42.LOVE - LIGHT AND SERIOUS

42. LOVE - Light and Serious

Romance sparks creativity

Romance was the stuff of Hindi movies till the so called 'action' films (exhibiting naked, mindless violence) took over. Romance was captured in all its moods-from the sublime to the ridiculous, from hilarity to heart-breaks, from happy endings to stark tragedy, from the realistic to the fanciful. The theme was, on the whole, treated in a dignified manner.( though people were not wanting who glamorized the not so licit.) 
This created great opportunities for wonderful music.Our lyricists wrote sublime songs to suit each mood; our great music directors composed nice tunes to capture the mood. The singers sang them soulfully or gaily, as the situation warranted. The songs in those days hardly lasted three minutes on the 78 rpm records, but the mood and memory they created have remained with us! We still hum those tunes, recall  those words!
 Those were the days we had only Radio Ceylon to listen to,[Vividh Bharati was no match even when it came, run by government morons], and we addicts of film music spent nearly 4-5 hours  every day listening to the radio.

Life was leisurely, had not acquired the maddening pace; we led simple lives, were easily contented with what we had, pleased with the native charms; studies were not burdensome, and we did not have much of the gloss of modern distractions; music filled our heart and led us to dream! Realities of life  caught up with us only later, but the joy of youthful dream inspired by the music did not leave or fade entirely. Some things were beyond our grasp, but not our reach!

 I think Wordsworth captured that mood well, though in a different context:

Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy! 

For mighty were the auxiliars which then stood 

Upon our side, we who were strong in love! 

Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, 

But to be young was very heaven!

[Auxiliar = help]
Picture: National Portrait Gallery, London.

Vague dreams  and vain hopes!

Our poets came up with nice songs to depict the many moods and some of them have stayed with us, in spite of the passage of years. When we look at the lyrics, it does not matter who is the actor and how the song was picturised. In fact, we did/could not see many of those movies, but only heard the songs on the radio. We were not bombarded with the  unbearable visuals through a hundred channels on the TV. We heard the songs: only the melody, meaning and the voice quality registered with us! They are still with us, despite the passage of decades.

Let us see some of the songs here.

Song: Ye dil na hota bechara

Film: Jewel Thief 1967

Music: S.D.Burman

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Singer: Kishore Kumar

Right:Kishore& Dada Burman

ये दिल ना होता बेचारा
कदम न होते आवारा
जो खूबसूरत कोई अपना हमसफ़र होता
ये दिल न होता...

Ye dil na hota bechaara

Kadam na hote awara

Jo khubsurat koyi apna hamsafar hota

Ye dil....

This heart would not have been poor,

These steps would not be those of a wanderer,

If someone beautiful had been my companion, 

travelling with me!

अरे सुना, जब से ज़माने हैं बहार के
हम भी आये हैं राही बन के प्यार के
कोई न कोई तो बुलायेगा
खड़े हैं हम भी राहों में
ये दिल न होता...

Arey suna, jab se zamane hai(n) bahar ke

Hum bhi aaye hai(n) raahi ban ke pyar ke

Koyi na koyi to bulaayaega

Kade hai(n) hum bhi raaho(n) mein

Ye dil.......

Oh, the spring season arrived long ago

I have also become a traveller on the path of love!

Eventually, someone will call me!

I will keep waiting on the way!

अरे माना उसको नहीं मैं पहचानता
बंदा उसका पता भी नहीं जानता
मिलना लिखा है तो आयेगा
खड़े हैं हम भी राहों में
ये दिल ना होता...

Arey maana usko nahi mai(n) pehchaanta

Banda uska patha bhi nahi  jaanta

Milna likha hai to aayaega

Kade hai(n) hum bhi raaho(n) mein

Oh, I agree that I do not know her!

Dear, I do not know her whereabouts!

If it is written that we should meet,

she will surely come!

I will wait on the way!

अरे उसकी धुन में पड़ेगा दुख झेलना
सीखा हमने भी पत्थरों से खेलना
सूरत कभी तो दिखायेगा
पड़े हैं हम भी राहों में
ये दिल ना होता...

