SLS Mirror November 2017 | Page 9

Lecture on Indian Philosophy 'The Frame of The Painting Is Like Prison Walls' He spoke of Gilles Deleuze, a French Philosopher, who makes a difference between major literature and minor literature. The minor is always a part of the major literature; it is invariably political and the minor literature is always collective. The minor is within the major not outside it. Prof. Raju contested this and stated that no revolution in west was ever spurned by literature. With the advent of modernity literature both minor and major is rendered minor. The modern art actually is an attempt to imagine the pre-modern within the modern paradigm. But the pre-modern cannot escape its modern settings. 'India Is A More Happening Place than West' Tagore called Gandhi Mahatma and Gandhi called Tagore Gurudev and the both seemed to enjoy a bond of 'intimate enemy”. Prof. Raju translated Mahatma as “over-personal self”. Both were able to separate person from idea in their relationship. Prof. Raju gave several instances where the differences between Indian thinkers like Gandhi, Patel, Nehru, Tagore and Aurobindo surfaced during the freedom struggle. The three characteristics of minor literature highlighted by Deleuze are available in India and hence India is a much more happening place. Gandhi Was the Biggest Fashion Designer India Has Produced In a very enchanting segment, Prof. Raju explained how Gandhi modied his idea of Mahatma by using the politics of attire. Aurobindo chose seclusion and white as his signature colour, Vivekananda chose wandering and saffron as his signature colour. Gandhi borrowed the white of Aurobindo and Wandering of Vivekananda. He rejected saffron for obvious communal reasons and seclusion because a politician can't afford it. We Have To Come Up With Strange Combinations Referring to Gandhi's reliance on Bhagvad-Gita as his inspiration, Prof. Raju asked the audience how a votary of non-violence can use a text preaching violence as his inspiration for achieving politics. This question is never asked because we are enamoured by western philosophy's reliance on deontology. Using a famous Mullah Naseeruddin parable, Prof. Raju claimed that we have to take light from where there is i.e. in the west and spread it in where it is required i.e. in the west. The recommendation in Bhagvad-Gita has to be taken with a pinch of salt. According to Prof. Raju if you really wanted to know the purpose of Bhagvad-Gita you have to come outside of the text. The war of the Mahabharata is actually a war within and one has to separate the context from the text to understand Gandhi's faith in Gita as a blueprint for non-violence. 7