MELOW INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 2020
(21-23, February, 2020, Chandigarh)
Day 1: 21
February, 2020
To ascertain the elixir that makes literature
immortal, the canons timeless, and the theoretical considerations around them
everlasting, the three-day 19th International Conference of MELOW (The
Society for Multi Ethnic Literatures of the World) on
Connections/Disconnections Literary Tradition, Continuities and Disruptions was
inaugurated at the Department of English and Cultural Studies, Panjab
University, Chandigarh. The pre-conference exuberance was
meticulously managed by the array of MELOW team stationed at various platforms,
the ‘on wheels’ squad from Department of English and Cultural Studies under the
guidance of their mentors/professors, Prof. Anil Raina, Dr. Meenu Gupta, and Prof Manju
Jaidka, President, MELOW (to name a few).
The Inaugural session was
graced by the presence of Prof. Shankar ji Jha, Dean, University
Instructions, PU, Prof Manju Jaidka, President, MELOW, Prof. Deepti Gupta,
Chairperson, Department of English and Cultural Studies, Prof. M. L. Raina (Chair),
members of the MELOW team (national and international) and a huge galaxy of
academicians and scholars from India,
Japan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Poland and USA. In the
Presidential Address Prof Jaidka highlighted the journey and purpose of
MELOW and focused on the polarities and similarities offered by the deliberations
of world literatures. She welcomed the delegates from across the globe, thanked
everyone profusely for their respective share of responsibilities and accentuated the
role of Academia and scholars in playing a proactive role in promotion,
comprehension and inquiry of literary inputs in the present times.
Prof Shankar ji Jha, a renowned Sanskrit
scholar, emphasized on assimilation of different languages to generate newer
conceptions through academic exchanges. He impressed one and all by his
impeccable Sanskrit and made fine observations on language associations. Prof.
Deepti Gupta enlightened the audience with present-day examples of establishing
the canon and its revised relevance in the contemporary world. The session was
anchored by Prof. Manpreet Kaur Kang who also announced the online Journal of MELOW-
MEJO.
Having already brewed a lot over high tea, the
Inaugural Address by Prof M.L. Raina felt like a finely fermented multi-layered
discourse on classifications of canonical literature and their asymmetrical
historical connections. The Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Mukesh
Williams, Vice-Director South Asia Research Centre, Soka University, Japan
on “Canon Creating in Literature”. He presented a well-structured dialogue
on world literary canons and classics; their formation, points of
convergence, diversity, aesthetics, morality, prudence, creative consciousness
and survival in the digital age.
The post-lunch
session is often called the graveyard session and for a reason; the canons were
brought alive! In the
following parallel sessions, paper presenters from across the world shared
their delineations on heterogeneous themes and texts. The sessions were an
eclectic potpourri
focusing on diverse literatures and topics including Turkish literature,
African-American literature, Contesting and Establishing Claims of Canon,
Timelessness of Literary traditions, Cartoons as Historical Literature, Re-Readings
in Indian Mythology, Narratives of Delhi, Afro-futurism, Journey of avant-garde Polish artists
and writers from to Cubism and Expressionism (by the delegates from Poland), Literary
Classics in the Digital Age, Bio-regionalism, Publishing Ideology of India, Emerging Literature from Nagaland,
Literature after the Maoist War (by the delegates from Nepal), Intervention on
the Neo-colonizer, Existential Crisis in Women’s Writing and much more. There was a panel from Bangladesh on
“Voices from Bangladesh: Women Writers” featuring Dr. Sohana Manzoor’s paper on
Rizia Rahman, Nadia Rahman on Dilruba Z. Ara and Arifa Rahman on Shaheen
Akhtar’s Short Stories. Ahmed Ahsunazzuman’s paper
engaged with the work of the Bengali poet Jasim Uddin. The
paper-presenters as well as the audience were impressed with the discussions
and the erudition offered by the Chairs.
Prof. Eric Chinje,
Educationist, Africa Institute for Media and Former Executive, Africa Media
Initiative, Washington DC deliberated on “Understanding Literature in Africa:
Sights, Sounds and Technology”. His lecture provided an insight into the ever-evolving
paradigms of African Literature in the era of surfacing virtual reality.
The day
dissolved leaving behind a wide array of thoughts and a thousand unfinished
conversations, only to be picked up the next day, on an equally enthusiastic
note.
Day 2: 22, Feb,
2020
The paper presenters were highly motivated and punctual and, the sessions
began on time. The wide ranging themes discussed on day two were:
The Dark Rock of Indian History, Post-colonial and Post-modern perspective
in Indian Mythology, Rumi Revamped and Rewired, Regurgitation of Myths, Re-workings of Mughal History, Kashmiri Literature as
Fluid Cannon, Socio-political Potential
of Sitarajya, Bengali Detective Literature, Censorship and Sexuality,
Representation of Gendered Narratives, Dalit Literature, Adaptation of Ghazal
In Indian Writing, Communication in The Tribal World, Tree and Animal Speech, Cinematic
Adaptations, Queer Canon as
an empowering act to recognize a parallel movement and Graphic narratives. The presentations were followed by spirited critical discussions where
the young challenged the
tradition and the arguments were streamlined well by the prudent Chairs.
