"Art as Sadhana": The Vision of Ajit Mookerjee

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In the late 1960's Tantra was promoted as a particular art-form known

as "Tantra Art". The person largely responsible for this was Ajit

Mookerjee (1915-1990), a Bengali whose enthusiasm for Tantra was

unbounded.

 

For many years Ajit was the director and curator of the Crafts Museum

in New Delhi, India. Collecting, researching, conserving and

exhibiting Indian art and craft was his life's passion. For over two

decades he collected diverse and fascinating Indian spiritual art

objects and began to assemble items which he viewed as "Tantric".

These became the basis for the Ajit Mookerjee Collection of Tantric

Art.

 

In 1966 Ajit Mookerjee's exquisite book "Tantra Art: its Philosophy

and Physics" was published. It was a resounding success and opened

the eyes of many to a whole new way of looking at Indian sacred art.

The art published in Ajit's book included abstract, figurative and

erotic types. This made it attractive to a wide spectrum of tastes. A

diverse range of art appreciators as well as many contemporary

artists, dealers and collectors, were drawn to it. Ajit's "Tantric

Art" seemed to give meaning and direction to certain types of

contemporary art.

 

In 1971 Ajit Mookerjee's follow-up book "Tantra Asana: A Way to Self-

realization", dedicated "To Me and Thee", was published. This

publication was as fascinating as his first. But Ajit's view of

Tantra had expanded; he now focused on Tantra asana, "the (Tantric)

science of psycho-Yogic poses, based on the conception of the

universe and of man's role in it". In this book, Ajit added to his

previous definition of Tantra, redefining his position: "Tantra

itself is unique for being a synthesis of bhoga and Yoga, enjoyment

and liberation. There is no place for renunciation or denial in

Tantra. Instead, we must involve ourselves in all the life processes

which surround us. The spiritual is not something that descends from

above, rather it is an illumination that is to be discovered within."

 

I knew Ajit well and worked with him on a number of projects. He was

infectuously enthusiastic about things and people that took his

fancy. His collection, most of which I became very familiar with,

consisted of sculpture, paintings and ritual objects. Ajit

Mookerjee's amazing art collection was widely exhibited in Europe and

much of his "Tantra Art" became widely known and published. His

definition of Tantra was really straightforward, emphasizing its'

experiential and scientific aspects, together with its' linkage to

the acquisition of spiritual power:

 

"Tantra is both an experience of life and a scientific method by

which man can bring out his inherent spiritual power."

(Ajit Mookerjee in 'Tantra Art')

 

Unfortunately "Tantra Sadhana", the third volume in Ajit Mookerjee's

envisioned series, never manifested, though he did go on to produce

other books including "Yoga Art" (in 1975), "The Tantric Way: Art,

Science, Ritual" (with Madhu Khanna, in 1977), "Kundalini: The

Arousal of the Inner Energy" (in 1982) and "Kali, The Feminine Force"

(in 1988).

 

Ajit Mookerjee was a great believer in "art as sadhana", meaning "art

as spiritual practice". He loved to associate with traditional

Tantrics and, since he was a Brahmin, this meant he had to risk being

labeled a radical by his peers. He was an ardent believer in "the

Great Goddess" and dedicated his works "to Her". On one occasion when

I was visiting his house a sadhu (renunciate) woman dressed in red

arrived and settled herself in the corner of his yard.

 

Ajit prostrated before the woman, garlanded her with flowers and

ordered sweets and drinks for her. She started to verbally abuse him,

yet he took it all with a smiling face! Later Ajit told me she was a

Tantric practitioner, that she had been his wife but had left him to

pursue her spiritual liberation. He told me that he knew she was

really a "Living Goddess" and that quite often what she said came

true. He added that, though she sometimes spoke to him harshly, he

felt honored that she remembered him and visited his house. He said

that undoubtedly she was helping him, that her anger was a blessing

in disguise!

 

To Ajit Mookerjee must go most of the credit for focusing Western

minds on the visionary aspects of Tantra and for promoting it as a

valid art form. His view of Tantric art was not so much centered on

its eroticism but rather on its power. He continually pointed to the

awesome potential inherent in true "spiritual art", defining this

as "art created through spiritual discovery". He believed such art to

be "loaded with power", with the "Power of the Goddess" and told me

that in his considered opinion such art actually is part of the body

of the Great Goddess.

 

In 1972, "Tantra", the first comprehensive exhibition of Tantric art,

opened at London's Hayward Gallery. Sponsored by the Arts Council of

Great Britain, it primarily featured objects from the Ajit Mookerjee

collection, along with other items loaned from museums, dealers and

collectors of Tantric art. The catalog was organized by Philip Rawson

and carried his Introduction and other explanatory text. In it Rawson

writes:

 

"Tantra is a special manifestation of Indian feeling, art and

religion. It may really be understood, in the last resort, by people

who are prepared to undertake inner meditative action. There can be

no quick and easy definitions."

 

An excerpt from "Tantra as a Spiritual Art Form" by Nik Douglas, ©

1997, all rights reserved.

Source: http://www.tantraworks.com/tantraart.html