Traditional sustainability in arts and culture could be achieved through 'Bhakti' syndrome.

Dear Readers,

Namaste! As I write this Editor’s Note for the very first print issue of the Amrapali Magazine, the feeling and responsibility that it carries along with could not be defined in mere words. Being the founder of this magazine, it is a very emotional moment for me. It has been more than a decade since its inception in July 2014 when I introduced it digitally while serving my tenure at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Maldives as a Teacher-cum-Performer for Kathak dance under the High Commission of India to Maldives.

I’m very grateful to Prof. (Dr.) K. G. Suresh, Director, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi for collaborating with us for Aarambh ~ First Print Soireé at their Gulmohar Hall premises on this day of January 29, 2026. My heartfelt thanks to Dr. Sandeep Marwah, Anuja Bapat-ISS, Dr. Amarendra Khatua, IFS and Prof. Dr. K.G. Suresh for gracing the occasion as distinguished speakers on the Talk: India’s Creative Economy Boom Through the Rise of Artpreneurs.

I had been in an urge of a platform wherein everything related to arts and culture could be found, discussed, compared and debated. As because arts and culture are interwoven with associated subjects like history, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, literature, etc. And an emerging dance scholar or even a practitioner could find several connecting dots, amidst them all which could contemplate their journey of learning, performances and creations. Generalising and rationalising are important basics and essentials for learning and decision-making when used correctly. So, how in an art, its learning could be used correctly? Here, comes the existence of texts and the Shastra. Even oral tradition could be vandalised seeking personalized benefits or oppressions. Just to publish about culture reporting, various events held and interviews of repeated art personalities who residing in the mainland India and have the easy access to express their achievements and viewpoints in medias could not suffice towards development and practices required in the field of arts and culture.

And apart from all of these, if we aim to propagate awareness on arts, culture and on our country’s traditional values, then the only way we can lead our young student artistes is to provide them with adequate possibilities and a culminating platform to attain knowledge for both practical and theoretical. Although our performing and visual arts are 70% practical based, but denial of its theoretical aspect will be threatening upon its original existence. An art form who lose its written documents and archives, simultaneously loses its identity.

A country’s values and ethics can be determined by its history and civilizational root. And India is one of such living example. To sustain our traditionalism through arts and culture despite of several historical dark chapters which we passed through, strongly reflects our resilience, penance and above all the ‘bhakti’ syndrome. If bhakti would not have been associated with our art forms, we would have long lost its fundamental elements and purposes. Sangeet and Kalawould just have remained with us as mere Chand, Swar, patterns and motives, just like a lifeless beautiful art piece. And associated ‘mantra’, ‘mudra’, invocatory renditions like ‘Bhajan’, ‘Vandana’ and others that strongly denotes Hindu religion, philosophy and ‘dharma’ and even animism, would have been diluted completely.

Apart from establishing ‘prana’ in our Gods and Goddesses, we also establish this very concept within our art forms too. And this is the reason why, when tourists visit India or buy online Indian souvenirs, those crafts of thousand years old are still into practices. Our souvenirs are not ‘Made in China’ like it is in many prominent progressive countries. Our ‘Made in India’ artifacts, handloom and handicraft products being curated and produced through generations are well sourced from rural India whilst support the artistes and boosting the local economy.

Many traditional art forms got mutilated with time, some vanished under oppressions and others are still finding its sustainable route. As these are sensitive subjects, hence government ministries and its autonomous bodies who are directly responsible must play fair and remain transparent, which most often does not reflect unbiased approach and thus fail justifications.

Many artistes and organisations strive to establish and promote their respective art forms and find out ways for its sustainability, with support of Government grants and CSR funding. Seminars, cultural events, productions are all executed and presented both at government and non-governmental levels, which are then published and archived.

Cultural magazines and other such similar media platforms play a very important role in unfurling its readers’ mindset and paving their thoughts. The Amrapali Magazine aims to establish its identity as a documented cultural journal, wherein it will publish research papers, articles, features, news and can render thought provoking cultural debates and discussions upon art policies. At this, it is heartening to receive support and contributions from artistes and art lovers from different walks of life.

Even in today’s time, a magazine is not losing its importance, in fact with growing digitization it has grown into numerous mediums like print, digital and audio/video. Its purpose, contents and most importantly the strength of being the ‘fourth pillar’ of democracy - due to its critical role in upholding democratic values, ensuring transparency, accountability, and public engagement retains its inevitability.

My attachment towards generating a magazine took shape from my childhood. My father Late Suren Sarmah along with his friends and associates published and printed ‘Jug’ magazine, a very well known Assamese magazine of the early 1980s at his Simantika Printers in Chenikuthi, Guwahati (Assam). This print magazine used to be the core talk of our family. The excitement, month long planning for it, topics and written contributions received from readers from across the State would keep boosting the energy of the team.

