Re: gaddar's `comrade' Naajar is no more.
C. Kambhampati (shskambh@reading.ac.uk)
Thu, 6 Mar 1997 08:53:21 +0000 (GMT)
On Wed, 5 Mar 1997, Sreenivas Paruchuri wrote:
> Recently I completed reading Sudhi Pradhan's 3 vol. work: _Marxist cultural
> movement in India : chronicles and documents_, which also covers the IPTA
> movement, but focusses more on Bengal (author regrets it). After Bengal,
> A.P was the state where the movement was most active. Till today we lack
> good studies on this important subject/movement which gave us
> good literature, many good poets, singers, actors, actresses,
> music-directors etc. etc.
Agreed. But what is the point of these studies. It does not feed anybody
other than the people with vested interests. The maseses need food
clothing etc - there are millions out there who do not know if they are
going have their next meal. Cultural studies and cultural relativism and
associated studies of cultural movements happen by themselves if the
people are sufficient. If not all of this does not matter - culture is
useless if people cannot eat, live and prosper. Culture is meant for us
well fed humans.
The man on the street would rather use the books as tissue paper - for he
has no clean water - the books are of no value to him but are of immense
value to us. So reflecting on our own self-interest we decry the lack of
cultural studies - studies whic are going to be subsidised by the masses.
Yet we well fed humans are the first to resist any movement which would
ensure adequate funding provisions are made for a decent welfare state
where people are not going to think about from where the next meal is
going to come from.
Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all.......
is something which comes to mind....
Chandrasekhar
>
> Sad that nothing of Naajar (perhaps with an exception of a film performance
> in "aggiraamuDu" 1954) nor PNM's great music was recorded. Shall I say that
> 'Telugus are once again late in catching the bus'!
>
> Regards,
> Sreenivas
>
> --
> E-Mail: sreeni@ktp.uni-paderborn.de
>