Arey uski dhun mei(n) padaega dukh jhaelna

Seekha humnae bhi paththaro(n) sey khaelna

Surat kabhi to dikhaayaega

Pade hai(n) hum bhi raaho(n) mein

Ye dil na hota bechara.....

May be I will have to suffer looking out for her!

But then, I  know too how to deal with stone hearts!

She will surely show her face some time!

I am waiting on the way!

Oh, this heart would not have been poor.....

Well, this is just a shot in the dark! Wishful thinking, fancy dreams, so nicely captured in words! Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star, says an old song. Most of us would only dare dream, those days! What if it does not materialise?

Pearls or tears ?

Song: Hum dum se gaye

Film: Manzil, 1960

Music: S.D.Burman

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Singer: Manna Dey
Right: Burman&Manna Dey.

[ I could not get a decent  full Hindi version, so I am only giving the English version.]

Hum dum se gaye hum dum ke liye

Hum dum ki kasam hum dum na mila

Earnestly I sought a companion

I swear on my life

I did not find one!

Phir bhi keh ja tu apna afsana

Saathi miljayega na rukh jaana

O dil teri kali, abhi tho na khili

Abhi wo mausam na mila

Still, go ahead and tell your story!

Surely you will find a companion. Do not stop.

Oh, the bud of your heart has not blossomed yet'

For the season is not yet come!

Aye dil chamka tu apne daago ko

Roshan kiye ja bujhe chirago ko

Tu gaaye ja meri jaan, 

Ye duniya hai yahan

Kisi ko murham na mila

O heart, paint your miseries (forget them)

Keep lighting the extinguished lamps

Keep singing your song.

This world is such a place where-

no one yet found real consolation.

Moti na mile tho ashk bharna hai

Daman bharna teri tamanna hai

Tho pyare tujhe kushi, agar na mili

Tho gam kuch kum na mila.

You have not got the pearls (you sought)

Then, gather the tears!

For it is your desire to accumulate (something)

Even if you have not found happiness,

You have gathered enough sorrow!

I earnestly sought a soulmate, I did not get.

Here, the poet is cautioning against wild dreams, and vague hopes. This  is beautifully brought out in another song.

Not a rosy path!

Song: Mohabbat ki raaho(n) mein

Film: Uran Khatola 1955

Music: Naushad

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Singer: Rafi
Right: Naushad, Rafi & Shakeel
Photo:www.sunbyanyname.com
This is in raag Jaijaivanti.

मोहब्बत की राहों में चलना संभल के
यहां जो भी आया गया हाथ मॉल के
मोहब्बत की राहों में चलना संभल के

Mohabbat ki raaho(n) mein chalna sambhal ke

Yaha(n) jo bhi aaya gaya haath maal ke

Mohabbat ki raaho(n) mein ......

Walk cautiously on the path of love

Whoever entered this path has gone regretting

Be cautious on the path of love.

न पाई किसी ने मुहब्बत की मज़िल
कदम डगमगाए ज़रा दूर चल के
मोहब्बत की राहों में चलना संभल के

Na paayee kisi ne mohabbat ki manzil

Kadam dagmagaaye zara duur chal ke

Mohabbat ki raaho(n) mein.....

No one has reached the destination of love

On the way, their feet got trembling.

Be cautious on the path of love.

हमें ढूंढती है बहारों की दुनिया
कहाँ आ गए हम चमन से निकल के
मोहब्बत की राहों में चलना संभल के

Hame(n) duundthi hai baharo(n) ki duniya

Kahaa(n) aagaye  hum chaman se nikal ke

Mohabbat ki raaho(n)....

Searching for the world of beauty,

See where we have come, leaving the garden!

Be cautious on the path of love

कही टूट जाए न हसरत भरे दिल

न यूँ तिर फेको निषाना बदल के
मोहब्बत की राहों में चलना संभल के
मोहब्बत की राहों में.

Kahi toot jaaye na hazrat bhara dil

Na yoon teer faeko nishaana badal ke

Mohabbat ki raaho(n) mein.....

