"Mahabharat"

"Mahabharat" is the biggest book in the world containing 1,00,000 slokas. It is widely accepted that it wasnt the same in size in first edition.
First one was "Jay", with nearly 25,000 slokas, the second was "Bharat", the third and final is what we've today "Mahabharat"with 1 lakh slokas.
It is said that "Yanna Bharate tanna bharate", means whatever is in Mahabharat is everywhere and whatever is not here that is no where. This line is the biggest complement for the book. Because whatever happens in the world that we can observe in mahabharat also. Birth, love,hatred, rivalry, envy, greed for power, Good V/s Evil, betrayal, Morality- immorality & New Morality, Oath, WAR, killing- (Massacre), prosperity, peace and ultimately Death, - everything is present here.
This meta narrative stands as icon for Indian culture.
As a story it tries to include tale 

• Mahabharat is divided into 18 Parva.
• Adi Parva
• Sabha Parva
• Vana Parva
• Virata Parva
• Udyoga parva
• -Bhishma parva
•  Drona parva
• Karna Parva
• - Shalya parva
• Sauptika Parva
• Stri Parva
• Shanti Parva
• Anushasana Parva
• Ashvamedhika Parva
• Ashramavasika Parva
• Mausala Parva
• Mahaprasthanika Parva
• Svargarohana Parva
• Harivamsa Parva 

Waiting for Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee

Waiting for Barbarians

It is a novel, published in 1980 by Nobel Prize winner South African writer J.M.Coetzee. He has choosen title of the novel from a poem by C.P. Cavafy.
This novel can be read from post colonial perspective, in which colony writes back.
The novel is narrated by unnammed narrator - The Megistrate. People's peaceful life comes to an end when Empire declares the Emergency. Because Empire was thinking that some indigeneous people called "Barbarians"- native people are going to attack Empire.To know the secrets of the Barbarians (Natives) they bits them, torture them, rape them, kill them. Colonel Joll did unimaginable torture to people.But ultimately no one comes.
But now the real question arises that who are the barbarians?? Britishers( White people- Colonizer) or Native ???
To prove them Barbarians, these people have actually became the Barbarians.Colonel Joll is metaphor for entire Empire. He has created truth, which he wanted to prove. He anyhow wanted to prove that Barbarians are planing to attack them.

the Magistrate begins to question the legitimacy of imperialism and.personally nurses a barbarian girl who was left crippled and partly blinded by the Third Bureau's torturers. The Magistrate has an intimate yet uncertain relationship with the girl. Eventually, he decides to take her back to her people. 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things fall Apart by Chinua Achebe:-

Achebe portrays with simplicity & dignity the history of Africa.Imposition of colonial power in Ibo community is the heart of the novel. Writer minutely observes the turmoil resulting out from British rule.

Novel centres around the life of Okonkwo, who is a wrestling champion in the village. He didnt like his father, because he was interested in music and arts. It gives us vision to understand that in their community- interest in music or other arts of men were considered as affiminate, feminine quality. So he always hated his father and tried to be different than him.

Another major incident is killing of boy Ikemefuna. Just to prove his manliness he kills a boy who was much like his own son. Even that boy was considering him as a father.

Later on he killed a boy by gunshot, so he was exiled for seven years.

When he returns, everything was totally changed due to colonial effect. even his own som had Christian name and was going to missionary school. now nobody respects or pays attention to Okonkwo. Now even he is surprised to see his own people.

Novel is also open for feminist discourse, because men were having more than one wives. & women were bitten a lot by husband. Women were only child bearers for them.

At the end of the novel Okonkwo commits suicide, he hanged himself. And surprising thing is that nobody was ready to even touch his body. it was sin for the people. And more shocking thing is that Hero's death is described in just one paragraph in the novel.

Nightingale and Rose by Oscar Wilde

For Digital ePortfolio reading again B. A. texts.

