The Art of Appreciating Performance: Connecting India and Japan Through the Soul
1. The "Enjoyer" Completes the Art
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Japanese thinker Okakura Tenshin, who shared a deep friendship with the Indian poet Tagore, left behind these words: "The heart that finds beauty is as noble as the heart that creates it."
This statement conveys the importance of those who enjoy art—people known in India as "Rasika." The audience is not merely a group of people sitting and watching; they are essential partners in helping the "flower" of art bloom together.
2. The "Dynamic" India: The Joy of Spreading Energy
The style of the audience in India and Japan is surprisingly different. An Indian venue is like a passionate ocean. During a good performance, cheers of "Wah!" and shouts of "Shabash!" (Well done!) fill the air.
The reason the entire venue erupts with excitement the moment a rhythm hits perfectly is because the hearts of the performers and the audience become one, creating a sense of liberation as if a flower has suddenly bloomed. Having studied the tabla percussion instrument myself, I am always moved to goosebumps by that sense of unity when a moment is perfectly executed.
3. The "Quiet" Japan: Waiting for the "Flower" in Silence
On the other hand, Japanese audiences are remarkably quiet. However, this is not because they are bored. In performances like Noh, the audience holds their breath and focuses on the slightest movement of the performer.
In the world of Noh, the emotion that reaches the audience's heart is called a "flower." Zeami explained in his work 'Fūshikaden' that "the rare is the flower," meaning that what the audience perceives as rare (new, fresh) is the true flower (charm) in Noh. If India's style is to "expand the flower together," Japan's style is to "patiently wait for the bud to open in silence." Even though the forms differ, both contain the utmost respect for receiving the expression with care.
4. The "Dust-Covered Traveler" and the Scent Hidden in the Heart
There is a verse in a poem by the Indian poet Munir Niazi that goes like this: "A traveler covered in dust is immersed in his own deep world, just as a scent is hidden within a flower."
Yesterday I saw a man lost in the dust of his journey, within himself like a fragrance in a flower.
Even if one's exterior is covered in the dust of daily life, inside that person lies a noble spirit, much like a flower hiding its scent. When I read this poem, I was struck. I felt that the aesthetic that the Japanese have long cherished—that "important things should be kept hidden in the heart rather than displayed"—flows in the land of India as well.
5. A Future Connected by the Heart
People in India celebrate beauty by raising their voices, while people in Japan protect that beauty by remaining silent. Although the methods are polar opposites, they are the same in that both cherish the "scent of the heart's flower" that exists within them.
From here on, the bond between India and Japan should only deepen through this "heart that loves beauty." While finding the "flowers" that connect to our own souls within each other's cultures, I hope to walk carefully across this invisible bridge.