The floor now explodes with questions and opinions. Pancholi finds it difficult to control the transactions that follow. He allows the audience and artists to address each other without mediation till finally he calls for silence. ‘We have crossed our time limit long ago and we must stop this discussion here. The organizer has requested me to sum up the day's discussions. I shall try to do so as briefly as I can.

‘Two main schools of thought have emerged today. One sees art as a part of history, in conversation with the prevailing sociopolitical conditions. The other sees art as timeless and universal in its practice and purpose. That both these streams flow side by side, tells us once again that we are a society that lives in many ages and at many levels. In our history of several thousand years, many alien powers marched into the land and ruled over it. We marched into each other's kingdoms and ruled over them. The borders of culture are porous. If the West had not received the idea of zero from us through Arab scholars, they would not have made the technological progress they did. Cultural pride and the national ego should not be allowed to obstruct the give and take of new ideas. We must define ourselves by how we use what we take from others. In the old days under royal patronage, artists were obliged to flatter kings in their work. Today the artist faces the public, its new patron. How she or he deals with this relationship is for every artist to decide. In the course of this discussion, we have seen the different ways in which they do so.

‘This seminar was intended to be a forum for the expression of multiple views on art. It is for you, the audience, to decide what the discussion has given you. On behalf of Mr Vikram Shah, I thank today's speakers and this remarkable audience that has sat patiently through the discussion and responded so enthusiastically with questions and comments. Thank you.’

As people pour out of the auditorium, they gather once again in groups. Bapat breaks into Ashesh's group to say, ‘The point you made about beauty is unarguable. We must talk about beauty at leisure some day. May I introduce my student Abhijeet? He's not exactly a student. He comes and sits in my studio, tries to understand my ideas, thinks about them for himself. He does good work. I’d like you to see it some day. He needs guidance. Only a thinking artist like you can give him that. After all I am a traditionalist. Only the common man likes my work. It will always be ignored by critics.’

Abhijeet squirms. ‘Why do you say that, sir? I am so grateful for your guidance. You know that, sir.’