Seminar @ Madurai - A Report

Dr. Ganesh was the Chief Guest at the UGC-Sponsored National Seminar on Indian Writing in English, organised by MTN College, Madurai, in association with TJELLS on Saturday, 28 September 2013. His brilliantly absorbing and thought-provoking talk was on “Indian English Literature: Shifting Terrains”.

Outlining the broad framework of Post-Independence Indian Literature in English (ILE), he classified the post-Independence ILE into two broad generations of writers – the 1950–mid-1980s and late-1980s–current, respectively.

Identifying the general trends in the Poetry of the First Generation of Writers, he outlined the shift in themes and techniques, from idealistic nationalism  and romanticism to personal engagement with the problems of a newly formed, extremely diverse nation, wherein national identity came into conflict with personal experiences.

Praising Amitav Ghosh as a novelist with substance, he said that, Ghosh belongs to a relatively new genre of novels called the research novel.

The main causes for this identity crisis came from came from non-mainstream communities Adil Jussawalla, Keki Daruwalla and Gieve Patel (Parsi ), Nissim Ezekiel (Jewish), Jayanta Mahapatra, (Christian), Saleem Peeradina, (Muslim), Dom Moraes (Anglo-Indian), etc, and the reasons for this identity crisis was mainly due to the fact that, all these writers had had a long stint in the West, resulting in a feeling of alienation from and nostalgia for their own culture an inability to identify themselves with the culture they emigrated to.

Coming next to women writers, he spoke about the radical in the openness in the poetry of Kamala Das, and enumerated the precursors of women poets in India like Eunice D’Souza, Charmine D’Souza , Imtiaz Dharker, etc. Sujata Bhatt, exemplifies, for him the diasporic experience.

Contrasting the first with the second generation of writers, Dr.Ganesh opined that, choice of language not a critical issue for this group of writers. Moreover, their works reflect the experience of blurred/blurring boundaries, and exhibit cosmopolitan - global citizens; urban sensibilities. had no sense of alienation, and recorded violence, aggression and political turmoil of the times. Moreover, they exploited hybridity, and a multi-cultural, multi-lingual environment for positive resonances. Also, regions and experiences hitherto unrepresented – e.g. North-East India, Dalit sensibility, made their presence felt.

The valedictory address was given by ADGP Mr.Radhakrishnan, IPS, who spoke extensively on Indian Writing in English and its general trends. When he recited  a few stanzas from  Kannadasan’s immortal lines, the audience gave a thunderous applause.

The organisers of the Conference, Dr. Arjunan (Head of the Dept), Prof. Ram Subbiah, Dr.Balasubramian, (TJELLS), Prof.Benison (TJELLS) and their brilliant team deserve kudos and appreciation for their meticulous coordination and organising skills, in bringing together more than 240 participants from all over South India.

PS: Our sincere thanks to the organisers and to all our friends, for their excellent hospitality. Special thanks to Dr.Arjunan, and Prof.Ravi (American College), my good brothers and long-time friends, and to our own dynamic student Dinesh, for their love and affection all through our stay in Madurai.  You made our stay in Madurai, memorable. Thank you so much.