Booker Prize Winner Indian English Novelists

CALL FOR RESEARCH PAPERS ON

Booker Prize Winner Indian English Novelists

Editors

 

Dr. Arvind Nawale

Dr. Vishwanath Bite

No Contribution/Subscription fees. Papers will be accepted and published free of cost and only on basis of qualityand each contributor will get a free complimentary copy from publisher

Dear All,

We are glad to inform you that we are going to edit jointly our one more book of research papers on Indian English Literature. Authentic, scholarly and unpublished research papers are invited from scholars/faculty/researchers/writers/professors from all over the world for this volume tentatively titled as Booker Prize Winner Indian English Novelists

Proposed Publisher:

The volume will be published with an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) by a renowned Jaipur based publisher.

Thematic Focus of the Volume:

The articles should be on any theme or technique of any work of Indian English Booker Prize winner novelists which includes Salman Rushdie’s Grimus (1975), Midnight's Children (1981 The Man Booker Prize) , Shame (1983), The Jaguar Smile: A Nicaraguan Journey (1987) The Satanic Verses (1988), Haroun and the Sea of Stories (1990), Imaginary Homelands:Essays and Criticism (1992), Homeless by Choice (1992, with R. Jhabvala and V. S. Naipaul), East, West (1994), The Moor's Last Sigh (1995), The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999), The Screenplay of Midnight's Children (1999), Fury (2001), Step Across This Line: Collected Nonfiction (2002),Shalimar the Clown (2005), The Enchantress of Florence (2008), The Best American Short Stories (2008, as Guest Editor), Luka and the Fire of Life (2010), Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. (1997 The Man Booker Prize), The End of Imagination (1998), The Cost of Living (1999), The Greater Common Good (1999), The Algebra of Infinite Justice (2002) Power Politics (2002), War Talk (2003), For Reasons of State. (2003), An Ordinary Person's Guide To Empire (2004), Public Power in the Age of Empire (2004), Listening to Grasshoppers:Field Notes on Democracy (2009).Kiran Desai’s Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard (1998), The Inheritance of Loss (2006 The Man Booker Prize) and Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger (2008 The Man Booker Prize) and Between the Assassinations (2008).You may send your papers on any thematic or technical aspects of these works by Booker Prize winners.

Editing requirements:

• Paper size: A4, Font & size: Times New Roman 12, Spacing: Single line, Margin of 1 inchon

all four sides.

• Title of the paper: bold, title case (Capitalize each word), centered.

• Text of the paper: justified. Font & size: Times New Roman 12.

• References: Please follow MLA style (Only Author-Date or Number System) strictly. Don’t

use Foot Notes, Use End Notes

• Titles of books: Italics.

• Titles of articles from journals and books: “quoted”.

• Articles should be submitted as MS Word 2003-2007attachments only.

• The paper should not usually exceed 11 pages maximum, 5 pages minimum in single

spacing.

• Each paper must be accompanied by i) A declaration that it is an original work and has not

been published anywhere else or send for publication ii) Abstract of paper about 100-200 words and iii) A short bio-note of the contributor(s) indicating name, institutional affiliation, brief career history, postal address, mobile number and e-mail, in a single attachment. Please don’t send more attachments. Give these things below your paper and send all these things in a separate single MS-Word attachment.

• The papers submitted should evince serious academic work contributing new knowledge or innovative critical perspectives on the subject explored.

Mode of Submission:

Each contributor is advised to send full paper with brief bio-note, declaration and abstract as a single MS-Word email attachments to email addresses: amnawale@gmail.com andvishwanathbite@gmail.com up to 20th Jan. 2011. Please send your paper on both emails for editing purpose. The contributors are also supposed to submit one hard copy of (i) Full paper (ii) A declaration and (iii) Abstract and (iv) Brief bio-note typed in above mentioned format on any postal address given bellow. One hard copy is required for our record. Without hard copy no paper will be considered for publication.

Selection Procedure:

All submissions will be sent for blind peer reviewing. Final selection will be made only if the papers are recommended for publication by the reviewers. The details of the selection of your paper will be informed to you telephonically or on your email. The editor has the right to make necessary editing of selected papers for the sake of conceptual clarity and formatting. Non-selected papers will not be sent back to the contributor in any form. So, all contributors are advised to keep a copy of their submission with them. Each contributor will get a free complimentary copy from publisher.

Plagiarism Alert:

Contributors are advised to adhere to strict academic ethics with respect to acknowledgment of original ideas from others. The editors will not be responsible for any such lapse of the contributor. All submissions should be original and must be accompanied by a declaration that it is an original work and has not been published anywhere else. It will be your sole responsibility for such lapses, if any. Neither editor, nor publisher will be responsible for it.

