INTEGRATION OF BHARATHIYA ARTS AND AESTHETICS INTO EDUCATION -DR GAYATHRI S

ABSTRACT

NEP 2020 stressed more on student centric approaches, holistic and multi disciplinary education. Especially integrating art in to school subjects and in higher education will not only create interest but also retains the span of attention among students. This creates enormous enthusiasm among learners. Learning will be joyful activity. 

“Art activities are the most effective medium, which allow creative expression for children to express themselves and experience joy in doing so” (Prasad Devi, 2006). According to Wordsworth “Art is the spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions”.

The article deals with Natya Shastra’s views on art and importance of integrating artistic values in to present education system. Especially the components of music, dance drama can be adopted in teaching with the component of communication mentioned in Natysa Shastra. Students love music and arts. The components of music, dance, drama, painting and other arts directly touches the emotions of students hence it creates emotional attachment/bondage with the subjects. When emotionally attached students start loving the academic subjects and motivated to accept the new knowledge and also span of attention can be improved.

Key Words: Music, Arts and Aesthetics, Bharata’s Natya Shaastra, Integration of music, dance drama, Painting and arts in to curricular subjects, language teaching

 

ARTS AND  EDUCATION

Art is an aesthetic expression of powerful emotions.  Bharatha’s Natya Shastra deals with eight Rasas/emotions (Hasya, Adbhuta, Bhayanaka, Raudra, Karuna, Veera Bheebhatsya, Shringara. Rasa of Shanta was taken later from the Abhinaya Darpana of  Nandikeshwara.). Rasa is the soul of  Drama, Poetry, Painting, Sculpture, Music, Dance 

Rasa or Emotion explains the relationship between performers and audience through ‘Rasa Bhava Anubhava’, Rasa literally means taste/essence/juice, is an emotional state. It is the delight and pleasure experienced directly from art. Bhava is to completely immersed with one’s  emotional state. It is a state of mind whose outcome is a rasa knowing how to sing/speak with emotion is an important skill to master those who wish to learn to sing/speak well. Anubhava is the emotions experienced by the performer and resulting in the audience experiencing the rasa.

Here teacher is like a performer and students are the audience. To reach students’ heart the teacher should play his role very effectively with some of the techniques. In the Natya Shaastra, Bharata refers to the different varieties of tone, tempo and pitch to be employed by the actors to bring out the subtle meanings in their speeches. Here it can be correlated to present education system. When teacher involves completely in teaching with correct gestures, different tones, tempo, variations in pitch, gesture, facial expression in teaching the content, it enhances interest and curiosity among students.

 Techniques of the theater and art can refine the speech, body-language, gestures and the state of mind. Involving in different kinds of art activities not only sharpens the brain but also gives spontaneity in expression.  singing, writing, reading, dancing, drawing, sketching, painting, sculptures elevates the consciousness and channelizes all sense organs in right direction to perceive the right knowledge. Art expressions are symbol of beauty, happiness, pleasure; education. It refines the senses of knowledge. Art gives way to understand different aspects of life and knowledge with joy.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

 Many studies were conducted abroad on art and other aspects of Education but there are scarcity of research studies in Indian context. Some of the studies are mentioned below.

Many studies at international level have shown that students who are exposed to any of the forms of creative expression, be it music, painting, or drama, on an average achieve higher scores in standardized tests. Nuessel, Frank and Marshall (2008) found that songs and music offer a rich resource for the development of the three communicative modes viz., interpersonal, interpretive and presentational and enhances the basic skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. McIntire, Jean. M (2007) found that music develops reading, writing, speaking and listening skills and it develops the literacy skills of children with special needs. Drama is highly regarded as an effective and valuable teaching strategy because of its unique ability to engage reflective, constructivist and active learning in the classroom as well as enhancing oral skills development (Di Pietro, 1987; Via, 1976; Heathcote cited in Wagner, 1976; Mezirow, 1990; Schon, 1991; Donato and McCormick, 1994; Lukinsky, 1990; Miccoli, 2003).The use of drama techniques and activities in the classroom provides exciting opportunities for second language learners to use the language in concrete “situations”. Besides, some research studies (Maley & Duff, 2001; Phillips, 2003) suggest that drama activities can promote interesting ways of motivating language learners and teachers. With drama we can play, move, act and learn at the same time (Phillips, 2003). A professor from a reputed medical college taught the medicine with Hindi songs, it created interest among students and also it reduced the stress among Medical students. They also scored good marks in their exams. ,Gayathri S(2014), in her experimental research found that music has significant effect on developing language skills of primary school students.

