Thank you 'Team Blogadda'

Blogadda.com, one of the most respected blog directories in India, has featured our post on the little girl child – [whose life has changed for the better because of the dynamic intervention of a students’ collective from the Department of Social Work, MCC] - as a Spicy Saturday Pick on their Website HERE. 

The post is HERE.

Thank you so much Team Blogadda. 

May your tribe increase!

Regards, 

Rufus

The 'famed four' focused in toto for a festive occasion!

For the first time in the history of any Seminar, four Universities come together to help host a National Seminar. 

Well, yes, four universities, spearheaded by Dr. T. Marx camp for three full days to bring out the best from the staff and students of Muthurangam Government Arts College, Vellore, who in toto devoted their heart and soul for the success of a Seminar.

with a section of the organising team

And the famed four are -  

• Pondicherry University
• University of Madras
• Thiruvalluvar University
• Madurai Kamaraj University!!!

That’s indeed what we call a coming together of astounding sorts!!!!!

Well, Dr. KC was the cream of the session on the first day, as much as Dr. Marx was, on the second day of the Seminar. The Hall was packed to capacity on both days, and students were seen scurrying around the length and breadth of the campus, trying to be their hospitable best and play the bestest host to a Seminar that is touted to be the first everrr in the ‘fifty-year’ annals of the College.

‘Hip-Hip-Hurray’ to Dr. S. Thirunavukkarasu and his dynamic team who pulled out all the stops to make sure that the Seminar was one of a kind by all means!

It indeed was!

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with Dr. Kannadasan, Dr. Anita, Dr. Yazhini all dynamic professors from Thiruvalluvar University, [Dr. Anita has previously worked with MCC, she said]

Making a Difference! and how...!!!

She must be well around thirteen or fourteen – a time when many her age would be happily ensconced in the cozy comfort of their delightful homes enjoying their delightful siestas in the midday - when summer had started, and schools were off bounds for the annual holidays!

Image Courtesy: Pinterest.Com

Aimlessly loitering in and around our street, for well over an hour by now, with tears in her eyes and a desolate look on her face, i guessed something was amiss! I just watched! After strolling around for quite some time, she at last crouched herself under a huge neem tree in front of our house!

Still curious, I peeped out to see what she was doing!

She was sobbing! A faint whimper at that!

Inconsolably!

I soon knocked at the doors of my neighbor aunt (Mrs. Julian) and requested her to enquire after the little girl! But to our consternation, the little girl wasn’t willing in any way to respond to our voices!

She only kept sobbing!

On seeing the commotion, very soon, a few well-wishers in and around our vicinity arrived in no time, to to try their luck in asking her about her whereabouts! and her grievance! But no reply was forthcoming! In vain they all left! She kept on dodging all questions thrown at her!

When one of our neighbours suggested that we call the women’s police station to come and rescue her and enquire about her, the little girl burst out crying! She said a vehement NO to this suggestion!

It took a long time time for all of us to pacify her!

We didn’t know what to do! Finally ‘an archimedian eureka-like’ idea popped up! I decided, as a last resort, to call a Prof from the Social Work department – Prof. Prince Annadurai! I apprised him of the situation!

‘Rufus! Just see to it that she stays put! I’m sending a team rightaway!'

And in no time, a team of five girls and a boy from the Dept of Social Work were there in front of our house.

The girls displayed perfect sense of cordiality and a bonhomie when relating themselves to the girl! Very soon the girl was convinced to the core that she was in good company!

Thus, after a long time, she stopped her sobbing, and looked up with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes!

I invited them alll to come inside our house!

I also called up our gardener Prem Annan to get coffee and snacks for all of us!

And he readily obliged us!

And for the next one to two hours it was the way of the social work interns or students!

What wonderful camaraderie they exhibited in handling a girl of such a young age!

Alliance Francaise of Madras and Phoenix Market City Chennai present

a wonderful street theatre performance

The Horsemen

On Saturday 05 March 2016 @ 6:00 PM

@ Courtyard of Phoenix Market City, Velachery

Entry Free

Seminar on 'Literature and the Politics of Representation' @ Vellore

National Conference @ Kanyakumari St. Jerome's

ELT Workshop @ Koyilandy, Kerala

National Seminar on English Studies in India

Seminar on Visual Arts of Kerala

For once, A Counterpoint... ;-)

The moment I stepped into the salubrious portals of the 'techno-campus' of the mighty Saveetha University on Saturday, 20 February 2016, I was in awe – [like every visitor is, I guess], - at the gigantic analogous clock that must be at least 30 feet in diameter, with a wonderful garden ensconced within its two huge hands – made exclusively of diverse yet real species of crotons that give a peculiar beauty to the clock, and also an element of awe to the entrance to the second best private university in India. I was here for a forenoon of deliberations and interactions with the faculty of the Engineering College, and by all means, the faculty at Saveetha are a distinct lot – cordial in temperament, dignified in hospitality and highly efficient in their communication capabilities. Thanks to Dr. Rosalia Bonjour, Professor & Head of the Dept of Humanities, who was there right from the start, with her endearing nature! She scored full brownie points when she asked,

‘Sir, was coffee served to you?’

