Syllabus_BA I_Sem. I (English Optional)_June 2024 onwards

 

BA I Semester I

DSC 1 — English (Optional)

Introduction to English Literature (Short Story) and Language (Word

Classes)

Detailed Syllabus (Sem. I, P. No. I) June 2024 Onwards

MODULE I: Short Story as a Form of Literature (Hours - 15, Credit -1)

a. Definition/s

b. Elements of short story

c. Characteristics of short story

MODULE II: Short Stories (Hours -15, Credit -1)

a. The Model Millionaire - Oscar Wilde

b. A Woman on a Roof - Doris Lessing

MODULE III: Short Stories (Hours - 15, Credit -1)

a. A Cup of Tea - Katherine Mansfield

b. The Serpent Lover - A.K. Ramanujan

MODULE IV: Words (Hours - 15, Credit -1)

a. Open Word Classes (Form and Function)

b. Closed Word Classes (Form and Function)

 

Train to Pakistan (Hukum Chand)

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Hukum Chand:

Hukum Chand is a main character from the novel ‘A Train to Pakistan’. The novel is written by Khushwant Singh. He is a district magistrate and deputy commissioner. He is a middle-aged man. He is an outsider (परका/उपरा) to Mano Majra. By the summer of 1947, the whole of northern India was grappled with violence and turmoil due to the partition of India. Ten million people—Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus were in flight (देशोधडीला लागणे). The riots had become a routine. But Mano Majra remained an exception to this. It was unaware of the turbulence going on in other parts of India due to partition. Here, the Muslims and Sikhs were still living harmoniously. Hukum Chand comes to Mano Majra against this background. It is his prime duty to look after the law and order of Mano Majra. He knows it well that Sikhs and Muslims are living here harmoniously. But he does not want to take any chance.

So, once he comes to Mano Majra, he starts to working on his plan. He understands that till the Muslims are living in Mano Majra, it is likely to explode (उद्रेक होणे) at any moment. So, he is working on vacating the Muslims from Mano Majra. He makes a complex and delicate plan. The main points of his planning are as follows:

1.   Jugga and Iqbal are arrested on the charge of Lala Ram Lal’s murder. Police arrest Malli, who is the real murderer of Lala Ram Lal. But Hukum Chand asks the sub-inspector to release Malli and asks to make an inquiry of Sultana, the other dacoit. Hukum Chand’s plan becomes successful when the villagers assume that Lala Ram Lal has been murdered by Sultana, a Muslim fellow.

2.   Hukum Chand asks the sub-inspector to make an inquiry about a Muslim stranger Iqbal who is a worker of Muslim League. Here too Hukum Chand becomes successful because the villagers assume Iqbal as a suspicious person. In reality, Iqbal is neither a Muslim nor a Muslim League worker.

3.   Some other incidents intensify the disbelief (अविश्वास) for Muslims in Mano Majra. A train comes from Pakistan which is full of dead bodies. Sikh refugees come to Mano Majra who explain their horrific experiences in Pakistan. The villagers watch the dead bodies of Sikhs in the river Sutlej.

All these events, transform the calm and quiet Mano Majra. The Sikhs urge the Muslims to vacate Mano Majra. Muslims leave the village, and Hukum Chand becomes successful in his planning.

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Communal Conflicts and Violence

 

B. A. Part II

Semester III, Paper No. IV

Partition Literature

Communal Conflicts and Violence

After three hundred years of rule, finally, the British left India in August 1947. The dream of independent India came true but at the cost of the Partition. Due to Partition two independent nations – India and Pakistan were formed.

The announcement of the Partition was followed by a horrific (भयावह) period of communal violence and population transfer. Millions of Muslims migrated to Pakistan, while millions of Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India. Many of them unfortunately never made it. It is one of the greatest migrations (स्थलांतर) in human history. They had to leave behind all their properties and belongings overnight (रातोरात). They had to travel on foot, bullock carts, and trains. Punjab saw the maximum number of displaced persons from Pakistan. 4.7 million (दशलक्ष) Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India from Pakistan. 6.5 million Muslims migrated to Pakistan from India. Around 2.23 million people went missing during mass transfer along the Punjab border.

