The greatest strength of Indian civilisation lies in its cultural continuity and its remarkable capacity for assimilation, which has enabled Indian artistic traditions to preserve their essential spirit despite changes in time, society and historical circumstances. This was stated by Dr Rashmita Jha, a historian and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, who served as the chief guest on the concluding day of a three-day international seminar and performance series titled “Abhijatakalakalapesu Bharatiya-Jnana-Parampara (Sadyovṛttantaḥ): Tracing Roots of Bharatiya Jnana Parampara in Contemporary Practice of Classical Arts”, held at Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla.
While addressing participants during the valedictory session, she stated that the preservation of the Indian knowledge tradition could not be achieved solely through archives and texts, but through living cultural practices, performative traditions and active social participation. Dr Jha further said that culture was not a static product or a museum artefact, but a living and continuously evolving process shaped by the collective consciousness, memories, experiences and values of society.
Dr Bhagyesh Vasudev Jha, Chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy and eminent scholar, reflected upon the broader dimensions of Indian cultural traditions, knowledge practices, and civilisational thought.
Prof Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIAS, stated that a comprehensive understanding of the Indian knowledge system requires renewed attention to the interconnections between art, literature, philosophy, history and spirituality. He further stated that the institute would continue to promote serious study, dialogue and reinterpretation of India’s intellectual, cultural and philosophical traditions through such academic initiatives.
The session witnessed participation of eminent scholars, artists, researchers and practitioners from India and abroad engaged in extensive deliberations on Indian knowledge tradition, classical arts, aesthetics, dramaturgy, spirituality, cultural history and contemporary intellectual discourses during the seminar. During the seminar, the participant attempted to understand Indian artistic traditions not merely as forms of performance or cultural activity, but as important foundations of the Indian knowledge system, philosophical thought, collective memory and spiritual experience.
Detailed discussions were held on themes related to Natyashastra, Rasa theory, Sanskrit theatre, Bhakti traditions, Indian classical dance forms, yoga, music, architecture, sculpture, aesthetics, Devadasi traditions, the National Education Policy, and the Indian knowledge tradition in the context of artificial intelligence.
