The Kurse or Karna

This blog is written as a task assigned by Megha ma'am, Department of English(MKBU). In this blog two questions are discussed related to the play 'Kurse or Karna'.

Write a critical note on the class conflict and caste conflict in The Curse.

‘The Curse or Karna’ is a play that is written on the basis of the Subaltern theory. In which we find that Karna's character is mostly neglected in the writing of the ‘Mahabharata’. In which the other characters are portrayed in a positive manner. But Karna throughout the play suffers without any fault of his. In the play caste and class system play a major role in play. 

In the play whenever Karna tries to prove his strength his curse stops her from doing that. In the very first act we find out how he gets cursed by Raama, and the reason for the curse is also the same as his Cast. He learns the skills of archery from Raama saying that he is a Brahmin as a cast because he only teaches Brahmin later he assumes by an incident that he is Kshatriya when he himself doesn't even know that. 

Later when he was in between the ground to showcase his skills in front of Arjuna he failed to do it because he was reminded that where he belongs and only a king can fight with the kings, so there too we find the class conflict. When he goes to the ‘swayamvar’ of Draupadi he is humiliated saying that Draupadi does not want to marry a “Sooth Putra”. He says if she does not want to marry him then she can say no but humiliating the caste where he belongs and making it inferior and disrespecting it is a huge mistake. One is cursed on the things that is not even in his control of. Ine can make critique that one is not doing that intentionally but where and when one born it is totally out if control so that conflict also addressed by the playwright here.

At last when he is in his final battle in Kurukshetra fighting Arjun he is reminded of his low birth and again he can not prove himself there he can not show his skills even though he is a better archer than Arjun but still he has to lose his life there. This shows the atrocity of the culture that a person who has to suffer his whole life just because he was born in the family, which is even out of his hands also to born. We can also connect the Gayatri Chakravarthy Pival’s Subaltern theory here that at what extent a person suffers through just because he is born in some caste. It is relevant even in the contemporary society also still in the various parts of India people believe in the casteism. Movies like ‘Jai Bhim’ directed by Gnanavel and ‘Article 15’ by Anubhav Sinha show the ground realities of India even today.

The play is even useful, Karna the unsung hero even has the same importance as it has been from centuries. It is more celebrated in contemporary times because it shows the reality of India and portrays the characters real even today. 

Discuss the Various themes found in “The Curse or Karna”.

There are many themes that can be identified in the play “The Curse or Karna”.

Caste system:

The very prominent theme in the paly is caste, that is the root cause of Karna's suffering, because he is “low born” or “Sudra” he has to face many challenges in life. Because of the caste he can not get propeer education, because the caste he can not showcase his skills, because of xaste he can not marry a woman he likes, bacause of the caste he has to give away his life. Each and every step Karna has to face that caste dynamics wherever he goes. Even the curse that he gets from Raama is because of his caste. Karna can be read in contemporary time as Subaltern hero, who is unsung in the major narratives ans marginalized because of his so called “lowly birth”.

Curse:

As the title of the play itself suggest that the curse or the Karna. If curse lhas to survive that the curse has to melt down. But the curse that is in the society of Casteism never let live people peacefully. The curse of Raama to the Karan that he will forget all his Vidya when he needs it the most, that happens at the crucial moment when he is fighting with Arjuan and he is killed in hands of Arjuna. The very death of the Karna also happen because of his curse.

Destiny: 

Although it is a fictional work in the story we find that destiny plays a vital role in Karna’s whole life. At first his birth also was an accident, he was an unwanted child. He was raised by the “Sootha” family. Then he has to live his whole life with the identity which is given from that foster brother. When on the last day in the ashram his guru Raama was resting on his lap a scorpion came and started making a hole in his thigh. When his blood was felt by Raama and he was cursed because Raama assumed that he is not Bramhin but Kshatriya in reality he was Shudra. Kunti also came on the last day of the battle between Arjuna and Karna.

Cultural Studies, Media, Power, and the Truly Educated Person

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on Cultural Studies. How media shapes the society and how power dynamics works word wide that is the core of this blog. For further information you can visit this Blog.

Teacher's Blog.

1. Media and Power: 

How does the blog articulate the relationship between media and power in contemporary society? Provide examples from the blog and your own observations.:

In contemporary society media plays a vital role in giving power to any person or institution or party. In the ted ed video there is a term “partisanship”. As an individual one identities oneself with a group which follows the same ideology. It happens in many ways: religiously, politically, nationally and ethnically. One tries to be with one ideology. Problem arises when while being in the group one loses his/her own individual thinking process, one has to follow what the majority of the group say or the leader of the group says. The state of euphoria takes place and an individual loses his/her reasonable mind. 

