sells their cow so dear to them for slaughter. They are forced to sell them in the market to buy another cow that milk and assure their meagre income.
I read somewhere about the idea of imposing the ban on cattle trade getting linked to Gujarat elections. If one knows the large numbers in cattle trade among Patels and Rabaris, one only can laugh at that planted story.
Stop your coercive politics or else BJP will be doomed like Congress.

beef ban

A welcome decision by Madras high court, giving a country wide stay order for the Beef ban. 71% of people's food can not be arbitrarily denied just by mobocracy and brute majority. The government of India overstretched its brief by overriding the state's, municipality's and panchayat's legal and legislative prerogative guaranteed under the constitution. Their flimsy excuse of animal rights is laughable according to legal experts, as the animal slaughter for food doesn't come under the purview of animal cruelty.
important point is overnight the Government with this order has made 70% Indians guilty and criminal for their food habit something that existed for thousands of years. The second important point, does India has so much goat meat to supplement the necessary nutrients ( one that has to be cheaper as well) for the 70% population?
Chicken with very little Vitamine B-12, the essential nutrient is no match at all. Forget about all these things, do you have enough vegetable production in the country to feed this 70 % non-vegetarians?
Most importantly why does this BJP government want to destroy this country's social fabric acting as a divisive force again and again: first by National - anti-national then Hindu- Muslim and now vegetarian and non-vegetarian? What extent are these guys going to destroy this country?
People of the country gave this government a brute majority, why can't it function constructively for nation's progress?