The AIM or objective of founding this Trust is to bring back into our lives and educational system of our country, the ancient knowledge base of the 64 Arts, popularly known as “Chaunsath Kala”. Each of these ancient 64 Arts or “Kalas” was considered a science, a “shastra”, and written texts exist with respect to each one of these. The difficulty lies in the fact that all these ancient texts are in Sanskrit or older scripts, and few are the families who know about them, or can read and interpret them. Also little is known about where these texts have been dispersed over the centuries.
The foremost activity, which is now the thrust of the Foundation, is to take up at least one ancient text in each of the 64 Arts, the basis of ancient and modern Indian Traditions and Culture. We have started this work since some time now, with “Mayamata”- an ancient text on Architecture known as Vaastu Shastra, as practiced in Southern India. This work is being carried out with an interested group of people at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. This work has 30 chapters and over a thousand “slokas” or couplets, in Sanskrit poetical form. They start with explaining how to draw a line and divide it into different proportions, then take us step by step on how to design various structures and forms, including a thirteen storied building. The approach is to translate the ancient texts, which are in the Sanskrit poetic form of couplets - word by word, give the meaning of each word and the couplet, further prepare graphics to help a better understanding of each couplet. The entire work is now being transferred on to computers with the help of ACAD software system, and other Indian language softwares. Once this work is complete, we would like to bring these out in the form of books, Cds or Cd-Roms, DVD’s, etc so that students, professors, scholars, researchers anywhere, can make use of them, in their studies or courses, to recreate our country’s ancient knowledge base and wisdom, inject fresh creativity, with new forms of expressions, without sacrificing the ancient and fundamental principles. After completing the translation work of “Mayamata”, we wish to take up other ancient works, such as “Mansara” – Architecture tradition of North India.
Once one such work is completed, the next step would be to prepare, as we said above - books, CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, etc for students, scholars, researchers, professors, but most important of all, to prepare educational material for children of different age-groups, of our own country, and for children of other countries. It is very important, that children be exposed to their culture in all its aspects, from a very young age, as part of basic education. This unfortunately is not happening in any country. No educational institution in India or outside, deals with culture in all its aspects, as part of our basic education, right from childhood. This is as essential as air, food and water, not only for our survival, but for one’s richness of life and knowledge. It is very important for us to do this work as early as possible, so that the richness of our heritage, our legacy, can be passed on to future generations. We hope, this elaborate effort of our Foundation, would become an example not only for us in India, by preparing these materials in different Indian languages, as well as other languages of the world, but encourage others in other countries, to undertake a similar fundamental work for their own cultures.
A similar effort is also underway, for another ancient text called “SAKALADHIKARI”, on the ancient Indian concept of proportions, of the human body, for all Art forms. The original script of this text is on palm leaves, with a traditional crafts family in Kumbakkonam, Tamilnadu, South India. This text is in Granthi script, which is the forerunner of the Tamil script. With the help of the craft family members, the first thing to do was to translate the entire text of Sakaladhikari, from Granthi to Sanskrit, a total of 535 couplets. A second important step which is now completed couplet by couplet, is giving the meaning of each word and the meaning of each “sloka” or couplet, in English. A third important step getting completed now, is preparing in English script, the entire Sanskrit text of Sakaladhikari, to help make it internationally accessible. Simultaneously the illustrations or graphics are also under preparation, with the help of young students and masters. Finally we would like to make three dimensional models of the main illustrations in these texts, through metal castings, made with the help of master craftsmen, and video tape the entire process for posterity.
An incident which has been very encouraging for us, we share here, to help understand the significance of all this work. Some time back, at a conference in Bangalore, a member of our team explained the different aspects of our research and work, on the 64 Arts of our culture, more specifically the work being done on Sakaladhikari text as an example. After the presentation, a manufacturer of artificial eyes approached him, requesting information on proportions for eyes as described in the ancient Indian texts. Based on these proportions, he made a new set of eyes and kept them for sale. They observed that people always bought the new set of eyes, and not the old ones. When asked why? All had a similar reply… “We do not know what it is, but these (new) set of eyes appear living, where as the others seem lifeless”. So what is it, in the ancient secret of proportions, which can make dead material look alive?
Our efforts are to make people aware of our research and activities, so as to encourage others to take up more such areas of work. We share our information through seminars, workshops, conferences, in India and abroad. We give lectures not only on our ancient Indian traditions, but also their scientific principles, which we are researching and discovering, under the umbrella of our Akash Education and Research Trust. It is also important for people to understand not only what is there in our past, but also why and how these ancient principles can still be useful today, and make all the difference in creating a harmonious, peaceful, creative and integrally healthy life and living spaces.
The entire purpose and effort of our Akash Foundation, is to bring out the amazing depth and vastness of ancient Indian knowledge systems, into our present day graphics and technical language, better understood by our professors and students, and the public in general, so that in schools and colleges, in our homes in India and abroad, everyone can study, know and appreciate the uniqueness of our ancient knowledge traditions, and integrate these into our life, work and activity.
Plans are underway for the design of a centre near Pondicherry, South India, where all these activities can come under one roof. A place, where people from India and all over the world, from all walks of life and interests, can come to study, learn, research, participate. On the foundations of our past create a new future – a seat of learning, such as Nalanda was in ancient times. The idea is to design this centre using all natural materials, using all the information we have researched on ancient architectural practices of Vaastu, Geobiology energy principles, and make the centre totally Eco-sustainable - through the integration of all technologies related to natural sources, such as solar, wind, biogas, rain water harvesting, sewage treatment with the help of reed bed technology, recycling of water, recycling of kitchen waste for composting through wormy culture, utilising compost heat for generation of hot water….
The above mentioned studies and research activities are being carried out, in order to help bridge the gap, the vacuum that exists essentially, due to non-availability of our traditional knowledge in a comprehensible language and system., We hope to create a base, for scientific understanding and appreciation of our valuable ancient knowledge systems, inspire individuals to take up further research and study, give new and valuable expressions to our traditions, art and culture, help a new Renaissance flourish.
For this to happen, it is essential that we go back to our roots, to our ancient knowledge systems, rediscover that which is the essence, which constantly renews itself through varied and new expressions, and enriches itself by integrating other knowledge systems from around the world.