Postal Address to Send Hard Copy of the Paper:

Dr. Arvind Nawale,                             Dr. Vishwanath Bite


Head, Dept of English,                               Assistant Professor


Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Udgir                       Bharati Vidyapeeth's


Dist: Latur (M.S.) 413 517. India                  MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya,


Cell: +91 9422535390                                 Kadegaon


Email: amnawale@gmail.com                       Mobile: 09423278008


Web: http://arvindnawale.blogspot.com        Chief Editor, The Criterion:


http://amnawale.over-blog.com                  An International Journal in English


www.facebook.com/amnawale                     ISSN (0976-8165)


(Member,Board of Studies in English;            http://www.the-criterion.com/


Faculty of Arts; Ex Senator,                       Email: vishwanathbite@gmail.com


S.R.T.M.University, Nanded, Maharashtra)


















Please circulate/forward this invitation among your friends/colleagues.

Deadline extended Indian Writing in English: Critical Perspectives

Call for Papers:

Indian Writing in English: Critical Perspectives

Editors

Dr. Vishwanath Bite

Dr. Arvind Nawale

Dear All,

We are pleased to forward this call for book tentatively titled Indian Writing in English: Critical Perspectives. Scholarly articles/ papers are invited from Scholars, Critics and Academicians before 30th December 2010. The book will be published by well-known publisher with ISBN.



Editing requirements:



• Paper size: A4, Font & size: Times New Roman 12, Spacing: Single line, Margin of 1 inch on all four sides.



• Title of the paper: bold, Sentence case (Capitalize each word), centered.



• Text of the paper: justified. Font & size: Times New Roman 12.



• References: Please follow MLA style (Only Author-Date or Number System) strictly. Don’t use Foot Notes, Use End Notes



• Titles of books: Italics.



• Titles of articles from journals and books: “quoted”.



• Articles should be submitted as MS Word 2003-2007attachments only.



• The paper should not usually exceed 11 pages maximum, 6 pages minimum in single spacing.



• Each paper must be accompanied by



i)A declaration that it is an original work and has not been published anywhere else or sent for publication ii) Abstract of paper about 100-200 words and iii) A short bio-note of the contributor(s) indicating name, institutional affiliation, brief career history, postal address, mobile number and e-mail, in a single attachment. Please don’t send more attachments. Give these things below your paper and send all these things in a single attachment.



The papers submitted should evince serious academic work contributing new knowledge or innovative critical perspectives on the subject explored.


Mode of Submission:

Each contributor is advised to send full paper with brief bio-note, declaration and abstract as a single MS-Word email attachments to email address: vishwanathbite@gmail.com and amnawale@gmail.com up to 30th Dec. 2010. Please send your paper on both emails for editing purpose. The contributors are also supposed to submit one hard copy of the same i.e. (i) Full paper (ii) A declaration (iii) Abstract and (iv) Brief bio-note typed in above mentioned format on any of postal addresses given bellow. One hard copy is required for our record. Without hard copy no paper will be considered for publication.



Selection Procedure:


All submissions will be sent for blind peer reviewing. Final selection will be made only if the papers are recommended for publication by the reviewers. The details of the selection of your paper will be informed to you telephonically or on your email. The editor has the right to make necessary editing of selected papers for the sake of conceptual clarity and formatting. Non-selected papers will not be sent back to the contributor in any form. So, all contributors are advised to keep a copy of their submission with them.











Dr. Vishwanath Bite                              Dr. Arvind Nawale

Assistant Professor                                                                     Head, Dept of English,

Bharati Vidyapeeth's                                                                   Shivaji Mahavidylaya,

MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya,                                                   UDGIR, Dist; Latur

Kadegaon (Maharashtra)                                                            413 517

Mobile: 09423278008                                                                 Cell: 09422535390

Chief Editor, The Criterion:                                                          http://arvindnawale.blogspot.com/

An International Journal in English                                                    http://amnawale.over-blog.com/

ISSN (0976-8165)

http://www.the-criterion

My Book on Naikar

Basavraj Naikar

Critical Perspectives

Edited By

Dr. Vishwanath Bite

Sunrise Publishers and Distributors

Jaipur

 

Contents

1. Interview with Basavraj Naikar

Dr. Vishwanath Bite

2. A Post-colonial Reading of Basavraj Naikar’s A Dreamer of Freedom Dr. Vishwanath Bite

3. A Treatise on Good Governance: Fall of Kalyana T.S.Chandra Mouli

4. Basavraj Naikar: Admirable an Elegant Storyteller Dr. Stephen Gill

5. A Portrait of the Popular Philosopher as a Mystic-songster: A Study of Basavaraj Naikar’s Light in the House N.S Gundur

6. Life's Like That: A Rendezvous with The Thief of Nagarahalli..... Dr. Asha Choubey

7. Dynamics of Spirituality in Kalburgi’s Fall of Kalyana P.Obula Reddy

8. M. M. Kalburgi’s Fall of Kalyana: A Study of Philosophical Heteroglossia in Historical Teleology Dr. Bhagabat Nayak,

9. Rewriting Basava Legend: A Study of Fall of Kalyana Dr. M. S. Pandey

10. “The static perishes, the dynamic perishes not”: Basava’s Ideology in Fall of Kalyana Dr. Madhavi Nikam