Really it is a great feeling to read the short story of Oscar Wilde. Because if we look into the personal life of the writer then it is full of suffering. he was heavily talking opium. at the same time he has spent his last year of life in prison, so no one can expect great thing from him. but it is not so. 

What we have learn from the theory of DEPERSONALIZATION , that work of art and poet- writer  are two different entity. we shouldn't be judgmental that if writer's personal life is disturbed, then his writing also not will be good.

there are many examples in literature, for example, Eugene O'Neill that his personal life was also full of pain and suffering. but then even he is famous as American Shakespeare. His works are tremendously popular among the people. My point is that WORK IS IMPORTANT, not the personal life. 

Nightingale and Rose is very short, simple and touching story. within few pages what writer tell that can't be told in even long books. on the one side we have beautiful, sweet Nightingale who sacrifice life for love, and when we come to know that boy has thrown Red Rose , we feel sorry for Nightingale.

..............'No red rose in all my garden!' he cried,

and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. 'Ah, on

what little things does happiness depend! I have

read all that the wise men have written, and all

the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want

of a red rose is my life made wretched.'.............

................

→'If you want a red rose,' said the Tree, 'you

must build it out of music by moonlight, and

stain it with your own heart's-blood. You must

sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All

night long you must sing to me, and the thorn

must pierce your heart, and your life-blood

must flow into my veins, and become mine.'

★ 'Death is a great price to pay for a red

rose,' cried the Nightingale, 'and Life is very

dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green

wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of

gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl.

Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet

are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and

the heather that blows on the hill. Yet Love is

better than Life, and what is the heart of a

bird compared to the heart of a man?

..................

.... 'Look, look!' cried the Tree, 'the rose is

finished now;' but the Nightingale made no

answer, for she was lying dead in the long

grass, with the thorn in her heart...................

But the girl frowned.

'I am afraid it will not go with my dress,'

she answered; 'and, besides, the Chamberlain's

nephew has sent me some real jewels, and

everybody knows that jewels cost far more than

flowers.'..........

.......... he

threw the rose into the street, where it fell into

the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.............

...... 'What a silly thing Love is,' said the Student

as he walked away. 'It is not half as useful as

Logic, for it does not prove anything, and it is

always telling one of things that are not going to

happen, and making one believe things that are

not true. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and,

as in this age to be practical is everything, I

shall go back to Philosophy and study

Metaphysics.'

So he returned to his room and pulled out a

great dusty book, and began to read.!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Technology in Education???

*It is very much important to use technology in class. as time is evolving, we have to update ourselves. We cannot teach to the students with traditional methodologies. Technology is a medium which  reduces human effort and makes teaching- learning process interesting and innovative.

* with chalk and talk method  it is not possible to explain everything in the class. But technology can overcome  the limitations of the teachers. by sitting into classroom, student can see outer world through video resources. it is very time, energy and money consuming to visit each and every place which are part of the syllabus. for example historical places, forests, wonders of the worlds etc. but viewing this place is possible through video. and more than that students get opportunity to study  under scholar through video lectures.

*Technology helps the teachers prepare students for the real world environment. As our nation becomes increasingly more technology-dependent, it becomes even more necessary that we want our students to prepare for the citizen of 21st century. because this is the future. outside world, students have to do daily work with this gadgets in time to come. Basic things like online booking, online application, online payment, online shopping, E- Governance is the future of 21st century.

*Many teachers complains that students are not interested in or paying attention in classroom. but the reason behind not paying attention is that they are not interested in the technique/ methodology in which they teach. teachers tries to teach the way they had learnt. but this won't work.

# WHY TECHNOLOGY,

# How better technology can be use  for academic purpose ?

because older methodologies are failing. Now we can't be regressive to find answer to this. we have to think progressively, and answer to this is maximum integration of technological tools and gadgets.

Today technology has advanced a lot. If it is use in education then it EXTENDS THE HOURS OF TEACHING.

traditional classroom teaching was limited for few hours only. learners have to be present in classroom to learn, otherwise s/he will miss everything. But now it is not so.

*ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, ANYTHING CAN BE LEARN IS THE SLOGAN OF MODERN STYLE OF LEARNING.

many advertisements and video tries to bring in this concept of self learning, which we have seen in the class. Though we are not talking about total absence of teacher, but role of teacher is changing ...

another concept is developing at the same time is of SELF - LEARNING. A person AT ANY AGE can learn. there is no boundary / limits for age.

MOOC and other ONLINE COURSES FROM RENOWNED UNIVERSITIES are fine example of this. people from any field, of any age group can join the course and satisfy their desire for learning. where as we are still (ENTIRE EDUCATION SYSTEM) is narrow minded, stopping or not allowing to study after particular age or person from other field. for example B.Com student cannot take admission in M.A. whereas world through Technology is becoming  Open for everybody. and this openness is its strength.

*We have to move from isolated learning to collaborative learning.

  

*There are different kinds of learners- from different backgrounds, with vivid skills, capacities, abilities and limitations also.Scholars have differentiate this types as - Visual learners, Auditory learners and Kinesthetic learners.

Now the point is that all learners in the same class are different than each other, so how can we teach them equally by same method?? No single learning style is appropriate for everyone.

The reason behind failure of traditional classroom teaching with Direct method or Grammar translation method is that each and every students are not benefited from this.

BUT,

Using technology- Audio- Visual teaching aids allows or gives space to each and every kind of learners to study on their own.

Those who are visual kinds of learners they will learn by viewing videos.

Whereas those who are Auditory kinds of learner they prefer to listen and learn. Kinesthetic learner will learn by performing- you do the thing and learn fast.

Some learners will find ease in learning with Inductive approach or some with Deductive approach.Similarly those who are habituated of reading printed material will find problem in Reading from screen or from video learning.

Now, to take care of each and every learner is not possible with traditional methodologies, and especially in OVERCROWDED CLASSES IN INDIA. OUR GOVT.CANT SPEND MORE MONEY ON EDUCATION THE WAY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LIKE AMERICA CAN.

**

scholars won't go in villages?? so what is solution??

TECHNOLOGY CAN REACH EVEN IN REMOTE VILLAGES- .  by sitting in remotest part of the world, one can view video of  scholars fromYale, Oxford, Cambridge etc. universities.  and that is possible without a singlerupees.it is freely available.

So the solution is that to use technology. Not just use, but to integrate technology.

★Technology as a great help in evaluation:-

Within few minutes result can be generated by software, with accuracy and without biases.

Technology offers wider scope in evaluation process. Only written tests are not enough to measure the knowledge, comprehension, understanding and application. Something is always left out.

Whereas here those who hesitates in speaking/ giving answers in classroom discussion, they can give their answer in online discussion.Thus, it gives voice to the silent or introvert learners in the class.

Even online test makes evaluation process more easier, faster, better & also reduces human effort and saves time and energy.

And more important thing is that students will by product acquire LSRW SKILLS. Before replying learners will think about the subject.(and this thinking/churning in the mind is the beginning of the learning)This will develop their ability to think and express themselves through written or oral language. Thus from passive learners students will become active participants.

Now everybody has accepted this WHY? part of technology. because it caters the need of the majority. Classroom becomes dynamic. Teachers also comes to know up to what level students has absorbed the topic.

there is a difference between using technology and integrating technology is that in integrating technology – technology is not a target but  it can be learnt by product. the focus is on teaching by maximum through digital  resources. it makes learning easy and enjoyable.

Using technology  is limited, because the focus is more on technology, where as integrating it more wider. If only teacher use, then its only use of technology. There should be space for learners to use technology in class and that is integration. Through this so many skills can be developed at a time. and this can be happen only if the technology is use as routine part of classroom environment, with clear learning objectives.

it is also proved through research in America that without teacher only technology won't work.

*

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A DESTINATION, BUT A MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH SOMETHING ELSE IS LEARNT.

for example, through online tests, blog task, video resources, E- content reading "LANGUAGE" can be learn.

