Assignment 210 Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing(Comparative Analysis of Shakespearean Plays and Bollywood Adaptations: Macbeth to Maqbool, Othello to Omkara, and Hamlet to Haider)

Assignment 210 Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing

Name: Bhavyata Kukadiya

Roll No.: 04

Enrollment No.: 4069206420220018

Paper no: 210

Paper code: 22417

Paper name: Research Project Writing: Dissertation Writing

Sem.: 4 (Batch 2022- 2024)

Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University

Comparative Analysis of Shakespearean Plays and Bollywood Adaptations: Macbeth to Maqbool, Othello to Omkara, and Hamlet to Haider

Vishal Bhardwaj's trilogy of films adapting Shakespearean tragedies - Maqbool (Macbeth), Omkara (Othello), and Haider (Hamlet) - represent a groundbreaking achievement in contemporary Indian cinema. Through these works, Bhardwaj has proven himself a master of the complex art of adaptation, deftly transporting the canonical plays across cultures and eras. His unique creative vision has birthed thought-provoking, culturally resonant narratives that pay tribute to their literary origins while boldly forging new perspectives on timeless themes.

Maqbool kicks off Bhardwaj's acclaimed Shakespeare trilogy with an ingenious recontextualization of Macbeth's tragic descent into the seedy underbelly of Mumbai's crime world. The Scottish play's supernatural elements find new form through the corrupt police officers Pandit and Purohit, embodying the inscrutable forces of fate. At the heart of this gritty retelling lies a searing love triangle between Maqbool, the ambitious gangster; his manipulative lover Nimmi; and Abbaji, Maqbool's boss and father figure - thematic parallels to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and King Duncan.

Through this daring contemporary lens, Maqbool captures the essence of unbridled ambition and its catastrophic repercussions while deftly weaving in poignant cultural commentary on issues like religious tensions, gender roles, and India's socio economic divides. Bhardwaj's skilled direction, evocative visuals and music, and the powerful performances collectively elevate Maqbool into an unforgettable cinematic experience that transcends mere imitation to emerge as a masterly reinvention of the Bard's work.

Building on this auspicious beginning, Bhardwaj's 2006 film Omkara adapts the iconic Othello with a similar fidelity to the core plot and characterizations, while boldly transporting the action to the rugged, crime-ridden landscape of Uttar Pradesh. The moor Othello is reimagined as Omkara Shukla, a feared ganglord embroiled in local politics. Desdemona becomes the feisty Dolly Mishra, defying patriarchal norms through her love for Omkara. And Iago's malevolent machinations find form in the conniving Ishwar 'Langda' Tyagi's vengeful manipulations that fuel Omkara's tragic downfall.

What sets Omkara apart is Bhardwaj's layering of regional flavor through meticulous attention to the local dialect, customs, and cultural textures of the region. Additionally, the filmmaker elevates the female perspective, transforming Dolly and Indu (Emilia's counterpart) into more fleshed-out, empowered characters grappling with the harsh realities of their circumstances. Omkara emerges as a richly immersive saga that encapsulates the primal intensity of human jealousy, betrayal, and the perils of unchecked emotion - all while serving as a profound artistic statement on honor, loyalty, and the complexities of modern Indian society.

The crowning masterpiece of Bhardwaj's Shakespearean triptych, the 2014 film Haider, takes the haunting psychological drama of Hamlet into the war-torn landscape of the Kashmir valley during the 1990s insurgency. The eponymous Haider embodies the tortured, revengeful prince of the original play, driven to the brink of madness by his uncle Khurram's treacherous actions and his mother Ghazala's complicity.  

Yet, Haider stands apart as perhaps Bhardwaj's most layered, thought-provoking adaptation - a cinematic tour-de-force that extends far beyond reinterpreting Shakespeare's narrative on an intimate, personal scale. It becomes an trenchant socio-political commentary that lays bare the collective trauma endured by ordinary Kashmiris trapped in the vortex of violence, suspicion and political strife.  Bhardwaj's Haider is simultaneously a Shakespearean family tragedy and a lamentation of an entire people's suffering, a searing indictment of injustice and oppressive power structures.  

Through his intricate weaving of regional folkloric traditions, lyrical Urdu poetry, and unflinching depictions of human rights violations, Bhardwaj imbues Haider with profound cultural specificity that elevates it beyond the constraints of mere adaptation. Haider crystallizes into a potent aesthetic statement on the malaise afflicting modern Kashmir, exploring themes like identity, nationalism, cycles of revenge in the face of systemic oppression. It emerges as a crowning testament to the transcendent resonance of Shakespeare's work and the boundless creative possibilities that arise when literary genius is reinterpreted through an authentic, impassioned cultural lens.

