Conference Report 2020

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