'If the basis of all education is knowledge wielded by love then society can be transformed' | How A Single Comment Can Augment Your Perspectives for the Better! ❤️

So What is Literature 2.0? | Goa Musings

#thursdaymusings

#anecdotalevidence

#blogcomments

29th February 2024

This morning, at 4.45 am, our train chugged into Thivim Railway Station. Prof. Subhash from DMC College, Goa, was there at the station, to receive me warmly.

Then, on our lovely car drive to our hotel, I learnt a lot of local specifics about North & South Goa, about Konkani’s five alphabets [and hence five scripts] - Devanagari, Roman, Kannada, Malayalam and Perso-Arabic scripts that are currently used to write the Konkani language, about the famous tourist attractions, about how, for every two kilometres the language varies when it comes to Goa and how community plus geography determine the dialectical  variant of a particular region, etc etc!

But that’s meet for another post!

Today, just a few minutes ago, at 9.45 pm, we drove back from our lively dinner time at Jacob’s Creek, where our conversations over literature, culture and society went on and on for hours!

As I got back to my room, the first thing that I had resolved was to write a post on a lovely comment that I had received on our academic blog yesterday.

Well, for avid bloggers out there, this post is meant to motivate you to share your precious thoughts, of all hues - because you may not know how much it is valuable and useful to someone who is desperate to get inspiration from that particular post of yours! 

This comment was for a post [that I’d written exactly nine years ago, in February 2015] on this, our blogging site!

It was a critical take on Bertrand Russell’s “Education and Discipline”.

Back then, there were hardly any good critical summaries available for this wonderful essay by Bertrand Russell, and hence I took some quality time off to write and post a wholesome and simplified critical summary on this highly philosophical treatise!

And it felt so happy to to see a lot of encouraging comments for that post! Just posting a few here!

Today, I had received another such comment for this post, which said,

Russell’s earlier work, ‘On Education’, is also significant.

Well, this lovely comment, is the spur and the motivation for this post!

In the era of Digital Humanities, to rephrase a typical New Historicist parlance, these comments could also be called anecdotal evidence of the highest order!

This takes us to the concept of Literature 2.0!

In this era where the text assumes an entirely different avatar in the digital platform, it becomes all the more imperative on our part to know more about Literature 2.0!

What exactly is Literature 2.0 then?

Well, Literature 2.0 is basically about websites that host literary works – a poem, prose or play, on their platform, and also abundantly make use of user-generated content for their readers aka end users.

In this respect, Literature 2.0 helps in enhancing user interactivity and collaboration.

And this could also be called a kinda New Historicist reading since, it is also characterised by a ‘parallel reading’ of the text alongside its socio-cultural and socio-historical conditions, which form the co-text to the text, thus enhancing and amplifying the meaning of the text!

The ‘Textuality’ of the historical specifics hence become equally important in the production and the interpretation of the text! In other words, the historical specifics of a work of art, say a text, gets embedded into the text!

This reading and interpreting of the ‘Text’ in the context of the co-text includes both the literary and the non-literary as well, which make it ‘anecdotal!’ [Anecdotal Evidence].

In short, it is these anecdotal materials that prove valuable for the New Historicist to lay bare their truth claim that, meaning production is dependent on this so-called ‘fragmented stuff’ [reader responses of any sort, be it in social media, on You Tube, on blog posts, etc), that facilitate the shaping of an event or a story into ‘formalized facts!’

To sum it up, the anecdote or the anecdotal evidence helps in refashioning the historical reality as it really ought to have been!

Again, that’s simply because of the fact that, anecdotal evidence helps us to take into account the felt experience of the other as well!

So what is the book that the person has mentioned in the comment and why does it assume a lot of significance to enhance the original post?

Well, it’s Russell’s book ‘On Education’, in which Russell says that,

If the basis of all education is knowledge wielded by love then society can be transformed.

How true he proves!

It’s not knowledge alone that the child needs, but knowledge that’s wielded by love, that the child needs, and that can transform society for the better!

The comment, then, is an excellent exemplar to Literature 2.0!

Blessed Moments Today! ❤️

Three Inspirational Moments Today | PhD Viva @ Providence!

#wednesdaymusings

#heartwarming

Ms. Jasmine | Mr. Lenin | Ms. Dh***

Early morning sharp at 6.15 the train chugged into Mettupalayam Railway Station.

The candidate's husband and her father warmly received me at the Railway Station. We then proceeded to have a cup of coffee, and then started the journey of 40 kms comprising of 14 hairpin bends and almost an 80 minute-journey!