The incidents of violence were nightmarish (दुःस्वप्न) and barbaric (रानटी). The events displayed the tendencies of ‘genocide’ (नरसंहार). It included terrible incidents like chopping off limbs; killing pregnant women; hitting the heads of babies against brick walls; and exhibiting dead bodies. In Punjab and Bengal, the violence was intense with massacres (हत्याकांड), burning, forced conversions (जबरदस्तीने करण्यात आलेले धर्मांतर), mass kidnappings, and sexual violence. Some seventy-five thousand women were raped, and many of them were then disfigured (विद्रूप करणे)) and dismembered (विच्छेदन करणे). In Lahore and Delhi, the streets were full of dead bodies. On the railway platforms, there were pools of blood. The flames of violence spread from village to village. Punjab was the principal centre of the violence. Innocent Hindus, Sikhs as well as Muslims were killed like animals. Special refugee trains crossing the frontiers (सरहद्द) were full of dead bodies. People returned ‘home’ in funeral silence.

It took years for both India and Pakistan to resettle the refugees. In India, the refugees were initially given shelter in different military sites. The Indian government took up several building projects in Delhi. The Indian government came up with several schemes across India to provide provision for education, employment and other opportunities for refugees (निर्वासित). The violent partition of British India in 1947 however developed a complex and hostile relationship between India and Pakistan that prevails till today.

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Group Discussion

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

GROUP DISCUSSION

·         Group Discussion: Q. 3 (A) – Marks: 08

·         Group Discussion साठी एक विषय दिला जातो. सदर विषयावरती आपण संवाद लिहायचा आहे.

·         संवादासाठी किमान चार/पाच व्यक्ती गृहीत धरा. त्या व्यक्तींना नावे द्या. यापैकी दोन व्यक्ती महिला असाव्यात.

·         यापैकी एकजण group leader असेल. तो Group Discussion ची सुरुवात आणि समारोप करेल.

·         Group leader आपल्या Group Discussion ची सुरुवात पुढीलप्रमाणे करेल:

: Hello friends, the topic for our today’s Group Discussion is ­______. I welcome you all. Let’s start the GD.

·         Group Discussion मध्ये प्रत्येक व्यक्ती आपले मत मांडेल. आपले मत मांडत असताना ती व्यक्ती पुढीलप्रमाणे वाक्यरचना वापरेल:

: I think that ….. / In my view …..

·         Group Discussion मध्ये दोन व्यक्ती दिलेल्या विषयाच्या बाजूने बोलतील आणि दोन विरुद्ध बाजूने बोलतील.

·         एखाद्याने मांडलेले मत योग्य आहे/बरोबर आहे असे म्हणण्यासाठी खालील वाक्यरचना वापरावी:

: I agree with you. / You are right.

·         एखाद्याने मांडलेले मत अयोग्य आहे/चुकीचे आहे असे म्हणण्यासाठी खालील वाक्यरचना वापरावी:

: I am sorry. I am not agree with you.

·         प्रत्येकाला किमान दोन संवाद असावेत.

·         यामध्ये group leader देखील आपले मत व्यक्त करेल. तसेच तो इतरांना बोलते करेल. त्यासाठी खालील वाक्यारचनेचा वापर करा:

:What do you think Mr/Mrs ______?

·         संवादाचे दोन राउंड झाल्यानंतर group leader आपल्या Group Discussion चा समारोप करेल. यामध्ये तो सर्वांनी मांडलेल्या मतांचा गोषवारा घेईल. त्यासाठी पुढील वाक्यरचनेचा वापर करा:

The time for today’s GD is over.

In today’s GD, Mr _____ has said that _____.

Mrs _____ has said that _____.

Similarly, I have said that _____.

·         यानंतर पुढील वाक्यरचना वापरून तो आपल्या GD चा समारोप करेल:

With that I declare that today’s GD is over. Thank you everyone for taking part in the GD.

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१) आता सोबत दिलेल्या Group Discussion मध्ये योग्य वाक्यरचना लिहा. Group Discussion पूर्ण करण्यासाठी शेवटी दिलेल्या Help Box ची मदत घ्या. 

२) आपली उत्तरे तपासून पाहण्यासाठी खालील क्विझ पुनःपुन्हा सोडवत रहा:

https://forms.gle/4ktndywjvKczfRNt6

Dread Departure_Nana/Title of the play

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Nana:

Nana is a main character in the play ‘The Dread Departure’. He is the son of Bhaurao and Rama. He is around 25 years old. He is a sportsperson. When Bhaurao dies, he has gone to play the tournaments of Prisoner’s Base. He takes the dead body of Bhaurao to the crematorium. But there he finds that the crematorium is closed. So, he decides to cremate Bhaurao in the new crematorium. But Bhaurao tells him that he should be cremated in the old crematorium. Nana promises Bhaurao that after the thirteenth day rituals he will cremate him. And he brings the dead body back home. He keeps the body on the loft. When the thirteenth day ritual is over, Nana visits the old crematorium. Here, the watchman asks a bribe of two thousand rupees for the cremation. Coincidently, on insurance agent informs Nana about Bhaurao’s policy and gives him a cheque of ten thousand rupees. From this amount, Nana gives two thousand rupees to the watchman, and Bhaurao is cremated in the old crematorium. Thus, Nana represents a typical middle-class disobedient son who blindly follows the customs and tradition.