No, mam ;-)

Shall I get some for you?

Sure. With pleasure ;-)

That was my first cuppa though!

Later, when we met up with the principal of Saveetha Engineering College, Dr. Ganesan – a cordial and dynamic personality - I was doubly overjoyed, when he, for the second time, ordered for a cuppa hot coffee! *My bad! Me and my coffee ;-)*

Dr. E. N. Ganesan was very proud of the achievements of his staff and said that an investment in good and committed staff is equally important because it adds to the enhancement of the learning experience and benefits the ‘product-consumer’ - the student! ‘In fact the student should be the recipient of all the efforts that we the teachers invest on improving their prospects in communication skills amongst a host of other skills!’ he quipped.

In fact, this set my thought-process wandering… nay wondering!!!

And the article that follows has no connection whatsoever with my visit to Saveetha!

The views expressed are purely personal and I stand by it too J

YES, I was quite interested in the observation that he made on students as ‘product consumers’!

Honouring a Teacher! and How....!!!

Eighty years of age, and still in the company of the love of his life – Literature!!!

Well, that’s KC!

K. Chellapan! (Formerly Head, Department of English, Bharathidasan University, Trichy)

And yes!!! Not everyday does a student get the honour of being honoured by his own teacher, on his retirement day! And so what a joyous moment it is, when a teacher’s teacher is there at the ripe old age of 80, to grace the function that honours his first PhD Ward Dr. N. Natarajan!

NN, as we all know him, is the Head, Department of English, Pondicherry University. After forty meritorious years of distinguished service, NN is putting in his papers this month.

And what a way to honour him!

Full credits to our beloved friend and Professor Dr. T. Marx, Associate Professor of English, Pondicherry University, who thought about such a wonderful idea, of hosting an International Seminar to Dr. NN's honour!

Even when Dr. T. Marx gave his introductory words, he had an immense pride that adorned his choked voice, when he said that, ‘this is the first farewell seminar ever to be held in this University, in honour of an eminent Professor! Dr. Natarajan was always a teacher. He never accepted any administrative assignments nor was he into administration as he was of the firm belief that his priorities were only to his students, which was his ‘vocation’, he added!

The audience of more than five hundred delegates, staff and students, was in rapt attention throughout the morning session which saw Dr. K C enthrall the audience with his sonorous voice with excerpts from the lengths and breadths and depths and heights of literature!

Excerpts from Dr. KC’s pearls

Dr. KC, who has the unique claim to fame for introducing Canadian Studies in South India, said that, Dr. NN was his first PhD ward, and Dr. S. Armstrong was his last PhD ward in an astounding list of 56 wards he has guided thus far.

“The fact that the Chief Minister of Puducherry Dr. N. Rangasamy agreed to come for this programme, and has also agreed to sponsor the lunch for the two days of the programme in honour of Natarajan itself speaks highly of the eminence of NN,” he quipped.

Artist Talk

Come! Let’s welcome the Iron lady of Nepal's photographic community - NayanTara Gurung Kashapati, for an Artist Talk at Chennai Photo Biennale!

Sunday, 28 Feb 2016, 02:30 PM onwards @ Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Chennai 4, Rutland Gate, 5th Street Chennai India 600 006

NayanTara is a photographer and curator based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her work seeks to embrace themes such as change, identity, gender, and history within the context of ‘the New Nepal’. She enjoys working across platforms to connect visuals, sound, research, education, activism; using storytelling as an underlying approach. In 2007, she co-founded photo.circle, a photography platform that has facilitated learning, networking, publishing, marketing and other opportunities for Nepali photographers. In 2010, she co-founded the Nepal Picture Library; a digital photo archive that strives to document a ground-up history of the Nepali people. She is co-founder of Photo Kathmandu - Nepal's first international photography festival, which launched in November 2015. Photo © Kevin Bubriski

Cultural Carnival for Corporates, Colleges and Kids

This is Epic...!

Six Characters In Search Of An Author

26 - 28 February 2016

07:15 pm - 09:00 pm

@

Museum Theatre, Egmore, Chennai
Directed by: Michael Muthu

Cast: Namitha Krishnamurthi, Mike Muthu, Sarvesh Sridhar, Shaan Katari Libby, Sabnam Gafoor, Thomas Philip, Kiran Naig, Shravan Ramakrisnan, Tehzeeb Katari

Written by Luigi Pirandello, the play is a thought about books that are written but never completed and then forgotten. It deals with a hypothetical scenario where six characters that were created by a writer, but his work was never completed, come to life. It talks about their desperate bid for survival, as they commence their search, for an author who will complete their story and thus give them the immortality they long for.