There is an example of sports, if one supports one team and that team tries to cheat in the game which is wrong because one supports that team he/she will try to justify it or see as nothing wrong has happened. In contemporary times in newspapers we find people are on strike for so many days. In particular, states where the opposition parties rule, the whole nation criticises the government, but the same incident happened in Gujarat and everyone is mum not a single word, because there is a ruling party. One can see it another way also that the cases of rapes have been happening in India from long period of time nobody becomes too serious but when it happens to a person who belongs to an elite group or higher class of job everyone becomes too serious on that topic. It happens only when a person belongs to a party or the group one reacts not caring about the other.

There is a term used in the video “Cognitive dissonance” which means that a person starts to think as the group believes. It happens because of the news channels and social media. In social media the algorithm works in a way that an individual likes in the same way one sees the same type of content over and over and there are people who believe the same that makes one more confident about one's ideology and a whole bunch of people can be manipulated through the news channels and social media. As we know sometimes the news channels try to show the reality as it is. They try to work in a decent manner but the channel like NDTV is purchased by a billionaire whose interest is different. Now the news channels will show only the content which is pro-government. News channels debates that go on all day try to brainwash the people that their religion is in danger, their nation in danger and if they don't make one party win the election the others will destroy everything.

Role of Education:

The blog discusses the qualities of a "truly educated person." How does this concept challenge or align with traditional notions of education? What qualities do you think define a truly educated person today, especially in relation to media literacy?

In the beginning of the Ted.ed video there is a test in which there are two identical questions one is related to the math and other is related to the political ideology. Even though they are in the same line but most of the people who arw good at maths not able to answer second question correctly. This shows that our cognitive ability perhaps be good in maths and othe lr subject but in political and media literacy we still have to work. So our traditional knowledge and system may not help us in that. 

There are various things that one can do to go near the truth. We are more biassed than we think so whenever any new information comes to us we have to do fact checking. Is it the right information or not? There are times when our mind will say that this is the right thing. One has to challenge our own beliefs on what basis we believe that this is true. In group one has to identify the false information and try to put one's opinion on something that could be different. One has to understand that people with different points of view exist and one has to live with them without hating them and we have to co-exist together. We are living in the post-truth era where there is information, misinformation, half-truths, mix-truths and lies also, so everything is supposed to be checked twice before believing. And one also has to keep looking that the ideas that seem true today may be different in future. So self critique and analysis is also necessary.

“To be truly educated means to be resourceful, to be able to “formulate serious questions” and “question standard doctrine, if that’s appropriate”…. It means to “find your own way.”

Cultural Practices:

Media often shapes cultural norms and practices. Discuss how media representation influences cultural identities, specifically marginalized groups, as per the blog’s argument. Can media also act as a tool for resistance against dominant power structures?:

Media plays a crucial role in shaping society. Noam Chomsky puts it very clearly that media houses are business. They are owned by the big companies, in other words they are corporations that run on the basis of profit, and where their profit depends on that is the advertisement that is also another business. So the media houses’ work is not to telecast the right or or the truth they telecast what raises their TRP. On that basis they will get the money. So basically there is not a question that the media house are conservative or liberal they own the industry and they can sell what they want to it does not have to have the truth or spreading the right information. It deals with the fact that more and more elite people see the channels so they also see the advertisements and media houses can earn more money as simple as that.

Other examples he gives are ‘The New York Times’ , which is the most important newspaper of the USA. The newspaper that is daily produced is also stored. And whenever the people want to see the past they can access that newspaper so in creating past, present and future newspaper and media houses play a vital role and it belongs to a corporate house that works for the business. So one can understand whatever information we get through media, newspaper and Social how truthful it can be.

If we consider the video then the media can not act as a tool for resistance against dominant power structures, because it is owned by the elites. For example the NDTV in India owned by Adani, how can we expect that the media house will report something against the policies of that company or political ideology that Adani group follows. But any channel that works on the noble cause they have the power to serve the marginalised people and their problems but then they might not get that amount of profit. 

4. Critical Media Consumption:

Reflect on your media consumption habits. How does the media influence your worldview and daily choices? How can a critical approach to media consumption contribute to becoming a truly educated person?

As we have discussed, we live in a post- truth where there are more possibilities that the information that comes to us that is false or half-truth. And whatsapp forward or facebook message one can not rely blindly. One has to double check it on the authentic material. As we know that Instagram, Meta and Whatsapp three of them are run by the same company. So whatever we see and search on through that we get the advertisement. If we search something on Google the next ad we see it on Instagram. Today we rely more on a few seconds reel instead of reading the book. So our source of information is short and shallow. There is a higher possibility that whatever we consume is wrong and truth can be the opposite.

If we see the news channel that is also controlled by corporations and politicians. So one can not rely on that too. One has to be critical in each and every single detail that one gets through media. And even speaking about the truth is also important, otherwise the false information spreads faster than the truth. So in the WhatsApp sharing chain one has to stop the flow and try to be as critical as possible and explain to others that this is not the right way to share information. 