**Technology is JUST VEHICLE TO REACH AT DESTINED PLACE.

AND THAT DESTINATION IS LANGUAGE LEARNING- A GOOD COMMAND OVER LSRW SKILLS, & LANGUAGE PRODUCTION.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code is a suspense thriller novel by Dan Brown. 
What difference do you see in the portrayal of 'Ophelia' (Kate Winslet) in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, 'Elizabeth' ( Helena Bonham Carter) in Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or ' Hester Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffé's The Scarlet Letter' or David Yates's 'Harmione Granger' (Emma Watson) in last four Harry Potter films - and 'Sophie Neuve' (Audrey Tautau) in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code? How would justify your answer?

If we compare Ophelia with Hermione or Sophie Neuve, then there is a vast difference. 21^st century  female characters are getting more space. Female characters has  grown a lot.  They are equal or more smarter than male characters. Sophie and Hermione both accompanies to male members in the journey. But its in novel,  the picture is different in the movie.

Here it is necessary to clarify that there is a wide difference between portrayal female characters in literature and movies. 

When representation of female is observed deeply one will find problem that female body is largely objectified. This objectification is problamatic. This can be proved by above mentioned references that How Ophelia's ( Kate Winslet)in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is shown. This kind of presentation is not there in original Hamlet by Shakespeare. The kind of sexual scenes and nudity is shown that is objectifying female's body as a commodity. The same kind of observation can be derieve from the character of Elizabeth of Frankenstein also. Hester Prynne (Demi Moore) is also showned nude in the movie. The point is that female’s body is used as commodity. Hermione is also used as a object for the rivalry between Harry and  Ron.

But Ron Howard  didn’t do that, that is very good thing. Throughout the movie director is able to catch the spirit of the FEMININE SACREDNESS.  During entire movie, no one will find camera rolling over female’s body for sensual pleasure. There is not a single kissing scene in entire movie, even if it is a blockbuster hit movie. Western media generally criticized for showing lowliness of female’s body as a object. But the spirit of the novel is that in pagan religion both gender were equal. The binaries are created later on. So it tries to look female as  a sacred one. Sophie’s character is ideally portrayed to show feminine sacredness.

·      (If)You have studied ‘Genesis’ (The Bible), ‘The Paradise Lost’ (John Milton) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative/s seem/s to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?

It is an age old debate that literature/ movie misrepresents reality but the point is that it never claims that it says truth. It is SEMI- HISTORICAL. It uses historical evidences to construct a new story. But, if one asks forcefully to chooses one of three, then I would choose The Da Vinci Code as a more convincing narrative. Because Bible says that Eve is created from the rib of Adam, which is not possible to believe scientifically. Bible also says that God has created entire universe, but empirical evidences to prove it right are not available. Even it seems difficult to believe for the rational mind people.

·        What harm has been done to humanity by the biblical narration or that of Milton’s in The Paradise Lose? What sort of damage does narrative like ‘The Vinci Code’ do to humanity?

The damage done by Biblical narration and Paradise lost is that they have created binaries. And put man into privileging position and female into under privileged position. All women started believing that they are the responsible for the fall of man from heaven  & suffering of entire mankind. This realization as inferior is damage done by it. in one or another way it tries to say that if you trap in argument of  female (as Eve) then you will suffer like Adam- this is problematic. 
Milton has divided the role of male and female in society-that female should do house hold work and male should engage in intellectual work. When Raphel comes to inform about the possible danger of Satan, Eve is absent. Thus, putting Eve (female) away from intellectual discussion and deciding their role is problematic. 

The Da Vinci Code has a very progressive beginning with Prof. Langdon. but what he does at the end of the novel is regressive. He kneels down at the Sarcophagus of Mary Magdalene. He suppose to reveal the secret about the Jesus's blood line and his relation with Mary Magdalene. But rather than making it public, he becomes the secret keeper.
Sir Leigh Teabing wanted to liberate entire humanity by revealing the secret. But Langdon dont do that. This is the biggest damage done by them to Humanity. Because if we look at the history then religion killed more people than any other thing. People like Silas and Aringoras are killing people on the name of God or religion. this would have been stop if secret had been revealed.   

