Issues in Indian literary historiography

Way back in 1949, Rene Wellek raised a question that still keeps haunting us. “Is it possible to write literary history, that is, to write that which will be both literary and a history?” Words are not the only ones that change their meaning; critical terms also do. The term ‘literary historiography' formerly meant the methodology involved in writing the history of literature aka literary history.

Literature and Nationalist
Ideology: Writing Histories
of  Modern Indian Languages:
Edited by Hans Harder;
Social Science Press

Colluding triad
But with the advent of Foucauldian theories regarding the operation of power structures, and more recently with the foundational work of Homi Bhabha (Nation and Narration and The Location of Culture), followed by the recent writings of Sheldon Pollock and Aijaz Ahmad, the term has grown more inclusive to mean what has been grandiosely called “nonfictional meta-narrative” that attempts to redefine the history of a nation state using literature as one — if not the only — frame of reference.

Language, literature, and nation form a colluding triad but this simple formula cannot work in the case of India, which has 21 officially declared literary languages, not to speak of the 100-odd unscripted languages. With a multiplicity of languages and widely differing literary traditions, how can India speak of a single national literature?

Full review here Hindu

Poets are missing

While reams are exhausted in writings over the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir, our poets, litterateurs and playwrights are conspicuous by their silence, which they should break without further delay. These well-endowed individuals could have proven a greater catalyst in highlighting, at least, what was happening on ground. What repeated mercy appeals don’t do, may be a piercing couplet does.

But, sadly, our poets appear as dysfunctional as our government institutions. It seems that the lure of money and media glare stimulates our poets more than the civilian deaths.  Literature in rest of the world is known for consoling and guiding people when they are caught up in a quagmire of chaos. In fact, it was literature, theatre and other literary activities that would provide a solace to Europeans and Americans when the wars were ravaging their world. It is a well known fact that most of the quality literature in Europe was produced in the times of war. The civilization that we envy now has actually risen from the rubble largely due to those passionate and soul-stirring works of literature which were produced by the poets and writers of that age.  But Kashmir provides an ironical contrast when it comes to literature and literary activities.

Here, the literature and other activities related to fine arts have been aloof from masses.  In Kashmir where the state looms large over every public institution, the literary activism is seen as a gate pass to hobnob with the powers that be. Poets in Kashmir are being hired to sing paeans for politicians and political groups but they never volunteer to say a word in response what befalls the common people.

Full report here Rising Kashmir 

Bangla minister calls for promoting literature

Bangaldesh Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad on Wednesday expressed the hope that cultural personalities would play a more effective role in promoting Bangla culture and literature both at home and abroad.

Inaugurating a 10-day book fair titled "Boier Arong' on Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka, the minister said the traditional Pahela Baishakh festivity assumed a new height today as the occasion is being celebrated at the state level for the first time.

The minister also inaugurated a musical soiree at the same venue.

Noted writer Prof Anisur Rahman gave the welcome speech with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury in the chair. Director general of Bangladesh Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan gave the commemorative lecture.

Full report here New Nation

The writing on the wall

It’s amongst the funniest things I’ve encountered while browsing the net and it set me thinking. Try looking for ‘Kolkata writers’ on the net. You should be smothered by thousands of pages that talk about young writers from Kolkata, about the early Lord Byron influenced Macaulayite Michael Madhusudan Dutta and about how Kolkata led the way with thinking, philosophy and literature, barely a century after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Now try looking for ‘Bangalore writers’. There are more than enough pages to fill a modest library but, oops, all of it is to do with dull and boring technical and content writing jobs at technology companies. Literature — story telling, reflection and inspiration — don’t figure anywhere. Tells you something about us, doesn’t it?

Last Sunday, Ahmed Faiyaz, who grew up in Bangalore but now works in Dubai, was back in the city for the release of his first book, Love, Life and All That Jazz. It’s a light read about growing up, fast-and-furious relationships and the choices we make in a society that is changing. Listening to him read parts of his book, which is set largely in Mumbai, it was difficult to imagine a story placed in a Bangalore setting. It was even more difficult to imagine Bangalore nurturing credible, interesting, powerful, thoughtful and influential writers in English.

