The Narrative of Suicide

The sudden and impulsive killing of the self is roughly termed as suicide . The age-group differs who are prone to this self-destructive action. But life-ending is not the solution since everything goes for change with the time and space. The killing of the self is not a courageous act, but a cowardice one. Let's be brave to face the world around.

These teachings are nice when one hears, but somewhat difficult to translate in action. The enigma of the causes of suicide still continues to rule the psychiatrist. Practice is always something difficult for not fully developed mind. So those minds tend to lose balance and go ashtray.


The incident of suicide on the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad is growing day in day out. On the eve of 31 October 2010,  a piece of news stuck the hearts of students on the campus. The late Rahul Kumar hanged himself on account of 'mounting academic pressure'. The first semester undergraduate student of Japanese language chose to end his life under the circumstances of extreme distress when his consistently poor performance in academics was revealed. The young and budding boy has left behind his parents, relations, friends, and acquaintances. May his soul stay in peace!


Within the span of two and half years on the campus, four young lives-Brajesh, Muthyam, Anurag, and Rahul departed for the heavenly abode. There is certainly something wrong with the system, with the education system, with the university, with society, with teachers, with us!

The Narrative of Social Exclusion

The concept of social exclusion is an emerging area in academia in contemporary Indian scenario. Its presence can be traced in ancient era in Indian society existed in certain forms and functioned in different modes. But it appeared in discourse of colonialism when the first official census in 1871 took place. Thus, the concept of caste emerged as a strong institution to operate the society. The colonial enumerators felt the problems in identification and classification of data of census and classified according to social status, profession and occupation. They had their own vested interest in census: to empower the colonial rule by knowing the dominant and marginalized castes. Hence, the seed of inclusion-exclusion policy was shown and very technically the foreign concept of caste was introduced. Since concepts like 'varna' and 'jati' were already at function in ancient society, the caste did not sincerely absorbed the essence of those two indigenous institutions.Thus, the social exclusion perpetuated till date.

The tool of the social exclusion has been language. The language creates the discrimination and establishes power relation in society. The more powerful language dominates the marginalized ones. So does the dominant caste in society. Recognition of caste is for policy making that in turn generates the whole concept of inclusion and exclusion. For example- the exclusion category consists of dalits, OBC, adivasi, etc. Women are not identified as socially excluded category since they have their own established women studies centres for academic purpose. Adivasis are considered most excluded section of society since they are out of mainstream society. They own their own customs, practices, traditions, languages and autonomous administration. The affirmative action programmes initiated by the government do not address their problems.

The Other Backward Classes are the most deprived section of in contemporary society. They are hanging in between the upper castes and the Dalit. Data say the SC enjoy the maximum benefit of reservation compared with other categories. The major OBC chunk of society is directionless and deprived. There are divide among them- the land holders who are unwilling to reveal their identity and the landless. This discrimination against the OBC has to be erased at any  cost.

The debate on the social exclusion was the outcome of the one day Natioal Workshop on "Understanding Social Exclusion: Concepts and Context" held on 29 October 2010 at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. The workshop was organized by recently established Department of Social Exclusion. Prof  Bhangya Bhukya is worth thanking for the entire intellectual exercise. Eminent panelists include Prof Gopal Guru, JNU, Prof Surinder S Jodhka, JNU, Prof Virginius Xaxa, Delhi School of Economics, Prof Kancha Ilaiah, Osmania University. The auditorium was packed throughout the day.

The Valmiki Jayanti Narrative

'The Ramayan' by Valmiki is considered one of the greatest and longest epics of the world. And revival of the contribution of Maharshi Vamliki through celebration of his birth anniversary is an effort worth appreciation. His is the personality of most appropriately blended of both vice and virtue, good and evil, right and wrong and moral and immoral. He was a robber-turned-poet who cultivated his learning and reached to the highest wisdom that no Brahmin could ever achieved let alone Ved Vyas and Tulsidas. Thus, his elevation from a Shudra to a poet is a great and significant event in the history of human civilization. An illiterate murderer by profession, Valmiki sets an extraordinary example for us that the birth, family, caste and community (social dividing mechanism) has no role to play with talent, brightness, learning and wisdom.

The creation of the unattainable ideal character and the composition of the most powerful and intense family and national narrative are products of one of the most prolific minds. Valmiki composed the epic after being hurt when he saw a male bird die. The first shloka was so intense that he identified himself with the pain of the female of the deceased male bird. He opens with the curse:


                                     Maa nishaad Pratishtam tvamgama, ... shashwati shama.




He puts a curse on the hunter. Thus, the inspiration of writing an epic grows obligatory since that was the best way to teach lesson to the contemporary people. Valmiki must have realized the supremacy and dominance of the four Vedas claimed to be the store house of all wisdom. The Ramayan is the revolutionary work that practically diminished  much iconic value of those Vedas. And thus, the social dominance of the Brahmins and the upper castes of that time.

