In this paper I consider the status of Indian English as a variety whose standard varieties are e... more In this paper I consider the status of Indian English as a variety whose standard varieties are either British English or American English and show how this status forces it to position itself as a minor language without a major language, or as a variation of standard variety major languages which do not accord it the position of minority. Using Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of major and minor languages, and Harris’s conception of language as a set of constraints, I show how having nationalistically defined foreign standards make Indian English both dependent on foreign sources to derive authenticity as well as limit its creative possibilities as a minor language by making its power of variation illegitimate. As a solution to this crisis I propose the recognition and standardization of an acculturated variety of Indian English.
Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntalam has been traditionally interpreted as a play of acceptance of lif... more Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntalam has been traditionally interpreted as a play of acceptance of life’s vicissitudes which traces the transformation of Duhsanta’s carnal love for Shakuntala into a mature and spiritual love. The play’s title, “The Recognition of Shakuntala,” has been understood to refer to the literal recognition of Shakuntala by her husband Duhsanta who has forgotten her due to a curse by the short-tempered sage Durvasa. But what exactly does the “recognition” in the play signify—is Shakuntala recognized for what she is, or is she only recognized after her bare-naked life (zoë) is broken and she is remade into the conformist social subject (bios) that society wants her to become? After her love marriage to Duhsanta, is Shakuntala prevented from becoming the Queen because she is a person of mixed descent, a free-spirited lover, and a girl brought up in a forest hermitage? Is Abhijnanashakuntalam a discreet play about a person of hybrid identity born of an inter-caste union whose transgressive otherness is not accepted in the caste-coded, patriarchal “Indian” society of 5th century CE? These are some of the questions that I explore, employing the genealogical approach of Nietzsche, to unravel the regressive morality of the play.
In this article I argue that science even if it develops contingently in the midst of religion, l... more In this article I argue that science even if it develops contingently in the midst of religion, like the Shulba Sutras which were developed to build the Vedic fire altars, does not become part of religion, understood as a system of faith. The idea of science-in-general, understood as the systematic study of physical and natural world through observation and experimentation, is itself problematic as every scientific discipline is defined by a set of scientific methods specific to that discipline. So despite the existence of some form of science in texts that are fundamentally religious—as argued, for example, by P.C. Ray—one needs to acknowledge that the practice of science always needed a kind of freedom that was not found in the dogmatic space of religion.
This article deals with the idea of 'reality' in reality shows. Reality shows present 'a global m... more This article deals with the idea of 'reality' in reality shows. Reality shows present 'a global model of the here-and-now for the internet age.' There is 'barrenness' at the heart of the real but reality shows do not tell us that the barrenness has come about by our losing the idea of 'the great outside.' This socially constructed conception of reality is not static and unchanging. 'Reality' is constantly 'discovered' and 'rediscovered' by everyone who narrates reality according to newer ideas of reality. But what gets considered as 'reality' is the one that gets accepted by the society as that which captures the essential forces and intensities in the world around them.
A deconstructive analysis of Shudraka's 3rd century BCE Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika or The Litt... more A deconstructive analysis of Shudraka's 3rd century BCE Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika or The Little Clay Cart.
In this essay I consider how the 11th century chanson de geste, La Chanson de Roland engages with... more In this essay I consider how the 11th century chanson de geste, La Chanson de Roland engages with the genesis, and tragedy, of war and argue that war and the tragedy of war result from a failure of Reason. War begins not when armies clash but when we lose a certain attitude of peaceful coexistence and adopt an unwise attitude of belligerence which brings about mutual loss of peace and mutual destruction. The Song of Roland even as it deals with the historical event of an attack on Emperor Charlemagne’s rearguard during his military campaign in Spain in 8th Century and refashions it as the battle between Christians and Pagans refuses to glorify the crusading spirit; instead, it focuses on the vulnerability of human consciousness when faced with the brutality of war. Examining how the heroic epic describes the pre-war councils and the war scenes and deals with the effect of death and destruction on those who survive, I conclude that The Song of Roland could be read as an anti-war epic.
Professor of Psychology at the University of Delhi (North Campus) Dr. Ashok Nagpal with his mento... more Professor of Psychology at the University of Delhi (North Campus) Dr. Ashok Nagpal with his mentor Dr. Sudhir Kakar made pioneering efforts in developing psychology into a culturally sensitive and socially relevant discipline. Using psychoanalysis as a model they sought to understand the rich and diverse tradition of healing in India, and revealed how that knowledge could be integrated with the mainstream psychotherapies to bring about a synthesis: a synthesis which would enhance the scope of mystical cults and broaden the reach of psychology. In this short interview Dr. Nagpal addresses three core issues: manic self interest, passive indifference and fear of labeling, and using the concept of evil offers invaluable insights into the nature of urban living and why it’s failing humanity.
