"Long before any such understanding can be reached, the eyes of men begin to turn towards the distant light of the new age. Discernible at first only by the eyes of the man of genius, it must be focussed by him on the speculum of a work of art, and flashed back from that into the eyes of the common man."
-GBS, Preface to Plays Pleasant
Unfortunately, India as a nation-state has shown little enthusiasm for an artist's vision of the times to come. Instead, we have been much eager to dissociate ourselves, and even try and do away with our artists. To what extent India as peoples have been successful in tolerating them might be debatable, but is still, I think, full of hope. For attempts to garrote the creative voices, even though successful to some extent, have deeply divided our society-and its not just the intelligentsia that has taken up the cudgels.The common man was never ready to acquiesce to their leaders in such matters, otherwise the most popular leader of this country, Gandhi could have easily ensured that all 'obscene' sculptures around the country à la Khajuraho were removed from the imagination of this country, and the world, once and for all in the Bamiyanesque fashion. Husain might not be able to live in this country, but certainly he lives in the hearts of the artists of the nation, as well as in those who understand that life may not be for art but indeed, life couldn't be without art, too. Besides, even after what Husain suffered, if Baroda could happen then we needn't fret and whine. I have heard people talking derisively about Nasrin's literary standards in college, but even if someone thinks Penthouse a better read, I'd prefer Nirbachito Column under my pillow. And before anyone thinks my attitude as puerile, let me make myself clear that I don't dream of a day with unbridled freedom of speech where no one even cares what another says, forget offence. For such a heaven would be boring. As for offence, Ashish Nandy put it pithily when he remarked about Arundhati Roy-"It is the right of every independent thinker to think irresponsibly and hurt the sentiments of the majority on any issue."
-GBS, Preface to Plays Pleasant
Unfortunately, India as a nation-state has shown little enthusiasm for an artist's vision of the times to come. Instead, we have been much eager to dissociate ourselves, and even try and do away with our artists. To what extent India as peoples have been successful in tolerating them might be debatable, but is still, I think, full of hope. For attempts to garrote the creative voices, even though successful to some extent, have deeply divided our society-and its not just the intelligentsia that has taken up the cudgels.The common man was never ready to acquiesce to their leaders in such matters, otherwise the most popular leader of this country, Gandhi could have easily ensured that all 'obscene' sculptures around the country à la Khajuraho were removed from the imagination of this country, and the world, once and for all in the Bamiyanesque fashion. Husain might not be able to live in this country, but certainly he lives in the hearts of the artists of the nation, as well as in those who understand that life may not be for art but indeed, life couldn't be without art, too. Besides, even after what Husain suffered, if Baroda could happen then we needn't fret and whine. I have heard people talking derisively about Nasrin's literary standards in college, but even if someone thinks Penthouse a better read, I'd prefer Nirbachito Column under my pillow. And before anyone thinks my attitude as puerile, let me make myself clear that I don't dream of a day with unbridled freedom of speech where no one even cares what another says, forget offence. For such a heaven would be boring. As for offence, Ashish Nandy put it pithily when he remarked about Arundhati Roy-"It is the right of every independent thinker to think irresponsibly and hurt the sentiments of the majority on any issue."
