Fiction and Nonfiction

         In 'The Truth of Lies' Pevuvian writer and Nobel Prize winner Mario Vergas Llosa says 'Only literature has the techniques and powers to distill this delicate elixir of life: the truth hidden in the heart of human lies.' The reference to 'lies' can be construed as the indication to the fiction that deals with completely imaginative world as compared to its counterpart nonfiction. He claims that nonfiction cannont contain the fullest meaning of life since there is no place for impossibilities. The exclusion of temptation of impossibilities makes the nonfiction as a dry intellectual corpus of writings without a place for imagination and subjectivity.

           Life cannot be led by the rational intellectualism alone. And literature gives a better scope to escape from this world of objectivity. This is not going to surprise us when novel is said to be the best that brings forth an opportunity to create a world of our own. Indeed, it is an expression of the temptation of the impossible. Llosa's message is loud and clear when he says we should never resign or give up the quest for the impossible. Since the life beyond this life is always elusive, unknown and doubtful, literature virtually provides 'another life'. The act of reception of the aesthetic pleasure from the literature fulfills the unquenchable and the insatiable. 

          In broader sense, fiction is the representation of the imagination that is chiefly meant to unification of senses and perceptions. On the other hand, nonfiction is a pure expression of the intellect and based on objective approaches. Nonfiction cannot exist without being meaningful whereas imagination in fiction is always an enemy of meaningfulness. And it is well acknowledged perception that intellect cannot surpass imagination. Though students of literature should be more imaginative, they should also be informed readers. As Walt Whitman in 'Leaves of Grass' says 'immense has been the preparation for me.' And immense preparation comes only after reading nonfiction.

Mario Vergas Llossa, Nobel Prize for Literature 2010

International Conference on Theatre Reseach, 28-30 January 2011 at University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India.

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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.