Full report here Todaynews 

Many vibes of writers

Having a story to tell, or being a literary enthusiast, are both routes to successful writing…

T he question that baffles writers and readers alike is what distinguishes literary fiction from popular or genre fiction. Various notions are built around the two to give each a set of distinctive characteristics. But they fall short of being worthy frameworks around which we can peg an absolute understanding. There is one which says the fiction of ideas is literary fiction and the fiction of emotions is popular fiction. One evokes thoughts and the other feelings. There are others who say it is pretentious to describe any contemporary writing as literary. Only history can be a judge of that. No one can be a student of English Literature in India without having to study at least one Shakespearean text. Shakespeare or for that matter Charles Dickens were considered popular writers during their times and there is some evidence to suggest they didn't have literary respect, although their popularity was never in question. And yet, we use the adjectives literary and popular as almost exact opposites when it comes to writing fiction.

Fans galore
No other Indian writer, writing in English symbolises this dichotomy more than Chetan Bhagat. Thanks to the immense popularity the four books he has penned to date have enjoyed, Bhagat has become a cultural phenomenon. His books get adapted into plays and screenplays. For millions of his fans, he has turned into some kind of a motivational speaker without necessarily having to work for that label. A friend who went for a panel discussion around Bhagat's latest work on Indian marriages came back with stories of how the audience wanted answers to some of the dilemmas life was posing for them from the author.

Full report here Hindu

'New writers must be encouraged'

The 15th Uttara Kannada district-level Kannada Sahitya Sammelana was inaugurated by Vishweshwar Hegde, district in-charge minister at Kumta on Saturday, March 27. The place where the two-day sammelana is taking place is named after Dr B M Pai and the podium is named after noted poet B R Pandeshwar.

Addressing the gathering V G Nayak, president of the sammelana said that literature is a medium to build relationships among people that goes beyond caste, community and borders. He said literature should create love among different people.

Describing Uttara Kannada district as the birth place of literature of different varieties like Yakshagana, Halakki songs, Suggi songs and many other folk songs, he said new poets like Danker Desai have given a new dimension to the short poems (chutuku padya) in Kannada poetry. Writers like Gourish Kaikini, Yashwantha Chittal who wrote on contemporary issues have given new impetus to Kannada literature, he said. New writers also should be given encouragement, he added.

Full report here Times of India 

"Kannada literature had deep influence on Indian thought"

President Pratibha Patil on Thursday paid glowing tributes to Kannada literature and said it had deeply influenced Indian thought.

Speaking after honouring Union Law Minister and writer M Veerappa Moily with the Moortidevi Award for his work Sri Ramayana Mahanveshanam, she said: “There have been great literary works in Kannada literature from ancient times, which have had a deep influence on Indian thought. Its ‘Vachana Sahitya’ is literature for the common man in simple language and is unique.”

Patil said she had been told that Kannada literature had received the highest number of Jnanpith awards, besides many Sahitya Akademi awards and pointed out that the Moortidevi Award, instituted by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, was yet another acknowledgement of the significant ongoing works in Kannada literature.

Praising Moily’s work, she said: “As a writer, Moily forayed into many forms of writing. His literary armoury consists of novels, books of poems, collections of essays and plays, including his magnum opus “Mahanveshanam””.

Full report here Deccan Herald

"Literature important in building enlightened society"

President Pratibha Patil on Thursday, March 18, said that literature plays an important role in building a strong and enlightened society.

Addressing the gathering after presenting the prestigious Moortidevi Award to Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily, Patil said: "Our aim is to build a strong nation and an enlightened society. In achieving this, literature plays an important role."

"While literature definitely requires a sound knowledge of language, it is much more than a command over the grammar and vocabulary of the language. Literature is a summation of the vast knowledge and imagination of the human race and it encapsulates the philosophy, values and traditions of a civilization," she added.

Presidnt Patil said that India has a long history of literature that covers the social, ethical, economic as well as political approaches. "We indeed have a long history of literature in our country that covers the social, ethical, economic as well as political approaches and dilemmas faced by individuals, communities and nations," she said.

Full report here Sify

Plays and books, not bombs

"New Karachi literary festival hopes to turn page on bombs," trumpeted a headline in the Independent, UK.

