And... We Almost Spotted A Snake in Campus Today! ❤️

From Derrida to the Sun Dial: Reading the “Living Texts” of MCC

Embodied Nature Journalling

#classactivity

This morning at 8:30 a.m., the entire II MA class settled in, fully expecting a dense Derridean lecture from their professor (this blogger) on Christopher Norris’s essay, “Jacques Derrida: Language Against Itself.” But their Professor seemed to have other plans for them.

Stepping into the classroom, I made an unexpected, surprise announcement -

Dear II MA English Class,

In a few minutes from now, we intend to go on a silent walk of sorts – an embodied nature journalling - up to the Sun Dial in MCC!

Building on yesterday’s discussions on human-centric narratives in Motha Rathiri, today we are going to engage ourselves in a non-human-centric, “embodied nature journalling” of sorts!

I want you to view the route from this classroom to the Sun Dial as a cinematic set. Observe it as a living ecosystem and watch for the complex network of non-human narratives unfolding along the way. Step outside the anthropocentric viewpoint and celebrate the rich biodiversity of our campus, treating its flora and fauna as our primary subjects of study,

I exhorted them.

And to guide their observation, I gave them a simple framework - the ABCDs of our campus ecosystem –

Ant (and Termite) Trails 

As we began our Embodied Nature Journalling, we traced termite trails forming rich, intricate patterns across the earth and paused to discuss the architectural and ecological logic behind their mounds.

Bees, Birds, and Butterflies 

Prompting the students to shift their gaze from the ground to the sky, we were rewarded with the sighting of the vivid blue-tailed bee-eaters. A few butterflies also made an appearance, dancing lightly through the morning foliage.

Canopies 

Looking up through the overlapping branches of the campus trees, we studied how a canopy dictates the micro-environment directly below it. We made a pitstop beneath the famed tamarind tree near the boxing ring. I guided the students around the trunk and posed two questions for them to ponder: Why does nothing ever grow under the shade of a tamarind tree? and Is the tamarind actually native to India?

Decomposition 

Finally, we observed fallen leaves, decaying logs, and clusters of oval deer pellets scattered along the path’s margins. Looking closely at the micro-scavengers - dung beetles and flies - we watched them actively dismantle the organic matter. It was a fascinating realisation: while humans dismiss this as “waste” to be hidden away, the soil of the scrub jungle treats it as highly valuable currency. The decomposition process literally fertilises the trees and shrubs across the campus.

On the whole, a deeply rewarding day in every way.

Photo Courtesy: Ms. Divyashree V

PS: You may want to read about a Tree Walk on 28 January 2012, for the II MA English Class, with Dr. Narasimhan, HERE on our blog. 

And the Blogpost on The Meditation in the Trails on 20th February 2020, HERE on our blog. 

And the Forest Bathing we had last year, on 23 August 2025, for the II MA English Class HERE on our blog.