There is also a positive side of social media. That gives us freedom of expression, one can post whatever one thinks and wishes. In that one can share the right information one can also create an archive of family or personal life. One can inspire others to do the same. A YouTube like platform provides a space for individual creators to share their insights. One should have media literacy and one should be able to interpret the power dynamics in the world and also one should understand the power and execute it.

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Poems: 'Lakshman' and 'Deeno Daan'

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Megha Madam, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on two poems 'Lakshman' and 'Deeno Daan'. In which I tried to answer the questions given by ma'am as a task. 

Q-1: Write a critical note on ‘Lakshman’ by Toru Dutt.

Ans. Lakshaman is a poem based on the epic poem Ramayana, in which the episode of abductance of Seeta and golden deer episode is retold by Toru Dutt. The characters are well portrayed in which the dialogue between Seeta and Lakshman is the main focus of the poem. Ram goes to bring the golden deer, when it was being killed by Ram it makes the sound like Rama that Sita and Lakshaman hear and Sita thinks that Ram is in danger. Lakshaman knows the strength of Ram so he knows he can not be defeated but Sita got  nervous that he might be dying. 

The depiction of the character is quite different in this episode and in Toru Dutt’s poem it is quite a different portrayal of the characters. Laksham is known for her anger and Sita is known for her docility but in the poem Sita becomes more ferocious and speaks language that is unbearable for Lakshaman. On the other hand, Lakshman quietly listens to all the harsh words of Sita and does not say anything in anger; he just bears everything. Toru Dutt has wonderfully portrayed the character. Lakshaman’s character is there in the epic Ramayana but he is not considered as a hero or the central figure but in the poem the patient and the respect that he has for Sita is admirable. In the poem Lakshman is a hero who is in a way in a dilemma about what to do. On one side there is a Sita who is continuously telling him to go and save Ram. On the other side the Ram has given the order to protect Sita until he returns. 

The poem shows Sita as not a godly figure or even a person with the faith, she rather becomes the emotional fool and falls in the trap of Raavan. If Sita is that knowledgeable and faithful in his husband she would know that Ram is undefeated. The harsh words that she uses for Lakshman that he wants to marry her after the death of ram shows the mentality of Sita's character. A brother who has given up everything and goes to the forest to live only to help Ram, she doubts that person. And in Lakshman's case we find how calmful he handles the situation. In this stanza as we find,

 

"And now farewell! What thou hast said,

Though it has broken quite my heart,

So that I wish I were dead —

I would before, O Queen, we part,

Freely forgive, for well I know

That grief and fear have made thee wild,

We part as friends, — is it not so?"

And speaking thus he sadly smiled.”

He leaves her with a smile on his face and says that we are departing as a friend not as a rival. He then and there forgives her and accepts that now the situation is not in his hand. He understands her situation and what she is going through he says “That grief and fear have made thee wild”. The real person who understands the situation and still he is not able to do anything. That is the tragedy of Lakshaman. 

Q-2: Why does the poet say that God does not live in the Temple? Give reasons.

Ans. 

The poem ‘Deeno Dan’ is a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore is a well celebrated Indian poet. In this particular poem he talks about the wealth that is spent unnecessarily in building the temple. In the poem there is a dialogue between a king and a hermit, who goes against the idea that the king has wasted the money in temples instead of helping the poor farmers who are suffering due to a drought. 

“At this,

The fretful king dismounted from his throne to go

Where the hermit sat beneath the tree. Bowing, he said,

“My lord, why have you forsaken god’s mighty abode,

The royal construction of gold that pierces the sky,

To sing paeans to the divine here on the streets?’

“There is no god in that temple,” said the hermit.”

Here in the second stanza the reference comes when the king asks hermit why are you not going to the temple for the worship and stay at this tree. The hermit replies that there is no god in that temple. He says that the temple is full of your royal arrogance, the god has left that place long ago. The hermit also argues that when people come to you for help because they were dying of hunger you refused to help them and now you have spent a lot of money in the temple that is why the god did not in the temple.

There are very good ideas that Tagore tries to give in here that the god does not live in the temple but he lives where the people worship him. The god does not require the temple for himself; he lives everywhere you can worship him anywhere no need to build a huge temple for him. People rather help that money to help other people that can be helpful for people in many ways. King represents the large number of people who think that the temples are necessary for god Tagore tries to break that myth and says that you can worship god under a tree also. 

Tagore himself comes with a very revolutionary idea that the majority of the people might not like that but still he says the truth. In the contemporary time also there are people who might be following the ideology of building the temple so in that context Tagore gives the insight of true worshipping. 

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Postcolonial Studies

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on postcolonial studies. There are five articles and I try to elaborate it in my words and give related examples.