Inspired by Jaipur, the festival in March "may not turn the page on the bombs," as Siraj Khan, a Boston-based Pakistani commented in an email, "but it is very inspiring. In my recent seven-month stint in Karachi, I saw and felt this breath of fresh air myself. This has not happened overnight and it's not just the new crop of writers who are turning the tide".

The event, sponsored by Oxford University Press and the British Council, will cater to readers of English. The First International Urdu Conference in Karachi, November 2008, showcased several Indian writers. Last November, the inspiring five-day event included a music festival, although the ongoing tension between Pakistan and India barred the Indian delegates from attending. Scholar Dr Gopichand Narang addressed the gathering via telephone from New Delhi. "My heart is with the people of Pakistan in Karachi and I hope the condition in your country improves soon,' he said, to rousing applause.

Full report here Hardnews

Today’s youth is a lesser hypocrite: Javed Akhtar

Known as an Urdu poet, lyricist and scriptwriter, Javed Akhtar is a most sought-after lyricist in Bollywood. Akhtar has won the Filmfare Award fourteen times and won the National Award five times as best Lyricist. He is also a proud holder of the Padamshree (1999) and Padma Bhushan Award (2007). Javed Akhtar gets candid in an exclusive talk with Ashok Kumar of IndianExpress.com.

What are the big challenges before literature in the contemporary times?
The mindset of our society towards literature is one challenge for the popularity of literature. Every society has a list of priorities which it follows. Unfortunately, literature is not a priority for our society and anything that does not help us materially is not relevant for us anymore.

Why do you think is literature not popular in India?
Because of the social conditions, in which we live, most of us don’t have the time to develop aesthetic sense for literature. Moreover, the vocabulary of the younger generation is shrinking with the each passing day. Language is not just a vehicle for communication. It is a fine art in itself. But, look, what is happening to language these days, even the proverbs have been forgotten in the language.

Full interview here Indian Express

Fables for our times

Look up Suniti Namjoshi on the Web and the first thing that strikes you is the label “feminist writer”. She's also a poet, a fabulist, a children's writer but all these seem to be subsumed by her Feminist Fables. And you wonder if she'll be a strident, in-your-face kind of person. But you're greeted by a slight woman with a shock of salt and pepper hair, who speaks thoughtfully with little asides, enjoying her little jokes as much as you do, who pauses to make sure you follow what she's saying… and it's no wonder you don't realise that time's flying. In Chennai recently to launch her third set of the Aditi series for children, Suniti Namjoshi took time to talk about fables and poetry; writing for adults and children, her work in general and her attitude to feminism. Excerpts:

On her different writerly avatars:
I started as a poet but everyone sees me as a fabulist. (Thoughtfully) I think poetry is what I identify most with. But poetry and fables are closely connected; both are concise, abbreviated and dependent on imagery. And both are subversive. Most people see only the subversion of literary stereotypes but there is the subversion of social stereotypes as well. A comment on the position of women in general can also refer to male domination of literary society. The advantage of being a fabulist is that people read different things into my writing.

On her writing: 
My fables don't preach; they question. As do my children's books. Of course, there is a difference between writing for children and for adults. In the latter the satire is harsh, while it's gentler for children.I try to provoke them into thinking. For instance, in Gardy in the City of Lions, I make fun of notions of privilege; while in Siril and The Spaceflower, it's our romantic tradition that's at the receiving end. It's not overt… just a gentle poke. In Monkeyji and the Word Eater, I'm trying to get children to think about words. We limit our thinking by the meaning we give to words. In Feminist Fables, there was the story, Nymph. Thrice she is chased by the god and she says yes. But the meaning is different each time; she is changed into a green laurel. The point is: words can mutate and take on new meanings. It's a simpler equivalent in … Word Eater.

I expect a certain level of understanding and experience from my adult readers. Obviously I can't do that with children but that doesn't mean I can write badly for that. It's a different way of communication, a different technique. (Then she laughs) With my children's books, I feel I've got better with each book. Now I want to rewrite the first Aditi book… not that anyone will notice but just for myself.

Full report here Hindu