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Title of the play:  

The title of the play is ‘Dread Departure’. Here, ‘departure’ is related to depart from the world, that means ‘death’. The play opens with the death of Bhaurao. Bhaurao is a main character in this play. He is a middle-aged man. The term ‘dread’ means ‘fearful’. When Bhaurao’s dead body is brought to the crematorium, it is seen that the crematorium is closed. So, the dead body should be shifted to a new electric crematorium. But Bhaurao refuses to go to the new crematorium. He tells Nana, his son that he should be cremated in the old crematorium. Nana promises him to be cremated after his thirteenth day rituals are over. Meanwhile Nana brings the dead body back home. It is seen that Bhaurao lives all through this time on the loft. His body starts to rot. It is full of stink. Rama suspects that there must be a dead rat on the loft. Nana tries to remove the stink by using a bug spray. Finally, Nana manages to bribe the watchman from the old crematorium, and as per his death wish, Bhaurao is cremated in the old crematorium. Though, all these events take place in a comical way, the overall atmosphere in the play is very serious. Bhaurao’s rotten and stinking appearance is certainly very fearful. Hence the title is appropriate.

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Dread Departure_Bhaurao/Rama

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Bhaurao:

Bhaurao is a main character in the play ‘The Dread Departure’. He is a middle-aged man. He is from a middle-class family. The play begins with a death of Bhaurao. His wife Rama, at first, is not ready to accept his death. All the neighbours gather to take Bhaurao to the crematorium. When Bhaurao’s son, Nana returns from a tournament, all of them take Bhaurao to the crematorium. But there they come to know that the place is closed. The watchman informs them that a new electric crematorium has been started. But Bhaurao tells Nana that it is last wish that he should be cremated in the old crematorium. The reasons for Bhaurao’s strange wish are as follows:

i.             Bhaurao believes that he should be cremated in the place where his forefathers were cremated.

ii.           In the old crematorium, there are a number of temples. A river flows near to the crematorium. So, it is holy place.

iii.          Bhaurao dislikes the idea of cremation in the electric furnace.

Bhaurao returns with Nana to the home. There he stays on the loft for more than fourteen days. His body starts to rot and stink. But still he insists on his wish to be cremated in the old crematorium. Finally, Nana manages somehow, and through black marketing Bhaurao is cremated in the old crematorium. Thus, his death wish is fulfilled.

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Rama:

Rama is a main character in the play ‘The Dread Departure’. She is the wife of Bhaurao. She is about forty-five years old. She is an attractive woman. Nana is her son. When Bhaurao tells her that he is dead, at first, she doesn’t believe him. She thinks that Bhaurao is making fun of her. But then she realizes the truth. She accepts the death of Bhaurao. The subplot of the play deals with Rama and the mysterious ‘third-from-the left’. It appears that Rama has fallen in love with the stranger. She doesn’t know his name or other details. She has seen him only once at the time of the funeral of Bhaurao. The stranger is standing in a third row from the left in the funeral. The stranger is wearing a suit and dark glasses. Nana suspects his mother. With the help of Bhaurao, Nana tries to search for the third-from-the left. But they did not find anyone. It is clear that Rama has created this stranger out of her imagination. She was yearning for a handsome man to be her husband. Her unfulfilled desire is expressed through this stranger. Thus, Rama represents the typical middle-class housewife who lives all through her life suppressing her wishes and desires.

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Mystic Drum

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

‘मिस्टिक ड्रम’ ही गॅब्रिएल ओकारा या कवीने लिहिलेली कविता आहे. गॅब्रिएल ओकारा हा एक नायजेरियन कवी आहे. युरोपियन वसाहतवाद्यांनी आफ्रिकेवर राज्य करताना तेथील मूळ संस्कृती मोडीत काढली. आपल्या या हरवलेल्या आफ्रिकन संस्कृतीबद्दल कवी प्रस्तुत कवितेमध्ये शोक व्यक्त करताना दिसतो.