 “Although it is obvious that much of what Brown presented in his novel as absolutely true and accurate is neither of those, some of that material is of course essential to the intrigue, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman has retained the novel's core, the Grail-related material: the sacred feminine, Mary Magdalene's marriage, the Priory of Sion, certain aspects of Leonardo's art, and so on.” How far do you agree with this observation of Norris J. Lacy?

Novel is discussed and debated a lot since its time of publication. many documentaries are research are made on this. all these has falsified the narrative of the Dan Brown. Few evidences he uses may be correct, but everything is not so. so Norris's observation is true. one is that Da vinci's cryptex, mirror image writing etc are falsified. cryptex was originally machine. so on several ground it fails as a truth.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist movie revirew

 The Reluctant Fundamentalist

 The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a 2012

political thriller drama film based on the

2007 novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist by

Mohsin Hamid , directed by Mira Nair,

starring Riz Ahmed and Kate Hudson in lead.

The movie can be read from the post- Colonial angel that it tries to defend the Pakistani or say Muslim identity. It tries to subvert the stereotypical image of them after 9/11. All are not equal. It challenges the American way of treating people that what kind of problems people have to face in America. It also breaks the myth of America that America as a land of Dreams.

The movie has very beautiful PLOT with mixture of past and present. Changez – a  young boy from Pakistan is the protagonist and movie presents his experiences in America after 9/11. Reporter from America  - Hidden agent of C.I.A. takes interview of Changez and then story unfolds. In the beginning Changez is shown with beard- stereotypical image so people may think that he may be associated with the group of terrorists. But when movie goes into flashback we realise how talented he is. He got job in multinational company which is not possible for everybody. The place of interview is dull, dirty and crowded which also shows how West looks towards East. Even in Pakistan he does not associate with the terrorist group and continues to work in Lahore university. The movie beautifully presents the problems of them in America- that how roughly they were treated-   ( even few years ago the news was that Bollywood Actor Shahrukh Khan has to suffer a lot at American airport for security concern only because of his surname)  even they have done nothing -they were looked with doubt, not respected, people called them by bad words, spit on them, hate them- this ill treatment in America breaks the myth of equality.   

PLOT:-

In the beginning of the movie, there is kidnapping of American professor, and kidnaper demands money and their release of terrorist on behalf of professor. Suspect goes on Changez, so hidden CIA agent takes his interview to get knowledge about terrorist group. And then Changez tells his story……

In his professional life, he impresses his peers

and gets earmarked by his superiors for his

work, especially Jim, the person who recruited

him, develops a good rapport with him, and

holds him in high esteem.

# he comes to see himself as a servant of the American

empire that has constantly interfered with

and manipulated his homeland . He returns

from Chile to New York without completing the

assignment and ends up losing his job.

# In the global scenario, after the September 

11th attacks, there is an air of suspicion 

towards Pakistanis. Changez, due to his 

privileged position in society, is not among 

those detained or otherwise abused, but he 

notices a change in his treatment in public. 

To express solidarity with his countrymen 

after his trip to Chile, he starts to grow a 

beard.

Emotional break down - people call him Osama.

Even his girl friend Erica starts calling him ( Gair Insan) the Other.

# Noticing the American response

to this situation, he has an epiphany that his

country is being used as a pawn. With no job,

an expiring visa and no reason to stay in

America, he moves back to Lahore.: The World Trade Center attacks took place

when Changez was in Manila on business. 