Take care. lest the heart full of desires should be broken.

There is no point in shooting at a changed target..

Be cautious on the path of love.

The poet is actually cautioning here that true love is difficult to find. It is not what romantic novels and films seek to portray and lead people astray. True love is a commitment to life, it is a sacrifice, no less.

Love - only for the young?

Mainstram cinema being a commercially oriented medium,there are limitations to the extent or degree of artistic impulse or refinement it will take or tolerate. Being a visual medium, the emphasis is on  show, and not necessarily substance. This is especially so after movies started donning colour- often garish and crude.
 The filmi style celebrates love only in certain modes - eg. as between physically attractive youngsters-, and that is also encased in standard formulas. Mature love is hardly depicted. Conjugal love is not much celebrated, except in the old 'family' dramas, with contrived situations. As if people do not love after marriage! Young love may end in marriage, but these days, marriage ends love! But the 50s and early 60s were different, even in films! However, there are not many songs depicting love in marriage! We have just one gem!

Song: Aye meri zohra Jabeen
Film: Waqt 1965
Music: Ravi
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Singer: Manna Dey
Right: Ravi.
Picture credit:YouTube

एह मेरी जोहरा-जबी, तुझे मालुम नही
तू अभी तक है हसी और मै जवान
तुझपे कुर्बान मेरी जान मेरी जान
एह मेरी जोहरा-जबी

Aye meri zohra-jabeen, tujhe maalum nahi

Tu abhi taq hai hasin aur main jawan

Tujpe Qurbaan meri jaan, meri jaan

Oh my beautiful one! You do not know

That you are still lovely, that I am still young!

I would sacrifice my life for you!

ये शोखिया ये बचपन,
जो तुझ मे है कही नही
दिलो को जीतने का फेन, जो तुझ मे है कही नही
मै तेरी
मै तेरी आंखो मे पा गया दो जहा
एह मेरी जोहरा-जबी

Ye shokhiyaa ye bachpan

Jo tujh mein hai kahi nahi

Dilo ko jeetne ka faen, jo tujh mein hai kahi nahi

Main teri aankho se paa gaya do jahaa

Aye meri zohra-jabeen

The coyness, this attractiveness you have-

that is nowhere else.

You have the art of winning hearts-

that is nowhere else.

I have found my heaven and earth in your eyes!

तू मीठे बोल जान-ए-मन,
जो मुस्कुराके बोल दे
तो धध्कानो मे आज भी,
शराबी रंग घोल दे
ओह सनम
ओह सनम मै तेरा आशिक-ए-जाविदा
एह मेरी जोहरा-जबी

Tu meethe bol jaan-e-man

Jo muskurake bol de

Tho dhadkano(n) mein aaj bhi

Sharabi rang dhol de

Oh sanam

Oh sanam main tera  aashiq-e-jaavida

Aye meri zohra-jabeen

If you speak sweet words and smile,

You intoxicate me, my heartbeat gains colour

Oh darling, I am yours for ever!

[Zohra-jabeen is a very beautiful expression, 
meaning, in essence, 'like Venus'. ]

This is an exceptional song! Sung by a family man, just past middle age, with growing children! It is extraordinary because it is not in the Indian tradition to formally exchange or express love in words among elders , or openly in front of others!
[ Nor do we praise our own children in public!] There are so may other ways of showing love or appreciation! There are many ways to express gratitude than saying a formal 'thank you'.  But this is cinema, and somethings have to be dramatised! So this nice song with beautiful lyrics. This song has been so popular in the North for half a century, it is sung or played in every wedding!

This also breaks the myth that love can only be among the young! This shows the higher dimensions of love, as people mature. Real love blossoms as infatuation fades!

Left: World's oldest couple- with combined age of 211!
They have been married for 90 years! Karam Chand and Kartari-they live in Bradford, England.
Photo credit: MailOnline, 25 November,2014.

Love and Milton!

It was some surprise when I found  John Milton  celebrating mature love! Some of the loftiest and most refined expressions of true love we find in Milton! 

John Milton. Wikimedia Commons.

