The event was formally inaugurated with the lighting of the traditional lamp by the dignitaries on the dais. Dr. H.V. Nagaraja Rao, an eminent Sanskrit scholar and chief Editor of Sudharma Sanskrit Daily, delivered a powerful key‐note address in chaste Sanskrit, where he condensed the relevance and essence of the two‐day seminar on the Bharatiya 64 arts. This was followed by the address of chief guests Ms. Shobha Karandlaje and Sri Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Distinguished experts presented their wisdom and insights into the specific arts in their domain of expertise. It was their passion and deep-rooted knowledge at display which is the fruit of their years of efforts and application. It was a mix of theory and practical demonstrations as appropriate and indeed indispensable for delineating the nuances of the 64 Ancient Arts of Bharat that are still alive, vibrant and in vogue even today.
The theme of the 2nd session was ‘Visual Arts and Handicrafts: A Kaleidoscope of Creations’ and was chaired by Dr. Vekatasubramanian. P, Head of Vyoma Linguistic Labs, Bengaluru. Sri Arulālan Guruji – an Eminent Astrologer and Vāstu Consultant, Bengaluru, was one of the speakers and shared his knowledge on ‘Gemmology’ and ‘Vastuvidya, Knowledge of Omens & Angavidya’. Sri Anand Vishwanathan – Research Associate, Centre for Ancient History and Culture, Jain University, Bengaluru, spoke on the subject of ‘Mathematics’ and Dr. R.H. Kulkarni – Professor and HOD of Art and History, College of Fine Arts, talked about the history of ‘Painting’.
Day two of the seminar saw eminent personalities and experts in their respective fields sharing their knowledge and experience with the audience. The theme of the first session on day two was ‘Sports – The Arena of Mastery’. Experts Dr. K. Mekhala Kagli and Sri M . A . Lakshmikanth Raj Urs, well-known animal conservationists and founders of the ‘AaneKaroti ECF’ in Mysuru, shed light on ‘Riding Elephants, Horses and Chariots’. ‘Kalari Payattu’ an ancient Indian martial art was demonstrated by Sri Sudarshan, an expert in this field.
‘Social and Societal Arts – Community Harmony’ was the theme for the fifth session and was chaired by Dr. M.A. Alwar. The session covered various topics like Ancient Traditional Board games, the Training of Birds, the Art of Worshiping God and Animal Husbandry, which were explained by experts Smt. Tanushri S.N., a reviver of Samskṛta‐Samskṛti‐Vārtā‐Patram | Vol.1 No. 1 & 2 | Jan‐Dec 2023 9 ancient games and traditions and founder of ‘Roll the Dice’ Mysuru, Sri Hemanth Kumar. C, Pet hobbyist and manufacturer of exotic pet foods and accessories, Mysuru, Vidwan K. Ranganathan – Eminent scholar and speaker, Chennai and Sri M.S. Kumara S u b r a m a n y a Jagirdar, a ‘Gau’ enthusiast, ‘Gopalaka’ ‐ Cow conservationist and consultant, respectively. Dr. M.A. Alwar summarised the proceedings of the session shared by the experts.
The valedictory function was graced by eminent personalities like Sri L. Hanumanthaiah, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Sri S. Gopalakrishnan IAS, Director General, National Productivity Council, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Sri Vasudev Keshav Dasa, Senior Vice President, ISKCON, Bengaluru, Prof. E.S. Dwarakadasa, President, Samskriti Foundation, Mysuru and retired professor of IISc., Bengaluru and Dr. M.A. Alwar, Samskriti Foundation, Mysuru.
Dr. M.A. Alwar, in his valedictory address, summed up the essence of the sessions on the various art forms that were showcased over the two days of the seminar. It was followed by speeches by Sri L. Hanumanthaiah, Guest of Honour, Sri Vasudev Keshav Dasa, Distinguished Guest and the Chief Guest ‐ Sri S. Gopalakrishnan IAS, who was presiding over the function. Dr. E.S. Dwarakadasa condensed the valuable words of the dignitaries and thanked them wholeheartedly as he proposed the vote of thanks. Dr. E.S. Dwarakadasa and Dr. M.A. Alwar presented the dignitaries with the mementos. Dr. M.A. Alwar, concluded the event by thanking all those prominent people who had made the event a grand success.