Article 1: 

In the first article there is a discussion on the relationship between globalisation and postcolonial studies, in the reference of the 9/11 attack. In the discussion of the post theories the new lens that scholars have to use is how power dynamics works globally. At global level what countries are controlling various global matters and also interfere in the same. The 9/11 phenomena gives us an insight that after the attack how America has declared war against the Terror attack. That was being done in Afghanistan earlier but when the attack directly came to America that fighting with then  terrorism became global rather than a dispute among a few nations. In the new empire America has risen and that is now described as the New American Empire. 

Hardt and Negri have pointed out that now to build an Empire one has not to go to any geographical location and win it over but it happens in new dynamics. In understanding the current situation the older post colonial ideas may fail, because it sees the things in margin and centre, Bit in modern world the time and power dynamics changed now the colonisers do not have to go to any territory for profit or exploitation, it happens through the globalisation and multinational companies that try makes the most of the decisions world wide. In this example the Reliance company can be identified that gives free internet and calling at first that removes the other companies to do business now that companies that remain are trying to take prizes of internet and calling what they want. BSNL, a government company that was doing great at the beginning , is losing its customers due to the rise of  privatization.

P. Sainath Has observed that market Fundamentalism is more dangerous than religious fundamentalism because it does not have any boundary; it is an ever growing giant that will swallow everything in its way. “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” novel by Mohsin Hamid, also talks on the same idea about how the multinational companies exploit the common man. 

The globalisation is seen as a fourth Industrial revolution which is growing faster than any other revolution has ever grown, and that cause so many problems which are; In the mass production the raw material would required at a great extent and now companies have the bigger machinery the work can be done in lesser time there rise the concern about the exploiting the ecology and causing pollution at greater extent. This also affect the governing bodies of any region because the more money would be in the hand of the owner of multinational companies the politics of the day will also be affected by that. There is more inequality in the society because the owner of the company will have more profit then any other worker that works more hours in particular company. 

Noam Chomsky gives the name of ‘private tyrannies’ , the corporations that control the common people and the world and try to make profit out of their surroundings. The whole market is based on gain and loss. There is no position of equality and consideration about the people. There is a discussion about the Universities in an article in which shows America where the students are failing to elaborate the issue.

Article 2:

Contemporary postcolonial fiction provides a critical lens to examine the destructive consequences of globalization. Through themes like resistance, hybridity, and identity crisis, authors from postcolonial backgrounds show the disruptions and transformations brought about by globalization.

In many postcolonial authors' writing there is a criticism of globalization by focusing on how it gives new forms of colonialism. Through multinational corporations and economic policies that control the Global South. In Arundhati Roy's “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness”, characters fight against the forces of globalization, which can be seen in political upheaval, displacements, and economic exploitation. Roy shows the displacement of exploited communities and reveals how global economic forces often exploit local populations.

Through globalization cultural and national boundaries, led hybrid identities. Postcolonial authors like Aravind Adiga in “The White Tiger” depict characters who embody this hybridity. Balram Halwai is a complex character of a rapidly changing India, where traditional and global forces interfere. His rise from poverty to success, is done by ethical compromises, shows the moral dilemma connected with a globalized, capitalist economy.

In many writings, the authors portray how globalization creates identity crises for individuals who are stuck between local traditions and global modernity. This crisis can be seen in works like Don DeLillo’s “Cosmopolis”, where the protagonist, Eric Packer fights with the alienating effects of global capitalism. DeLillo does not belong to a postcolonial background but his exploration of alienation is connected with postcolonial and about the bad effects of globalization. In 'Midnight's Children' Salman Rushdie portrays the character of Saleem who is hybrid in nature, whose identity can not be identified as one but he belongs to various culture.

When these authors write in their geographic and cultural contexts, they highlight how globalization is a cause of inequality, it challenges local identities, and shows both resistance and adaptation.

Article 3:

Postcolonial studies and environmental concerns come together when we look at how colonialism has harmed both people and nature, especially in the context of the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is the current era, where human activity is significantly impacting the planet's climate and ecosystems.

Colonialism often led to the exploitation of both people and natural resources. Colonizers which are now the multinational companies have used the land, extracting valuable resources while leaving the environment damaged. The environmental problems that are rising, like deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity, are direct results of this exploitation.

Usage of mass usage of minerals and natural resources affected  climate change and environmental degradation for several reasons. They are  dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, like farming and fishing. When the environment is harmed, their way of life is deeply impacted. Many of these regions have very few resources to respond to climate disasters like floods, droughts, or rising sea levels. Their governments, which may still struggle with the legacy of colonialism, lack the infrastructure to protect their citizens from these crises.

In films like “The Salt of the Earth”(2014), we see real-world examples of how environmental destruction affects vulnerable communities, particularly in the Global South. This film documents the environmental devastation in Brazil, including deforestation and mining, which have caused irreparable harm to local communities and ecosystems. Documentary like “Anthropocene: The Human Epoch”(2018) also talked about the harm that is being done to the environment and ecosystem.

