R K Narayan is a pure artist who doesn’t go into contemporaneity too deeply to create pieces which are mere period literature. He is a realist with a wide range. Thi Janakiraman is considered as one of the major figures of 20th century Tamil fiction. The writing style of Thi Jaa is simple and engaging. Thi Jaa has written about hundred short stories and a dozen novels. Possibly, the greatest work of Thi Janakiraman is the novel Mohamull (Thorn of Desire). The paper deals with how these two writers handled the theme of art and artiste in some of their works. The plots of R K Narayan’s The Guide and “Selvi” actually stand for art in general or feminine art in particular. Neither Karnatic music in “Selvi” nor Bharatanatyam dance in The Guide are explored in depth. Janakiraman brings together in the novel two great forces in human nature. His music goes beyond the ordinary human aspirations for mere melody and money, and penetrates his being. To him, as to Ranganna, naada becomes the reality, and music becomes a mode of exploring his innermost being. That instinct for exploration makes it possible for him to go in search of an ideal of music that he has seen in a different school, disregarding the practical demands of life. Narayan and Janakiraman are both inspired by this quality of music and dance.

India has indeed got a very rich tradition of arts and aesthetics. These are mainly idealist and mostly god-oriented. Though secular art and the concept of beauty are well established in Indian art, it is the inclination to the devotional that characterizes Indian aesthetics. Even the erotic is habitually portrayed as spiritual allegory. Man-Woman relationship as portrayed in all Indian art is marked by the allegorical significance. The Bhakti cult has strengthened this tendency.

These are commonplace observations. It is interesting, however, to see how this attitude is reflected in the writers of very recent times. One of the very best Tamil writers, Thi Janakiraman, passed away just a few years ago. He was one of the very prolific and very prominent Tamil writers who had a special instinct for exploring complex human relationships. He was one of the very few writers seriously concerned with art and the artiste.1

The other artiste with whom this paper deals is the famous R K Narayan. Much need not be said here about him except that not much attention has so far been paid to him as a writer seriously concerned with the theme of art and the artiste. This paper is a note on the musicians that these two writers portray in some of their works. I do not touch upon the comparative literary characteristics involved in the study: I leave it to the reader. From early times, music in India—all forms of it—has been dedicated to the pursuit of God. God Himself is conceived of as a lover of music, supreme artiste, etc. The Goddess of Learning carries a veena in her hands. Shiva is the cosmic dancer. Krishna is the enchanting flutist. There are Devas whose specialization is in music. Ravana saved his skin by his expertise in Sama Gaana. Music is prescribed as the easiest approach to God.

All this has led to the attribution of purity and spirituality to the artiste himself. According to ancient custom, an entire community dedicated itself to the Lord of Music. Its women were ritually married to him; they were called the brides of God and the bride was taken not merely as a lover but also as a dedicated slave of the Lord. In Tamil, the community’s name is self-explanatory: Devarku-Adiyaal, the slave to the Lord. Essentially, it involves very great values.

English Studies Journal, Music and Dance in Fiction, A Study of Selected Works, R K Narayan and Thi Janakiraman,Sama Gaana, Devarku-Adiyaal, Devadasi, Thi Janakiraman.