It was so delightful to drive through the delectable mountains on either side, and the sun's rays for once, so gently shining on you, in this part of Tamil Nadu.

The salubrious guest house that they'd booked for me was so cozy and so invigorating!

The only little adventurous kinda bit about this lovely place was, when Dr. Beulah later on told me that this was the same place where a leopard had strayed a few months ago, on 13th November 2023, and it had attacked a few people as well! 

It seems the leopard frequents the place every now and then]. You see, this is that very moment when your heart stops right on its tracks for a perfect jiffy – say a fraction of a second – before it could be assuaged back to normalcy-mode again! 😊

Had hot bhooris to beat the cold weather, [for breakfast] in their Dining Hall, and then Dr. Gladys and her husband arrived in time to take me to the grand ol' College – the College that is celebrating its diamond jubilee shortly - Providence College for Women (Autonomous), Coonoor!

The students, faculty and the PhD candidate's near and dear had filled up the Auditorium well before the start of the viva voce.

Then, the candidate Ms. Jasmine Joy defended her thesis for around 30 minutes, which was followed by me reading out the questions given by the Foreign Examiner and I gave my own questions for her, as well!

One question that I asked her, since she had worked on Culinary Literature, was –

Food is considered an integral part of one’s cultural heritage, in fact, a way of life that is unique to a particular region, a particular culture, etc., that is passed down from generation to generation. So when you argue that, ‘every human individual shares a common table to dine together without being biased of any egocentric convictions’, don’t you think it compromises greatly on one’s own culture and traditions?

And the candidate gave quite a convincing answer!

A part answer of what she said –

Well, this study foregrounds the view of commensality that emphasizes on inclusiveness and acceptance through the sharing of food. In this regard, food is the chief source that coordinates and brings people of different societies together through the means of dining and sharing of food. The study highlights on how Harris uses food as a medium of communication between communities. The chapter also reveals the importance of commensality where it connects people from different spheres together where there is sharing of food, love and fellowship.

Then, Faculty members and others gathered also asked very pertinent questions to the candidate and she answered them all, convincingly.

After that, I read out both the reports, followed by the momentous occasion that the candidate was eagerly waiting for!

That bated-breath moment when you attain a higher honorific that bestows on you a heightened sense of achievement, that so gracefully and so elegantly tags on to you for the rest of your sweet life! 😊

And so – Said I -  

I hereby recommend Ms. Jasmine for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Presenting Dr. Jasmine Joy, ladies and Gentlemen!

Ms. Oops… Dr. Jasmine Joy was visibly moved. And so was her guide! And so were her parents! And so were the rapt audience who'd gathered.

She then proceeded to thank everyone who had worked hard to earn her this blessed honorific – Dr. Jasmine Joy!

Then, at the same venue, we all proceeded to have a good many photos to cherish the momentous occasion for posterity!

Post-Viva, when we had a coffee time with the Principal and the Faculty, I'd invited Mr. Lenin Mark, who's currently Principal of our MCC-Kotagiri College, Kotagiri, to come and have a discussion with the Principal and the Faculty of Providence College for Women to think of ways in which we can partner with them.

Lenin lovingly obliged me, and he came in no time.

I introduced Mr. Lenin Mark to the august audience, saying -

Lenin is our student from the 2004-2007 batch.

He was the only student who had received a real gold pen as a token of appreciation from his proud teacher (yes! a proud me!) 😊 - for not missing even one of his classes!

Now, we, his teachers are so happy to see him as Principal of MCC-Kotagiri Community College.

So proud of you, dear Lenin. Keep up the good work.

Now, even as I am on my journey by train, a few of us fellow passengers in our coupe,  are having a lovely time of conversation! 😊

One among us here is a Chef in a famous hotel, the other is a banker, and the third is a young navy personnel, sharing the coupe with us!

The vibrant young girl – who is with the Indian navy, - told us that she was getting back home after a hectic work routine, to spend time with her parents in Goa.

When one among my fellow passengers, curious, asked her,

‘So when are you going to get married?’

‘Don’t know’! she said, trying to hide her embarrassment at the question!

Then, still curious, he asked her the next question –

‘What kind of life partner do you look out for in life? Since you said that your work involves a lot of shuttling places?’

She replied,

‘That’s one reason I look out for my partner only from the army or the navy! Since the ordinary civilian guy won’t be able to understand my life at all! Once we are married also, we won’t be thinking of staying together. That’s because he will be posted in one place, while I will be in another place!’