Movies like 'Sherni' directed by Amit V. Masurkar , shows the environmental concerns and animal life. 'Avatar'(2009) movie by James Cameron also talks about how for minerals people exploit even the other planets.

Article 4:

Hollywood movies, especially action movies like Rambo and James Bond, have played a big role in shaping how people in the world view America. These films show the U.S. as a hero, fighting for freedom and democracy against evil forces. This helps create a positive image of America as a powerful, just, and necessary global leader.

These movies project American dominance in several ways. They often portray U.S. military and intelligence agencies as extremely capable and morally right. American characters are frequently shown as saviors, helping people in other countries who can't help themselves. The films also spread American values and ways of thinking, making them seem normal and desirable to audiences worldwide.

These narratives can be criticized from a postcolonial perspective. They often simplify complex global issues into simple "good vs. evil" stories, with America always being the good guy. This can give fire to old colonial attitudes, making other cultures look weak or backward. The films may also justify American intervention in other countries, supporting the idea that the U.S. has the right to act as a global problem solver.

Critics argue that this approach by Hollywood marginalizes other perspectives and cultures. It can make American dominance seem natural and good, without questioning if this is fair or right. Some critics suggest that instead of copying this approach, other film industries should challenge these dominant narratives. They could tell stories that show different viewpoints and question the idea of any one country being the world's leader.

Article 5:

The film RRR takes the stories of tribal heroes Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem and reimagines them as part of a broader fight against British colonial rule. While this makes for an exciting movie, it changes the real history in important ways.

In reality, Raju and Bheem fought for very specific local issues - protecting tribal rights to forests, land, and water. The movie turns this into a bigger story about Indian nationalism and fighting the British. By doing this, it misses the chance to talk about problems that tribal communities still face today, like losing their lands and damage to the environment.

This kind of reimagining can have both positive and negative effects on modern struggles:

On the positive side, it brings attention to tribal heroes and resistance, which are often not seen by mainstream Indian history. It can make more people aware of tribal issues and create pride in tribal heritage.

It can also oversimplify complex histories and current problems. By focusing on fighting the British, the movie doesn't address ongoing issues like displacement of tribal people or destruction of forests. These are still big problems today, but caused by Indian governments and companies, not foreign rulers.

Other movies have done similar things with indigenous heroes. For example, many Hollywood westerns turned Native American leaders into simple "noble savages" fighting the U.S. government, ignoring the real reasons for their resistance. 

In India, many films about historical figures focus on their fight against the British, rather than local issues or social reform. This can make these heroes seem less relevant to modern problems.

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References:

Barad, Dilip. “GLOBALIZATION AND FICTION: EXPLORING POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE AND LITERARY REPRESENTATIONS.” ResearchGate, Oct. 2022, www.researchgate.net/publication/376371617. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Barad, Dilip. “GLOBALIZATION AND THE FUTURE OF POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES.” ResearchGate, Oct. 2022, www.researchgate.net/publication/376374570. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Barad, Dilip. “POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES IN THE ANTHROPOCENE: BRIDGING PERSPECTIVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.” ResearchGate, Oct. 2022, www.researchgate.net/publication/376374708. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Barad, Dilip. “Reimagining Resistance: The Appropriation of Tribal Heroes in Rajamouli’s RRR.” ResearchGate, Oct. 2022, www.researchgate.net/publication/383603395. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Dilip. “Heroes or Hegemons? The Celluloid Empire of Rambo and Bond in America’s Geopolitical Narrative.” ResearchGate, Oct. 2022, www.researchgate.net/publication/383415195. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Prakruti Madam, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and his philosophy.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian leader, philosopher, and statesman. He was the second President of India from 1962 to 1967, and before that, he was the first Vice President from 1952 to 1962. He also served as India’s ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952. Earlier, he was the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University from 1939 to 1948 and of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. Radhakrishnan is known as one of the most important scholars of religion and philosophy in the 20th century. He taught at the University of Calcutta and Oxford University, where he focused on Eastern religions and ethics.

Write a note on S. Radhakrishnan’s perspective on Hinduism:

In his book ‘The Hindu View of Life’(1962) Radhakrishnan has given his views regarding the Hinduism. It is a compilation of the various speeches that he has delivered at various places. According to Radhakrishnan, Hinduism is a view of life rather than a religion. During the Early 19th century the people of the world, especially the European world considered Hinduism to be a very conservative and superstitious religion. Radhakrishnan was an educationalist who had read the Vedas and the Upanishads thoroughly. He represents the ideas from that point of view that now the way Hinduism is generally seen by the world it is totally different from what it really is. 

Radhakrishnan represents the positive side of Hinduism to he western world and tries to rectify the image of Hinduism globally. He comes up with the concept of “Dharma”, in which he talks that in Hinduism the karma is the dharma, whatever we do in daily life is our dharma and then he gives this argument to the way of life. 

