Journey with Ganapati : a media exploration and analysis of Hindu religious ritual components

Abstract

Applying modern and recent audio-visual technology to the traditional practice and performance of ancient Hindu religious ritual. To illustrate elements of the Indian Rasa theory of aesthetics, the canons of Hindu iconography, the symbolism of mantra, yantra, and tantra with the tools of computer graphics, animation, high speed photography, and to entice the imagery in a cocoon of sound spirals with the mechanics of structural and layered sound. To attempt a marriage of the observed ethnographic ritual with the contrived experiential state that modern technological tools permit. The nature of the tape will be circular in time and confined in space. It is to be used repeatedly like an audio record so that the sound-image stimulus becomes more familiar with playing and a familiarity and recognition factor replaces the "only once to be seen and heard" phenomenon. The written thesis will primarily serve as a background of ideas and theories employed and to help understand the technical, artistic or cultural traditions and the motivation for that use, with supportive sketches and drawings. 1. Use of the screen as stage/temple/space with the concept of yantra needs. 2. Use of traditional chant to create a captive sound environment. 3. Use of religious symbols and the inherent relationship between drawn pictures, dance, ritual performance and natural phenomena. 4. The appropriateness of computer graphics and other audio-visual technologies to serve and be extensions of traditional ritual components. 5. The insider- outsider dialogue concerning ethnographic film.