Dr. E.S. Dwarakadasa, President, Samskriti Foundation who presided over the inaugural function explained the relevance of the seminar and mentioned that Samskriti Foundation has been undertaking pioneering tasks associated with the preservation and propagation of various facets of Indian Culture and Heritage and this seminar was a step in that direction. He also thanked the sponsors for their financial support and the dignitaries on the dais for making it convenient to attend this function despite numerous demands on their time. The inaugural address was delivered by the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, Dr. Thaawar Chand Gehlot. He praised the vision and efforts of the Samskriti Foundation for organizing this event and its relevance in today’s education system. Dr. M.A. Alwar, Hon. Director, Samskriti Foundation, then proposed the vote of thanks.
The theme of the first session was ‘Intellectual Arts: Thoughtful Reverie’ and was chaired by Dr. M.D. Srinivas, Chairman, Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai. Vidwan Dr. H.V. Nagaraja Rao shared his knowledge on ‘Literature and Riddles – Samasya Pūrti’. Dr. R. Shankar, Research Associate, Centre for Ancient History and Culture, Jain University, Bengaluru, spoke on the topic of ‘Chitra-Kavya’. While Ms. Ambika Darshan Shankar, touched upon the topic of ‘Pottery and other Mud-Works’, Prof. Darshan Shankar, Vice‐Chancellor, Trans- Disciplinary University, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, shared his expertise and experience on the ‘Knowledge of Herbs’.
The final session of day one, had the interesting theme as ‘Performing Arts: Enchanting Expressions – 1′ and covered the different performing arts like Dance, Singing and Magic. The session kept the audience engaged and enthralled as the experts demonstrated their art forms, in their respective fields. Dr. Chethana Radhakrishna P.M. an eminent Bharathanatyam artist and Artistic Director, Gurudev Academy of Fine Arts, Mysuru‐Mandya, talked about ‘Dance’, which was later demonstrated by her disciples. Dr. R.S. Nandakumar a well‐known classical singer and founder of ‘Brahmavidya’ at Mysuru spoke on ‘Singing’. Sri Uday Jadugar, a world-famous magician, talked about ‘Magic’ and had the audience captivated with his tricks. The session was chaired by Vidushi Roopashree Madhusudhan, Director, Nrityanga Pradarshana Kala Kendra, Bengaluru.
Dr. P.N. Ganesh Kumar, International Yoga Coach and Trainer, President of Vivekananda Yoga Education & Research Institution, shared his knowledge on ‘Exercise and Physical Fitness’ and demonstrated a few asanas for the benefit of the audience. The session was chaired by Ms. Meera Natampally, Heritage Architect and Head, SEKOS Architects, Bengaluru, who summarised the session’s proceedings.
The sixth and final session of the two-day seminar saw experts like Dr. Sridhar Murthy, an Eminent Scholar and Psychologist, Vidwan S. G. Muralidhar, a Flutist par excellence, Sri Ganesh Rao Kesarkar. V and Troupe an actor and theatre personality and Sri L.K. Acharya, Art Director, Samskriti Foundation sharing their expertise on ‘Calligraphy’, ‘Musical I n s t r u m e n t s ‘ , ‘Disguise, Drama & Sleight of Hand’ and ‘Chitra-Sangeetha’ respectively and demonstrating the same. It was a fitting finale to the two- day seminar where Sri L.K. Acharya, demonstrated his art, synchronised to the soothing music on the flute. The session was chaired by Sri Arulalan Guruji, who summarised the sessions’ proceedings for the benefit of the audience.
The valedictory function was graced by eminent personalities like Sri L. Hanumanthaiah, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Sri S. Gopalakrishnan IAS, Director General, National Productivity Council, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Sri Vasudev Keshav Dasa, Senior Vice President, ISKCON, Bengaluru, Prof. E.S. Dwarakadasa, President, Samskriti Foundation, Mysuru and retired professor of IISc., Bengaluru and Dr. M.A. Alwar, Samskriti Foundation, Mysuru.
The 64 Art forms of India are so rich and vast, that in such a short period, it would be difficult to comprehend them, but, this was an attempt to showcase the “Bharariya – 64 Arts” to the audience and kindle interest in them to explore further. This seminar was a pioneering endeavour, in which the audience got a chance to immerse themselves into the diverse world of 64 arts, gaining insights into traditional forms of dance, music, sports, ancient sciences and much more. It was not just an educational experience but a joyful celebration of our heritage and an opportunity to connect with deep-rooted traditions that continue to shape our Bharatiya culture.
