English

As Maya Angelou writes ̳the caged bird sings, with a fearful trill, of things unknown, but longed for still, and his tune is heard, on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom‘,the Indian Dalit and African American women from America are metaphorically ̳caged birds‘ who sing a melancholy tune desiring to break the prison of the caste and the race. Marginalized women of all societies are very receptive and adaptable to the changing circumstances due to their large heartedness and forgiveness. Switching from one set of culture to another is really a tough task. Though change is inevitable and ̳law of impermanence‘ is constant still adapting it to live life easily is a challenging task. Although untouchability and racism are banned in postcolonial and postindependent era Indian Dalit and African American women are the victims of both, domestic violence and gender discrimination. The two selected autobiographies would help to analyze and investigate the prolonged sufferings...

The twenty-first century has changed the concept of fixed identity into multiple identities like for instance the concept of ‘nativity’ has been replaced by the term ‘hybridity’. The forced migration that started with the slave trade in the colonial era has changed into a matter of choice of the citizens of the Globe. India does not have a history of slave trade but the Indians migrated to other continents as ‘indentured labourers’ who have made their mark on Glocal fronts. V. S. Naipaul, a West Indian by Birth, an Indian in his origin and a citizen of England received Nobel for his exceptional and brilliant works of fiction and non-fiction. His religious and cultural initiation as a Hindu Brahmin by birth encouraged him to visit the land of his ancestors many times. Especially his trilogy based on his three visits to India is a value judgment that provides an insight into the recesses of minds of migrated and native Indian citizens. An Area of Darkness (1964) and India: A Wounded C...

The ancient epics have played a significant role in introducing a set of values and ethics to youngsters. Lord Ram or Lord Krishna are known to today's generation through comics, animation and audiovisual. Their rational minds raise doubts about morals, ethics, culture of old times. They are not at fault because the text that they are reading or watching does not exist in the modern world. They are taught to respect it as a holy book but they try to defend it in their own way. These old classics are represented in an innovative and experimental combination of the old and the new. The present paper is a humble attempt in which the researcher tries to show that how ancient values have been followed in modern terms. The ancient epics have played a significant role in introducing a set of values and ethics to youngsters. Values and ethics are permanent and unending but ancient values are difficult to inculcate in modern times. The old set of values and ethics have been altered and m...

In a metropolitan city like Mumbai, a city that moves on wheels, a city that gives pan local and pan global experience, often gives feeling of isolation and alienation to her citizens. The absurdity of fast moving life in a metro often leads to universal question, 'why do we exist?' The answer lies in optimistic attitude of Mumbai Dabbawalas/ Tiffinwalas whose coping mechanism teaches us how to live and enjoy every single moment of life. They flow with the flow of life by maintaining self respect and dignity. The city plays a role of a protagonist who steers us to 'never say die'. The Dabbawala or Tiffinwallas have crossed the boundaries of publicity. Right from Prince Charles of Wales, England to a case study of Harward management students have shown their keen interest in the management skills of the semi-literate and non-technical dabbawalas. The present paper is a humble attempt of describing Mumbai city in brief. Life of Mumbai dabbawalas would be described through socio-cultural and financial aspects. Being a teacher of literature, I would like to describe Mumbai and dabbawalas through a Bollywood movie The Lunch Box that has won accolades in national and international film festivals. The movie is a bittersweet romantic comedy in which Mumbai city life is portrayed with her special attribute 'dabbawala'. The movie depicts a story of two unknown people who get connected through misplacement of tiffin and their romantic letter friendship finally helps them to transcend life in the search of the 'self'. Their journey started from absurdity and boredom of cactus land that gradually turn into lands of roses and finally transcends them to spiritual quest for 'know thyself'.

Nadine Gordimer’s Jump and Other Stories (1991) is a collection of sixteen stories that can be best described as microcosm of the life in Africa. Being a humanist her prominent concern lies in psycho-social study of the people from all walks of life. Being a member of fractured society she cannot stop herself from describing bloodshed and horror but her spiritual self always sees a ray of hope for ‘the emergence of a new man’ in 21st century. Her depiction of characters starts with a shipwreck but most of the time they turn their lot of life by becoming salvagers. The closure of all the stories is striking, strange and shocking with the spell of pleasant or unpleasant surprise. The present paper deals prominently with two stories based on children prominently. She is a great humanist who initiates her characters to spiritual values such as the life furthering survival and positive acceptance of life in spite of adversities that marks the salvaging phase. Her stories portray the tran...