Taking a step back to assess Bhardwaj's Shakespearean oeuvre holistically, what becomes strikingly apparent is the auteur's dexterous grasp over the intricacies of adaptation as an art form. His films serve as masterclasses in how to carefully excavate the essence of venerated source texts while boldly remoulding them to suit contemporary cultural sensibilities.  Whether refracting the Bard's poetic tragedies through the prism of India's gritty urban underbelly, its rustic hinterlands, or the heart-rending realities of conflict zones, Bhardwaj exhibits an uncanny ability to preserve the universal, haunting profundities at the core of Shakespeare's narratives.

Guilt, ambition, jealousy, love, loss - these primal human experiences and truths reverberate through Bhardwaj's films, undiminished across centuries and civilizations.  His protagonists - Maqbool, Omkara, Haider - are all bound by the same tragic flaws and existential wrestlings of their Shakespearean archetypes, merely recontextualized as denizens of unmistakably Indian realities.  Bhardwaj's artistry resides not just in his seamless transposing of storylines, but in the organic cultural grounding he achieves by infusing his adaptations with nuanced perspectives on contemporary Indian society's complexities.  

His re-imaginings go beyond superficial setting changes; they unfurl as immersive, lived-in worlds shaped by regionality, religion, politics and gender dynamics. Whether depicting the cult of criminality plaguing Mumbai, the feudal power structures of Northern heartlands, or the simmering powder-keg of Kashmiri disillusionment towards the Indian state, Bhardwaj demonstrates an uncompromising commitment to authenticity that elevates his works into bonafide Indian classics in their own right.

At their core, Bhardwaj's Shakespearean adaptations represent an artistic renaissance of sorts - a powerful reclaiming of the canonical European literary tradition, filtered through a distinctly subcontinental consciousness. His gaze decolonizes these deeply embedded textual foundations of Western artistic hegemony by moulding the inherited narratives to embody the sweeping pluralities of modern South Asia. What could have devolved into a mere exotic simulacrum is instead galvanized by Bhardwaj's rootedness in Indian ethos - his adaptations emerge as ingenious, culturally specific allegories that amplify underrepresented indigenous voices and worldviews.

As such, Maqbool, Omkara, and Haider crystalize into far more than just ingenious cinematic renditions of venerated literature. They become intricate tapestries that encode intersecting perspectives on contemporary Indian identity itself. On one level, they delight in visceral storytelling, transporting canonical Shakespearean plotlines into familiar cultural fabrics that resonate intimately with regional Indian audiences. On another, deeper plane, they engage in profound philosophical inquiries into the subcontinental postcolonial experience and the project of recovering indigenous narratives from the shrouds of prolonged socio-cultural imperialism.

Through the alchemy of adaptation, Bhardwaj harnesses Shakespeare's dramatic power to construct new, home-grown mythology - mythology that honours the nation's storied diversity even as it lays bare the enduring fissures of social unrest, inequality, and systemic oppression. For every unforgettable tale of human folly and comeuppance he spins, Bhardwaj simultaneously unlocks powerful critiques on the fault-lines of Indian modernity - religious sectarianism, gender violence, institutionalized injustice. 

His creative dexterity breathes ubiquitous thematic relevance into the adaptations, ensuring their transcendence as beloved, era-defining cinematic works and vital cultural artifacts of an ancient civilization grappling with its place in the contemporary world order. It is this versatile, multi-layered genius that cements Bhardwaj as a peerless auteur straddling the liminal space between the artistic old and new - marrying timeless creative ideas with cutting-edge cultural expression in a triumphantly postcolonial union.

As a consummate scholar and practitioner of adaptation across mediums, Bhardwaj's insights are invaluable to our deeper understanding of this complex artistic realm. His meticulous approaches reveal the intricate interplay between fidelity and innovation required to breathe new life into canonical works while retaining their fundamental spirit. Crucially, Bhardwaj's cinematic ventures exemplify how the most impactful adaptations transcend banal imitation or transposition alone.

Rather, they metamorphose the very essence of the original through an immersive process of contextual osmosis - the themes, characters, and aesthetics assimilate the new cultural filters they're expressed through. In the hands of a master like Bhardwaj, beloved stories cross-pollinate with indigenous elements to blossom into new, culturally resonant artifacts encoded with fresh layers of meaning and social commentary.

Perhaps most importantly, Bhardwaj's artistic journeys underscore adaptation's unique capacity to democratize artistic traditions long-dominated by singular cultural hegemonies. Just as European literature and theatrical canons had historically disseminated outward from imperial centers, Bhardwaj's locally-anchored brand of adaptation flows in the reverse. It reclaims the inherited masterworks, assimilating them into subcontinental traditions to amplify diverse indigenous voices and sociocultural realities long suppressed by domineering regimes.