When our fellow passenger again asked her, 

‘But then, don’t you think, your family life will take a backseat? At the expense of duty?’

She replied, so confident, cool and composed –

‘Service First! Family comes next for me!’, Sir!

Deep from within my heart, I could feel my entire body mind and soul giving a royal salute to this young navy personnel.

She added to say, ‘My father just retired from the Navy after 30 years of dedicated service, and I’m so proud I’ve taken the mantle from him!’

I was so happy that she used the words, 

‘Service First’! 

I wish and pray and sincerely hope that a thousand Ms. Dh*****s emerge from our lovely nation, where people dedicate their life and time to ‘Service’, and not merely to the call of ‘Duty’!

An inspirational that I was waiting to share it for all of us, dear readers! 

I’m sure with such committed youngsters in ‘Service to our Nation’ we are sure to march ahead  with boldness and conviction towards becoming a self-sufficient super power in every way!

Gave me a little thought to ponder as well!

We who do our daily routines, if we have the concept of ‘Service’ in mind, in our own little ways –

Be it -

A Service of ‘Writing’,

A Service of ‘Singing’,

A Service of Sharing our Ideas and Thoughts,

A Service of Helping the Weak,

A Service of Standing up to injustice,

A Service of making someone happy today,

I’m sure our life will also be of ‘Service’ to our Nation, in our own little ways!

PS: Although the young vibrant navy personnel replied gracefully to this prying question on her personal choices and personal life, like, ‘When are you getting married?’, I personally feel that, this type of question, could be avoided for sake of propriety!

You may want to read more on this topic, [on this burden of mine!], on our past post HERE!

Welcome to the ETC Club! ❤️

Kudos to the ETC Club | PhD Viva @ IIT Madras

27th February 2024

Today, I was so happy to see almost half the class [II MA English] seated in their respective seats well ahead of time – 8.30 am.

Here’s proudly acknowledging them all!

ASLINE A J

BEERA RAJAN

BRINDHA A R

DIYA SUSAN ROY

HARINI A P

JELSHIYA R

SHRUTHI R

SINDHU M

SNEHA DOMINIC

SNIGDHA ROSHINI R

TIRSHATHA K

YOVANNA MERLIN S

HARI KRISHNAN

KEVIN MICHAEL WOODS

PRAVIN DANIEL SAVARIRAJ

SARU KRISHNA R

SHARAN SRINIVASAN SR

So proud of you all dear students!

Added kudos to the II MA English Class - to the special three - Jaysudha, Lalitha and Joanna, for adding two more committed learners to their class. 

Sangeetha and Nithya! Kudos to you dear students (Profs)! So proud of you! 

Also, I’m happy to note that a few vibrant thinkers have promised to start on their blogging challenge, today.

They include, Nitish Kumar, III BA English, Prakalya, III BA English, a surprise acceptance of the challenge from a vibrant guest we had today – Dhivya Shree!

So happy to note that Jayshree has also started blogging today. 

Dhivya has promised to take up the daily blogging challenge for the next 30 days.

Today, at 3.30 pm was glad to be the External Examiner for the Viva of Mr. Harishankar, PhD Scholar, IIT Madras.

His thesis was on ‘Deconstructing Oriental Life: Decoding narrative of ‘Imperial Justice’ in the writings of Captain Philip Meadows Taylor’.

Harishankar gave a wonderful defence of his thesis, and he also answered our questions convincingly. Congratulations to Dr. Divya, his vibrant guide.

One of the questions I had asked him was, ‘What’s the difference between Eugenics and Scientific Racism’, and he answered it quite well.

So happy to meet Dr. Aysha, Professor, IITM, Dr. Bhoopathi, Dr. Dhanavel among other friends as well. 

I also recommended that he publish his thesis as a book.

Today, I am also happy to note that Jayshree wrote her first blog post on Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

A rewarding day in every way today!

"Pua was sound asleep in class, when Master quietly poured water onto his eyes. Still, he didn't seem interested in waking up" 😄

24 February 1995 | Down the Blessed Lane of Nostalgia

MCC School Days

#memoriesfromdiaries 

#hostelyears #HSCDays

This entry that dates back to more than 29 years, runs to around four full pages.

This makes me wonder thus –

If one day’s diary entry for a teenager in his HSC days, runs to four long pages, how much would there be for every individual this same way, for each day, every day of our lives.

