Heritage: The Remembered and Invoked Memories

In the ancient times, knowledge was imparted, documented and remembered not by reading and writing, but by understanding and memorising the spoken knowledge (shruti) and assimilating the learnt (smriti). One may wonder, how did the vast ocean of knowledge on a variety of subjects ranging from the sciences (vidya) to the creative streams (kalaa) to the skills and crafts (shilp) get transmitted to the next generation without diluting or reducing the content. Over centuries this knowledge evolved, expanded and permeated in the social system in the form of values, way of living, artefacts and creative offerings. With this, there comes the idea of ingenious expression, experimentation with creative methods and its preservation or furtherance. This process looks like a continuous limitless journey of mankind - from the unknown to the known, from the created to the preserved, from the discovered to the celebrated. All this interestingly contributes to a larger ‘memory system’ which stands as a reminder of our past and a path-finder for the onward journey of mankind.

It is truly a profound revelation to think of this idea of ‘memory of the universe’ or the ‘memory of the world’ and indeed overwhelming to realise how our individual memories that matter so much to us are the most perishable and the least remembered! This heritage of humanity that may get lost due to social amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful or deliberate destruction is certainly more important than our individual possessions which we may lose over time, rather, our life-time. With inheritance comes responsibility, care, protection, furtherance and resolved preparedness for ‘tomorrow’. So, how important are those inheritances that have been passed on to our world from the past world? How does it matter if we preserve those well or not - one may question. On one of my foreign tours as a practitioner of Heritage art forms (Kathak and Odissi), I felt humbled, honoured and overwhelmed being introduced as an ‘inheritor’ of an intangible heritage art by one of the cultural impresarios. As an afterthought, I could reflect how artists of various streams and purposes co-exit and together co-create and sustain a cultural ecosystem; each form lending a unique effect. The entertaining and pleasing art forms or presentations arouse sensory stimulations, the artistically chaste heritage art engages the audiences into contemplative journeys, while a spirited spiritually charged offering may take the beholder inwards into the deeper core of existence.

Mankind may constantly endeavour to progress and upgrade the quality of life; but what will continue to intrigue the human mind will be the ‘memory of the world’ that is seen in numerous heritage expressions- tangible, intangible and natural. The intangible heritage like some of our ancient dance and music can be seen as a pulsating embodied form of the tangible. Odissi that is believed to be one of the oldest dance forms with its first mention in Bharat muni’s Natyashastra as ‘Odra-magadhi’ is a living thriving dance form today and is also seen in the frozen sculptures of heritage monuments. To mark the Heritage Week, how can a dancer pay her gratitude and respect to the tangible heritage? One of the ways could be to dance amidst the frozen forms evoking a dialogue between the past and the present and reliving the precious moments of the practising dance form in those days. There could be no better tribute to the Aurangabad caves than to perform an Odissi offering near the breath-taking sculptures and there could be no better artistic service to the Devagiri fort than to present Raag Devagiri Bilawal that was created as a tribute to this magnificent fort in the 14th century. Come and join us in our Dance-Monument offerings this weekend and experience this priceless ‘memory’ that may permeate each mind and spirit.

(The writer is Director, Mahagami Gurukul and

Member, International Dance Council, UNESCO).