This short paper looks at the Indian tradition where a certain degree of interactivity and translatability (and transformability) existed among the various kalas like natya, gana, chitra, vastu, nritya and so on. It points out that this was possible because of certain structural similarities among the kalas, and because of a common aesthetic goal that each strived to achieve, at least in theory. In that context, it briefly explores the notions of tala (rhythm), dosa (defects) and gunas (percepts) as elements of structure common to different kalas and bhava (aesthetic mood), rasa (aesthetic relish) as the goal of most of the kalas. It also looks at the ragamala tradition both in music and painting to illustrate the above points. The postcoloniality of the exploration lies in the very desire to rethink the convention in terms of the notion of translation. At the end, it raises questions related to methodology in translating, transcreating or transgressing traditions in a postcolonial context.