Week 9 - Overview || Indian Writing in English || Prof. Umasankar Patra

Описание: The lecture introduces the writings (in English) of the Indian diaspora scattered across the world. Distinct kinds of interactions with colonialism led to differential histories and experiences of migration, and resulted in the formation of Indian diasporic communities across the world (for instance, USA and Europe, South East Asia, the Caribbean). We can identify the core concerns of home, subcontinental history, nation and cosmopolitanism in these writings. While diasporic writers brought Indian writing in English to prominence upon the world stage, they have shared a contentious relationship with literatures in regional Indian languages.
A reading of Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” illustrates how the history of the subcontinent (from pre-Partition times to various postcolonial conflicts) comes alive as a character rather than mere background in diasporic writings. Further, the university town in the West seems to constitute a “third space” where people from the subcontinent forge solidarities, an alternative imagined community, despite everything which divides them as “nations”.
This lecture elaborates on the alternative spaces and personal histories with which diasporic writings enrich Indian English literature. While highlighting various registers of cultural difference and the hyphenation of identities for diasporic subjects, Lahiri’s story also illustrates (with great nuance) the shared history as well as shared humanity which can connect individuals like Mr. Pirzada and Laila.
This lecture discusses the short story “The Ghost of Firozsha Baag” by Indian-Canadian writer Rohinton Mistry, focusing on the aspects of diasporic writing that exude nostalgia for his home city, Bombay. It explores the theme of nostalgia through the character of Jacqueline, who longs for her home in rural Goa. Furthermore, the lecture discusses other predominant themes found in the short story, like the urban and rural divide, class and gender inequalities, etc., paying special attention to the use of language in the story that highlights the multilingual vernacular presence in Indian English.
This lecture discusses Salman Rushdie’s idea of the loss of “home” which haunts diasporic writers as they constantly attempt to recreate it through memories of the past. The reclamation of home in India is not possible due to the geographical and temporal distance, and therefore they create fictional “imaginary homelands”. This places diasporic writers in a paradoxical position: on the one hand, their access to the past is partial and they are divorced from the rooted realities of the Indian present; on the other hand, they are able to escape parochialism and weave narratives of universal appeal, such as Lahiri’s vision of shared humanity and solidarity between Lilia’s family and Mr. Pirzada.
This lecture discusses Rushdie becoming a spokesperson for diasporic writers in laying out the responsibilities and challenges of diasporic writing, as it straddles between two cultures. It elaborates on the risks of falling prey to the colonial gaze and stereotyping, while also not being limited by what could be written about due to the hybrid identity, opening up the possibilities of re-imagining the canon.