Literature for ages, has ‘constructed’ crises and has also ‘concluded’ such crises ❤️

A Memorable One-Day National Seminar @ Sadakathullah Appa College, Tirunelveli

Wednesday, 20th August 2025

#Tirunelveli

Early in the morning, today, while still on board the Nellai Express, I got a call from Dr. Hanif, HoD of English, Sadakathullah Appa College, saying that, they were eagerly waiting at the station in Tirunelveli, to receive me. Felt so excited to meet with Dr. Hanif after many years. 

The Nellai Express came on time, and then we three – Dr. Hanif, Dr. Yunis and myself – we headed straight to the next coffee shop in town.

After checking into my lodging, we joined Dr. Pramod Nayar for breakfast at a happening restaurant in town.

We had such exciting discussions over breakfast, on the current state of affairs with regard to literary studies. 

We should make our literary studies more of skill-based, said Dr. Pramod. 

He added to say that, research scholars today are so superfocussed in just one domain, that if we ask them to teach some other topic, they are very hesitant. That’s one reason such students do not end up getting good teaching assignments.

‘You diversify or die’ – this slogan has become the order of the day especially with regard to literary studies, he quipped.

We then discussed on his NPTEL engagements with IITM, and the various assignments he has taken up in recent days.

After breakfast, we then proceeded to meet the Principal and later headed to the Conference venue.

Dr. Prabhakar in his inaugural address elucidated on the semantic drift in the word ‘crisis’.

Firstly, quoting the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Dr. Prabakar said that the word originally meant, “the turning point for better or worse in an acute disease or fever”. However today, the word connotes to mean, “a difficult or dangerous situation that requires serious attention.”

Secondly, he spoke about how as practitioners of literature we respond to a crisis.

Literature for ages, has ‘constructed’ crises and has also ‘concluded’ such crises.

‘We respond, negotiate, and try to resolve the crisis in our own ways through the medium of literature, creating memorable works of literature in the process.’

Moreover, literature orchestrates politics.  

Tamil Nadu is a very good example where political crisis is articulated by artists / poets / lyricists etc. Major political instabilities, crises have been orchestrated through literature. In a way, the poets were the original anthropologists or myth-makers. That way, the universe is made up of tales, not atoms.

Thirdly, as regards crisis of representation, Stuart Hall calls it the ‘crisis of signification’. A student then takes an ideological stance / position and defends it, he said.

Then, Dr. Pramod Nayar spoke on “The Mineralogical Picturesque and the Melancholic Sublime: Aestheticising Crisis in English Colonial Writing”.

Dinakaran Tamil Daily

He started by talking about aestheticization and adoption of aesthetic strategies to talk about frightening things in literature.

I prefer the word ‘catastrophe’ to ‘disaster’ because the word ‘disaster’ has a semi-divine association to it, while the word catastrophe points not to divine interventions but to the problems caused by human beings. [The word kata – down and strophe – turn, would signify to mean a dramatic downward turn].

For example: Deepsea mining today has led to tectonic shifts.

Just excerpts from Dr. Pramod’s Talk -

The ruins were a blank slate on which the whites wrote their interpretations.

Then developed the science of Geology, saying, Geology will come to the colonies. So it’s picturesque on the top, but what’s below? We need to analyse both the surface and the subsurface!

This interestingly coincides with the founding of the Geological Survey of India.

His talk was divided into three parts, highlighting the –

Firstly, on the conventional picturesque

Secondly, on the mineralogical picturesque

and Finally, on the catastrophic picturesque.

Dr. Pramod’s lecture was very highly engaging and contained a lot of very interesting insights with such valuable takeaways! 

Then, I spoke on ‘Trajectories in Climate Hermeneutics: Representations of Climate Crisis in Literature’.

Touching upon Merleau-Ponty, Gadamer and Ricouer, especially the latter’s take on hermeneutics of suspicion and hermeneutics of faith, I spoke on the need for an environmental epistemology, that’s propelled by a dialectical hermeneutics - that combines interpretive and critical perspectives, which would be a valuable framework for understanding and addressing the climate crisis.

This way, dialectical hermeneutics can help to uncover hidden assumptions, challenge dominant narratives, and foster a more nuanced understanding of the climate crisis and its potential solutions.

I was happy to release a lovely book by Dr. S. Khaleel Ahamed titled, English Phonetics and Pronunciation: A Handbook, during the inaugural ceremony this morning.

The book of abstracts, as part of the conference proceedings, was released by Dr. Pramod Nayar.

I was also glad to receive a lovely book titled, Ahayattukku Atutta Vitu, written by Mu. Mehta, and translated by Dr. R. David Raja Bose.

In the afternoon, I was so glad to pay a visit to St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, under the invitation of Dr. Benison, HoD, English, St. John’s. Felt overjoyed to see the impactful work done by Dr. Benison, (an illustrious alumnus of MCC) for the welfare of the student community. 

I addressed the students on the topic, ‘An Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism’. This wonderful book on the History of Tinnevelly, was presented to me by Dr. Benison. Eagerly waiting to read it. 😊

So happy that I could also meet with Prof. Jeba Kingsley, a vibrant Professor with St. John’s, and again, an illustrious alumnus of MCC, (Prof. Monsingh’s classmate) now with St. John’s for more than 15 years now, from the year 2010.

Hearty congratulations to dear Dr. Mohamed Hanif and his wonderful team on having organised such a grand National Conference in a highly successful manner. 

What's more... got the lovely news that our I MA student Fenula has bagged the Best Paper Presenter Award today. Congratulations Fenula. We are so proud of you.

On the whole, a rewarding day in every way.

[Waiting for the snaps from S. A College. Shall upload them shortly.]