11. Sangya-Balya: Betrayal : A Folk Tragedy S. John Peter Joseph

12. HomeGrown Tales of Indian Life: Basavaraj Naikar’s The Thief of Nagarahalli and Other Stories. Shankar Prasad Singha

13. Basavaraj Naikar’s Kannada Translations: An Overview Mallikarjun Patil

14. Basavaraj Naikar’s Light in the House: A Critique Shri. S. B. Bhambar.

15. Basavaraj Naikar’s Light in the House: A Novel of Magic Realism and Cultural Synthesis Kh. Kunjo Singh

16. The Vision of Harmony in Light in the House S.G. Vaidya

17. Marriage and Morals in the Stories of Basavaraj Naikar: A Post - Colonial Approach B.Y.Patil

18. Socio-Ethical Perspectives in Basavaraj Naikar's Fictional World: A Study of The Rebellious Rani of Belavadi and Other Stories Bhagabat Nayak

19. The Short Story Writer as a Historian and Social Chronicler: A Consideration of Basavaraj Naikar’s The Rebellious Rani of Belavadi and Other Stories S.John Peter Joseph

20. A Kaleidoscopic Vision: Short Stories of Basavaraj Naikar Mr. S. G. Vaidya.

21. Rehabilitation of an Indian Nationalist Hero in Basavaraj Naikar’s Novel: The Sun Behind The Cloud M.A.Jeyaraju

22. Technical Features and Thematic Concerns in Sangya-Balya Pratima Chaitanya

23. Sangya-Balya: a Critique Smita Jha

24. Society and the Individual in the Short Stories of Basavraj Naikar O. P. Mathur

25. Turning Historical Material into Art: A Study of The Devils Wind and The Sun Behind the Clowd Dr. S.B. Singh

26. The Tale as Useful Artefact: Basavaraj Naikar's The Thief of Nagarahalli and Other Stories Christopher Rollason

27. Naikar Memorializes Babasaheb in The Sun behind the Cloud Shyam S. Agarwalla,

28. The World Ill Lost: A Critical Analysis of Sangya Balya: Betrayal S. G. Vaidya

Acknowledgements

The anthology consists of analytical and critical essays on Basavraj Naikar. Among the contributors, some are established critics and have many books and other publications to their credit; the others are voracious readers and budding scholars. All the contributors have taken great pains to ensure the quality of their articles. I sincerely wish that the anthology may serve its sacred purpose of paying tribute to the great novelist and the papers would succeed in the academic endeavour to be of real use to the literary world. I am grateful to all the scholars who have contributed their critical essays in this anthology.

I wish to record my obligations to all those who extended their helping hand in bringing out this book. I greatly appreciate Basavraj Naikar’s amused encouragement of this project, and his wry concession to my request that he lend a voice to this collection with a forward.

My first and foremost gratitude goes to my guide and supervisor, Dr. I. R. Draxi, Research guide, Shivaji University, Kolhapur. He has always been my source of inspiration in all literary endeavours. I am thankful to Prof. Dr. Jayprakash Shinde, Former Head, Department of English, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, for extending his moral support for academic activities. I wish to offer my thanks to Prof. Dr. P.A. Attar, Head, Department of English, Shivaji University, Kolhapur for all the help he extended. I am equally thankful to Prin. Dr. D. R. More, Chh. Shahaji Mahavidyalaya, Kolhapur for his guidance, kind support and encouragement.

I am sincerely thankful to Shri. D.M. Bhinge, Shri. S.R. Murthy, Shri. J.A. Kulkarni, Dr. M.G. Kadam, Shri. M.S. Khot, Shri Mahesh Mali and host of others, for their constant encouragement.

I must record my deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness to my friends Dr. Arvind Nawale, Head, Department of English, Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Udgir, Dist: Latur (M.S.) and Dr. Satish Ghatge for reviewing and selecting papers, making suggestions and sharing with me in critical arguments. I feel equally indebtedness to Mr. xxxxxxxx of Sunrise Publishers, Jaipur for pursuing me to edit present volume and publishing the anthology in record time.

I shall be failing in my duty if I forget mentioning my special thanks to my father K.S. Bite and Brother Ramdas Bite who encourage my spirit constantly and I remain ever grateful to them for their love and appreciation.

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

1. Dr. Vishwanath Bite, Assistant Professor, Department of English, MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Kadegaon, Tal. Kadegaon, Dist. Sangli. (M.S.) 415315.

