'Beyond the Written Word' @ Aluva! ❤️

International Conference @ St. Xavier’s College for Women, Aluva

& Introducing Ms Parvathy Salil, a Dashing Young Poet

A Report | 19 February 2024

The Super Fast I’d boarded the previous evening in Chennai, was cruising full throttle towards Aluva, albeit a tad bit late behind schedule!

However, quite early into the morning, by 5.45 am itself, Dr. Mini, HoD, had called me up to enquire about the arrival of the train at Aluva station.

Dr. Mini and her husband warmly received me at the station, first for a cup of coffee -😊 and then ushered me to their College Guest House, that made quite a delightful stay.  

Dr. Mini had also brought me tea in a little flask. I regally sipped the lovely home-made tea, which was so yummy as well!

Special home-made chai

I was then introduced to the Principal Prof. Dr. Milon Franz [by Dr. Mini, and Dr. Saumi], who is also from the Department of English. There I was introduced to Dr. Molly Joseph, Retd Professor of English, St. Xavier’s, who’s now into writing books.

As they say, real creative output for a professor of literature starts only after they retire, when they don’t have any academic commitments of any sort, hanging over their heads like a sword of Damocles! 😊

When NAAC & IQAC take a backseat, and data capture gets relegated to the margins, when academic commitments of endless hues come to a grinding cessation, that’s when real creativity starts working overtime! 

Dr. Molly Joseph

Dr. Molly is ample example to this lovely credo! Making creative use of her retired life, with the dictum, ‘The best is yet to come’!

Dr. Molly also gave me her card, and I promised to invite her over for a programme in MCC.

Then we all proceeded to the Conference venue.

I was so happy to be given the honour of giving the inaugural address, after the traditional lighting of the kuthuvillaku.

And this was followed by the key-note address by Ms. Parvathy Salil.

Well, to me Ms. Parvathy is a real revelation of sorts. She had us all in awe with her spontaneous outburst of literature! 

A bundle of talent personified, Parvathy’s got this vibrant joie de vivre in her very veins. So passionate about everything she does! Intertextuality is her forte, or should I say, she’s an incorrigible intertextualist of the highest order! 

For every reference she’s bang with an allusion, cross-reference or literary interpolation which nourishes, enriches and augments one’s perspective!

‘Parvathy, you’re such an inspiration to all the youngsters today’, I told her proudly – not once! Any many times!

Well, you just gotta Google ‘Parvathy Salil’ to get to know more about this dashing, vibrant young poet, of myriad hues, and you’re simply inspired beyond measure’.

I’ve pulled out some from Google, myself for us all.

That’s a short intro to Ms. Parvathy Salil for us all, dear readers.

Special congratulations to these two vibrant students - Dhara and Vishnupriya, who had come all the way from Christ University, Bengaluru, to present their insightful paper at St. Xavier's. It was a very fertile area for a very fruitful interaction that followed their presentation.

Was so joyous to meet a host of other friends, including an illustrious alumna of ours – Prof. Chaitanya, Prof. Sruthi among others.

Prof. Chaithanya presenting a highly impressive paper

Then followed the plenary sessions.

Felt so happy to deliver the first plenary of the day on the topic, Textuality 3.0. This was followed by a spirited time of questions and discussions.

With the dashing young poet Parvathy Salil

Paper presentation sessions followed. I was joyous to listen to our own MCC-ian and illustrious alumna Prof. Chaitanya [MCC: 2005 – 10] who’s doing so well as Professor with Mar Thoma College for Women, Perumbavoor.

I was equally touched by the hospitality extended to me by the College, particularly by Dr. Mini and Dr. Saumi. During my inaugural, in fact, I was looking out for Dr. Saumi, just to thank her. Such was the hospitality, and the meticulous way in which they had organized this International Conference.

Finally, was so surprised and intrigued to find a host of lovely books, including Essays in Cultural Studies at the Mathrubhumi Book Stall, Aluva Railway Station. 

To sum it up, 

A highly rewarding day in every way today!

Thank you Dr. Saumi ma’am and Dr. Mini ma’am! In fact, no words to thank you.

PS: You may want to listen to this blogger’s Plenary on Textuality 3.0 at this vibrant Conference, HERE on YouTube.

You may also want to listen to Ms. Parvathy Salil’s highly engaging talk on Texts, Cultures, and Ecological Dimensions HERE on YouTube.