I was feeling really weird and eerie on the last day of my final MA exam. We all were giving our 5th and final paper: Modern Classics in translation. Anyway, coming to the weird part of it, instead of being happy - is definitely because I knew our stint with 2 years of MA is over.
So what? This is always what we wanted! All throughout the course of 4 semesters, I hankered for MA to finish. Each day, I remember, for the sake of not missing the enriching lectures, I did attend classes whenever I could. It was not only difficult but sometimes pathetic for me to attend , toting the 3 kg Laptop (includes the cable also and a novel) hanging on my right side and my big handbag hanging on my left side that contained a Tiffin, a book, a pen, my wallet some essentials needed to freshen up once I reached office, post college. It was hell doing it everyday and for 5 days consecutively. Though we had holiday on a second Saturday, I would still bunk college on every Saturday. A self-declared holiday influenced very much by my corporate lifestyle: working only 5 days a week.
Our Rendezvous with MA and our professors was certainly an uplifting, rewarding and enriching experience- something that we will cherish all our lives. MA gave me so much! How much? It made us better persons, honed our life skills, I must say, opened the window to the world and how it works, a doorway to knowledge, empowerment of sorts, It certainly added to my courage and audacity, it moulded our perspectives, views, opinions; to question and react to things, doing what you want to do rather than being compelled by people and circumstances and the list will go on and on…
We always feel happy when we are on the precipice of accomplishing various phases of our academic life: schooling, intermediate, graduation and PG. I have felt happy at the end of every phase, but this one! The reason is that at the end of every phase I knew what I will take up next. It was very much decided. Now, I was apprehensive as to what next? Where will I be heading? and yes, this insecurity, though I’m working and positioned well, in the field of my choice. Marriage is definitely not on the cards anywhere in the near future. Not at least when I’m so young. I need options man. Got to make something of my life! I do have some plans though of either pursuing higher studies or switch from corporate life to some other field. I will let you folks know when the time is opportune!
As of now, I’m sure all my classmates and friends are going through the MA hangover. I’m doing both: the hangover and work (it’s been a week since I joined). We wake up and realize that, things that have been so much a part of our life, are not now anymore. I’m talking about things intrinsic to MA: the rushed affairs in the mornings to make it to college by 10 am , but ending up there by 10 30 or eleven am; the internal 10 marks assessments, the semester exams, mind boggling lectures, the fun and much more!
PS: The photograph in this post is one taken during one of the photo sessions, during out last days of MA. One can see my classmates standing with our professors. I couldn’t make it coz of office :-(
As I sit here (my room) in isolation, reminiscing the two rapt years spent in MA, English Lit; I also ruminate on whats to love, loathe and lessons learnt well in MA. I spoke about love and loathe, about Arts College in my very first post: Best of both Worlds. So let me put that for you in not more than a nutshell. Colleges best are- the remarkable professors, some of whom are touted to be the best in India. Whats to hate? The mass populace and the management without a scruple.
Let me delineate and count the hailstorm of lessons that I learnt and made note of; not only in books but also my brains.
1.Each of us has spilt personalities or possess Schizophrenia. We like and hate the same thing: We love our country but we also wait in long queues for visas to go abroad.
2.Moulin Rouge- Not the movie starring Nicole Kidman, the place in Paris still exists today and fraught with pimps and whores who practice more of kinky sex than normal sex.
3.We were always conditioned by history to remember India’s independence and overlook the partition. It was shocking to know the whopping statistics: More than 5 million were killed and 4 million Sikhs lost homes. As against the misconception that it was done on agreement by Mahatma Gandhi, partition was done at the instance of the British.
4.Women who were estranged and displaced from their families during partition were not welcomed and accepted when they returned for the most obvious reason that they could have strayed from their values and lost their chastity, which, I feel, is ridiculous!
5.Written literature is considered to be the best literatures but African writers like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe proved that oral literature is equally stimulating and are a great piece de resistance in literature.
6.Indian Aesthetics believe that every time you see a piece of art, it must evoke a 'Rasa' or emotion in you.
7.The character ‘Krishna’ in Hindu mythology is a blue black God, as in, that was his colour. One of my Professors Meera Manvi, who is also the Dean of our Arts College, had told us that almost all Hindu Goddesses like Lakshmi, Parvati etc are black and yet revered. So why is India obsessed with fair skin? This has infiltrated into the Indian matrimony. Why every matrimonial alliance reads ‘fair’ in wanted requirements? I’m not making this statement because I’m super dark but Meera mam actually made us ponder on these lines.Which I think is absolutely true! She further said Indians are dark skinned people and thus labeled so by the West and why can’t Indians stop imitating the West?
8.The distinction between European and Indian Art is that European art imitates the picture while Indian Art represents the idea that reminds you of the picture.
9.Shakespeare’s plays were always written to be enacted and staged rather than to be read.