2. T.S.Chandra Mouli, Reader in English, Railway Degree College, Secunderabad—500017.

3. Dr. Stephen Gill, Poet & Critic, PO Box: 32, Cornwall, ONT, K6H 5R9, Canada.

4. N.S Gundur Assistant Professor, English Government First Grade College, Alnavar (Karnatak University, Dharwad)

5. Dr. Asha Choubey Lecturer Post-Graduate Dept. of English Kanya Mahavidyalaya Bareilly.

6. P. Obula Reddy Professor of English Sri Krisnadevaraya University Anantpur (A.P.)

7. Dr. Bhagabat Nayak, Lecturer in English, Kandarpur College, Siddheswarpur - 754117, Cuttack, Orissa

8. Dr. M. S. Pandey

9. Dr. Madhavi Nikam P.G. Dept. of English, R.K.Talreja College, (University of Mumbai) Ulhasnagar

10. S. John Peter Joseph, Reader in English, St.Xavier’s Autonomous College Palayamkottai, (T.N.)

11. Shankar Prasad Singha, Professor of English, Vidyasagar University. Midnapore (W.B)

12. Mallikarjun Patil, Reader in English, Karnatak University, Dharwad-580 003

13. Shri. S. B. Bhambar. Head, Dept. of English, Arts & Commerce College, Nesari (MAHARASHTRA)-416 504.

14. Kh. Kunjo Singh, Professor of English, Manipur University, Kohima (Nagaland)

15. S.G. Vaidya, Senior Lecturer in English, B.E.S. Degree College, Byadagi 581 106.(Karnataka)

16. B.Y.Patil, Sr. Lecturer in English, S.J.V.P.College, Harihar (Karnataka)

17. M.A.Jeyaraju, Professor of English, Gandhigram University, Gandhigram 624302 (T.N.)

18. Pratima Chaitanya, Department of English & Modern European Languages, University of Allahabad, Allahabad.

19. Smita Jha, Assistant Professor of English, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India.

20. O. P. Mathur, Former Professor of English, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005

21. Dr. S.B. Singh, Professor & Head, Dept. of English, T.M. Bhagalpur University Bhagalpur 812007 Bihar State, INDIA

22. Christopher Rollason, Ph.D. (Metz, France: rollason@9online.fr)

23. Shyam S. Agarwalla, Principal ( Rtd.) Dr. R.M.L. College, Ranchi-834001

About the Author

Dr. Vishwanath Bite, (b. 19th April 1983) is working as Assistant Professor in English in MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Kadegaon, Dist. Sangli. (M.S.). He is Editor-In-Chief and publisher of The Criterion: An International Journal in English, ISSN (0976-8565). He has published dozens of qualitative research articles in national international journals and books. He was awarded doctorate in 2009 for his research entitled “Treatment of History in Indian English Drama” by Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Some of his forthcoming books are India English Historical Drama, Critical Perspectives on Indian English Fiction. Critical Response to Mahesh Dattani.



Inter-Caste Hindu Indian Weddings on the Increase with Changing Times

Many families are now allowing inter-caste marriages for their children to take place as they are coming out of the restricted boundaries of the caste system established centuries ago. Higher education and advanced economic conditions have given more say to the individuals in deciding their partners. Some people never bother about these restricted and old fashioned caste customs. All they want is that the partners should be of matching qualities and like each other. In case of love marriages, mostly with the knowledge and eventual permission of parents, the question of restrictions does not arise. Such marriages turn out to be very successful, happy and ever lasting. Visit ApnaMatch where you can find suitors of various castes who will like to meet you for dating and friendship leading to marriage. Inter caste marriages are quite popular in big cities, but still not favoured in small towns and villages. However, marriages in the clan, i.e. same family name or from same ancestors are not allowed. A marriage within the father’s or mother’s family is considered not conducive to good health.

 

Some Families Still Restricted to Own Caste Indian Weddings

Majority of families in Indian villages and towns look for their own religion and caste for Indian weddings. Inter caste weddings are unknown to them or they do not want to go that path. In big cities, people are quite liberal as what they look for is the compatibility, well settled family, acceptance of each other by both the meeting suitors, etc. But caste restricted weddings may have their own drawbacks as there may be less choice to choose a compatible partner. Their views and personalities may clash as the two have been teamed up as husband and wife because that was the only available option in the caste system. You may start an Indian matrimonial registration to have a compatible partner.

 

Caste System Shall Eventually be Broken by Next Generations

People are gradually coming out of this bondage with the advancement of education and economic conditions. Whether it is same caste or different caste, intelligent people recognise that we are all human beings of Mother India and have made these artificial caste borders ourselves for the benefit of no one. What happens when a couple of same caste have conflicting opinions, are always arguing over petty things, and may even try to harm each other. Then there are the neighbours where two people of different castes are living and enjoying their married life as true partners. They have lot to offer each other as they have all the ingredients that go to make a perfect married couple. Before their wedding, these companions of different castes discussed various topics in details, made sure the other person is on the right waveband, and weighed each others’ views, which turned out to be matching. Education, job status, family background and other matters of importance were all excellent. The future of the caste system will eventually be broken down by the next generations. People want happiness and equality after Indian wedding rather than domination and division, which create inferiority and superiority amongst the masses. As a true believer in equality and respect for others, have a caste free and compatible member at ApnaMatch for friendship or Indian wedding.

 

Call for Papers: Basavraj Naikar

Call for Papers



Basavraj Naikar


Edited By


Dr. Vishwanath Bite


Asst. Professor in English,


MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya,Kadegaon.


Tal – Kadegaon Dist. – Sangli. Pin – 415 304


Maharashtra, India.