Hence, the celebration of the birth anniversary of Adikavi Maharshi Valminki by the Valmiki Seva Samiti headed by Mr Satyanarayana at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad on 22 October 2010 should not be seen only as cultural programme, but it also as an incident of social and moral importance.


 

The Bathukamma Narrative

The Bathukamma festival showcases the Telagana culture in strict sense ranging from deity worship to the folk costumes. The songs, flower decoration, processions, the drum playing, the juggling folk artists, and the dance are best potentials to make a bold statement that Telangana is a distinct region with remarkably characteristic features. The celebration lasts for over a week and is celebrated routinely in different localites. The colour of this cultural festival has enough magic to attract peoples from all sections of Telangana society. Bathukamma festivity maitains the same status as the Chhath Puja in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

At the very onset of the week, the University has experienced the grand Bathukamma cultural programme organised by a big group of students hailing from Telangana region. The programme commenced with the procession of the deity Bathukamma and culminated in the colourful cultural programme in which not only students from our country, but the foreign nationals also participated jovially. Dr. Prakash Kona, a university teacher were chief guest who emphasied the improtance of women in preseving and nurturing the culture. Though the programme contained a tinge of the need of the separate state of Telangana, this was pompous, dazzling and successful! Bravo the Organisers!

Chaos at the EFL University, Hyderabad

The recent developments on the campus brought a stalemate and deadlock to the official and academic affairs. The extreme and bizzare protests by the sudents by locking up the administration and officials inside the main administrative buiding followed by the pen down strike by the non-teaching staff for the promotion and implementation of sixth pay commission recommendation virtually pyralzed the function of the University mechanism. Though the non-teaching staff turned victorious at the cost of inconvenience and loss of the students, the Univesity, and above all the national one. The protest of the students could be justified by their poor unhygenic conditions they stay and eat in. This would not be a matter of surprise if they go against the Univesity's callous system. And the undesirable matter is that the Vice-Chancellor In Charge has quit visiting the campus. The entre work is moving at a snail's pace in absence of a central force.

This would certainly take much time, if there is still a ray of hope, to backtrack the smooth functioning of the University.

The Mysterious Death of a Genius!

The accidental and mysterious death of Anurag Jha, a second year student of five year integrated M A English programme, on the Sunday night of 28 February 2010 led various interpretations and ramifications because the real cause is still shrouded. The various newspapers, both in English and Telugu, have proved his death a suicide case. But this can be discreetly understood as the way out for the EFL University, where Anurag was student, to wash its hands from further complications. But this cannot be taken for granted. Because the lacalized newspapers like 'Dainik Jagran', 'Hindustan' published from around Sahibganj, Jharkhand (Anurag was the native of Sahibganj) termed his death as murder due to academic jealously and rivalry as his father tried to prove through various evidences.

Here, on the campus of the EFL University, Hyderabad, the situations were different. The jubilation of Holi festival was entirely extinguished and the campus wore a sombre look for days. But a handful of insensitive and heartless people played colours by defying the decorum of unstated mourning. One of the gay activists who is also a teacher at an IIT, tried to prove Anurag a gay through his sense of dressing. This is the most pervertive manner to project such rubbish image of a talented and genuis chap.

More to write...

The Overpoliticization of the Student-related Issues

This is not always a good idea to overpoliticize some student related issues such as class perfomance, the result, the so called suicide attempt, and caste-based discrimination,etc. An ugly space and inappropriate avenue for the dispute gets its way to make divisions among students themselves based on linguistic, regional and cultural line in the premier institution of academics. The issues should be genuinely reflected and represented by the prospective student representatives. The manipulation and distortion of the problems breed unhealthy atmosphere on the campus and contaminate the harmony that invisibly runs through entire student community.

Let us not give the university a room to create divide among us. An eclectic outlook may stablize the long lasting harmony among students, teachers and other university staff.

The Relevance of Gay Studies

The gay studies has emerged as the strong area of Cultural Studies. All modern writers, media houses, journals, and urban society make room for such studies. Thus, the world of theatre is also achieving great success through various performances as far as the gay issues and rights are concerned. The gay is construed doubly marginalized since they are not accepted by the heteronormative society. Moreover, they are sidelined from the community of eunuchs because they are denied idenitification with the 'hijras'.

In such circumstances, the gay and their issues remain closeted. Thier issues, suffering, pain, angst, agony,etc. remain invisible in the mainstream world. This makes sufficient ground for the proper attention to thier surreptitious life and complex problems. This is the need of time to give a voice to their rights and represent their experiences in writings of various types. The role of theatre sounds very crucial in this direction since it has great potential to communicate such message to society through live audience.

The Role of the Blog

Really I have to find out the role and contibution of the blogs in democratizing the criticism of different genres. I have heard a lot of other people blogging and getting considerable amount of attention. I wish to know the usefulness of the blog and hope for some creative and productive items.

Let me speak through my fingers on keyboard.

The Day First

Inspired by an international conference delegates who emphasised the idea of blogging, I begin this day.

Let me have a good start.