He comes up with the idea of the origin of the word Hindu that is related with the river Sindhu, where the whole community used to live. When western people called it Hindu, the word itself came into existence, otherwise there was no particular definition of Hinduism. He also argues that the term is related with geography rather than religiosity. 

In further argument he says that Hinduism is related with personal experience, rather than following any particular god. In which he argues that other religions have the singularity of God whereas in Hinduism there are so many Gods and Goddesses. He says that the religion is scientific, it does not belong to a blind faith and superstitions. He further argues that Hinduism has various sects that follow and worship various gods and goddesses. And the people give that liberty to the people that they can follow whatever sect of gods/goddesses. 

He also argues that there are two aspects of Hinduism, first is philosophical and second is practical. In practical terms the real world is considered that there are various aspects that we see outside that is a practical world. And another thing that falls under that is personal experience in which whatever we feel from within and understand yourself that is our philosophical aspect. He also talks about the four pillars of Hindu dharma that is 1.Dharma 2. Aretha 3. Kam and 4. Moksha. That according to this philosophy we should live our life. 

In the defense of the caste system he says that In the beginning of the caste system the intention was not to discriminate against the people but to organize the work in the society, to make people do their duties. It becomes rigid in the later part that what he wants to defend here. In the conclusion he says that there are certain aspects in Hinduism that are bad for the society and outdated but that should be removed from the world. 

Write a note on the contribution of S. Radhakrishnan in Indian Writing in English:

Radhakrishnan was an academician, philosopher and statesman. In providing the various aspects of Hinduism. During the early 19th century the image of Hinduism was not quite good. He had an in depth knowledge of Vedas and Upanishads, through which he tries to improve the image of Hinduism in the Western world. He has written various books related to the Hindu philosophy. ‘An Idealist View of Life’ [1932] and ‘The Hindu View of Life’(1962) are the groundbreaking works written by him. 

In the early 19th century very few Indian writers were expressing themselves in the English language. It gives the other the way to do the same. And he revisited the Vedas and Upanishad and made it famous during that time while the swadeshi movement was going on. He has given his views regarding these Indian ancient texts that have been forgotten during that time. He has written his understanding of Vedas and Upanishads to portray the new way for Hinduism. 

He was delivering lectures at foreign universities that are world famous. The lectures are compiled in his books that also give a good image of an Indian Academician who can articulate a high level of the English language in Hindu philosophy. He also contributed to The Radha Krishna Commission, a commission set up to look into the condition of Indian University Education and suggest improvements and extensions that may help in improving university education. 

According to Radhakrishnan, what is the function of philosophy?

According to Radhakrishnan the function of philosophy is to make people take it to a higher extent. In his experiences he says that people have various experiences at personal level and philosophical level. He says that the experiences that we have are based on the basis of our intuition. Knowing the philosophy of intuition is very important to understand the higher level of self. The philosophy is also related to fundamental questions. The basic philosophy of life how we can 

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan saw philosophy as a way to understand the world in a deep and meaningful way. He believed that philosophy helps us make sense of the big questions about life, reality, and values. It’s not just about collecting facts but about seeing how everything connects and finding the underlying truths that we can't always see directly.

Philosophy also plays an important role in helping people grow intellectually and morally. By encouraging critical thinking and reflection, it guides us in making thoughtful decisions and living ethically. Essentially, Radhakrishnan viewed philosophy as a tool for both understanding the world better and improving ourselves.

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The Home and the World

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Megha madam, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on the novel 'The Home and the World'.

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian artist who did many things: he was a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter. He was active during the Bengal Renaissance and played a big role in changing Bengali literature, music, and Indian art in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His famous book of poems, “Gitanjali”, was praised for its deep and beautiful poetry. In 1913, Tagore became the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. His songs and poems were known for their spiritual and emotional depth and were loved by many in India.

“The Home and the World” is a novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1916. The story shows Tagore's inner struggle between two ideas: one is influenced by Western culture, and the other is about fighting against it. These ideas are represented by two main characters. Nikhilesh is calm and against violence, while Sandip is determined and will do anything to achieve his goals. These two different views help explain the history and issues of the Bengal region during that time.

Summary:

“The Home and the World” is a novel by Rabindranath Tagore about the clash between personal values and political beliefs. The story is set in Bengal during the time of the Indian independence movement. It revolves around three main characters: Nikhilesh, his wife Bimala, and his friend Sandip.

Nikhilesh is a kind and peaceful man who believes in non-violence and rational thinking. Sandip, on the other hand, is passionate about nationalism and will do anything to achieve his political goals, even if it means using violence. Bimala, who has always been devoted to her husband, gets attracted to Sandip's fiery personality and ideas. 

The novel explores how these different viewpoints affect the characters' relationships and lives, and it reflects the larger struggle in India between tradition, modernity, and the fight for freedom.