In this paper I consider the status of Indian English as a variety whose standard varieties are e... more In this paper I consider the status of Indian English as a variety whose standard varieties are either British English or American English and show how this status forces it to position itself as a minor language without a major language, or as a variation of standard variety major languages which do not accord it the position of minority. Using Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of major and minor languages, and Harris’s conception of language as a set of constraints, I show how having nationalistically defined foreign standards make Indian English both dependent on foreign sources to derive authenticity as well as limit its creative possibilities as a minor language by making its power of variation illegitimate. As a solution to this crisis I propose the recognition and standardization of an acculturated variety of Indian English.
Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntalam has been traditionally interpreted as a play of acceptance of lif... more Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntalam has been traditionally interpreted as a play of acceptance of life’s vicissitudes which traces the transformation of Duhsanta’s carnal love for Shakuntala into a mature and spiritual love. The play’s title, “The Recognition of Shakuntala,” has been understood to refer to the literal recognition of Shakuntala by her husband Duhsanta who has forgotten her due to a curse by the short-tempered sage Durvasa. But what exactly does the “recognition” in the play signify—is Shakuntala recognized for what she is, or is she only recognized after her bare-naked life (zoë) is broken and she is remade into the conformist social subject (bios) that society wants her to become? After her love marriage to Duhsanta, is Shakuntala prevented from becoming the Queen because she is a person of mixed descent, a free-spirited lover, and a girl brought up in a forest hermitage? Is Abhijnanashakuntalam a discreet play about a person of hybrid identity born of an inter-caste union whose transgressive otherness is not accepted in the caste-coded, patriarchal “Indian” society of 5th century CE? These are some of the questions that I explore, employing the genealogical approach of Nietzsche, to unravel the regressive morality of the play.
In this article I argue that science even if it develops contingently in the midst of religion, l... more In this article I argue that science even if it develops contingently in the midst of religion, like the Shulba Sutras which were developed to build the Vedic fire altars, does not become part of religion, understood as a system of faith. The idea of science-in-general, understood as the systematic study of physical and natural world through observation and experimentation, is itself problematic as every scientific discipline is defined by a set of scientific methods specific to that discipline. So despite the existence of some form of science in texts that are fundamentally religious—as argued, for example, by P.C. Ray—one needs to acknowledge that the practice of science always needed a kind of freedom that was not found in the dogmatic space of religion.
This article deals with the idea of 'reality' in reality shows. Reality shows present 'a global m... more This article deals with the idea of 'reality' in reality shows. Reality shows present 'a global model of the here-and-now for the internet age.' There is 'barrenness' at the heart of the real but reality shows do not tell us that the barrenness has come about by our losing the idea of 'the great outside.' This socially constructed conception of reality is not static and unchanging. 'Reality' is constantly 'discovered' and 'rediscovered' by everyone who narrates reality according to newer ideas of reality. But what gets considered as 'reality' is the one that gets accepted by the society as that which captures the essential forces and intensities in the world around them.
A deconstructive analysis of Shudraka's 3rd century BCE Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika or The Litt... more A deconstructive analysis of Shudraka's 3rd century BCE Sanskrit play Mrichchhakatika or The Little Clay Cart.
In this essay I consider how the 11th century chanson de geste, La Chanson de Roland engages with... more In this essay I consider how the 11th century chanson de geste, La Chanson de Roland engages with the genesis, and tragedy, of war and argue that war and the tragedy of war result from a failure of Reason. War begins not when armies clash but when we lose a certain attitude of peaceful coexistence and adopt an unwise attitude of belligerence which brings about mutual loss of peace and mutual destruction. The Song of Roland even as it deals with the historical event of an attack on Emperor Charlemagne’s rearguard during his military campaign in Spain in 8th Century and refashions it as the battle between Christians and Pagans refuses to glorify the crusading spirit; instead, it focuses on the vulnerability of human consciousness when faced with the brutality of war. Examining how the heroic epic describes the pre-war councils and the war scenes and deals with the effect of death and destruction on those who survive, I conclude that The Song of Roland could be read as an anti-war epic.
Professor of Psychology at the University of Delhi (North Campus) Dr. Ashok Nagpal with his mento... more Professor of Psychology at the University of Delhi (North Campus) Dr. Ashok Nagpal with his mentor Dr. Sudhir Kakar made pioneering efforts in developing psychology into a culturally sensitive and socially relevant discipline. Using psychoanalysis as a model they sought to understand the rich and diverse tradition of healing in India, and revealed how that knowledge could be integrated with the mainstream psychotherapies to bring about a synthesis: a synthesis which would enhance the scope of mystical cults and broaden the reach of psychology. In this short interview Dr. Nagpal addresses three core issues: manic self interest, passive indifference and fear of labeling, and using the concept of evil offers invaluable insights into the nature of urban living and why it’s failing humanity.
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