A conversation exploring the connection between Indian arts, particularly performing arts, and human psychology in the light of Indian knowledge traditions.
A Conversation on Exploring Human Psychology through NāṭyaŚāstra (Video) Read More »
Read what is unique about the origin of the greatest art in India, and how it is essentially different from the Western view of artistic creation.
The Persistent Within the Transient Read More »
The author presents an ideal for an artist. The artist is one in whom the sattwic buddhi or the capacity for ideal sensibility predominates.
Rasa: Its Meaning and Scope – 3 Read More »
India conceived the philosophy of art, early on in the Vedic period itself. The highest vision of the Rishis was at the root of all great art forms in India.
The Spiritual Roots of Art in India Read More »
Through a masterful analysis the author concludes that if the aim of spirituality is to know the Self, then the aim of art too is the same.
The Different Paths of an Artist and a Sadhu Read More »
Read about the sacred origins of dance as per the Indian cultural tradition. Also emphasized here is an integral vision of art in India.
The Rapture of the Cosmic Dance – 1 Read More »
The focus of drama in India was along the lines of the Indian view of life which emphasised continuity and renewal as well as an urge to create an ideal life.
The Rapture of the Cosmic Dance – 2 Read More »
Sri Aurobindo writes in The Human Cycle, “The art, music and literature of the world, always a sure index of the vital tendencies of the age, have also undergone a profound revolution in the direction of an ever-deepening subjectivism. The great objective art and literature of the past no longer commands the mind of the new age.”
Embracing Life in Its Many Colours and Hues Read More »
The essential element of the highest art in India is the artist’s insistence on expressing the Infinite in a finite form. To quote from Sri Aurobindo, it is to “disclose something of the Self, the Infinite, the Divine to the regard of the soul, the Self through its expressions, the Infinite through its living finite symbols, the Divine through his powers”
Envisioning the Divine in Indian Art Read More »
This new series explores the Spirit and Forms of Art in India. The first issue focuses on the theme: The Purpose of Art – From Beauty to Bliss.
The Purpose of Art – From Beauty to Bliss Read More »
This remarkable letter of Sri Aurobindo, with relevant examples and detailed explanations, is a perfect response to the slogan – Art for Art’s Sake.
Art for Art’s Sake? Certainly, But Also Art for the Soul’s Sake Read More »
Read these selections from Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo on beauty, and the relation between aesthetic refinement and spiritual development.
“In India God is the All-beautiful” – Conversations with Sri Aurobindo Read More »
The timely relevance of the key points made by E. B. Havell in this lecture delivered in 1905 is remarkable, despite the references to the context of his time.
The Uses of Art – A 1905 Lecture Read More »
How is Beauty connected with delight, harmony and life? How does one experience the delight of beauty? Read and reflect. Also, watch a video featuring an insight from the Mother on how “the anguish of desire” distorts the experience of beauty.
“Beauty is his footprint…” (with video) Read More »
This essay is excerpted from Rabindranath Tagore’s book titled Sādhanā: The Realisation of Life. Don’t miss a beautiful poem by Tagore translated in English.
The Realisation of Beauty Read More »
The author writes: “Obscenity has its place in art, but not ugliness. Obscenity and ugliness are not the same, nor are decency and beauty.”
The Obscene and the Ugly – Form and Essence Read More »
These passages from Sri Aurobindo’s play ‘The Harmony of Virtue’ written in 1892, highlight the Beauty in Nature which is based on the principle of Harmony.
Beauty and Harmony in the Warp and Woof of Nature Read More »
What do we are truly seek when we seek beauty? How can one consciously appreciate that which is beautiful and true? Read and discover.
“To find highest beauty is to find God” Read More »
Mr. Madhu Jagdhish is a heritage photography enthusiast, with special interest in documenting the rich Indian heritage of temple sculptures. A thoughtful exposure to our culture’s artistic heritage and an overall development of aesthetic sensibility and artistic appreciation are important parts of any meaningful education. In the age of smartphones with photography becoming available at fingertips, it is important that youngsters interested in exploring photography as an art-form and a possible vocation are shown this possibility that photography can also become a great medium to go deeper into one’s cultural roots and in the process discover and reveal (for oneself and for others) the rich artistic and aesthetic traditions that we have inherited. In this regard, Mr. Jagdhish’s work makes a significant contribution.
The Art of Heritage Photography – A Conversation with Madhu Jagdhish (Video) Read More »