Duration: 100 mins.

Price: Rs 200, 300, 500. Tickets are available on Bookmyshow.

Be there! Yes, I'm there! :-)

Candles that light other candles never lose their brightness...!

What are these lights? Why are they burning even after eventide in a College that houses one of the best libraries in Tamil Nadu?

As I was taking a stroll by night after having been accommodated in the International Guest House at Bishop Heber, Trichy, I was both delighted and curious at the same time to see lights in three of the four floors of the magnificent library at Bishop Heber!

Even as I was gazing at this spectacle, I saw a student coming down the stairs, and I stopped him on his tracks and asked him,

‘Is the library still open at this time of the night?’

Yes, sir. It’s open till 9.30 in the night, especially for hostellers like us; we find it easy to access the books at our own pace and do our study in the quiet precincts of the library. It’s open from early in the morning till 9.30 pm!

Still curious, I decided to walk up the stairs, and see for myself what’s up!

I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Around fifty to sixty students were sitting in comfortable chairs, at beautiful tables, books in hand and doing their studies.

The Asst Librarian, Mr. Reuben welcomed me with the same old delightful smile, and I asked him,

‘What is this wonderful thing I see?’

Yes Rufus. Now we have the library open till 9:30 in the nights, and hostellers find it quite convenient to be here. Many day scholars too who decide to stay back for the night for studies also make use of the facilities and we provide even dinner for those who cant afford it!

I asked him, ‘Is our librarian Sir around?’

‘He just left at around 9.15 pm. He was here all this while, with Dr. Dhanabal of the English Dept!’

I was sooo overjoyed to see this commitment from my role-model that I called him up at around the same time. He was delighted to hear my voice, and quite taken by surprise when I told him I had made a surprise flying visit to Heber for a programme for the staff!

‘I just now left campus, rufus. You do one thing. Please come home and stay with us. We have a wonderful guest room all geared up!’

‘thank you soo much dear Sir. But they’ve given me the accommodation. Just felt so happy on seeing students come by night for studies, and I thought I’d call you up rightaway!’

And the delightful talk went on and on…

Homage to Tamil Women: An Exhibition

Homage To Tamil Women

@

DakshinaChitra, East Coast Road, 

Near MGM Dizee World, Muttukadu, South, Chennai

13th February 2016 - 20th March 2016

Daily from 10:00 am to 06:00 pm

The French photographer, lecturer and Kathakali dancer Chantal Jumel will pay a homage to Tamil Women through her photo exhibition called 'Inward journey through graphical India'. She came to South India to learn the traditional dance-drama Kathakali and the classical dance Mohini-Attam. During that stint, she learnt from the Tamil women the repertory and symbolism of kolam and from Sri Parameswara Kurup, a ritual painter attached to the prestigious temple of Ambalapuzha in Kerala, the technique and spirit of kalam ground painting. 

Check out the unique Kolam designs by Tamil women captured beautifully through her lens.

PS: I'm there on 26 February 2016 :-)

Congrats Amala! You made us all proud @ MCC...!

Congratulations Amala Rani, on representing MCC as part of the Tamil Nadu contingent in the RD Parade and for having been a part of the grand tea party hosted by the President of India on 26 January 2016.

We wish you many more laurels in the years to come! 

We are soo proud of you. God bless you.

UGC Sponsored National Seminar @ Berchmans, Changanacherry

All geared up for 'Chennai's Own' Literary Festival 2016

Chennai’s literati are all geared up with gusto for the third edition of the Chennai Literary Festival, which be held at various locations including the University of Madras campus from 17 February 2016. Students from over 50 colleges in the city would be participating in the three-day fete.

Organisers of the Chennai Literary Festival

On the first day there would be a debate in English on 'Education Today and Tomorrow' with school students from different academic streams taking part. Tamil scholar Ramalingam would be addressing students at Anna Adarsh College for a discussion on 'Navil Thorum Nool Nayam' in Tamil.

The second day would have Tamil Oratorical Competition held at Loyola College. Pavannan and Manushi would receive award for best literary works for the year along with cash prizes.

During the festival, workshops on topics such as Social Media, Storytelling, Copy Editing, Publishing, Dalit literature, Smayamum Sanga Ilakkiyangalil Oppanai and Sanga Ilakkiyam Kaattum Manidham would be held in different colleges spread across the city.

Workshops Exclusively for students!

Click on image to enlarge

Assignment Topics for European Drama and Fiction

Topics for Assignment on European Drama and Fiction

'Problematising Identity' in Nineteenth Century European Drama with reference to any One Dramatist Prescribed for Study

OR

'Problematising the Concept of Family' in Nineteenth Century European Drama with special reference to any One Dramatist Prescribed for Study

A Website dedicated to a Legend...