Basavraj Naikar is a bilingual writer , He has published many translations and critical works likewise he has published several edited anthologies, Research articles and reviews in scholarly books and Journals. His first short story collection entitled ‘The Thief of Nagarhalli and Other Stories’ and it was short listed for the commonwealth fiction prize for the best first book from Eurasia in 2000. His second collection ‘The Rebellious Rani of Belavadi and Other Stories was well received by critics. He has published two novels, first ‘The Sun Behind the Clouds’ is a historical novel. His second novel ‘Light in The House’ is a philosophical novel deals with the life and mission of Sharif Saheb of Shishunala, an epistle of communal harmony between Hindues and Muslims. He has published English Translations like Musings of Sarvajana, Beloved Poems, Fall of kalyana and Sangya Balya: Betrayal.

Scholarly Articles are invited for the proposed book on Basavraj Naikar reflecting Spectrum of ideas and fresh criticism on his works. His works reflects variety of themes like history, politics, Protest, Social Consciousness, Search for identity, Colonial struggle, Betrayal, Loyalty, Power, Religion etc. Contributors are requested to communicate there previously unpublished articles following MLA Style sheet. Articles should be submitted in soft copy via e mail or CD mailer.

Book will be published shortly with Delhi based publisher with ISBN.

Contact Details:-

Dr. Vishwanath Bite

Asst. Professor in English,

MBSK Kanya Mahavidyalaya,Kadegaon.

Tal – Kadegaon Dist. – Sangli. Pin – 415 304

Maharashtra, India.

Mob No. 09423278008

E mail – vishwanathbite@gmail.com

Editor in Chief

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

ISSN 0976 - 8165

http://www.the-criterion.com

Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa wins Nobel Prize for literature

Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa wins Nobel Prize for literature




Peruvian-born writer and one-time presidential candidate Mario Vargas Llosa, a chronicler of people’s struggles against authority in Latin America, won the 2010 Nobel prize for literature on Thursday.
The awarding committee said in a statement Mr. Vargas Llosa received the award “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt and defeat”.
Mr. Vargas Llosa, who made his international breakthrough with the novel The Time of the Hero in 1966, is the first Latin American winner for literature since Octavio Paz won in 1990.
His works build on his experiences of life in Peru in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Mr. Vargas Llosa ran for president of Peru in 1990 but lost to Alberto Fujimori, who ultimately had to flee the country and was subsequently convicted of various crimes.

Peter Englund, permanent secretary of the Nobel committee, said he had telephoned Mr. Vargas Llosa, who was in the United States, with the news.
“He’s actually having a two-month stint there in Princeton teaching, so I was sort of embarrassed for phoning him so early. But he had been up since 5 o’clock preparing a lecture for Princeton. He was elated. He was very, very moved.”
Mr. Englund bubbled over in his praise of the writer.
“He has a number of masterpieces in narration because essentially he’s a narrator, he’s a storyteller. My goodness, what a storyteller!”
Mr. Englund characterised Mr. Vargas Llosa as one of the great authors in the Spanish-speaking world. “He is one of the persons behind the Latin-American literary boom of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and he has continued to work and expand.”
Mr. Vargas Llosa’s works are strewn with figures of power and authority. In The Feast of the Goat, a 49-year-old woman returns to the Dominican Republic, haunted by memories of her childhood when the nation was led by brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo.
The story tells of her efforts to overcome a traumatic past:
“Were you right to come back? You’ll be sorry, Urania… returning to the island you swore you’d never set foot on again…,” he writes.

“To prove to yourself you can walk along the streets of this city that is no longer yours, travel through this foreign country and not have it provoke sadness, nostalgia, hatred, bitterness, rage in you.”
Mr. Vargas Llosa, who has lectured and taught at universities in Latin America, the United States and Europe, is also a noted journalist and essayist, the committee said.

The prize of US$1.5-million was the fourth of this year’s Nobel prizes, following awards for medicine on Monday, physics on Tuesday and chemistry on Wednesday.

From: © Thomson Reuters 2010 (National Post .com)

Women's Reservation Belief and Disbeliefs

The Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced amid much controversy in the Rajya Sabha a few weeks ago. The manner in which the proceedings unfolded, convey the sorry tale of democracy in our country and the practice thereof, wherein MPs get physical over disagreements over policy. But more importantly, it clearly highlighted, yet again, the degradation of what was once a noble and just cause of women empowerment, which has been reduced to a shameless greed for power in the name of one’s gender.

Firstly, the policy of reservation as an elixir to uplift sections of society is flawed. Reservation systems sacrifice merit for mediocrity. Right from the birth of India as a republic, leaders have spoken out against the reservation system.  In a letter to all chief ministers on June 27, 1961, Nehru said the following about reservations -  “…I have referred above to efficiency and to our getting out of our traditional ruts. This necessitates our getting out of the old habit of reservations and particular privileges being given to this caste or that group…I dislike any kind of reservation, more particularly in services. I react strongly against anything which leads to inefficiency and second-rate standards….If we go in for reservations on communal and caste basis, we swamp the bright and able people and remain second-rate or third-rate. I want my country to be a first class country in everything. The moment we encourage the second-rate, we are lost. I am grieved to learn how far this business of reservation has gone based on communal considerations….This way lies not only folly but disaster.”