Milton is not a romantic poet. In his grand epic Paradise Lost are two passages of outstanding beauty depicting true love. Which is far different from the popular notions.

Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught

In procreation, common to all kinds
(Though higher of genial bed by far,
And with mysterious reverence, I deem),
So much delights me as those graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies, that daily flow
From all her words and actions, mixed with love
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned
Union of mind, or in us both one soul
Harmony to behold in wedded pair
More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear.


(Paradise Lost Book VIII.596-604)

This was of course at the beginning of history. Here Adam is talking of Eve. Thus love here is married love. Those days  the wife was expected to simply comply with the wishes of the husband. But the beauty is, here Adam is talking  not of physical beauty but of ' those graceful acts and the thousand decencies' that daily flow out of Eve. These are  indicative of the union of mind,  one soul. [One wonders though, what Eve would have felt!]

But Adam surpasses himself. He finds that Eve has eaten the forbidden fruit. He knows the consequences. Yet, instead of cursing Eve,  he declares his love for her.

How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost,
Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote?
Rather, how hast thou yielded to trangress
The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The sacred fruit forbidden? Some cursed fraud
Of enemy hath beguilded thee, yet unknown,
And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee
Certain my resolution is to die;
How can I live without thee, how forgo
Thy sweet converse, and love so dearly joined,
To live again in these wild woods forlorn?
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another rib afford, yet loss of thee
Would never from my heart; no, no, I feel
The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,
Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state
Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.


(Paradise Lost Book IX.900-916)

And true to his word, when they are finally expelled from Paradise, they walk hand in hand! They fall from Paradise in love!

Some natural tears they drop'd, but wiped them soon;
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and providence their guide;
They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitaire way.

[Paradise Lost, Book XII, 645-649]

This is extraordinary , almost cinematic conclusion to the great epic poem! That Adam and Eve are expelled from The Garden, and they walk together, hand in hand, facing their future in an unknown world! Just imagine the scene! This was indeed revolutionary in the age in which Milton wrote!

Note:
Ironically, Milton supported divorce and even polygamy under some circumstances!
It may be said that all these songs and poems are from the male perspective! What to do? All the poets have been males, and the characters expressing them in movie or literature have been males! Even when the lady characters sing their songs, they are written by male poets! It would be interesting really to know how lady poets would sing in such situations!
There is a quality in these old songs and poetry that the new ones  lack. I recall a poem by Thomas Hardy.

ANY LITTLE OLD SONG

Any little old song
   Will do for me,
Tell it of joys gone long,
   Or joys to be,
Or friendly faces best
   Loved to see.

Newest themes I want not
   On subtle strings,
And for thrillings pant not
   That new song brings;
I only need the homelist
   Of heartstirrings.

39.LCDism!

39. LCDism !

LCD in school

In school, we learned a concept called  "the lowest common denominator".  (LCD) It was defined as

"the least common multiple of the denominators in a set of fractions" .


 In the Wikipedia, we get the following description:

The least common denominator of a set of fractions is the least number that is a multiple of all the denominators: their least common multiple. The product of the denominators is always a common denominator, as in:

${\displaystyle {\frac {1}{2}}+{\frac {2}{3}}\;=\;{\frac {3}{6}}+{\frac {4}{6}}\;=\;{\frac {7}{6}}}$

From the Cambridge Dictionary:

 smallest number that can be exactly divided by all the bottom numbers in a group of fractions

From the Merriam Webster Learners Dictionary.com, we get:

mathematics : the smallest number that can be divided exactly by all the numbers below the lines in a group of two or more fractions

LCD-out of school

We all left school years ago, and forgot the mathematics with it! But this concept of LCD has taken a new social avatar, and is now applied in common parlance. We get several interesting definitions!

From thefreedictionary.com:

a. The most basic, least sophisticated level of taste, sensibility, or opinion among a group of people

b. The group having such taste, sensibility, or opinion

From the Merriam Webster LearnersDictionary.com:

disapproving — used to say that the quality of something is poor because it is designed or intended to appeal to the largest possible number of people

From Collins Cobuild:

If you describe a plan or policy as the lowest common denominator, you are critical of it because it has been deliberately made too simple so that nobody will disagree.