The above studies showed that Artistic skills like Music, Drama, have positive effect on not only in language teaching and learning but also developing interpersonal skills,   Medical subjects too. It also develops constructive learning. Hence class rooms can be filled with colors when taught through artistic forms like music drama, painting etc...

The psychological point of view also artistic forms touch the hearts of students and motivate the students to learn and accept the pot of new knowledge.  Learning will be more joyous and enjoyable. It is observed that children, who are engaged in art activities, develop a better understanding of other subjects, right from languages to geography to even science.

 

PAINTING/DRAWING/SCULPTURE

Painting is not just a piece of art but it teaches so many aspects of life. The subject of the painting gives enormous information. Painting attracts the attention of students. When I was doing my B Ed course I was memorizing the concepts through writing synopsis with the help of pictures/drawings/paintings. By seeing one painting, I was memorizing difficult concepts very easily and large amount of information too with one piece of drawing.

 Painting/drawing communicates a lot.  Many portraits/ paintings /drawings in temples, art galleries, and museums tell us the whole history of the past. A painting communicates a large amount of facts and information and it remains in our heart forever. Paintings can be used to teach life story, events to students very effectively with minimum oral expression or even without oral expression.

Ancient Sculpture,art and architecture teaches us a lot. It tells the glory of ancient India and also shows that our Bharathiya culture was ahead of all cultures. We should train our students to be artists to preserve our richness of our art and architecture.

 

Some Techniques to Integrate Painting into Curricular Subjects

·       Students can be shown some paintings, drawings, pictures portraits etc. and ask them to express their feelings orally,  it improve creativity, oral skills, sharpens brain and so on.

·       Converting Textual content into pictorial content like drawing, painting, portraits, photographs etc.. it helps in memorizing content very easily.

·       Analyzing the paintings of the past. Students understands the past history, enhances analytical mind.

·       Visiting ancient Temples like Brihadeeshwara, Halebeedu, Belur, Ajanta, Ellora, Hampi, Lepakshi, temples in Tamilnadu, Kerala and other states need to be studied scientifically. Studying the paintings, Sculpture art and architecture in detail is the need of the hourto know the engineering skills of Ancient people of Bhaaratha. 

MUSIC

Music is a very powerful media of edutainment. Especially the components of music attract the attention of learners.

Some Suggestions

·       Integrating the components of Raga, Bhava and Tala into Teaching.

·       Recognizing the musicality in the language and literary pieces and teach the content accordingly.

·       Use Sanskrit Shloka and Mantras for solving pronunciation problems.

·       To teach difficult concepts analyze the content prepare music lessons and present before students and repeat it, explain the content.

·       Tune music for the poems for Memorization.

·       Use of folk music and connecting it to daily life situations.

·       Usage of simple rhymes helps in recalling the content at primary level.

·       Appropriate songs should be used to teach vocabulary, pronunciation of new words, conveying meaning, etc…

·       Emphasize more on language/literary aspects rather than only on Music and present the language/ Content through music but not music alone.

·       Use to teach intonations i.e., rising and falling of voice, modulation of voice etc…

·       Use music to teach rhythm in poem/rhymes. Especially for teaching lower classes   suitable beats/claps for rhymes and poems to develop curiosity and interest among young learners which develops concentration and span of attention.    

·       Presenting musical lessons before students and instruct them to summarize, write up their views on the particular topic & encourage them to write creatively after listening to the piece of music, this activity enhances students’ comprehension and expression abilities.

 

 

 

DANCE

Natya Shastra mentions about Navarasa and Mudras, the hand gestures. The dancer expresses herself/himself with different gestures and Emotions. Here the dancer communicates with audience without speaking. It is very easy to understand what the dancer is trying to communicate. One who doesn’t  know the language also can understand, only because of the Navarasas (emotions) and Mudras (gestures).

