Sadharanikaran: A Cultural Critique

Abir Chattopadhyay

Lecture presented at Behala College

Slide#1

Sadharanikaran: Introduction

The critique can be extended into five basic popular and opinion-driven segments:

  (a) Sadharanikaran: communication model;

  (b) Sadharanikaran: the concept and proposition;

  (c) Sadharanikaran: Global mediation dissolves Hindu-Western binarity;

  (d) Is a general communication model compulsive at all?

  (e) Is it at all possible to formulate a general model in the era of interpersonal and mass mediation intersection?

Slide#2

Sadharanikaran: Perspective-I

(a) Claims to have root of communication principle in Hindu Philosophy; Hindu model of communication;

(b) Natyashastra and Vakyapadiya have been widely consulted

(c) Bhattanayaka is believed to coin the term sadharanikaran; the oneness or commonness;

(d) Angika-Abhinaya-Bhava-Rasa-Audience taken from Natyashastra;

(e) Vak utterance from Para-Pashyanti-Madhyama-Vaikhari stages of mind taken from Vartrihari’s Vakyapadiya.

Slide#3

Sadharanikaran: Perspective-II

(f) The Vak transmission system later transformed into a rhetoric form of Communication Model;

(g) Firstly, the Royal dynastic Stage-craft of Natyashastra is considered the base to communicate audience;

(h) Secondly, permeation of Vak or Words of the communicator through abhivyanjana process starts the process;

(i) Audience or the recipient do the Rasaswadana from the Bhava transmitted;

Slide#4

Sahridayata to Sadharanikaran

(a) Both participants have to be Sahridaya with each other before communication;

(b) The interaction process axiomatically ends with the achievement of Sadharanikaran; oneness;

(c) No cultural imbalance or uncertainty among participants is recognized at the time of interaction;

(d) Western general process centric models also expect the same condition;

(e) So an intended finality of communication is assured in sadharanikaran.

Slide#5

Sadharanikaran Model by Nirmal Mani Adhikari

Slide#6

Sadharanikaran Model

(a) The model is linear based upon S-M-C-R formulation;

(b) It follows Schramm’s imaginary circularity of progress;

(c) It further follows Jakobson’s placement of elements; Sarani, Sanketa, Bhava;

(d) So it is a linear model of interaction/transmission;

(e) The model further aims to fulfill sadharanikaran;

(f) It appears like package of process from Sahridayata to Sadharanikaran;

(g) It naturally ignores/refutes any uncertainty of message;

Slide#7

Sadharanikaran: Communication concept

(a) Rasaswadana of Preshak and Prapak can never be of same dimensional;

(b) If not identical, conflict on interest is a natural phenomenon;

(c) western transmission models were criticized to undermine the recipient at the mercy of the communicator;

(d) Like western process models the present model is entrapped in the functional logic;

(e) the right of abhivyanjana strictly belongs to the communicator and even if not, then it rests on the third condition of sahridayata-control.

Slide#8

Sadharanikaran: the Concept

(a) Apart from Sadharanikaran model of communication the concept of Sadharanikaran is considered to be much broader among believers.

(b) This is such a communication process that is used to simplify the core knowledge for the use of subsequent generations;

(c) On that basis the responsibility and integrity as sahridayata is believed to be the foremost criterion of communication to happen;

(d) Abhvyanjana of the predecessor or communicator here is absolute;

(e) Recipient is expected to analyze the sandesha to understand the fullest to attain sadharanikaran;

Slide#9

Sadharanikaran: Process

(a) sahridayata is believed to be the foremost criterion of communication to happen.

(b) Abhvyanjana of the predecessor or communicator here is absolute. 

(c) Recipient is expected to analyze the sandesha to understand the fullest to attain sadharanikaran.

(d) The consequence is assured because both are sahridaya to attain sadharanikaran;

Slide#10

Sadharanikaran: The Crisis

(a) The concept of sadharanikaran therefore rejects any kind of deviance, non-believing and unknown condition at the time of interaction/transmission;

(b) If sahridayata is nevertheless considered willingness to participate in interaction the question of contextual occurrence drastically limits the open interaction and open sharing of knowledge.

(c) Specially in the age of media globalization the concept of sahridayata as a precondition of any transmission or interaction is either impossible or commercially forwarded.

Slide#11

Sadharanikaran: In 21st century

(a) The contemporary popular extension of the term is Generalization. The other synonymous codifications are Homogenization and Framing of Absolute.

(b) Generalization denotes aggregation of forms or structures [not bhava but any oral, literate and visual structure] it may correspond to a system preferably social system where forms and structures are highly dialectical, if not plural.

(c) Homogenization is the term that denotes dissolution of structures or forms toward the finality of a newer form

(d) The framing of absolute is a semiotic structure beyond any interaction and done only on a Sahridaya plane.

Slide#12

Sadharanikaran and Communication

(a) When Sadharanikaran starts from Mind [Para to Vaikhari] to Audience Transmission [both Natya and Individual interaction];

(b) Social Communication starts from Madhyama (Idea) - Vaikhari (utterance) - message structure (Code) - the External Reference – reception – independent meaning – expansion of meaning – complete detachment from the Preshak.

(c) But does it really happen?

(d) Simplification/Generalization – Homogenization – Framing of Absolute process overrules the occurrence of independent communication;

Slide#13

Sadharanikaran and Today’s Communication

(a) Sadharanikaran or the process of simplification follows certain stages of convergence:

(b) Convergence of all material elements in a system; first stage of sadharanikaran;

(c) Convergence of all cultural or semiotic codes in a predominant structure of faith; rest is Vichyuti or  distortion; e.g. Expression Codes in Consumer Society

(d) Convergence of power codes i.e. Tech-Religion Code;

Slide#14

Sadharanikaran and Cultural Normativity

(a) In this way, Sadharanikaran structure or configuration produces a massive sahridaya Metanarrative;

(b) And produces unavoiable Normativity and mythic directives of Lifeworld that disturb all natural Gender configurations;

(c) Truth of plurality is disturbed by Sahridayata compulsion.

Slide#15

Global mediation dissolves Hindu-Western binarity

(a) The media globalization has had withered away the age long divide between East and West in terms of media usage and media concentration;

(b) the condition of Sadharanikaran process managed a place in mass media and media-technology;

(c) Increasing number of Religious Channels incessantly communicate Sadharanikaran process;

(d) In all three forms of mediation like Reality Shows, Soap Operas, religious channels sadharanikaran as homogenization is in progress.

Slide#16

Does Communication really need a 'general' model?

(a) Does communication really need a general model or proposition bereft of a radical empowerment of the recipient, independence of even the individual communicator, such a meaning that was not intended by the communicator i.e. plurality of meaning?

(b) sadharanikaran as a concept hardly denotes simplification or resolving any conflict. It overshadows the conflict by reviving the age old dynastic transmission methodology.