Critical Analysis:

In the novel the idea of nationalism is so prominent. The Sandip’s character in the novel represents the blind faith in nationalism. He comes with the slogan ‘Vande mataram’ and with the idea of using indigenous goods which are produced in India and that is called the Swadeshi movement. He is a good speaker who has the ability to mesmerise the listener. 

On this side there is Bimala who gets educated and wants to know the world, who wants to come out from the home. Nikhil also promotes the idea that Bimala should come out of the four walls of the home and know the world by her own understanding. 

Nikhil's is a Zamindar there and he is respected in the town a lot. There are a lot of markets that are under the control of Nikhil . He understands the concept of the Swadeshi movement but does not follow it blindly. He care s for the poor people who might not be able to buy and sell the products that are made in India. It might be costly and difficult there . Nikhil has sympathy for those people. 

The plot revolves around these three characters mostly.  Bimala who was following the conservative ideas that husband should be worshipped she also touches Nikhil's feet while waking up in the morning. But slowly and steadily she comes under the spell of Sandip and moves away from Nikhil. There we find that how both Nikhil and Sandip want Bimala to do something, they do not let her think what she should do. And at the end of the novel Bimala realises her mistakes and admits her mistakes. 

In the novel there is also reflection of the idea of Tagore himself because he also was against this swadeshi movement because he knew that on every level this idea could not be implemented. In earlier days Tagore also was supporting the idea of nationalism but in later years he saw the treaty and became the critique of the idea of nationalism. In this Tagore gives his views on the basis of Nikhil's character. 

In the character of Amulya we get to know how the youth of the village are manipulated by the words of the Sandip. Amulya and many other students leave their education for the movement of Swadeshi and Vande Mataram. Through the character of Amulya Bimala also gets to know that hoe Sandip is using other people in the name of nationalism. And then and then she was able to get out of the charm of Sandip and see his real face. 

One can also connect these ideas with the contemporary world also that in the name of nationalism the people are manipulated and how politicians use their language to misguide the mass of citizens. The idea of nationalism still is very commonly used by the people even after so many messages have happened in  the history of nationalism. But still we see the same flare in the ieyes of the people when they say the nation fries. 

In the novel the importance of education is also well explained. In the case of Bimla we get to know that women's education is a must in the contemporary world. Tagore also points out that what is real education, it is not reading or writing or following ideals but it is to think and consider before taking any step. Otherwise there are lots of Sandipa moving even in the contemporary world that would lead by the people in the wrong direction.

In the Nikhil character we find what type of environment women should be given to in the home. Although he tries to educate her as he wants but still the liberty he gives in other matters to Bimala that are hard to find during that time in India, Tagore tries to give what type of relation should be there in married life. 

In feminist reading one can observe the character of Bimala. That does not have any standpoint, she follows what other people believe and say. She reads various things but she is not able to contemplate on that very  reading. She just  becomes the puppet of both male characters Nikhil and Sandip.

Examples:

In the movie ‘Laapataa Ladies’(2024) the character of Phul is the same as the character of Bimala. She also does not have an exposure to the outer world and suddenly she falls into the circumstances that she has to live on her own. But in the movie there is development of the character of Phul but in the novel Bimala is not able to develop herself at that level. 

In many Indian soap operas there is a description of docile women like Bimala. In ‘Saath Nibhana Saathiya’(2010 to 2017) there is a character of Gopi that has a similar characteristic to Bimala. 

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Midnight's Children

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Prof. Dilip Barad, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on the novel Midnight's Children.

Midnight's Children is a 1981 novel by Indian-British writer Salman Rushdie, published by Jonathan Cape with cover design by Bill Botten, about India's transition from British colonial rule to independence and partition. It is a postcolonial, postmodern and magical realist story told by its chief protagonist, Saleem Sinai, set in the context of historical events. The style of preserving history with fictional accounts is self-reflexive.

1. Justification of the Title

The novel’s protagonist is Saleem, who was born on the date when India got its independence. On that very night Saleem was born and it was midnight. He also has a power that he can  summon the other children who were born on the same day at the same time as he was born. The plot of the novel revolves around the characters born on that day, that is why the name of the novel is Midnight’s Children. Another can metaphorically read that the people of India that were also born or India as a country also takes new birth on 15th August 1947. In the theme also we find that India and the other neighbour countries are the main focus in the novel.

2. Postcolonial Voices: Theoretical Lenses

Through this article I will try to define this point: Postcolonial Voices: Analysing Midnight's Children Through Theoretical Lenses

In the concept of Orientalism Edward Said talks about how western societies think that the East requires control and they are to be taught how to represent themselves. In the novel ‘Midnight Children’ Rushdie uses magical realism, linguistic hybridity, and the very Indian way of using English language. He also tells a story in a different narrative style that shows the Indian way of writing. He breaks the parameters that are set in English literature. 