Proponents of the Bill generally give the following arguments 

1. This Bill will ensure proper representation of women – In the elections of 2004, about 53.57 % of women exercised their franchise and sent their representatives to the legislature. The basic assumption behind this bill that women vote only for other women, is deeply flawed and against the fundamental principles of democracy. The members elected in the parliament have been chosen by both male and female voters and represent the people of their constituencies – both men and women. Ironically, reserving 33% seats for women would limit the choices of other women for electing their chosen representative.
2. More women in legislature will empower women – Women have made great strides in all spheres of life and today, they are empowered like never before. A case in point is the employment data available from the Labor Bureau. Since 1971, the rate of employment of women has risen by more than 100%, while the rate of employment of men has decreased by a few percentage points. In case, anyone wonders about rural India, the rate of employment of women in rural areas has increased by an even greater margin (132%) since 1970. Today, numerous laws have been enacted in favor of women and equal opportunities abound. Women lead major political parties today and hold key positions in others. This all was achieved with the representatives in the legislature that were democratically elected and not by reservation. Since the purpose of legislation is to enact laws, one wonders what new laws can be enacted by artificially increasing the number of women law makers in an undemocratic fashion. The elected members of the legislature have been sincere and efficient about enacting laws for women empowerment.

The primary reason why the Women reservation Bill is a myopic piece of legislation, that furthers vested interests and ideologies, besides imposing arbitrary criteria, is because it is discriminatory, undemocratic and might even be unconstitutional.

1. It is unconstitutional because Indian constitution explicitly prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or gender. The proposed Bill perpetuates gender discrimination. While it does allow for special provisions for the welfare of women, these provisions should not be permitted to infringe on the basic democratic rights of the rest of the population. 
2. It is undemocratic because of two reasons – it disenfranchises about 33% of the electorate – or about 22 crore people, as per the figures available from the Election Commission, and takes away the democratic right of about 11 crore males to contest in elections.The basic tenet of democracy is that people should be able to choose their representatives. The state should not be allowed to limit the pool of representatives available to the public to choose from. Should this be permitted, democracy loses its meaning because the state could potentially declare its own agents to be the only available representatives. Limiting the available representatives based on religion, gender or caste is completely antagonistic to the fundamental principles of our democracy and constitution.This Bill also violates the right of about about 11 crore people by preventing them from contesting in elections. It discriminates against emerging male leaders who would not be able to contest in elections from their constituency and hence the nation loses out on the contributions of these people.  
3. Lastly, the concept of reserving 33% seats is totally arbitrary and no reason or justification has been provided for this number. Even in advanced western democracies like the US and UK, the number of women in legislature is less than 20%.

 Celebrated women leaders like Sarojini Naidu have been against preferential treatment to women. In particular, they have vehemently opposed reservation for women in the legislature and very vocal about it. When asked about this issue, this is what Sarojini Naidu had to say – “Why do you want to make women realize that they are not at par with men? Why reservation for them when they can do equally well or even better than men in many spheres of life? Why this discrimination of reservation against women, yes discrimination. Let them gain confidence and allow them to be proud of their achievements. Let them feel that what they are today is only because they deserved it and not because they were given any special treatment or they enjoyed any special privileges.”

On 16th Nov, 1931 a memorandum on the “Status of Women in the proposed new Constitution” jointly written by Sarojini Naidu and Begum Shah Nawaz was presented to the British Prime Minister. The draft memorendum was circulated in May to various constituencies inviting their views on the “reservation” issue. As noted in the 1931 annual report of All India Women’s Conference, there was, at the time, only one constituency that favored reservation of seats in the Legislature – “But even this constiuency has since completely changed its mind”

In their letter to the Premier and Chairman Minorities committee on the status of women in the proposed new Constitution (Government of India Act, 1935), the three organizations (All India Women’s Conference, Women’s Indian Association and the Central Comittee for the National Council of Women in India) demanded complete and immediate recognition of women’s equal political status. However, they insisted that no reservations be made for women in Legislature.

“We are … enjoined to resist any plea that may be advanced by small Individual groups of people of any kind of temporary concessions Of adventitious methods of securing the adequate representation of Women in the legislatures in the shape of reservation of seats, nomination or co-option whether by status, convention Or at the discretion of the provincial and central governments. To seek any form of preferential treatment would be to violate the Integrity of the universal demand of Indian women for absolute equality of political status.“

What the great women leaders of yesteryears saw as a threat to the integrity to the cause of women, is something that the new brand of feminist leaders vehemently espouse. This fact alone speaks volumes about what women empowerment has been reduced to – a naked greed for power in the name of one’s gender !

  

Unfortunately, very few political parties in India have the will power and determination to serve the best interests of the nation. The political parties have consistently sacrificed the nation’s interest for their own political agendas. Reservation on caste and religion and caste politics to divide the nation was bad enough. Now, gender politics seems to be the new frontier.