At last! A website dedicated to the great Professor J. Vasanthan, (Formerly Faculty, Department of English, MCC & American College, Madurai).

The Site features glimpses into the various facets of this multifaceted personality through his visual works, cartoons, writings, caricatures, etc.

And forgive my immodesty, it also features my testimonial on this great legend on their main page ;-)

Click on the link HERE

Assignment Topic for I MA Students on 'The Romantic Age'

The literature of the British Romantic Age, according to Adeline Johns-Putra, has been shaped by a number of forces.

Give a critical overview of the Romantic Age with special reference to any five of the following critical concepts and topics that shaped the literature of the Romantic Age.

·         Canon (Canonizing Forces)

·         Class (Class Barriers)

·         Gender (the canonical Romantic poets are all men!?)

·         Nature (one of the central preoccupations of Romantic Poetry)

·         Imagination (The positive energy of the imagination)

·         Orientalism (How the Orient exerted a considerable allure over Romantic literature)

·         Revolution (The age of Romanticism as an Age of Revolution)

·         Science (the Romantic Age has sometimes been called ‘the second scientific revolution’)

·         Slavery (Debates around the question of slavery and slave trade)

·         The Sublime (as ‘sense super-sensible’ that had the grandeur and magnitude to inspire transcendence of mind).

C

CChecklist for your Assignment - 

                             Check if you have included an abstract in about 150 words.

•           Check if key words have also been included along with your abstract. (words, and not sentences!)

              •           Check if you have given a minimum of at least TEN print sources.

Saunders & Daruwalla on Writing et alia...

Yesterday, as I was wistfully flipping through the pages of The Sunday Magazine of The Hindu, (which has  - sad to say - obviously degenerated from its prestigious, coveted pride of place it once used to hold for a long long time to becoming an Arnoldian ‘beautiful and ineffectual angel beating in the void his luminous wings in vain!’

And yes oh yes! To quote Wordsworth: ‘whither is fled the visionary gleam? Where is it now, the glory and the dream’?

Dearth of writers, or writers having a writer’s block! Or a crises staring at the stakes? God knows!

Yet inspite of this Barthean ‘glissement’, two redeeming features on this week’s edition were -

First: George Saunders’ candid cut for Tishani. The MacArthur Genius Fellow, ‘considered one of the most inventive writers in the English language today’, opens up to Tishani Doshi in a freewheeling kinda chat…

Three essentials that he outlined where -

George Saunders

1. He feels nothing less than nausea at the possibility of Trump becoming the next U.S President. 
2. On writers engaging politically in their poetry or fiction, he says that one needs to be careful and exercise restraint! Propaganda is not literature. The primary stance of the artist, in my view, is one of curiosity and openness — not just “deciding” on an issue and then “demonstrating” it. So my approach is to try to feel my stories deeply — to come (through revision) to really care about the people in my stories, and wish the best for them (even if they are stinkers) and, in this way, try to generate some moral-ethical heft.
3. When Tishani asks him on the ‘terrific loneliness’ syndrome that besets some of his characters, and if there is a loneliness in America unique from other kinds of lonelinesses in the world, Sanders admits to it full well, and says -

Yes, I think there is, and it’s a loneliness particularly inspired by how harshly we punish anyone who is not “making it” financially. People work so hard and tend to get very task-obsessed. We are generally a pretty affluent country, lots of opportunity — but our ethos means that if you do fail or falter, it is a very long drop to a very hard surface. So our sense of community suffers, I think. Americans tend to feel alone. Hence (maybe) all the shooting.
But also, ultimately, I think life is lonely. Lonely in the sense that we, many of us feel, deep down, that we are not good enough, not essentially loveable…Also, we are suffering all of the time… so that makes for a sort of existential loneliness. I hope my stories are about that type of loneliness too — a type of loneliness that is exacerbated by the kinds of competition that capitalism inspires and requires.

Secondly, Keki Daruwalla’s take on writers who’ve ‘crossed the floor’ and ‘lapsed into verse’.

Chennai Photo Biennale

in cooperation with Travelling Lens

invites you for a one-of-its-kind

EXHIBITION | SYMPOSIUM | WORKSHOP

26 February 2016 to 13 March 2016

@

Goethe-Institut Auditorium

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Chennai Photo Biennale - an exciting and significant community public-art project, bringing together world-renowned photographers from India and abroad.

A collaboration between the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavanand Travelling Lens, Chennai Photo Biennale is focused on public engagement, this 2-week long festival from February 26th to March 13th 2016,  will attract more than a hundred thousand visitors across the city’s streets, train stations, galleries and parks in the city of Chennai, India.