Urmila Banu - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Urmila Banu
Art & Deal Magazine, 2020
Art & Deal Magazine, 2020
Vastu Kala Academy & IGNCA, 2019
It is often told that culture creates boundaries, not yet physically, but geographically, demogra... more It is often told that culture creates boundaries, not yet physically, but geographically, demographically, regionally, dialectically and that often originates the notion of ‘we’ and ‘they’; the conflict between Israel and Palestine or Mexico and USA is perhaps the appropriate instances where cultural boundaries give birth to the relationship of controlled and controller that leads towards a destruction of cultural aesthetics and violation of policy of culture; ultimately ends in power politics. However, India is recognized for its multicultural facets; in fact, the cultural diversity integrates every nooks and corner of the country and threads a unity of citizenship. The variation, yet dynamism of culture are well reflected in the cities of India. Each city depicts a diverse history of its culture and to uphold their cultural heritage value they rejuvenate and revivify everyday reality which is one of the policies of cultural sustainability. However, in this current phase, India is also undergoing into a socio-cultural disturbance due to socio-political boundaries that not only affects the national integrity of the habitats but also economic growth of the country. Because to some extent the economic growth of a country depends on its cultural growth. Therefore, rejuvenation becomes an imperative strategy to an escalation of culture on a whole that could obliterate the shadow lines of cultural boundaries.
My study traces the culture of Kolkata with its unique art and architecture and the importance of its rejuvenation along with exampling few initiatives taken to revive the lost architecture and dying art and also proposing strategic implementation to make a city culturally and to some extent economically well-built.
Vastu Kala Academy, College of Architecture, Delhi & Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Delhi, 2019
Bauls, the nomadic cult, originated in undivided rural Bengal of the 8 th century (approx.) is th... more Bauls, the nomadic cult, originated in undivided rural Bengal of the 8 th century (approx.) is the name of an "oppositional culture" (Antanio Gramsci, 1971) in the state of cultural hegemony which is far beyond the stereotype definition, norms, parameters of our "known" culture. Baul, the "madman" titled by Poet Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, is the forename of wandering minstrel folks, the song, the tradition, the "-ism" and lastly, the culture. The religions, divisions of society, egoism are sheer earthly belongings of the materialistic world to the Baul culture. The only canon they follow is the "quest for Universal Truth" through mystical yet satirical music and poetry. The Baul music is the infusion of Vaishnavism, Tantric Buddhism, Shaktism, and Sufism. Most of their songs express sahaja (spontaneity), sadhana (religious practice) and bhav (state of ecstasy). The manifestation of the body is one of the pillars of their tradition as they believe God is within the human body, the microcosm of the universe. There is a proverb in Baul culture that, "what is not in the body is not in the universe." Hence, it could be asserted that the path they follow belongs to the higher realm of existentialism, humanitarianism, and spiritualism; in a way it ethos the philosophy of life with emancipating the fluidity of their voices. However, Baul song could be considered as an "objet d'art" as we envisage the elements of "Visual Arts" and also has a lineage to literature. Over the last few decades, Baul music is longer only belong to the pastoral Bengal, it stretches out the humanitarian essence to the Western world after "Baul Samrat" Purna Das shared stage with music legends like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mick Jagger in 1963 and with Bob Marley in 1973 and thereafter collaborated with Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger in 1984 to explore Baul music and its aesthetics. Baul music is recognized as an Intangible Heritage of Bengal yet World by UNESCO understanding its historic footprint to preserve the saga of humanitarianism even in the turmoil sociopolitical circumstances. This paper will demonstrate the etymological source of Baul, the root of their culture, their philosophy towards life, the doctrines which are the pillars of their culture, relevancy of Baul music in contemporary space and moreover, the nomadic yet mystical journey from a marginalized cult to a cultural heritage.
Art & Deal Magazine, 2020
Art & Deal Magazine, 2020
Vastu Kala Academy & IGNCA, 2019
It is often told that culture creates boundaries, not yet physically, but geographically, demogra... more It is often told that culture creates boundaries, not yet physically, but geographically, demographically, regionally, dialectically and that often originates the notion of ‘we’ and ‘they’; the conflict between Israel and Palestine or Mexico and USA is perhaps the appropriate instances where cultural boundaries give birth to the relationship of controlled and controller that leads towards a destruction of cultural aesthetics and violation of policy of culture; ultimately ends in power politics. However, India is recognized for its multicultural facets; in fact, the cultural diversity integrates every nooks and corner of the country and threads a unity of citizenship. The variation, yet dynamism of culture are well reflected in the cities of India. Each city depicts a diverse history of its culture and to uphold their cultural heritage value they rejuvenate and revivify everyday reality which is one of the policies of cultural sustainability. However, in this current phase, India is also undergoing into a socio-cultural disturbance due to socio-political boundaries that not only affects the national integrity of the habitats but also economic growth of the country. Because to some extent the economic growth of a country depends on its cultural growth. Therefore, rejuvenation becomes an imperative strategy to an escalation of culture on a whole that could obliterate the shadow lines of cultural boundaries.
My study traces the culture of Kolkata with its unique art and architecture and the importance of its rejuvenation along with exampling few initiatives taken to revive the lost architecture and dying art and also proposing strategic implementation to make a city culturally and to some extent economically well-built.
Vastu Kala Academy, College of Architecture, Delhi & Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Delhi, 2019
Bauls, the nomadic cult, originated in undivided rural Bengal of the 8 th century (approx.) is th... more Bauls, the nomadic cult, originated in undivided rural Bengal of the 8 th century (approx.) is the name of an "oppositional culture" (Antanio Gramsci, 1971) in the state of cultural hegemony which is far beyond the stereotype definition, norms, parameters of our "known" culture. Baul, the "madman" titled by Poet Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, is the forename of wandering minstrel folks, the song, the tradition, the "-ism" and lastly, the culture. The religions, divisions of society, egoism are sheer earthly belongings of the materialistic world to the Baul culture. The only canon they follow is the "quest for Universal Truth" through mystical yet satirical music and poetry. The Baul music is the infusion of Vaishnavism, Tantric Buddhism, Shaktism, and Sufism. Most of their songs express sahaja (spontaneity), sadhana (religious practice) and bhav (state of ecstasy). The manifestation of the body is one of the pillars of their tradition as they believe God is within the human body, the microcosm of the universe. There is a proverb in Baul culture that, "what is not in the body is not in the universe." Hence, it could be asserted that the path they follow belongs to the higher realm of existentialism, humanitarianism, and spiritualism; in a way it ethos the philosophy of life with emancipating the fluidity of their voices. However, Baul song could be considered as an "objet d'art" as we envisage the elements of "Visual Arts" and also has a lineage to literature. Over the last few decades, Baul music is longer only belong to the pastoral Bengal, it stretches out the humanitarian essence to the Western world after "Baul Samrat" Purna Das shared stage with music legends like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mick Jagger in 1963 and with Bob Marley in 1973 and thereafter collaborated with Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger in 1984 to explore Baul music and its aesthetics. Baul music is recognized as an Intangible Heritage of Bengal yet World by UNESCO understanding its historic footprint to preserve the saga of humanitarianism even in the turmoil sociopolitical circumstances. This paper will demonstrate the etymological source of Baul, the root of their culture, their philosophy towards life, the doctrines which are the pillars of their culture, relevancy of Baul music in contemporary space and moreover, the nomadic yet mystical journey from a marginalized cult to a cultural heritage.