The proposed Women’s Reservation Bill is discriminatory, arbitrary , undemocratic and unconstitutional. This is yet another attempt by radical feminists to use their gender for furthering their own political interests, at the cost of the nation and ironically, other women.

M. K. Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace and the Father of the Nation was born on 2nd October 1869 at Porbandar in Gujarat. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on the very day every year as the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of India. In his autobiography My experiments with Truth Gandhi recalls that his childhood and teen age years were characterised by education in a local school, marriage to Kasturba at the age of 13 and an intrinsic love for ‘truth’ and ‘duty’.

HISTORY 

At the age of the eighteen, he went to England to study law. In 1891, Gandhi returned to India and set up practice at Rajkot. In 1893, he received an offer from an Indian firm in South Africa.

With his two minor sons and Kasturba, he went to South Africa at the age of twenty-four. Colonial and racial discrimination showed its ugly colours in the famous train incident, when he was thrown off the compartment meant for the ‘Sahibs’. During his more than two decades of stay in South Africa, Gandhi protested against the discriminating treatment that was meted out to Indians. He protested against the Asiatic (Black) Act and the Transvaal Immigration Act and started his non-violent civil disobedience movement. A satyagrahis camp known as the Tolstoy Farm was established at Lawley, 21 miles from Johannesburg, on 30 May 1910, in order to shelter the satyagrahis and their families. The South African Government had to heed to the voice of reason and in 1914 repealed most of the obnoxious acts against the Indians. The weekly Indian Opinion (1903) became Gandhiji’s chief organ of education and propaganda.

Gandhiji returned to India in 1915. After an interrupted stay in Santiniketan in February-March, 1915, Gandhiji collected his companions of Phoenix and established the Satyagraha Ashram in Ahmedabad city. This was shifted in June 1917 to the banks of the Sabarmati. This Ashram became platform for carrying out his cherished social reforms prime among which were Harijan welfare rehabilitation of lepers and self-reliance through weaving Khadi.

Between 1917 and 1918 Gandhi participated in two peasant movements in Champaran (Bihar) and Kaira (Gujarat) and in the labour dispute in Ahmedabad itself. World War I ended on 11 November 1918; Gandhi protested against the Rowlatt Bills and founded the Satyagraha Sabha (28 February 1919). The end of the World war also saw the dismemberment of the Khilafat (Caliphate). This hurt the Indian Muslims deeply. Gandhi was approached for counsel; and in a meeting of the All India Khilafat Conference on 24 November 1919, he proposed that India should respond by non-violent non-cooperation.

For Gandhi ‘Non-violence’ and truth were two inalienable virtues. He summed up the entire philosophy of his life as: “The only virtue I want to claim is truth and non-violence. I lay no claim to super human powers: I want none”.

The year 1926 was declared by Gandhi to be his year of silence. His famous march to Dandi in March 1930 started a countrywide movement to violate the Salt-Law. Gandhi was arrested on 4 May 1930, and the Government struck hard to crush the movement, but failed. So Gandhi was set free on 26 January 1931; and following a pact between him and the British Viceroy, Lord Irwin (5 March 1931), he was prevailed upon to represent the Congress at the second Round Table Conference in London. Gandhi was completely disillusioned with the attitude of the British, which had renewed its policy of ruthless repression. As a result the Civil Disobedience Movement was resumed in January 1932.

Gandhi was in prison when the Communal Award was announced in August 1932, providing for the introduction of separate electorate for the Depressed Classes. He opposed this attempt to divide the Hindu community and threatened to fast unto death to prevent it. He started his fast on 20 September 1932. It created consternation in the country, but the situation was saved by the conclusion of the Poona Pact, which provided for special reservation of seats for the Depressed Classes in legislatures, but under joint electorate.

On 8 May 1933 he announced a fast for 21 days for the Harijan cause. After coming out of prison Gandhi devoted himself exclusively to the cause of the ‘Harijans’. The weekly Harijan now took the place of the Young India, which had served the national cause from 1919 to 1932. After 1934 Gandhi settled down in Sevagram near Wardha to form a new Centre for his enlarged Constructive Programme, which included Basic Education (1937), designed to bring about the universalisation of education.

In 1942, his ‘Quit India’ slogan was to serve as the final signal to British dominion in India. The partition of India and Pakistan came as a personal shock to Gandhi. When the nation was rejoicing independence (1947), Gandhi went to Naokhali to ameliorate the conditions of the communal riot victims. On 30 January 1948, Gandhi was assassinated in New Delhi.

The man of the century had the courage of heart and spirit of the unafraid. His life and teaching reflect the values of this country and the values of humanity. He had been a beacon light to an army of freedom fighters who practised non-violence in world and deed.

CELEBRATION 

Mahatma Gandhi was a simple man, with simple tastes and high values. Respecting that, even though Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday, the festivities are minimal.

A prayer meeting is held at Rajghat, Gandhi’s samadhi in New Delhi. To mark the respect that Gandhi had for all the religions and communities, representatives from different religions take part in it. Verses and prayers are read out from the holy books of all the religions. Gandhi’s favourite song, Raghupati Raghava, is invariably sung at all the meetings associated with him. Prayer meetings are held in various state capitals as well. Gandhi Jayanti is observed all over the country, both in government and non-government forums.