The Japanese Panel (I, With Prof. Eric Shinje in Chair)) discussed the
adaptations, texts in the Japanese Adaptations, revisions and re-workings in
Japanese adaptations of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
In Isaac Sequeira Memorial Lecture, Prof. Senath
Walter Perera, Senior professor in English, University of Peradeniya, Sri
Lanka, communicated his ideas on “Sri Lankan Writing in English: The Search for
an Elusive Canon”. He provided insights regarding the key concepts of Sri
Lankan writings in English and its struggle to establish a significant corpus
of literature in English even after the implementation of the 1833 Colebrooke-
Cameron reforms. He revealed that though
there have been colonial influences, the aforementioned reforms could not contribute
much to Sri Lankan writings in English emergence of English literature and it was
further hampered when the government of Sri Lanka declared Sinhala as its only
official language. His paper highlighted the contributions by the unapologetic diasporic
writers and the institutions like Gratiaen prize led to the creation of
excellent individual texts after 1980s. However, these works have not gained canonical
status because of several factors, failure of publishing industry being one of
the primary ones. Prof. Perera laid impetus on current Sri Lankan experiences,
dramatic presentations, historical factors, insurgencies, tortured consciousness,
national consensus, language development as a means of hindrance with special
reference to cricket commentators, colonial hangover, deteriorating
language after the colonial and Postcolonial teachers retired, expatriate
factor, world accusations for being nativists, doubts raised on local
writers, literary reviews as misnomers and how they are light years away
from what happens in the other world and that it was time to form a counter
canon.
It was then time for the war of words between the young scholars: the ISM AWARD Presentation.
1.
Ms. Ashita Thakur : “Canon as Curriculum”: She presented the discourse
and doubt in canon; looking towards the western theory, canon as symptomatic of
curriculum setting, the outbreak of variegated culture, comparison to the pre
existing canon, shift from aesthetic to extra aesthetic and how impulsiveness
has become the touchstone of satisfaction.
2.
Ms. Pia Bakshi: “Reimaginings: Hyphenated Identities and Canons”:
She discussed hyphenated identities, made an impact with the changing
representation of Mona Lisa through various times and artists, compared studies
of various texts through understandings in translations offered through various
ages.
3.
Ms. Semanti Nandi: “George Egerton: Reclaiming the Subdued Voice of
the Fin De Siecle”: She tried to reclaim the subdued voice of Fin de Siecle,
discussing various canons of the past two centuries. She built her argument
well by drawing a comparative analysis between varied literary and art canons.
Each Participant was well prepared and handled
the queries with great prowess. The coveted ISM Award was won by Ms. Pia
Bakshi.
Day 3: 23, Feb,
2020
Even before half
the world was up on the lazy Sunday morning, heaven and earth were moved with a
wide expanse of themes; American Literary Canon, Conundrum in Artificial Intelligence
Fiction, How the Wretched of the Earth stood the Test of Time, Art of being Unoriginal, From existentialism
to Transcendentalism, Temporal Boundaries, Castaway, Craftsmen and Convert, Metamorphosis
of Desire, Pastiche as a form through Revision and Recreation, Counter Voices
from Interstitial spaces, Travel Literature, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Punjabi
Qissa in Digital Age, Emergence of
the Post-Black as Resistance, Hetero-normative Voice of the Canon, Suicide and
Survival and Oral Histories. A mammoth amount of dialogue happened across the
parallel sessions and that prove the brilliant spread of sub-themes offered by
the portal of the Conference.
With Prof Roshan
Lal Sharma in chair, the Japanese Panel (II) built an interaction between
Aliens and Earthlings through a comparative study with Gibli Animation. This
was followed by an exchange of cross-cultural questions.
At the
Valedictory Session the delegates were awarded certificates. It was followed by
the General Body Meeting where Prof. Jaidka highlighted the future course of
MELOW, some instrumental changes were introduced in the Executive, new members
were incorporated into the core group, Prof. Manpreet Kang deliberated on the
publication of MEJO (print and online) and the challenges involved, Prof. Anil
Raina shared the financial status of MELOW and curtains were brought down with
a formal vote of thanks by the President.
The duck appears
calm and serene while swaying on waters but beneath the tranquility, it pedals
dynamically to make that appearance. A
lot was happening behind the scenes, an army of young volunteers was moving
back and forth to make the whole thing possible. Though they were not a part of
the presentation exercise, they too, made the conference a success.
Very few academic
bodies have maintained the sacrosanct image of generating genuine academic
discourses on national and international platforms and the MELOW conference
proved that it was one of them, rather drove home the fact that it is the
‘only’ one bringing together the talents of; the young and the mature, the
learners and the learned, the national and the international.
The next MELOW
International Conference will be held at Indraprastha University, Delhi. Stay
tuned!
Report compiled
by KOMIL TYAGI
