Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c2.1

c2.1

Tʜɪꜱ monograph is mainly the result of studies conducted by me as a Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla; during the year 2014-15. My areas of study were Sāhityaśāstra (Literary Theory) and Nāṭyaśāstra (Theory of Drama and Theatre). But as a teacher and researcher, I have always remained conscious of the vitality of *vāda* — which is roughly translated for the purpose of this work as a category involving theory and practice of intellectual debates, dialogues and discussions. Traditional knowledge systems in India thrived because of *vāda*. These traditional systems have been subjected to a general negligence during the last two centuries or have been largely misrepresented. There has been an over-emphasis on spirituality and religion in the recent studies on the ancient Indian knowledge systems, and the disciplines having a focus with logic and arguments remained sidetracked. Ānvīkṣikī (logic and investigation) was a major discipline which was highly valued in ʙᴄᴇ era. K. Satchidananda Murty rightly points out that “the study of classical philosophy in India has been dominated by *darśana*-concept, ignoring the Ānvīkṣikī-concept of philosophy”.¹ A revisit to the theories and practices of *vāda* will hopefully lead to viewing these knowledge systems in their right perspective.