Eco-criticism by Devang Nanavati sir

 “Ecocriticism speaks for the voiceless earth. This approach is earth-centered and all the other approaches are ego-centered”

-Dr. Suresh Frederick

10th November 2020

The students of English Department MKB University had a very interesting and fruitful virtual Talk on  with the special refence of yashachqndras poem.

Introduction of Guest: 

 Devang Nanavati is   the former student of Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar university and Gold Medalist also. He is Ph.D. scholar from M.S university Baroda. He is translator of poems and short stories

In talk Devang Nanavati discussed about ecocriticism thinking and he explained a very wonderful poem by Yashachandra's poem "THREE ONCE AGAIN''. it was quite informative  session also interesting one sir gave so many references regarding currant environmental issues and had a brief discussion on those topic also  . Sir was connected ecocriticism with cultural and mythical aspects like, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Gita's Reference. As we all know, nature , trees a inevitable part of human life so destruction of it will considered as   an environmental problem which  assumed a significant dimension of nature. It is scientific understanding the importance of preserving the tree, before we move towards further things let us get general concept of Eco-Criticism,

What is Ecocriticism?

Ecocriticism is a comprehensive approach known by "green (cultural) studies", "ecopoetic" and "environmental literary criticism", and many other terms in ecology, including sustainable design, biopolitics, environmental history, environmentalism, and social ecology. Generally, traditional theories linguistically consider religion or cultural background or social background as important factors, eco-critics consider nature a dominant factor because they believe that our evolution as a society is largely based on the forces of nature. There are potential solutions to improve the situation, however, all lively A ecocriticism purposes, do not agree on the method and scope. Ecocriticism aims to study literature and the environment from an interdisciplinary point of view, where literary scholars analyze texts showing environmental concerns, and examine different ways in which the nature of the literary subject matter. It takes an interdisciplinary view by analyzing the works of writers, researchers, and poets in terms of environmental issues and nature.( wiki.)

Highlights of the Topic

Ecocriticism: Appreciates A shift from

Environmental problematic global Dimensions; Local wisdom

Deforestation

Ecocriticism

Salient features of ecocritical critics

Poem "TREE ONCE TREE" 

Learning from various resource person is the tradition of our Department. Every time we have guest lectures physically at our Department but now in present time Corona crises gave us new chance to attending these all guest lectures virtually. Earlier we had guests lectures on American literature and Post Colonial studies by Dr. Jay Mehta and Dr. Balaji Ranganathan sir. Today it was totally new subject for us. Yes, we had virtually talk on " Ecocritical Thinking : Sitanshu Yashaschandra's " Tree Once Again." I am very happy to say that really it was an amazing talk by Devang Nanavati sir. 

Nature is inevitable and necessary part of human life But in this post modern era because of the existence  of Industrialization  nature into danger. We are destroying nature for our greed and need. So, as today's youth it is our responsibility to take care everything. 

These all points very beautifully described by Devang sir in today's session. To make his point more clear. 

Post-Colonial Perspective 

Sir mainly emphasized on the poems by Sithanshu Yashaschandra's poem Tree Once Again translated by him, it can be seen with the glance  through Post Colonial perspective, which can be associated with present situation, because due to imperialism and colonialism  natural resources and human resources(indentured labor)were exploited, specifically considering Independence in India. By giving these examples, we were suppose to ponder upon how it has badly affected human psychology of Indian people, owing to which they react out of their senses and not able to give reaction in right appropriated manner and as they have suppressed their voices, they have become complexified and colonized.

Research aptitudes in Eco-Criticism 

 Devang sir for spent a very healthy discussion with us where he denotes that this topic has very wide area for research and the fields are mainly about , Eco-criticism, Eco-feminism, Environmental studies, Cultural studies, Comparative studies of Technology and Ecology, Science and ecology etc. I enjoyed this situation a lot. This is very good information. You are so many good examples regarding economical critical thinking.

Poetic Dots 

Sir had some poetic lines by Robert Frost and William Harris. This is a wonderful emotion I might have loved. Then he gave examples of so many writers like, Amitabh Ghose, Vandana Shiva, Gunjan Gandhi, Jessica de koninck. 

Gunjan Gandhi - Jessica de Koninck's Poems

Poem of Sitanshu Yashaschandra's " Tree Once Again " translated in English by D.S. Nanavati. 

 "ફરી પાછું વૃક્ષ "  the  black humor important for post colonial studies.

he gave example of many historians and authors also like Amitav Ghosh, William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge's " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and many other. He also discussed that how nature is the part of our culture, myth and religion also. For this he gave various examples from Ramayana and Mahabharata like Krishna, Buddha and Arjuna. If we try to look from post Colonial point of view then we can put here the point of " Displacement." How we are destroying the nature for development and our need. Earlier we had seen that with the example of " Narmada River and Dam". Devang Sir exemplified aptly, by switching on various interconnected poems and some of the English and American tendencies, happening then.

Here is the link of today's session 

 

Our junior-cum-young friend Nidhi Jethava did her part very well  anchored  the entire session. Thanks a lot Dilip Sir that you always keep on organising such sessions, so that we may get a variety of ideas by various speakers and can further implement adequately in our studies.