There was a time when people in the field of art and culture maintained a distance with the Sangh and its associated organisations. But now the atmosphere has changed thanks to the efforts of Sanskar Bharati
Self-Proclaimed Monopolists
“A particular group in the field of art, even prior to the Independence, has not only indulged in factionalism, but also drew a line that ‘we are on this side, and you are on that side’. But the Indian psyche has never accepted it. That is why the RSS thought has always stressed on intellectual discussion and dialogue and not division into factions,” says internationally known dancer Padma Vibhushan Dr Sonal Mansingh. She further says that the destructive elements in the field of arts mainly danced on the tune of the successive political rulers and they deliberately marginalised the Indian psyche in this field.
She recalls: “In 1993, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Anup Jalota, Anuradha Paudwal and I were invited to perform at a function organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the US to celebrate the centenary of Swami Vivekananda’s world famous Chicago speech. But the then Congress government did not allow us. Not only this, some self-proclaimed monopolists from the field of art organised a meeting in Delhi. The meeting was attended by Kaifi Azmi, Shabana Azmi, Swami Agnivesh, etc, and it was presided over by Kuldip Nayar. Swami Agnivesh questioned me why I have accepted the invitation from the Fascists. Whether you participate in the event of Hitlar too? I said, yes, I will participate, because I trust in the power of Indian art that it will surely influence Hitlar too.
These destructive elements have not only created and promoted factionalism in the field of art but also cheated the country on many occasions. Shri Shyam Narayan Pandey has rightly exposed them in his famous poem, Himalaya, which is based on 1962 war. It is to be noted that Pandeyji met the then RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Guruji at a winter camp in Azamgarh and on his request he wrote the famous epic ‘Shivaji’.
After the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya, some mediamen sought the comment of Pt Bhimsen Joshi on it, he said: “What I would say you cannot show, and what you want me to say I cannot say.” Then the comment of Pune-based singer Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki was also sought on the same issue. He said: “If it has fallen, why the delay in construction of the Temple?” The impact of nationalist voice is now clearly heared in the field of art, literature, commercial art performances, etc. For example, see the Hindi Ghazals of Shekhar Sen, single artist performance on great personalities, play ‘Katha Ek Kans ki’ by Daya Prakash Sinha, ‘Itihas’, ‘Rakt-Abhishek’, ‘Ashok’, play ‘Saakar Hota Ek Sapana’ and ‘Upanishad’ by Vimal Lath, etc. Once, I asked Vimalji, you spare so much time and money for so many organisations, what is their outcome? He said, “Despite living in the naval of leftists, we have not allowed them to harm the Hindi literature and art, this is not small outcome.” In fact, it was not possible without the strength of the thoughts championed by the Sangh. Victor Banerjee, Bikash Bhattacharya and Tapan Ganguly also belong to the same class.
Impact of the Ideology
Dr Chandraprakash Diwivedi, the writer, director and actor of ‘Chanakya’ serial while speaking as chief guest at Akhil Bharatiya Kala Sadhak Sangam organised in Jaipur in 1992 expressed surprise, “It is the impact of which ideology that the great filmmaker Shri Raj Datt, whose four Marathi films have been honoured with National Award is sitting so patiently among the audience in front of the dais?” Many hurdles were created in the telecast of ‘Chanakya’ serial terming it as influenced with the RSS ideology. However, the RSS ideology is now clearly visible in many films like ‘Pinjar’, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, etc singer of ‘Geet Ramayan’, soldier of the Goa Liberation Movement and producer of film ‘Savarkar’ Sudhir Phadake and singer Anuradha Paudwal have also given their voices to many Sangh songs. Dr Bhupen Hazarika, while participating at ‘Apna Poorvottar: Ek Utsava 2005’ in Delhi had said, “I have come here, because these people are serious for eradication of extremism.” Noted playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and classical singer Pt Jasraj are also among the admirers of Sangh organisations active in the north-eastern states.
The impact of RSS school of thought in the field of art and history started getting visible in 1957 when Dr Vishnu Shridhar Vakankar discovered the paintings of Bhimbetka’, which now finds a place in the list of UNESCO’s heritage sites. The Government of India had felicitated Dr Vakankar in 1975 with Padmashri for this discovery. It was Dr Vakankar, who in 1982 discovered the vanished River Saraswati. He, as founder general secretary of the Sanskar Bharati, also went to the US with exhibition ‘India’s Contribution to World Thoughts’, which was exhibited in six universities of the US.
Long List of Admirers
It is the impact of many such wonderful works and views that a large number of eminent personalities in the field of art and culture have not only come closer to the nationalist views, but have also promoted them. To name some are Ramanand Sagar, Dada Muni Ashok Kumar, Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Nitish Bhardwaj, Mukesh Khanna, Vikram Gokhle, Madhur Bhandarkar, Thang-Ta Guru Padamshree Gurumayum Gourakishor Sharma (Manipur), Pranjal Saikia (Assam), Toni Kue (Arunachal), Mirdula Sinha, Narendra Kohli, Balwant Bhai Jani, Kaka Hathrasi, Shri Vats Goswami, Pt Kishan Maharaj, Pt Gudai Maharaj, Padam Vibhushan Girija Devi, Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, Fida Hussain Narsi, Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Sayeeduddin Dagar, Moti Lal Kemmu and Kshma Kaul (Jammu), Malini Awasthi, Nalini-Kamalini, Gaura Pant Shivani, classical singer Singh brothers, Tijan Bai, Shyam Sharma, S Pranam Singh, Vasudev Kamath, in South Akiktam Achutam Namboodari, SL Bhayrappa, Priyadarshan,Dr Nagaraj Havaldar, Padma Subrahmanyam, Pt Balamurli Krishna, Maysore Manjunath, etc.
Now a large number of people in the field of art, literature and cinema are willing to know more about the Sangh thoughts. But this matrix has not developed through any cunningness, but through the affectionate nationalist views. There is difference in the cunningness and
wisdom. A cunning person widens his contacts, while a wise man strengthens the friendship. The Sangh believes in enhancing the friendship not the contacts.
The writer is national joint organising secretary of Sanskar Bharati
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