Homi Bhabha gives the concept of hybridity, which is very much common in the novel. There were differences between the coloniser and colonised, that difference is not visible in the novel. IN the Saleem case he is a hybrid character, who belongs to so many communities and cultures. In Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak,s observations about Subaltern also reflect in the novel. The story ids about a minor character Saleem who faces the difficulty of a common man who is considered to be deprived in the societies. 

Frantz Fanon’s Decolonization and National Consciousness can be seen in the novel where India faces the difficulties of partition and Emergency. There is where we also find the trauma of post Independence India. In Saleeem’s case there we also find how he suffers in post-independent India. The poverty of India is also portrayed in the novel. Dipesh Chakrabarty argues that Europe writes history from the point of view of their side only. Eurocentric history can be seen western way of writing. Whereas in ‘Midnight's Children’ there is a view of India hoe it sees the world. Very indigenous way Rusdie tries to share his views in the novel.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o argues for decolonizing the mind that the author should use indigenous language that reflects the culture of that region. But in ‘Midnight's Children’ the language is used in such a way that it doesn't seem that it 8s colonisers language but it has its Indian version too. It seems like Indian have adopted the language and mastered it. Now it can be used by Indians as their own language. Aime Césaire gives his views on Negritude and Colonial Alienation. That colonized people might have gone away from their culture and heritage after the colonizer ruled over them. But in Midnight’s Children one can observe that Rushdie masterfully portrayed Indianness in his novel. (Postcolonial Voices)

3. The Role of 'English' in the Novel

In the novel ‘Midnight's Children’ Rushdie has used the very Indian way of explaining the things. The chutnification of the various aspects of Indian culture are integrated in the novel with the use of English language. Rusdie’s view regarding the English id that the language does not belong to the Britishers only now it has become the language of India. He uses “Hinglish” in his novel which is a mixture of English and Hindi. 

“She (Padma) attempts to cajole me from my desk : "Eat, na, food is spoiling." I remained stubbornly hunched on paper . . . . Padma snorts. Wrist smacks across forehead. "Okay, starve, starve, who cares two pieces." (Rushdie)

He uses this type of english to portray the character who does not know the English language. While Saleem is well educated he uses quite a good English but in his tone also sometimes we find Indianness too. 

4. Portrayal of the Emergency (1975-77)

In the novel Midnight's Children Rushdie has portrayed Indira Gandhi as a widow and sometimes Mrs. Gandhi. Rusdie believed that through literature history must be preserved and whatever has gone wrong future generations must know about that. In the novel Rushdie with the original name accussis Indira Gandhi that in Emergency she has played a vital role. Gandhi has also filed the case against Rusdie but the information was true so no actions were taken against Rusdie. He also portrayed how the episode of emergency affected the common people and how they suffered during that time. 

He also mentioned the widespread censorship, political imprisonment, forced sterilisation, and other abuses of power.  Katherine Frank’s book on Indira Gandhi in the chapter Mr.Rushdie and Mr. Gandhi talks about Indian Festival in London, there Margaret Thatcher has invited Mrs.Gandhi and Mr. Rushdie for having lunch together. But Thatcher was unaware that what was written in the novel here was a harsh criticism on the indira Gandhi and even she read few pages from the novel in front of Mrs. Gandhi. After that Indira Gandhi even filed a case against Mr. Rushdie and the publisher Jonathan Cape for the book Midnight’s Children. Kathereine also tried to find the similarities between Russia and Gandhi. They both were well educated from Oxford university, and belonged to liberal religious families, so there is a rare possibility that their point of views are different not because of different culture, cat or gender but in ideology and way of seeing they differ. 

5. Metaphor of Bulldozer:

In ‘’Midnight's Children’’, the word "bulldozer" is used for the government's harsh power during Indira Gandhi's time, especially the Emergency. It shows how the state destroyed communities and people's identities to push its own plans, not for the good of the people. The reference of bulldozer comes so many times that shows the destruction of the physical as well and the destruction of morality and innocence. In one of the references there is a discussion of the little girl who dies in the bulldozer discussion. Through that Rusdie shows how the oppression on the poor people was done in the name of ‘beautification’. That shows that during that time when people oppressed by the powerful structures try to destroy the poovery by reducing them in numbers. 

In contemporary times when we hear the word we can also connect with Uttar Pradesh in which the destruction happens on the houses of the criminals. The Supreme court also criticizes the idea that destroying the homes of criminals is justified, there are other people who belong to that house and the other family members of their criminals. (Erasure and Oppression)

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References:

Barad, Dilip. “Erasure and Oppression: The Bulldozer as a Toolof Authoritarianism in Midnight's Children.” Research Gate, August 2024, http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16493.19689. Accessed 9 September 2024.

Barad, Dilip. “Postcolonial Voices: Analyzing Midnight's Children Through Theoretical Lenses.” Research Gate, August 2024, http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16493.19689. Accessed 14 September 2024.

Rushdie, Salman. Midnight’s Children. Vintage, 2013.