Tagore, the Arts and humanity

The film festival conducted at the NFC Cinema in Colombo over the past few days to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of that illustrious Man of Letters and creative genius of many dimensions, Rabindranath Tagore, was a rare and momentous happening in the history of film viewing in Sri Lanka which should not be allowed to pass without comment.

It could be said that by putting the event together the Indian Cultural Centre in Colombo and the Directorate of Film Festivals in New Delhi have helped in giving the people of this country a closer and more enriching look at the great, immortal spirit which was Rabindranath Tagore of India.

Lovers of serious cinema in this country were treated to some of the greatest film renditions of the most memorable stories to come off the pen of Tagore, such as, 'Pather Panchali', 'Chokher Bali', 'Ghare Baire' and 'Charulata' and it was very plain to see that the festival was a crowd puller of the most magnetic kind. The film viewers who thronged the NFC Cinema to drink deep of the Tagore artistic evergreens were the proof that Sri Lanka is continuing to abound with persons who could appreciate works of art of the highest quality. It was as if nothing could keep them away from these profoundly elevating products of the human spirit.

Needless to say, the conduct of the film festival would not have been possible without the close collaboration of the Indian and Sri Lankan states and we take this opportunity to thank both governments for this most thoughtful initiative. The cultural and civilizational ties between India and Sri Lanka are so strong that joint Indo-Lanka celebrations of great figures, of either country, in the field of the Arts and other relevant disciplines, is possible. Tagore, is revered to so great an extent in Sri Lanka that we too could claim cultural and spiritual kinship to this wondrous Bard of Asia. Besides the obvious importance of Tagore to the Lankan public, the festival was of significance because it pointed to the continuing lively interest among very many in this country for works of art of quality.

This is a truth that the current seeming mass interest in the electronic media and the numerous popular entertainment forms they prominently provide, conceals. There is a continuing thirst among the local public for art forms of the kind that elevate and enrich the human being and this is proved by the great interest shown in artistic greats such as Rabindranath Tagore. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that this thirst among the local public is fully quenched.

What was also important about the Tagore Film Festival was that it was provided free of charge to the people. This is a highly enlightened approach to providing artistic enjoyment of the highest kind. Art of quality which would enlighten the people and enable them to enhance the quality of their lives should, we believe, be provided free of charge to the people by the state and its agencies, if the civilizing impact of the Arts is to be perpetuated. The market and its compulsions should be disregarded in this context.

For instance, why cannot we in Sri Lanka launch an Ediriweera Sarachchandra Drama Festival, to name just one such Lankan artistic great, and enable the public to experience the relevant dramas free of charge for a week or so? This we need to do to not only perpetuate the names of our artistic greats but to also enable the consciousness of the people to be formed on humanistic lines. It should be considered that the literary and other Arts of quality carry the possibility of changing the heart and mind for the better on account of the insights into life they offer.

In these times when much is being spoken and written on national rejuvenation and a future of peace and harmony, the Arts should be seen as having a deeply humanizing impact on the human personality. Hence, the need for Arts festivals which could be experienced by the people with no price tags attached. When it comes to putting the Arts to serious purposes, market and profit considerations should be thrust aside. The Arts should be allowed to freely wield their humanizing influence among the people. They cannot be sold for a mess of pottage.