Vidyavachaspati Bannanje Govindacharya is flanked by a huge fan following who actually occupy two ends of a spectrum. One, a community that has been richly influenced and benefited by his scholarship, and the other, which is drawn to his charming discourses. He has written several books on Sanskrit language, literature, culture, philosophy which have a wide subject base and design. He has written Sanskrit commentary to several works of Madhwacharya, including Anandamala, Vayustuti, Vishnustuti and thus takes on the role of a contemporary analyst of Madhwa philosophy. He has translated works like Madhwaramayana and Mangalashtaka to Kannada. Also, beginning from Purushasukta and Srisukta, he has published several writings on the Upanishads, Bhagavadgita as well as several essays on various philosophical texts.
Bannanje’s translation of Sanskrit classics is unique. The usual practise of most Kannada translators is to retain the Sanskrit idioms as it is in the source. But Bannanje, seeks to enhance meaning through his translations; in fact, he recasts them into Kannada. For instance, Abhijnana Shakuntalam becomes Nenapadalu Shakuntale in his translation ; Uttara Ramacharitam gets renamed as Matte Ramana Kathe ; Mrichchakatikam gets a distinctive title, Aavemannina Aatada Bandi . Though Bannanje has many scholarly works to his credit, in the Kannadiga’s heart, he remains an eminent discourser. In the last few decades, Bannanje has given several hundred lecture series starting from the capital of Karnataka to the corner most village of the State. Like people gather for popular orchestras, the audience for Bannanje is a large gathering. Blurring the divides of religion-philosophy-literature, he weaves an expansive narrative of text-tradition-theory and practise. By doing so, he pioneers the path of reinvention of Indian traditions for contemporary times.
To mark his 80th birthday, Bannanje’s well-wishers and admirers have organised a three-day event in Bangalore, beginning December 25. When I settled down for a conversation with him, I asked: “Your canvas is vast. I am unable to decide on which issue I need to talk to you.” He replied: “I am curious about every issue of the present. I am interested in the past. And I am concerned about the future. So… any subject is fine for me!” I replied: “I will speak to you about the present.”
Snatches from the conversation.
In today’s time and age, how do you perceive the state of Sanskrit and Indian culture?
We are living in strange times. On the one hand our past looks problematic to us; it appears like a bundle of vile practises. But also, more intensely, the philosophical core of times gone by appear attractive to us. I say this from my experience of lecturing at several Gulf countries and many places in America. I am speaking from my experience of coming into contact with hundreds of people and their responses. Many youngsters, particularly the youth living in the West, are eager to be introduced to culture, religion and philosophy of India. Whenever I go for a lecture, irrespective of the location, youngsters listen with attention. They raise questions, and ask me to speak more. Many youngsters who live in cities like Bangalore, nurturing wrong notions about India’s past, have come into my contact and have shown special interest in the various philosophical streams of India. In the West, they have gone to the extent of saying don’t return to your country. Therefore, the responsibility on someone like me is to present ancient Indian thought in a manner that is contemporary and truthful.
What is the mode of this reinvention that you speak of?
First of all, we must stop saying that all that is past is glorious. Along with it, we must also be aware that all that is modern is not superlative either. Secondly, it is time that we cull out from Indian tradition truths that transcend space and time; liberate them from the stranglehold of Mathas and obscurantism. For this, we have to renew our own selves in such a way that we are neither traditionalists nor modernists. It is in this difficult process of finding our feet that we appear to the world as “neither here nor there”. I have earned the wrath of traditionalists who see me as anti-tradition, and modernists who see me as pro-tradition. Let it be. I want to make sure that we protect the best of both. A large section of our youth certainly hunger for a new perspective. We have to free the past from its rites and conservative practises, and transfer its philosophical core to enthusiastic youngsters. We no longer need people who speak to us standing within the territories of Matha and caste. Step out and speak about Indian thought, they are eager to listen to you. You have to liberate and purify Indian philosophical vision from things like caste, notion of purity, and rituals. Only if you walk this path, Indian tradition has a future. Else, nothing. I feel people come to listen to me because I speak this language.
Today, there is greater interest about Indian philosophy and art in the West. As opposed to this, departments of Sanskrit, philosophy and liberal arts are being closed down in Indian universities.
This is happening only in India. And we are responsible for it. Sanskrit language and literature are attributed to the Brahmin caste and the notions that are being disseminated in the public realm are that these texts uphold caste system. In reality, this is false. No language has caste. It is not just that the anti-Sanskrit community that is responsible for this development, but the pro-Sanskrit group is equally responsible. Therefore, in India, we are today facing a situation in which whatever is said about Sanskrit, it has to do with Brahmins and it is a discourse in favour of caste system. There is yet another problem: if you speak about Madhwa philosophy, Advaitins believe it is against them. Today, the ethos in India is such that all the philosophical traditions are seen as belonging to opposite camps. Naturally in the West, there are no such baggages. They are not under pressure to see the different philosophical streams as oppositional to each other. Therefore, there is a certain open-minded process of listening. Today, we can have a more meaningful debate about Sanskrit in the West than in India. Recently, a new centre in Russia has been set up for the study of Indian philosophical thought. They have made me their guide and a team has been coming to Udupi for lessons. There is also a proposal to start one such centre in America. I jocularly told someone a few days ago that America may transform into a Vaidika country in the years to come, as India steadily moves to embrace materialism.
Despite being an age of cultural difficulties, can I conclude that you are an optimist?
No doubt at all. I am totally optimistic. We have to stop indulging with conventional critics of tradition who are stuck in a time warp and continue to spread wrong notions about history, culture, Sanskrit language and literature. Let us not criticise them or dialogue with them. Instead, let us turn our gaze towards the youth. We must seriously think about how we can engage them in Indian philosophy – I am certain that there are many ways to do it. If we stay far from the Mathas and their exclusionist ways, I am sure there will be lakhs of people interested in what we are saying. I have personally met them at my discourses.
(Translated from Kannada by Deepa Ganesh)
There will be a three-day programme to mark Bannanje Govindacharya’s 80th birthday. Details below.