When he returned to the USA, he was strip- 

searched at the airport in New York. Later 

on, he was thoroughly interrogated by federal 

agents, after being mistakenly arrested in 

the street as he just left the Underwood 

Samson building. His attitude toward the USA 

seemed to change During his interview with Lincoln, Changez says that at one point he was approached by a terrorist cell and asked to become a 

mujahid , and he was tempted to accept, 

feeling deeply angered and disillusioned by 

"the arrogance, the blindness, the hypocrisy" 

of the USA, but he finally refused when he 

was told about the "fundamental truths" of 

the Q'uran, echoing a phrase Jim Cross had 

used during their first encounter, "focusing 

on the fundamentals". Elaborating on the 

similarities, he explains that both groups, 

Islamic fundamentalists and blind capitalist 

economy represented by Underwood Samson, 

share the same reductionist outlook, view 

people in binary terms, thus feeling entitled to get rid of those deemed unworthy

# Lincoln becomes suspicious seeing Changez 

texting, the latter saying he was just 

communicating with his sister, Bina  suspicions turn to fury after Lincoln 

receives a picture of Rainer dead, mistakenly 

linking the two events. Lincoln believes the 

only way to safety is to use Changez as a 

shield venturing into the hostile crowded 

street. Attempts are made to keep the crowd 

stable but things get worse and Lincoln falls 

to the ground, his gun goes off and hits 

Sameer one of Changez's 

student interns, who dies from the wound. 

Another student fires at Lincoln from a 

balcony, after which Lincoln is quickly 

removed by CIA agents. Lincoln then finds

out that Rainer was in fact found dead 

earlier that day, and that Changez had indeed rejected working with the suspected mastermind behind the kidnapping, Mustafa Fazil; he also told the truth about the text message. Changez delivers a eulogy at Sameer's funeral, as Lincoln recuperates in a hospital, recalling Changez's words as he listens to there cording of the interview - "Looks can be deceiving. I am a lover of America...although I was raised to feel very Pakistani.

At the end of the movie reporter realise that Changez was correct, he is truly not associated with any groups.

Post colonial is an approach in which colony writes back. We have to relook, rethink whatever spoken or written by white people. Europeans have developed pre conceived notion about the East. Even without knowing people personally or say without meeting (without first hand experience)Western people think that all(THE OTHER) are criminals , terrorist and as a result all have to suffer humiliation. So colony writes back from their point of view that it is not so. Judge a person by his work not by religion. The same was the case with Professor Edward Said, that even he was working  in American University since many years, whenever there is terrorist attack or bomb blast people asked him about it. The main problem is that even if you are American by heart they will consider you and doubt you as Asian. Individual has to suffer a lot to get settled in American society. Asians are mere pawn in their economic capitalist game. Profit is everything for Americans. Relation don’t matters to them. Where as Changez- representative of Pakistani or say Asian identity speaks beautiful line in the movie that there are many things which cannot be measured by money only. This quality makes him even greater than Americans. Changez leaves very good job only because he thought that because of me many person will loose their jobs. Many people will be jobless, so what about them and their family? This was his fundamentals.

# we have to doubt whatever comes from West. Every step taken by them is under question: It is their conspiracy theory to defame East through Media Monster. media continuously go on showing and attaching terrorism with religion. So that people internalize it. And then whenever people heard about attack or bomb blast people will associate it without thinking or questioning with particular religion or groups of people.

# the fact is that America is the country who fought more battle than any other country in the history of last 60 years. But then even they are able to justify their acts.

My point is that post colonial approach challenges this West centered mentality.: Picturisation of movie is fantastic. It holds the audience. Unfolding of the story through the frame narrative is brilliant. Acting of Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber and 

Kiefer Sutherland is praise worthy.

# first meeting of Changez and Erica in the park is lifelike, and the way their relationship develops and ends is realistic.

# the conflict between American mind and Pakistani mind is clearly visible in the movie.

Movie is also attack on American Capitalism: That how workers have to loose their jobs because of Capitalization. 
The line spoken by Changez is very significant that ' All matters cannot be solved only by money'

 TRUTH HAS BEEN LESS GLORIOUS THAN DREAMS: