Phew...yesterday was the second and last day of the seminar. It should have been two consecutive days, but Tuesday was the last day of Ganpati festival, so the State had announced a holiday for visarjan. I've already blogged about my objections to that...so I won't dwell on that again...
But since we are on the topic of religion, someone recently reminded me of the soothing and healing power of shlokas being recited. It may sound corny but mantras/shlokas being sung in a soft, rhythmic manner can truly make you feel good from inside. I guess it's the same thing when people feel good inside a temple. I seem to lack that quality - I only admire the architecture and idols from an aesthetic point-of-view and completely miss out the feeling of humility one generally feels in front of the idol. But chant the gayatri mantra around me or make me sit for a havan...I feel good inside out!
Hmm..back to the seminar. The second day was GOOD! We started off with Dr.Bharucha, who needless to say was excellent. She dealt with Rohinton Mistry an his 'Repossessing of the Master's Tongue.' Dr.Lukhmani did a stylistic analysis of Hiromi Goto's poem 'The Body Politic' - that was very interesting. It led to a huge discussion on the whole issue of the Self-Other dichotomy and we came up with very interesting points. The poet has experimented with the typography, using the paper as a canvas to draw her ideas...a highly interesting poem to read if you can lay your hands on it...here's an extract:
"I can never unzip my skin
and step into another.
I am happy with my colour until someone points
out it clashes with my costume.
I hold my culture in my hands and form it on my own,
so that no one else can shape the way
it lies upon my body."
The next session by Ms. Kumudavalii Vasudevan...I don't know what she spoke about. It was highly boring!!!
The post-lunch sessions were excellent . All three of them. Ms. Anju Makhija's perspective on children's literature in Canada was followed by Dr. Mala Pandurang's analysis of the metaphor of 'cultural baggage' in M.J.Vassanji's novels. The last paper was by Dr. Manju Sampat who dealt with Bharati Mukherjee's writing.
Was thinking yesterday on my way home from Andheri station - there's so much I still have to read and learn, it makes me feel really ignorant about the world. Hearing the professors and speakers interact, discuss and illustrate their points by quoting critics, extracts from poems and books...made me feel like I don't know anything!! I seriously must read more. I definitely don't read enough and hardly know anything! I truly have a long way to go before I get anywhere....
Then I overheard this girl behind me discussing romantic gestures...and I was struck by the difference between popular notions and my own notion of what's romantic. The girl was gushing about red roses and sunsets and soft mushy numbers....and I'm thinking...ye gods!! I'd rather get a bouquet of wild flowers - since that's too idyllic, I'll settle for carnations, tulips, lilies, orchids...anything but roses! They are so boring! As for sunsets...I always thought sunrises were more beautiful...and isn't a sunrise more symbolic of a happy future than a sunset? That by no means says that sunsets aren't gorgeous...but well...just a thought...
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