Siddharth Chauhan

  Modern Voices, Indian Experiences: The New Poets of Indian English Poetry Self-expression, modernity, myth, nature and the search for an Indian poetic identity Introduction Indian English poetry underwent a significant transformation after Independence. Earlier poets such as Toru Dutt, Sarojini Naidu and Sri Aurobindo were often associated with romanticism, nationalism, mysticism and idealism. The generation of New Poets , however, moved towards a more personal, realistic and modern poetic expression. These poets were interested in the ordinary experiences of Indian life—cities, villages, family relationships, sexuality, poverty, religion, death, alienation and cultural identity. They also experimented with irony, colloquial language, free verse, Indian imagery and unconventional poetic structures. The post-Independence poets therefore attempted to make English capable of expressing distinctly Indian experiences. A useful way of understanding this development is through K. R. S. ...

  Karna Between Two Worlds: Greek Tragedy and Indian Myth in T. P. Kailasam’s The Curse or Karna How T. P. Kailasam transforms a legendary Mahabharata figure into a Sophoclean tragic hero Introduction T. P. Kailasam’s The Curse or Karna , subtitled “An Impression of Sophocles,” is a remarkable dramatic experiment that brings together two great traditions of tragedy: Greek tragic drama and Indian mythology . Based on the story of Karna from the Mahabharata , Kailasam does not simply retell the epic narrative. Instead, he reconstructs Karna’s character through concepts associated with Greek tragedy—particularly Hamartia (tragic flaw), Hubris (excessive pride), Fate, suffering, recognition, and inevitable catastrophe . Karna is traditionally remembered as a heroic but unfortunate warrior: the abandoned son of Kunti, the loyal friend of Duryodhana, and the tragic rival of Arjuna. Kailasam deepens this familiar image by placing Karna within a tragic structure reminiscent of Sophocl...

  When the Earth Becomes a Colony Postcolonialism, Environmental Injustice, and The Jengaburu Curse Introduction The environmental crisis of the twenty-first century is often described through terms such as climate change, global warming, deforestation, pollution, and ecological destruction. However, these problems cannot be understood simply as the result of humanity's impact on nature. The question of who has benefited from environmental exploitation and who suffers its consequences is equally important. This is where postcolonial studies becomes significant to the discussion of the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene, broadly understood as an age in which human activity has become a powerful geological force, also exposes the unequal relationship between powerful societies, marginalized communities, and the natural world. Dilip Barad's article, Postcolonial Studies in the Anthropocene: Bridging Perspectives for a Sustainable Future , explores this important intersection between ...

  Globalization, Identity, and the New Postcolonial Condition Reading Dilip Barad’s “Globalization and the Future of Postcolonial Studies” and “Globalization and Fiction” through Ramin Bahrani’s The White Tiger Introduction: From Colonialism to Globalization Postcolonial studies traditionally examines the cultural, political, and psychological consequences of colonial rule. However, in the twenty-first century, colonialism can no longer be understood only through direct political occupation. Globalization has created new networks of economic power, cultural exchange, technology, migration, and political influence. The central question therefore becomes: Has colonialism really disappeared, or has it transformed into new forms of global power? Dilip Barad’s articles, “Globalization and the Future of Postcolonial Studies” and “Globalization and Fiction: Exploring Postcolonial Critique and Literary Representations,” provide an important framework for answering this question. Barad ar...

  Between Empire and Identity: Reading Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist Hybridity, Empire, Re-Orientalism, and the Politics of Identity in a Post-9/11 World Introduction: A Fundamentalist Who Does Not Quite Belong This blog activity is based on the Film Screening Worksheet: The Reluctant Fundamentalist prepared by Dr. and Professor Dilip Barad, Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU) . The screening provides an opportunity to examine Mira Nair's 2012 film adaptation of Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007) through the critical frameworks of postcolonialism, globalization, hybridity, Orientalism, re-orientalism, Empire, and post-9/11 identity politics . Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012), adapted from Mohsin Hamid’s 2007 novel, is not simply a film about terrorism, America, or Pakistan. It is a complex postcolonial meditation on identity, belonging, capitalism, cultural hybridity, and the unequal structu...