Mysore/Mysuru: Dr. S. Ahalya, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Karnataka State Sanskrit University, has said that the spate of unsavoury incidents being reported in the recent days stem from the lack of culture in man triggering evil thoughts in them.

Dr. Ahalya was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the two-day national seminar on the topic ‘From Sound to Script, Rhythm to Rasa: Indigenous Music Performing Arts and Sanskrit Traditions in Cultural Identity and Education,’ organised as part of World Theatre Dance and Music Day by Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, in city this morning.

“Yoga is described as the soft corner of music, but the ongoing in the present society show how the absence of culture in man is sprouting evil thoughts in him,” rued Dr. Ahalya.

The essence of music lies in Sanskrit and one can feel the experience upon hearing the song on Indian tradition. With the theatre in a phase of transformation, the art is set for enrichment. The Sanskrit plays are still staged proving its extinction. The visual media commands enormous influence and the verbal acting still has its own power.

Most of the literature is written in Sanskrit denoting the tradition of the country while the language of expression is in theatre. Even the language we speak produces a music and one cannot even have a conversation sans music. The art of dance has historical significance and there is a reference of natya (dance) in all the Vedas, said Dr. Ahalya.

Yoga as an art is popular world over and is rated as a three million dollar industry. Theatre exists through metaphor and has been disseminating several messages, with the tradition of theatre standing strong. However, it underwent several transformations in 10th and 11th centuries.

KSGH Music and Performing Arts University VC Dr. Nagesh V. Bettakote, Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. M.G. Manjunath, Art Historian Prof. Choodamani Nandagopal and retired Prof. Sudheendra Sharma were present.