Drawing from the study of a ritual in South India called bhuta kola, we explicate the possible theoretical conceptualizations that can explain the aesthetic movement from the individual to the collective universal. The multi-layered nature of a socio-religious ritual performance lends itself to two main conceptual frameworks. The first is the aesthetic criterion of order and place that is embedded in the collective memory of the audience. The second is the experience of shared aesthetics among community members who are immersed in the performance. The theory of Rasa in Indian traditions of thought affords itself to the explanation of such a cognitive movement during ritual performance that is co-constituted by socio-religious symbolism as well as an aesthetic display. Dr Meera Baindur is faculty member at the Bengaluru Central University, India. Her research interests are environmental philosophy and Indian cultural traditions. She is currently working on place studies and Indian philosophical thought, particularly Rasa theory of aesthetics and rituals. She also studies the folk deities associated with the environment in the Himalayas. Tapaswi H M is a doctoral research scholar at the Manipal Centre for Humanities, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. His area of research includes Indian aesthetics, theoretical understanding of folk theatre as well as traditional theatre. He is also interested in the theoretical understanding of ritual performances.
Make this part of your paper trail
Save this paper to a shelf, write a review, and keep your own notes.