[disapproval]

From dictionary.cambridge.org:

used to refer in a disapproving way to the sort of people in society who are least intelligent and who will accept low-quality products and entertainment:

The problem with so much television is that it is aimed at the lowest common

 denominator.

 From urbandictionary.com:

A particular type of obnoxious person one encounters in extremely large groups, or where everybody is universally included. Because there are so many people, there is a significantly higher probability of idiotic people.

From the Longman Dictionary of Current English:

The biggest possible number of people, including people who are very easily influenced  or are willing to accept low standards.

And from oxforddictionaries.com : 

derogatory The level of the least discriminating audience or consumer group.

‘they were accused of pandering to the lowest common denominator of public taste’

LCD in public life

Taken out of the technical context of mathematics, the LCD concept applies to the trend in public life where the authorities try to build (or buy) the largest possible consensus on particular issues by appealing to the largest number of  people by relaxing or diluting conventional norms and standards.

In so called democracies, this amounts to influencing voters by trying to create a common level of approval. As the attempt is to bring in as many people as possible, the lowest standards are applied. In any large grouping, the average standard is also likely to be the lowest. Any higher standard is considered  elitist, and  hence as serving the interest of the higher classes.

We can clearly see how this process has worked in India in some fields. 

LCD and the democratic drama

Take our democracy. Universal adult franchise was extended to everyone from the beginning. People had not struggled for it, nor understood the meaning and responsibilities of adult franchise.

 Most people vote  on the basis of party affiliations or personalities. In Indian elections, policies have not mattered. Perhaps, the only time the country voted on an issue was when the electorate rejected the Emergency overwhelmingly in 1977, when even many educated elite supported the Emergency! This was an exception; in our country there is no  public  discussion on important economic or constitutional  policy issues among the electorate at large. Even newspapers , and now media, only advocate partisan lines, and do not allow open debate. Elections have been fought on slogans like 'socialist pattern', five year plans, 'Garibi Hatao' etc. No one bothered to ask or explain what were the policies behind these slogans.

In the process, all standards have been gradually diluted and abandoned. And there are no standards fixed for  contestants in the elections.Criminal cases or complaints are said to be pending in respect of  many candidates from  political parties across the spectrum. 186 out of 541 ( 34%) Lok Sabha MPs in the 2014 elections were said to be having criminal cases against them! [Association of Democratic Reforms.]

LCD has indeed emerged as the basic ism in our public life.

LCD and education

Education has been a fertile and profitable field for the politicians to indulge in LCDism.

Our University education was considered elitist. First the subjects were diluted. Then the syllabus was lightened. The lessons were made simpler. English language was 'Indigenised' : more of Indian writing  was included, and original English writings were reduced. Language and literature were reduced in importance.

There were many moves to downgrade English language, as it was considered elitist. The regional languages were promoted with a vengeance. Hindi got a boost with all the power of the Central govt behind it.

There was a parallel movement to liberalise valuation standards. Examination standards were diluted; by a liberal marking system, as many people as possible were declared passed. Annual class examinations were either abolished or liberalised by various means. So we tried to achieve  'inclusive' education.

But this encountered problems. India, like the rest of the world was embarking on science education in a big way. Indian students were looking out for opportunities abroad both for higher studies and employment and they wanted global standards in education. Since the state controlled education system was aiming to cater to the large LCD segment, they did not want to appear elitist. So they let a parallel system develop: the so called elitist CBSE standards came to prevail as the norm. Today,  a new, super-elitist category called 'International Schools' is emerging.

The stream from the state syllabus could not compete with the CBSE stream. Many state govts discriminate against CBSE officially, but serious students individually do give two hoots. They resort to private tuition and coaching classes to upgrade their knowledge and skills. The prevailing norm is the common entrance test for admission to all professional courses and higher education. Thus elitism has come to prevail , though LCD is the policy of most state govts. They do not have the sense or courage to state openly that they want high standards to prevail. IITs are regarded as the citadel of elitism. Attempts are repeatedly made to dilute their standards.