या कवितेतील निवेदक म्हणतो की ज्यावेळी मी माझा जादुई ढोल (मिस्टिक ड्रम) वाजवायचो, त्यावेळी त्या तालावरती नदीतील मासे आणि जमिनीवरील स्त्री-पुरुष नाच करायचे. ढोलाचा आवाज जसा घुमू लागायचा, तसे मृतात्मेदेखील त्यांच्या सावल्यांसोबत नाच-गाणे करू लागायचे. ढोलाची लय जशी शिगेला पोहोचायची तशी झाडे डोलायला लागायची, माशांचे माणसात आणि माणसांचे माशात रुपांतर व्हायचे. आजूबाजूच्या सर्व गोष्टी स्तब्ध होऊन जायच्या.

पण ढोलाच्या प्रत्येक लयीबरोबर ‘ती’ झाडाअडून हसत रहायची. तिचे हसणे असह्य होऊन शेवटी निवेदकाने आपले ढोल वादन आता थांबवले आहे. जसे ढोल वादन थांबले तशी माणसे पुन्हा माणसेच बनली, मासे पुन्हा मासे बनले, झाडं-सूर्य-चंद्र पुन्हा आपापल्या जागी परतले.

आणि या दरम्यान आता झाडाअडून हसत राहणाऱ्या व्यक्तीने इथे आपली मुळे घट्ट रोवली आहेत. तिच्या पायातून मुळे आणि हातातून पाने उमटली आहेत. तिच्या नाकातून धूर आणि ओठातून हसू ओसंडून वहात आहे. त्या व्यक्तीचे हे रुपांतर पाहून निवेदकाने आपला ढोल गुंडाळून ठेवलेला आहे, पुन्हा कधीही न वाजवण्यासाठी.

प्रस्तुत कवितेमध्ये ‘जादुई ढोल’ आणि त्याची लय हे आफ्रिकन संस्कृतीचे प्रतिक आहे, तर झाडाआडून पाहणारी व्यक्ती म्हणजे युरोपियन वसाहतवादाचे प्रतिक आहे. येथील पारंपारिक संस्कृती ही निसर्गाशी एकरूप होती. परंतु युरोपीय वसाहतवाद्यांनी ही आपली संस्कृती लादताना मूळ संस्कृती ही बुरसटलेली असल्याचे मत लादले. अशा या लयाला गेलेल्या मूळ संस्कृतीबाबत कवी खेद व्यक्त करताना दिसतो.

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 Q. 1) How has the poet described the beating of mystic drum?

According to the poet, the mystic drum is “in my inside”. Thus, the mystic drum is an integral part (अविभाज्य भाग) of the poet and the African culture. The three stages of beating mystic drum are described in the poem.

i)              At first, when the poet starts beating mystic drum, fishes dance in the river and men and women dance on the land.

ii)            As the drum beating continues, the dead people start to sing and dance along with their shadows (सावल्या).

iii)          Finally, with stronger drum beating, the trees began to dance, the fishes turned men and men turned fishes.

Q. 2) Write a short note on: Mystic drum beating

The poem ‘Mystic Drum’ is written by Gabriel Okara. Gabriel Okara is a Nigerian poet. In the poem, the mystic drum is a symbol (प्रतिक) of the African culture. The drum beating has the magical qualities. As the poet starts drum beating, fishes, men and women start to dance. Even the dead people also start to dance. As the drum beating becomes stronger, trees began to dance, fishes turned men and men turned fishes. But during this whole activity, one lady standing behind tree was making fun of all this. So, the nervous poet stopped the drum beating. As the drum beating stopped, trees, fishes, men and women stopped dancing. Meanwhile, the lady behind the tree is firmly rooted in the soil. And the poet now decides never to beat the mystic drum.

The lady standing behind the tree is a symbol of the European settlers. The European settlers made the fun of the African culture and rituals. As the European settlers deeply rooted in the African soil, under their influence (प्रभाव), the African people turned their back to their own culture.

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आता खाली दिलेली क्विझ सोडवा. सर्व प्रश्नांची उत्तरे बरोबर येईपर्यंत ही क्विझ पुनःपुन्हा सोडवा. सर्व उत्तरे बरोबर आल्यानंतर प्रश्नोत्तरे (वरील प्रश्न आणि क्विझ) आपल्या वहीमध्ये न विसरता लिहून काढा.

https://forms.gle/ykW2UxCAJsYWWZT29

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