Some Suggestions

·       In present education system also we can use it as a method of teaching, as a Strategy,  especially for teaching special children, it will be very effective.

·       Teachers can be trained with the help of above said techniques.

 

DRAMA

Drama is mixture of all art forms. It covers language, literature, communication, music, sculpture, painting and what not!!!   Natya Shastra describes four aspects of Abhinaya

1.     Angika-  motions of parts of body

2.     Vachika- Speech

3.     Aharya- Make up

4.     Saatvika- emotions expressed through minute movements of lips, eyebrows ear and so on. Totally Natya Shastra tells how to communicate effectively with art forms to touch the hearts of the audience. It is more refined way of communication.

How to apply Natya Shastra in education system

Here it teaches so many lessons to teacher on communication skills. Here teacher need not to dance or dramatize. But the concept of Abhinaya can be adopted accordingly. Teaching is an art as well as science. Good communication is the soul of teaching. The above techniques can be correlated and adopted accordingly.

1.     Angika- Postures of standing, sitting, walking, hand movement while teaching.

2.     Vaachika- Speech with varieties of tone, tempo and pitch to be employed by the teacher to create interest and improve span of attention.

3.     Acharya: The dress code of teacher influences a lot on students. Hence teacher should be very careful because students blindly follow their teachers. Hence teacher builds the nation. So he should try to be perfect in all aspects of life.

4.     Saativka: Teaching is an art communicating with each and every student is very important. Eye contact with all students attracts their attention and theywill be more attentive.  

Drama immerses the audience in the world of joy. It makes to forget all miseries, troubles and gives happiness and teaches so many aspects of lessons of life. One can learn so much of knowledge within a short span of time and that too without any conscious efforts. It can be implemented in present education system too. Because Students too enjoy and love music, dance, painting, sculpture, drama activities.

                             Especially Drama engages all sense organs. Hence learning new knowledge will be very easy. The span of attention can be enhanced. Dramatization can be a very good method of teaching for students at all levels.

       They need not to be spectators always because students too love acting, singing clapping, laughing, speaking, dancing etc….the students also need to be given chance to express themselves.  Hence these can be used as strategies to teach the concepts very easily.   

Conclusion:

Music art and aesthetics are powerful vehicle of conveying emotions and adds meaning to the content. Especially Indian art and architecture is very sacred and powerful in nature. Vocal music language is being sung. Language is being presented through dialogues in Drama. The component of emotion in a piece of music dance and drama conveys the message directly to the hearts of students. Art helps students to grasp the content very easily. Memorization of content will be very easy. Teaching and learning will be joyous activity.

References:

Sambamoorthy P. (1982) “History of Indian music”, The Indian Music Public House, Madras

NEP-2020, New Delhi

Gayathri S, Music A Boon for Children proceedings of the I International Multi-Disciplinary Conference on current research trends(2009) Mysore ISBN 978-0-557-23821-1

 Verma .K .Shivendra,(1995) Language in Education, problems and principles, T R Publications, Madras

·       Gayathri S Music Approach for quality in Language Teaching and Learning(PageNo.76) in  a book named Empowering Teachers published by PRISM Books PVT.Ltd Bangalore (2012)ISBN81-7286-745

·       Gayathri S A New Paradigms in Language Education Amrita Vishwavidyapeetham, Mysore (2012), ISBN978-81-924422-1-1

Edutracks on MBLT strategy in May 2013 Vol. 12 No.09

 Gayathri, S & Sharma,pl(2014)Music and Language Teaching in the Context of Mildly Mentally Challenged at Elementary Level,in sk goel(ed)readings in education,volume 5,jaipur:oxford book co,chapter 11,,pp1041-1049(ISBN :978-93-5030-169-2)

Gayathri S (2014)”Effect of Music Based Language Teaching Strategy on Language Competencies among Primary School Students”  NCERT, University of  Mysore. (My doctoral thesis )

 Note:

This paper of mine was published for the first time in the Magazine "The Quest of Bharatiya Shikshan (MBSM, Mumbai) in the year 2022.