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FINDING SOLACE IN ART
Chanakya is often called the Machiavelli of the East. How do their teachings compare? How were they different?
Ankita
I wouldn’t call Chanakya the Machiavelli of the East to begin with since Chanakya not just predates Machiavelli by almost 2000 years, but his scholarship is far wider and deeper as compared to “The Prince”.
Machiavelli’s work is cunning, but self-serving. His shrewd intellect shows through this realpolitik treatise, The Prince, perhaps as a means undertaken to justify the ends? – to curry favour with the Medici, who returned to power after elbowing out the Republic, of which Machiavelli olace in art’ exhibiting the paintings of the late Shashi Srivastava was inaugurated at the Kala Srot Art Gallery on her first death anniversary. The exhibition was organised by her husband justice Brijesh Kumar, former judge, Supreme Court of India and chairman Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal, New Delhi.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Umesh Kumar Saxena, national awardee and former assistant professor at the University of Lucknow and Rajendra Prasad, head of department of Fine Arts at Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University. The close friends and family of Shashi were present on the occasion.
With teary eyes, Shaili, the eldest daughter of Shashi, remembered her mother and her artistic prowess. “Her artistic temperament can be seen in all the activities that she pursed and to name a few like adorning the house, her unmatched culinary skills, knitting, embroidery and carpet weaving. The list is endless. She was an amazing homemaker who had gained perfection in all the skills that make a house a perfect ‘Ghar.’ Her grit is very much evident in her work that we all have gathered to witness. Last year on this day, she left us for her heavenly abode,” she said.
She was an untrained artist. She used oil paint during her stay in Guwahati, Assam, in 1999. She painted on cloth canvas, saris and glass. Though she did not paint for long, she made many paintings during this time. In 2013, she began painting again when she realised she needed a distraction from her ailments. However, this time instead of oil paints, she used water and acrylics as the oil paints aggravated her asthma.
Painting gave her comfort during her ill-health. It was similar to therapy as it provided her relief just like the medication she took. All the work displayed at the ‘Kala Srot’ Gallery was completed by her in the past five years. Her work includes was a key figure.
It can be no coincidence that he extols the virtues of the Medici, at the same time putting to paper his knowledge of politics, reverently suggesting that the book may be perceived as a gift, as a way to understand in the ‘shortest time all I have learnt in so many years’.
And yet, the general nature of the book, which basically advises princes (or any ruler) on how to retain power, incited such passions across Europe that the word ‘Machiavellian’ meaning devilish cunning, unscrupulous political dealing and manipulative genius – came into use before any translation of the text had been sceneries, paintings of animals and city skylines.
Ananya, Shashi’s granddaughter, recited a poem written by her “A letter to God,” in honour of her grandmother. The late artist’s son justice Manish Kumar, other family members and art lovers too spoke on the occasion.
The exhibition is open for public till January 19. published. For holding views such as, ‘Idealistic politicians are ineffective politicians,’ and challenging the idea of Christian virtue as the governing principle in the conduct of a leader, the Catholic Church banned the book soon after its publication.
Cunning intellect is at work when Machiavelli states that it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them, clearly conveying that too much of a good thing could be a detriment to a ruler’s position. He explains that the prince who is too liberal with finances and not mean enough, spends his way to scorn from his people, maki-ng his kingdom vulnerable to more powerful armies. Here and above is ample challenge to that over-simplified comparison between Machiavelli and the political genius of Chanakya, who authored the Arthashastra.
Chanakya’s concept of kingship implies that the office is an aggregate of the people whose welfare is an end in itself. Here, the king was expected to be a virtuous person in words, thoughts and deeds. If he had to be cruel by necessity, it was to make virtuous life possible for all.
There is an emphasis on the creation of a state closest to an ideal.
On the other hand, Machiavelli details the methods a ruler can adopt to retain and grow his power, regarding the aspects of defence, governance, reputation, choice of secretaries, etc. The citizens’ welfare, if advocated, is limited to being governed by a suitable ruler.
In effect, there are some similar advices from both on how to maintain armies, how to choose one’s noblemen, how to manage finances, but the distance between these is from the viewpoint of the goal behind these concerns.
Machiavelli proves his astuteness in understanding the human nature thus: This is to be asserted in general of men that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed, entirely yours. And, just as Chanakya advocated the use of reward and punishment, Machiavelli is of the belief, ‘Men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails’.
It is difficult to ignore Machiavelli’s work though one may not agree with him.
Have any questions about life, management, philosophy, education, literature, yoga, mountaineering in India, or psychological issues or all of these? Ask Himanshu Rai. He is the Director at IIM Indore, an author, mountaineer, yoga enthusiast and a Sanskrit scholar. Mail at askhimanshu@htlive.com
Disclaimer: The responses in this column given by me are based on my learnings and experience. They should, by no means, be taken as a substitute for medical/ professional help.
Ajara by Aditi Kumar opened its showroom at Hazratganj, next to Hanuman Temple. The showroom was inaugurated by DGP Uttar Pradesh OP Singh and Miss India Universe 2019 Vartika Singh. “A unit of Adikansha India Pvt. Ltd., it’s one stop destination for all designer ethnic and occasion wear needs. The dress collection has wide variety and ranges like lehenga, suit, dresses, saree, gowns and light casual dresses,” informed managing director and designer Aditi Kumar and director Seema Gupta, a jewellery designer. In addition, Ajara has also adopted a village Aldampur on the city outskirts.