Now there is a backlash. In every state, every strata of society clamours for not just English language, but education through English medium. Here the native hypocrisy of our democratic politicians shines: every one of them shouts for education through the mother tongue, but every one of them sends his children and relatives to the best English medium school available! It was reported that in Karnataka, there were no takers at all for Kannada medium in the govt run schools!

Kannada medium government schools are being adversely affected by the implementation of the Right to Education Act, according to former Minister and MLC Basavaraj Horatti.He said because of the implementation of RTE, parents are opting for English medium schools over Kannada government schools for their children.

From: The Hindu, October18, 2016

The Supreme Court had to intervene and say that the State cannot impose the language of instruction in primary schools. It is for the parents to choose. And parents are dumping the regional language, and opting for English medium, the symbol of elitism.

from:indpaedia.com.

Caution: Brain in the drain!

We have to be sensible. To demand English language or medium is one thing; to attain standards is quite another. English medium  does not automatically result in quality, nor is the medium of local language necessarily bad.Both depend on good teachers.  Indian languages have stagnated for centuries without development, and they simply cannot cope with the demands of  modern education  in any field. They are all relics of the past; they have  undeniable literary value , but not relevant in modern education. However, we should not blindly equate English medium education with quality education. After all, it is reported that over 50% of our graduates, including Engineering graduates, products of English medium, are simply unemployable! Whatever the medium, quality has to be consciously striven for. To equate quality with elitism in education will only result in dull mediocrity., or possibly even less. It will lead young brains to the drain.

 (Academic) Learning ability or aptitude for higher learning is not uniformly distributed among the people.  Universal general education may be considered desirable, but it is not possible  beyond a level. Everyone cannot become a graduate.The govt. having linked jobs to degrees, there is a craze to obtain a degree, any degree, anyhow!  It does not benefit society as a whole if college standards are lowered to boost numbers. Real help should take the form of improving learning skills, and not diluting standards.

Silent revolution

A silent revolution is thus taking place in two ways to defeat NCD dispensation:

- The politicians are shouting for local languages, but people are dumping them for English and English medium.

- The state govts are officially persisting with low standards, but people are adjusting to and opting for higher standards on their own.

 In a way it is good that people do not waste their energy in fighting foolish and hypocritic politicians, but silently go about their business in their own way! This imposes heavy costs, but that is the price of  our kind of democracy!

LCD and entertainment

Another lucrative field for LCDism is entertainment industry.The two are made for each other! Its motive is money making, and the route is through films and TV content which appeal to the largest possible audience. The contents include elements designed to appeal to various segments simultaneously, so that there is a heady mixture of the elements that appeal to the LCD: sex, violence, dialogues and lyrics that employ double entendre. This is called the 'masala formula'. V. Shantarams, Bimal Roys and Hrishikesh Mukherjees have become irrelevant. Indeed, the species is extinct.

The entertainment features are supposed to go through a govt appointed censor set-up. But govt is elected by the same elements that support the industry, so that the censor is a sham.Whenever the board gets a member nominated who is perceived by the industry to be a 'puritan', there is a hue and cry through the media which knows which side its bread is buttered. The govt has to please both the media and the entertainment moguls, who can sway public opinion before the next polls. So all play safe, and LCD gains its day! I had at times read the govt Gazette which contained details about the scenes/dialogues etc disallowed in the 60s and felt the censors were really doing a service to the public. But those were elitist days! Any call for  show of decency  or restraint in public will be frowned upon as imposition of elitist views, such people will be termed 'moral police' and our English medium elitist newspapers will be up in arms against the invasion of public liberty or restrictions on artistic creativity! LCD makes strange bed fellows!

And why not? The same newspapers court the LCD segment by extensive coverage of juicy information from the film world, with revealing figures of stars and starlets, filling 2-3 large pages in their regular daily issues, as if this is all "news". They may be against the holy cow, but not against the holier Bollywood or Kollywood or Sandalwood kamadhenus! That is where the money comes from! Pop goes the weasel !

