Mulk Raj Anand was committed to preserving India’s art and culture। Nalini Xavier writes about Lokayata, an institution founded by Anand, which has been organising art exhibitions from time to time. Remembering Mulk Raj Anand whose birth centenary fell on December 12, this year, is a way of reminding ourselves of the innate urge and social and spiritual need to be human even in the midst of conflict and chaos caused by a self-aggrandising approach to life. The swan song of Anand, an internationally acclaimed Indian English novelist, essayist and art-critic, was, “I wish all that’s human prevail on earth.” Lokayata, Mulk Raj Anand Centre, located at Hauz Khas village, New Delhi, has taken up the task of preserving and popularising Anand’s artistic heritage with a sense of missionary zeal and dedication. A man of the arts The spirit behind Lokayata and the ideals the centre stands for, have their roots in Anand’s family background and his interests in visual arts since his childhood days. Aesthetics became a major preoccupation with Anand since he learnt about Eric Gill, a well-known master craftsman, engraver and type-designer, and by virtue of his contacts with Ananda K Coomaraswamy, a pioneer in promoting non-European art-criticism. In 1930, when he was just 25, Anand made his debut as an author of art-criticism by writing a slim volume of 40 pages on Persian paintings, and two years later, The Hindu View of Art, which discussed the integration of religion and philosophy as the basis of the Hindu view of art and life, and the experience of wholeness as the essence of classical Indian art. His launching of Marg, a journal of arts, in 1946, in collaboration with the Tata Group, was another pointer to Anand’s commitment to “rediscover the heritage of Indian and Asian art through the centuries” and to examine “the contemporary trends in architecture, sculpture, painting and graphic design”. Besides, his experiences as Tagore Professor of Literature and Fine Arts at the Panjab University in 1960s and as Fellow of Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi and Sahitya Akademi, converged in the birth of Lokayata. Memorable exhibitions Initially, Anand wanted Lokayata to be involved in craft works, community recreation, cultural action and such other activities. With the impact of changing times and financial constraints, Lokayata has limited its activities though not its spirit and objectives. It has been concentrating on art-exhibitions in recent years. Exhibitions of creative arts by known, unknown, young and budding artists have been a major activity attracting hundreds of visitors and art-lovers from far and wide. Various themes, such as Hindu mythology in calendar art, folk and tribal art, the richness of Indian culture, implications of communalism and nature as inspiration have been featured. Landscape, scenic beauty, rural and coastal life, particularly the Konkan region of Maharashtra, have been showcased in some of the works displayed. The Bengal School of Art represented art history in its exhibits by the younger generation. Motifs and colours used by the Gond and the Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh in painting their walls have been recaptured and exhibited by young artists by way of addressing contemporary social issues. Exhibition of paintings by Tihar inmates, inaugurated in Oct-Nov 2004, went on for more than month. V P Singh, former Primer Minister, inaugurated an exhibit of water-colour drawings and paintings by Das Mohan Singh in November 2004. The spirit of Anand has been the inspiration behind all these exhibitions and activities. Anand lives on During Anand’s birth centennial year, Lokayata organised a cluster of activities to commemorate his spirit. It facilitated the launch of Saros Cowasjee’s edition of The Mulk Raj Anand Omnibus by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Dec 11, 2004, at his official residence, followed by a public function in honour of Anand at India Habitat Centre the same day. The First Anand Memorial Lecture, titled “Mulk Raj Anand: A Dissenting Pilgrim” delivered by A S Dasan, University of Mysore, at a function organised on Dec 12, 2004, at India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, by Lokayata, was well attended. Distinguished guests, writers, critics, art-lovers and journalists were part of the audience. The focal point of the lecture was the idea that ‘Anand transcended any kind of categorisation — Marxist or Gandhian or propagandist’. The ‘pilgrimage motif’ that ‘sensitises the discerning reader towards a compunctious and compassionate view of life’ in the works of Anand was highlighted. On the occasion, the centre also hosted an exhibition of paintings, titled, ‘100 Canvases, 100 Artists and 100th Birth Anniversary’ as a tribute to Anand. Well-known artist, Roopchand, exhibited his paintings in honour of Anand in Jan. and Feb. this year. Sonali Maitra Paul and Mriganka Paul paid a tribute to Anand with an exhibition of their exquisite paintings and sculptures, also in Feb. A number of art-exhibition programmes have been chalked out for the next two years. The art-gallery of Lokayata is scheduled to be the venue to many of these events. It is hoped that these and such other events organised at or by Lokayata in assocation with art schools and art lovers would be one way of realising the lofty objectives and goals of Lokayata. Let us hope that Lokayata moves ahead with hope in action. With inputs from late Dolly Sahiar, Kewal Anand, Roopchand and Chandan Chakravorthy. INSTITUTION THAT INSPIRES Lokayata, conceived and launched in 1970 by Anand, its founder-director, with the amount he received as the International Peace Prize from the World Peace Council, represents “the people’s way of life”, as he himself had originally envisaged. As a humanist, artist and art-critic, Anand was particular to promote those arts which would focus on and manifest the hidden beauty and wisdom of the struggle of the people living on the edge of society. It was also his objective to inspire, prepare and equip young men and women passing through Lokayata to face the challenges of the 21st century so as to usher in a world of peace wherein a compassion and humanism could reign and prevail. ART SHOWS There were a number of other exhibitions held at Lokayata’s art gallery in association with known and amateur art associates and groups during the year. To mention a few, Art for Tsunami, organised in Jan-Feb this year, contributed to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. A solo exhibition by Amrit Kapoor, to remember and celebrate the Women’s Day in March, 2005, was inaugurated by Carole Lepers, an eminent French artist. A musical concert, titled Destination India, fusing the Indian classical with western music, was organised by Lokayata at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi in June, 2005. Heritage Continuum and Tribal Art Show were held in July, 2005. Bengal Masters, an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Shyamal Dutta Ray and Prakash Karmokar and others was a memorable event.
Nalini Dasan
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