Renaissance Movement

The Renaissance was a popular cultural movement that began in Italy and later spread to the rest of Europe. It spanned roughly from the 14th through the 17th century. The Renaissance was a great intellectual reawakening that encompassed the revival of classical learning and profoundly affected art, literature, philosophy, religion, science, politics and other aspects of intellectual inquiry. Renaissance scholars employed the humanism method to study and search for realism and human emotion in art. Renaissance thinkers desired to learn from classical or ancient text written in Latin or Greek. Scholars searched Europe’s libraries for works of antiquity which had fallen into obscurity for long. In such texts they found a desire to improve and perfect their worldly knowledge.

 

Important features of Renaissance

Humanism

Humanism was one of the most important features of Renaissance period. It was a method of learning. The humanist studied ancient text in the original and evaluated them through reasoning and empirical evidence. Humanist studied poetry, grammar, ethics and rhetoric. Humanism was an intellectual reawakening among the scholars of Europe. They retrieved, interpreted and absorbed the language, culture and ancient Greek texts. Humanist scholars acknowledged the supreme ability of the human mind. The humanist scholars played a vital role in shaping the intellectual capacities of their European people. Political philosophers like Machiavelli and Thomas More revived the ideas of Greek and Roman thinkers, and applied them in critiques of contemporary government. Theologians, Erasmus and Martin Luther, introduced new concepts of reasoning and faith.

 

Art

The Renaissance period saw the emergence of some really great painters and artists. The most famous among them includes Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello. The period is steeped in art, architecture and painting. In architecture, Filippo Brunelleschi was foremost in studying the remains of ancient Classical building. Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael reached great heights in their artistic endeavor that they became icons.

Science

With a momentous and sweeping change taking place in art and architecture, the Renaissance brought about a scientific revolution heralding the beginning of modern age. There was a blend of science and art during the Renaissance, with artists such as Leonardo da Vinci making observational drawings of anatomy and nature.

 

Religion

The Renaissance witnessed a massive religious unrest. The Protestant Reformation movement in Europe led by Martin Luther to reform the corrupt practices of the Roman Catholic Church was met with widespread resentment among the people. It is believed to have started in 1517 with Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses and thought to have culminated with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The movement started with an attempt to reform the malpractices of the Roman Catholic Church. The Papal was blamed to have been indulging in the teaching and sale of indulgences. The selling of indulgences and the Church’s policy on purgatory was the most controversial point.

 

Beliefs and practices that were vehemently opposed by Protestant reformers included purgatory, particular judgment, devotion to Mary (Mariology), intercession of and devotion to the saints, most of the sacraments, the mandatory celibacy requirement of its clergy (including monasticism), and the authority of the Pope.

Later, this movement led to the emergence of separate protestant churches. Thus, Renaissance can be said to a great intellectual awakening among the European people.

Volume- I, Issue-II.

The Criterion: An International Journal in English

ISSN 0976-8165



Volume- I, Issue-II.



Contents



Articles:



Depiction of Muslim Women in Samina Ali’s Madras on Rainy Days

- Saykar Satish Govind

Modernity in Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq

- Shivaji S. Kamble

THE AFRICAN ROOTS IN MAYA ANGELOU’S ALL GOD’S CHILDREN NEED TRAVELLING SHOES

- M. LATHA

The Metaphor of the Family as Mileu for Social Comment – A Study of Edward Albee’s The Sandbox and The American Dream

- Prof. R. SARASWATHI

Ecology as a Mode: The Poetry of D.C. Chambial and Kulbhushan Kushal

- Dr. N.K.Neb

HOODOO DETECTIVE PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN ISHMAEL REED’S NOVELS

- Ms. R.KRISHNAVENI

Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Weep Not Child: A Revolutionary Sprout versus Colonial Phantom

- A. RAMESH BABU



Poetry:



BREAKING DIGITAL LOCKS

- Darryl Salach

Blurring Borders

- Khurshid Alam

Losing the Girls

- Brian Heffron

Two Beloved Poems

- Donna Baier Stein

My Love Trusts

- Alacrity Stone

Maverick

- Melissa Studdard

Country Bluebird Reimagined

- William Crawford

WINDOW ON THE WORLD

- Ravi Naicker

THE PRESENT IS BLIND

- by Dr. Katti Padma Rao Translated by Siva Nagaiah Bolleddu Guntur

MILLION MILE SKY

- L Douglas St Ours

Clouds

- Chuck Taylor



Short Fiction:

Ganga

- Anita Singh

The Mirror

- K.L. Stover

Excerpt from Novel The One Percent

- Jeremy Birkline

Clutter

- David LaBounty

The Cookie Man

- An. Ray Norsworthy

Snapshot

- Mitanjeli Tischler



Reviews:

They and Us Killed Us, A Review of Ayi Kwei Armah's The Healers

- Nana Fredua-Agyeman