Our advertising industry also caters to the LCD segment, irrespective of products. Women are so vocal these days about their rights and privileges, but do not seem to mind if their image is used in not so relevant or complimentary situations, as in the following ad for men's shaving cream:

Are women mere playthings in the hands of men? But that is the power of LCD !

LCD is a bottomless pit. Once one decides to descend, every limit gets extended, and lowered. 

Literature and standards

This play of LCDism is affecting standards in all spheres. As the public taste is lowered in one area, it cascades into other areas. 

It affects literature. India has produced great literary figures , writing in English and regional languages. In view of prevailing linguistic chauvinism and regional jingoism , the great literary figures of one region/language are not generally known in other areas. Those writing in English are not recognised or honoured by the states. We do not have great literary magazines. The popular magazines are like what were called 'pulp' magazines in the US. They churn out stories and features intent on circulation and so focus on LCD!

 We have the recognised 7 principles of Literary Standards to characterise good literature:

- Universality: transcends all distinctions and borders

-Artistry: appealing to sense of beauty

-Intellectual Value: stimulates critical thinking and reasoning

- Suggestiveness [ unravels emotional power through symbolism, nuances, implied meanings,images and messages, evoking visions beyond the ordinary life and experience.]

- Spiritual Value :power to motivate and inspire

-Permanence : great literature produced in time is timeless

-Style

( from: nuworldlit.wordpress.com)

Thanks: izquotes.com

How can we expect these standards from writers who are required to adopt or cater to the  LCD? Unfortunately this seems to be a world wide phenomenon. All the rise in literacy seems to feed the LCD!

LCD and the arts

If entertainment and literature are in, can the arts be out, for long?

The performing arts especially have been subject to the pressure of LCD. This has taken the devious or dubious route of calling for popularisation of classical music and dance.

Music in many forms

 Indian Classical art forms have always existed with, and both inspired  and been inspired by, the folk and semi classical forms. The semi-classical form has always served as a bridge both ways. So, the lovers of non-classical forms had their choice already, as in film music. However, their agenda was different, really. They aimed at diluting the Classical form itself, which they considered elitist. 

Carnatic music Trinity.

Carnatic Music

In Tamil Nadu, it first took the form of a demand for Tamil songs in Carnatic music programs, since it was felt that the artistes who were mostly Brahmins were mainly singing the songs of the Trinity which were in Telugu or Sanskrit or those of other composers like Purandaradasa  or Swati Tirunal. They claimed that the audience could not follow the meaning of the songs in other languages. Those who made the claims were mainly politicians.

 This claim was not true, as the real connoisseurs always took the trouble to learn them. Secondly, the Classical form emphasises emotion (rasa)  which is  mainly conveyed through the Raga bhava. This can be experienced even now in Hindustani music which does not depend much on Sahitya! Third, most Tamilians cannot follow even the classical Tamil compositions of the Nayanmars or Alwars, as these are in chaste Tamil.

 So the real aim of the demand for classical music in local language was only to dilute the pure Classical form, and thus break the perceived Brahmin hold on this art form! Besides, Carnatic music and its Sahitya are based on Bhakti. They draw upon the ancient and rich religious lore of the Hindus, bearing on the Veda, the Upanishads, Itihasa, Purana, etc.  The Dravidian elements wanted to break this sacred link.. They wanted to secularise the music in the name of popularising it. The govt even went to the extent of declaring that the Kritis of Tyagaraja, the mainstay of Carnatic music, need not be learned for the govt approved course!   Today many songs which would not strictly qualify as 'Kirtana'  or 'Kriti' in the Classical sense get sung to please some sections, whose sensibilities have been  suitably lowered in  time! However, the Brahmin hold has not loosened as both the audience and the performing artistes hail overwhelmingly from this section! The Classical form has been  thriving without govt. patronage for over three centuries! And it is thriving now globally, wherever the community lives!  The really good artistes do labour under a Guru for many years! Tyagaraja still is the Satguru of Carnatic music par excellence . The state controlled music schools have consistently failed to produce performing artistes. Paper degrees do not an artiste make!