10.According to Sigmund Freud whose theories are considered to be the Bible of Psychology, Human mind is made of conscious, unconscious and sub-conscious mind. The sub-conscious side occupies the major part of brain and apparently all the dark desires emerge from the sub-conscious mind. Interesting! Isn’t that?
11.Orientalists have a fixed and a biased view about the East. This statement tells you that the Orient referred to countries of the east. Oriental literature was used as a strategy to conquer colonies and like we have read and learnt, western colonies were successful in their attempts and efforts.
12.We often think and believe that Leaders of any kind, especially, political figures are flawless. They are put on a pedestal and worshipped, but what we forget is that, they are mere mortals just like us and possess aberrations. If we believe they are larger-than-life, they ARE! The moment you are practical about them and accept their flaws, you know they are NOT. In the novel, “Kongis Harvest”, the author, Soyinka uses the method of ‘De-flation’ to puncture the image the of the Leader in that novel.
13.Michel Foucault, a famous New Historian said that “Madness is a sociological character and not just a clinical term.
14.A noted American writer said that those without DREAMS should PERISH. That’s one reason why Americans today, still believe in the Great American Dream their founders or 13 “Pilgrim Fathers” had set for them. Those who heard Obama’s dream speech will know what I’m talking about.
14.The first 3 or trimoorthy Indian writers who set trends for the later Indian writers are- Raja Rao, R.K Narayan and Mulk Raj Anand.
15.Salman Rushdie’s “Midnights Children” won Booker prize thrice and it also includes Readers choice of ‘Booker’ of ‘Booker Winners’.
I know it’s a long post but neither am I apologetic nor hesitant about the same because I know it’s worth the read. This is all I can recall, will spill more beans after I finish writing my 4th and Final Semester exams that I will be taking in a few days time.
For my MA Classmates (including me), who are reluctant to study for exams during this scorching summer, hope this post will be of some motivation :-)
Blogs are a contesting space. So jibes, comments, arguments and contradictory statements are more than welcome!
Pursuing MA in Arts College, Osmania University(OU) is a dream come TRUE! It’s been a year and a half stint with MA; another 8 months away to finish PG.
Amongst other colleges of OU, Arts college building is the most BEAUTIFUL! This GIGANTIC building is certainly a piece de resistance and an intriguing piece of Art that links to a fascinating past. It’s a two storey building: Ground floor is modelled on British/ English Architecture; 1 st floor on Hindu and 2nd floor on Muslim/Nizam Architecture. OU is a legacy left by the last Nizam of Hyderabad: Mir Osman Ali Khan, who was noted for possessing the largest Wardrobe in the World, in his times. There are many other interesting facts about him. This one memory of him that stands apart from the rest is a ramification of my current obsession with clothes, at this phase of my life.
OU is one of the few places in Hyderabad that swears by greenery. The lush green lawns morph as perfect lounging zones for students, friends, lovers and sundry.
Library is a perfect haven for book-worms and voracious readers like me. It’s HUGE and one can actually get lost in it! But since I have to rush to Work after College, I don’t find ample time to indulge the reader in me . That’s SAD and a Concern for me but to gain something, you have to let go of some things. However Life always replaces what we lose! It asks you to put down something as it prepares you to pick up something greater! A striking aspect of our college is the Classrooms where Benches are structured and built in steps. This only augments our feel-good factor of belonging to this college of a glorious past. Arts college per se is a MAZE. When I went to give my entrance exam for the first time, the pursuit of ferreting out my classroom was like a Treasure Hunt! Now it’s apparently not a herculean task to find my class.
The USP of our college is our PROFESSORS; they are each an Institution per se. I’m privileged to be a part of a college that boasts of the best faculty in India. I was bored to death by lectures, when in St Francis, while pursuing graduation. What brings me to Arts College, apart from its pomp and splendour? It’s the lectures dished out by well read, bred, qualified, learned, wise, prudent, smart and scholarly Professors.
My Classmates are a RIOT. We are a class of 55: 40% comprise the masses from villages and towns; 5% are Firangs from Moscow, Iraq, Riyadh, Dubai and I belong to the 10% from the City. Men from the masses can be mistaken for Thugs. They prefer to walk in amidst on-going classes sans excusing themselves and also wish to walk out vice versa. Does this unruly behaviour emerge out of leniency of pursuing PG? Or because they are from a rustic background? The rest of us don’t do that! We take permission and excuse ourselves before walking in or out. Firangs who make up 5% of our class are a good company. They tell us places in Hyderabad and India we have never been to and therefore know better than us! This holds true to any of us who travel to different Places. My friend Komal (the only confidant at college) and I are the youngest in the class. 10% are girls out of which 3% to 4% are already married. Since we Indians are heterogeneous people, living in a Pluralistic Country; we adapt, adopt, modify and change. Despite our drastic differences, we all have a ball!
Life is a roller coaster ride for me as I shuttle between College and Work. I just love this phase of my life as I’m fortunate to relish the best of both Worlds that leaves me enriched each day, with renewed vigor, energy and enthusiasm.