My personal reflections and recollections from any given day would be so precious to me, so dear to me, and so valuable to me. 

However, they might not be of any great value to my friend in any way.

Also, a day’s record of events would inevitably have a different perspective - to a teenager, to an elder, to a child, to a parent, to a teacher, etc. - to each their own! 

So yes! Taking us all back to almost three decades ago, for a sneak peek into this particular day, 24th February 1995 - [29 years ago], from a teenager's perspective - 

Here goes - 

5 o’ clock had PT. Then after breakfast, went to school. First period had Zoology Class. So went to lab.

Zoology Master [Mr. Devasahayam] told boys not to join engineering or medical. 

Exhorted he -

“All parents want their children to go for engineering or medicine.  Choose IAS, IFS, IPS or MCA, BCA or Accounts. The present syllabus is not at all useful. But the government has banned dissections in Zoology whereas we do sectioning in Botany”. 

“From next year onwards, the syllabus is going to be very much enriched. 

But see, the doctors of today do not know how to administer even an injection, since they give 20 or 30 lakhs, opt for MBBS and get their degrees. 

Students of Science groups are made to run from pillar to post for their practical marks. So from next year, they are considering taking steps to stop internal exam marks”, 

he said.

Physics Master [Nedumaran Sir] was on leave. In Math Class, Master taught us all Integral Calculus. 

In this period, Pua was sound asleep in class, when Master quietly came up to his desk, and gently poured water onto his eyes. Still, he did not seem a wee bit interested in waking up! 😄

Then slowly he began to sniff what was happening around him, and he got quite ashamed when boys started laughing at him. 

Master scolded him asking him to go back to his native place, if he thinks that he doesn’t want to study - instead of wasting his father’s money.

Then Language hour we were free.

Chemistry Master Manivachagam Sir taught us about Halogens.

After 3 pm, had refreshments, bath, and then got ‘Grant Me’ leave Form. Then studied Zoology and by 4.30 pm had a little sleep. By 6 pm woke up. Had evening prayer in the dining hall as usual.

You see, MCC School back then, had one of the finest auditoriums in the City. 

Hence all mega events that were up and happening in the city made a beeline to MCC School for its renowned auditorium. 

We also had ample car parking space back then, with only the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Club having their grass court right at the main entrance, wherein now stands a huge-multi-storeyed Matriculation School started by the school, much later in time.

Interestingly, on this particular day, there was a wedding reception of a famed cine star (I don’t remember who exactly it was, though!) - 24th February 1995. 

Hence, many actors had made a beeline to the famed Auditorium to wish the couple. We saw actors Prabhu, Sathiaraj, Revathi, Karthik, Nizhalgal Ravi etc, and Directors Selvamani and P. Vasu among others. Got autograph from many of them, as recorded in my personal diary.

The way we were getting autographs, as teenagers back then, left-right-centre, with all excitement at having seen our silverscreen stars right in front of us, made our Warden to give us a sane piece of advice. 

He said - 

‘Why do you follow these actors. They’re also like you and me and us’.

A great lesson from a dear teacher for us, as teenagers back then, that sounded a wake-up call for us from our Rip-van-Winklish slumber of sorts!

*Well, Madras was renamed Chennai by the Govt of Tamil Nadu in the year 1996.

Surendran escaped the Headmaster’s cane and fine as well, since he was seasoned in the art of lying flat on the loft! 😊

‘The three of us were fined Rs. 100/- each!’

#MCCSchoolDays #hostelyears

#memoriesfromdiaries

This day, 29 years ago!

Thursday, 23 February 1995

Diaries are meant to keep incidents of the past come alive and kicking in our memories, years later, ain’t they, dear reader? 😊

It’s almost 30 years now, since this particular incident had happened, and even today, when I read it, a gentle giggle still flits me by! Don’t ask me why! 😊

Well, back then, during our hostel days in MCC School, Harrington Road, Chetpet, we were fined for every minor violation or aberration on our part!

So by the end of the month, chances were - any hosteler’s fine bill had a very high probability of exceeding their monthly mess bill even!

When our teachers were on leave, we were absolutely left to fend for ourselves. So we usually came back to the hostel - our home sweet home - albeit discreetly, 😊for our own private relaxation time!

However, staying back in the hostel anytime during class hours was considered a ‘flagrant violation’ of the rules - back then!

Still, three of us, Sai Ram, Chakma and myself, we came to the hostel, and we were busy in our respective cubicles, reading most probably a Tinkle or a Tintin!

This particular day, proved our undoing, or still, our nemesis!

But not without its quota of fun! 😊

You see, on this fateful day, our Headmaster Mr. Jefferson walked into the hostel, to inspect some electric wiring that was happening in the hostel.

Much to his consternation, he spotted almost ten boys happily lounging in their respective cubicles, and what’s more, some were listening to Hindi numbers in such high decibels!

While the others quickly ran helter skelter to escape the fury of the headmaster, we three were caught the very next instant! 😊

Interestingly, Surendran escaped the Headmaster’s cane and fine as well, since he was seasoned in the skilled art of lying flat on the loft! 😊

The three of us were fined Rs. 100/- each!

Rs.100/- was quite a huge amount, three decades ago, you see!

Math master asked me, ‘Why I didn’t study?’

Well, to us hostelers back then, it was a very concerned question, from our teachers, who almost always doubled up as our parents - in our blessed home away from home! 

Cordially Inviting You... ❤️ International Confy on Nature, Culture, Literature @ MTN College, Madurai ❤️

 

For PG Students & Research Scholars

 

The 'Early to Class Club' on a Roll! ❤️

The ETC Club Gets More Vibrant By the Day!

Special Kudos | The ETC Club

20th February 2024 | Congratulations Paper Presenters

Today, was a day of thrills! 

I was travelling by the Patna Super-Fast from Aluva to Chennai, and the train was supposed to chug into Perambur Railway station by 5.20 this morning!

However, to my little consternation, the train got delayed by a full one hour! Since the train doesn’t come to Chennai Central, I had to alight at Perambur, and take a taxi homeward. 

You see, I had a class at 8.30 and I can’t afford to be late, I told myself! 😊

Luckily, the driver understood the urgency in my words, and cruised through the traffic of Perambur effortlessly, without being rash! I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge his kindness yet again!

He was quite gentle, especially during the turns. For this I really appreciated him from my heart when he dropped me at home, and then gave him an added extra tip as well. He felt so happy.

Then, after my bath and dressing up, I had to literally raise the throttle a wee bit extra 😉 on the car, and thankfully, I was in college by 8.14 am itself.

By 8.20, while entering the QSC Building, I spotted Prof. Aruna also entering the building. En route, talking to ma’am, I then entered the II MA Class, and to my sweet surprise, I was overjoyed to see the class almost full!

Was so delighted to see the students having arrived early to their class today, and some were seen reading books, and some others busy writing something!

Giving us here, on our blog, the names of the lovely members of the Early to Class Club today!

Special kudos to you our dear students. I am so happy to see this commitment from your side. Three cheers for you all! Two more have promised to join the ETC Club from the next class on! 😊

Here’s to celebrating the vibrant students who made it ahead of time to their classes today!

BEERA RAJAN

BRINDHA A R

DHANAVAISHNAVI M

JELSHIYA R

LAKSHMI PADMAKUMAR

P. BENITA SHERLYN

SHRUTHI R

SNEHA DOMINIC

SNEKA M

SNIGDHA ROSHINI R

TIRSHATHA K

VINAYA MARY

VIVILIA D

YASINDHRA R S

YOVANNA MERLIN S

ABHISHEK RAJEEV

HARI KRISHNAN

JOEL GEORGE SKARIAH

KEVIN MICHAEL WOODS

SARU KRISHNA R

SHARAN SRINIVASAN SR

Also, special congratulations to Joanna Obed, II MA English, Helna Rajan, Cleanson and Jeeva Minu of I MA English for having presented your papers in the International Conference at CTTE College for Women, Perambur, Chennai. 

Keep up the spirit dear students. We are proud of you!

After my first hour class with them, I had my cup of coffee at the Staff Tiffin Room, and then jumped into my car, and cruised my way through the ever-busy-o-busy GST Road 😊 to Loyola College, Chennai, for the National-Level Writing Workshop organised by the Department of English – Shift II, Loyola College. 

It took me almost 70 minutes to reach Loyola from MCC! Thankfully I was in time!

I was so delighted to see our own student Oviya who’s now a vibrant Professor with Loyola! So happy that she introduced me to the audience, especially by quoting from my Literary Criticism class with them. So proud of you, Prof. Oviya. Keep shining!

I spoke to the audience comprising students from Loyola and other City Colleges, on the ‘Nuances of Academic Writing’. It was a very rewarding session. Congratulations to Dr. Shirmila, Prof. Oviya and their vibrant team.

On the whole, a very rewarding day!