Bharata Natyam

Classical dance in Tamil Nadu ( Bharata Natyam) is now attracting many students as it is considered  the fashion of the nouveau elite! The Sahitya employed is mainly Tamil pieces, though the grammar is unalterably Sanskritic.

Where the learning facility is state sponsored as in the university ( eg. Annamalai University) we see their ridiculous attempt at Tamilising the format. Even Tamilians cannot understand the vocabualary  foisted on them, inventing a Tamil substitute for even commonly used words and expressions! Blame it all on the LCD factor! However, real learning flourishes outside the universities.

LCD: do away with standards

What LCD aims at is really to displace the notion of a standard everywhere! Any standard anywhere is considered an imposition of an elite. Exams are considered rigid, dispense with it. Syllabus is considered heavy, dilute it. Valuation is considered tough, moderate it. Vigilance in examination hall is strict, loosen it, or look the other way. 

Religious standards

It is very strange how this is affecting even religious standards. In the South, when devotees of Ayyappa undertook to visit Sabarimala, they used to follow a strict, self-imposed discipline for 41 days prior to the pilgrimage. It used to be demanding.(and rewarding)

pious pilgrims to Sabarimala. photo:AP Herald

 -the devotee is expected to shun all social activities and immerse himself in prayers, poojas, bajans, visits to the temples, cleaning temples, feeding the poor, attending to the poor/sick and listening to spiritual lectures. Strictly celibate, he consumes only satvic food and is forbidden from having meat, intoxicants like alcoholic beverages, drugs and betel leaves, and smoking.

 -does not oil his hair or body and always carries with him a tulsi leaf to ward off evil and temptations. He sleeps not on the bed and uses no footwear to protect his feet.

 But in these days of LCD, the period is reduced in some circles  and some items  diluted ! So now millions join. And women's groups are making their own demands against tradition ! 

The upshot is, no one wants strict standards to be observed!

LCD influence everywhere

The professions

LCD bug does not just affect the common man. Even professional bodies groan under the weight of LCD. As their numbers swell, doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, teachers and members of other professions find it difficult to both define and enforce professional standards, ensure accountability, and also encounter the problem of dealing with the erring members. The American Bar Association for instance recognises the need to discipline erring members of the legal profession:

The purpose of lawyer discipline proceedings is to protect the public and the administration of justice from lawyers who have not discharged, will not discharge, or are unlikely to properly discharge their professional duties to clients, the public, the legal system, and the legal profession.

In any sphere of public life, systems cannot work unless standards are established and maintained. In former times, such standards were maintained by senior example and peer pressure. Good professionals in any field served as models. But things are formalised now, everything needs to be defined, and alas, definition has to be interpreted and can be disputed. Thus even when the need for corrective action is conceded, it is often not easy or quick to effect it! The tendency for any professional body is to first defend its member, as so many cases involving medical professionals or the police will show! But every profession contains gems who uphold  ethical standards and will not bow to LCD pressure.

 However, the conduct of Indian lawyers in recent years has caused concern!  The conduct of lawyers in Madras  and Karnataka High Courts recently shows how far LCD has infested them!

Lawyers protesting near Madras High Court, July 2016.

This is despite the advice of the Indian Bar Council!

Photo: The Hindu, Chennai.

This will not cause surprise if we remember that Tamil Nadu is one of the states that has consistently promoted LCD in all spheres for half a century! And then remember how our  elected representatives conduct themselves in and out of the legislatures and parliament! And these are now telecast for our youngsters to see and emulate!

Just now, the medical profession in Karnataka boycotted all hospital work, in protest against a proposed legislation to force some accountability! Doctor can do no wrong!

Society without standards?

No society can function without some standards. All those power seekers who forge the LCD game become its victims in due course. Once the rulers agree to dilute a standard, there is no saying where the limit will stay. And ultimately people come to believe that all standards are arbitrary, and any standard can be diluted or done away with! This is what popular legislations attempt to do. Or it is done through executive action. This partly accounts for the difficulties our country faces in governance in every sphere. Nay, the country is getting ungovernable!