The happiness of the collective journey meant to bring goodness for the society and the young generation is something beyond explanation. Encompassing various significant prints relating to a monthly publication specifically upon arts, culture and heritage is very rare. Continuing an art or cultural magazine that too as a monthly periodical is challenging. Because the community is small and at times not very active in writing documentations. Challenges will always be there, but hardships teaches us to pave out ways in the simplest available ways. And I am hopeful that this magazine would serve as a thought provoking read for art community.

India from ages has been an invading ground for attackers which led to erosion of many of its valuable cultural ideologies, ethos, recognitions and heritage parts. Magazines like this, with sheer commitment to propagate India’s lost and living traditions and culture as well as the Indian knowledge system would spawn Indian ethics of spreading humanity, peace and purpose. of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhi Naha’.

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु

मा कश्चित् दुःखभाग् भवेत्॥

Arts in India is not a sport. It is a way of deep realisation and connecting the inner self with the supreme energy. It always begins its presentation with an offering to the Gods or Goddesses. Articles like The Invisible Aura by Gurpreet Kaur, Brajavali Poetry by Ravindra Srivastava and Yoga Awakens Humanness by Swati Kumari are reflections upon the same. Article namely The Girmitiya Saga explains how the indentured labourers sailed from India to far lands during the British colonisation retained their Ramayana and other similar stories through ‘Tambura Bhajan’ despite enduring severe physical and mental pain and suffering. How Can the Media Promote Art by Vandana Srivastava, Science Worth dancing About by Poornima Ashok and White On Black by Aditi Chakravarty clearly defines an artiste’s point of view of how an art could treat us and in turn how we can pave our aesthetic communication through our practicing art.

Prof. (Dr.) Rajeev Indramani Jha, Rajni Rao, Dhiren Barot and Bhaswati Nandi Purkayastha gave well bifurcated write including prospects and challenges on the cover story India’s Creative Economy Boom Through Rise of Artpreneurs. Wamiel Pranaame Kashyap’s The Apatani of the Arunachal Pradesh and Gargee Kashyap’s Chandubi Lake leads us to the unknown and unseen beauty, folklore and tradition of the India’s northeast. Dhairya Khera’s Dhrupad & Dagar Traditions reflect traditional Dhrupad singing practice and its nuances with the course of history.

Art can be best perceived when being alone. And the loneliness then achieved, enhances our inner universal connectivity, fostering and introspecting solitude. This perpetuates a unique emotional response, allowing the viewer's personal history and feelings to interact genuinely with the art. It is not needed that every practicing or non practicing artiste requires to be an author or writer. But yes, reading theory, texts and Shastra apart from just be listed in the time table, should mandatorily be part of its executions on a regular basis. Visiting libraries and discussing about various books by different authors, etc. would help them understand about manipulation of their practicing art forms and its history.

Artistes play a crucial role in leading a country’s identity and practices because they live that art form throughout their life. They are the living example who passes ahead their knowledge and most importantly their perspective to their students. A minor misinterpretation in their teaching, learning or presentation could establish a whole new point of view and cultural dialogue which the country might have to struggle in calibrating it later which might take decades and hundreds of debates.

The major concern in today's time for the young artiste students is upon their consistency, patience, stability and urge for gathering in-depth knowledge. For this, one has to quit away from their wavering mind and other distractions. There is a need to understand about art meditation and mindfulness and to alert ourself upon the existing vacuum for young scholars, research personals and writers/authors.

Our new segments THE GIRMITIYAS - Journeys Beyond Home and PURVORTTAR PRABODHA - Perspectives from Northeast India will bring forth interesting stories and cultural notions from its parts. In today's time wherein every information come and goes through a 3 minutes long reel and forgotten with a single swap, the only way we can preserve our history and nurture whilst propagate our cultural root is by documenting and archiving them all.

In recent times also there has been some instances wherein northeast India origin people were troubled, mocked, harassed and killed. It is inhuman even in today's society which expresses itself via the global internet versions. Even on this date if we are unaware of such a beautiful region and mock our own countrymen, then there is a strong need on each of our shoulder to forward our effort in diminishing it.

Announcing The Top 10 Achievers of 2025 - In the Art Scene is a true honour. The Amrapali Magazine will feature one each every month from March 2026 issue. I am truly grateful to the Editorial Team for extending their full support all this while in bringing out this first print edition and the contributors who trusted our effort and took out their time in writing the wonderful articles.

With deep faith and gratitude on behalf of the Editorial Team, I forward the Amrapali Magazine to the world with hope of stronger cultural bonding and great reads!

Much love,