At their core, Bhardwaj's films represent a profound reclamation of South Asian narratorial autonomy itself, wresting back the creative baton from the looming specter of the 'Western Canon'. No longer are Indian artists consigned to being mere receivers, translators, or imitators of European high art. Through the alchemy of his adaptations, Bhardwaj catalyzes a radical democratization of aesthetic authority - he forges an authentically desi vantage point equally capable of interpreting universal creative ideals, perhaps even transcending the original texts' myopic Western contexts.

In this sense, Bhardwaj's Shakespearean trilogy emerges as a definitive aesthetic manifesto - one that simultaneously reveres the immortal works that have endured history, while boldly staking Indian cinema's claim as their legitimate inheritors and reinterpreters. With each masterful adaptation, the very contours of the 'literary canon' are stretched and reshaped to encompass subcotinental sensibilities and perspectives, long overdue for a central place on the highest rungs of global creative traditions.

As India's cultural renaissance flowered in the decades following independence, Bhardwaj's artistic genius represents a watershed moment - the triumphant entry of subcontinental creative consciousness into the vaunted echelons of universally appreciated highbrow art. No longer would iconic literary works remain the exclusive cultural property of their Eurocentric progenitors, to be replicated through derivative 'desi' simulacra. Instead, Bhardwaj elevates Indian cinema into a sovereign creative tradition capable of ingesting, remoulding and indigenizing even the most canonical Western narratives into authentically subcontinental experiences.

In this radical, inspired assertion of aesthetic autonomy, Bhardwaj transcends the shackles of being South Asia's 'cultural ambassador' to the West, merely translating and replicating 'their' art for newly literate Indian masses. Rather, his ingenuity catalyzes a seamless transition - Indian storytellers are vested with the self-possession and imaginative license to reclaim archetypal tales of human experience as their own cultural inheritance, to be freely reinterpreted from bhartiya perspectives.

It is this profound, praxis-oriented transformation that rests at the core of Bhardwaj's lasting artistic value - more than just virtuosic cinematic translations, his adaptations of Shakespeare serve as potent cultural interventions. They disrupt long-entrenched hierarchies by empowering subcontinental creators to emerge from the former empire's shadow as their own sovereign auteurs fully capable of universalizing indigenous aesthetics and humanistic philosophies.

At the vanguard of this emancipatory sea-change is Bhardwaj himself, adapting and reimagining Western cultural monoliths like Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet not just for tokenistic representation, but to radically decenter the European monopoly over these canonical 'masterpieces'. Under Bhardwaj's subversive subcontintental lens, revered Western literature is deracinated from its Anglocentric origins and conscripted into an ambitious civilizational reclamation project - universal creative truths are transported across oceans and epochs to find fresh resonance through indigenous South Asian allegories and mythologies.

No longer constrained by cultural diffidence or derivative ambitions, Bhardwaj's art represents nothing less than a triumphant homecoming - the return of transcendent creative inquiry to a land that had birthed much of the ancient world's formative humanistic wisdom. From the Upanishadic inquiries that germinated the roots of Western philosophy to the pioneering dramatic traditions that cross-pollinated with folklore and oral epics across Asia, India's venerable artistic achievements long pre-dated and influenced much that is lauded as the Western canon's intellectual patrimony.

Bhardwaj's work merely rekindles the ancient synaptic pathways connecting South Asia to the universalist humanism that fuelled the Greek tragedians, the Jacobean renaissance theatre, as well as the soliloquys and metaphysical turbulence that birthed Shakespeare himself. In this regard, Bhardwaj's Shakespearean triptych flows beyond mere cultural preservation or assertion of indigenous aesthetics - it catalyzes a reclamation of Indian art's ancient philosophical continuities with the grand metaphysical inquiries that birthed Western dramatic traditions.

Instead of remaining content as humble vineyards cultivating borrowed vinor, Bhardwaj's films restore India's rightful seat at the literary world's intergenerational banquet table as a sovereign artistic voice, freely meditating on the existential questions that have bound human civilizations across epochs. His creative genius reverberates across a vast, unbroken continuum of humanistic introspection - one that flows from the Indus Valley's ancient spiritual stirrings through its mercantile interactions with antiquity's urban riverine hubs, feeding into its tutelage of Persia's Zarthustric koans as well as the dramatic wellsprings that ultimately birthed Greek tragedy and later cross-pollinations with Indo-Persian folklore that seeded early English theatre.  

Transcending the tired binary of East vs West, Bhardwaj's cinema restores dialogic potency to an ancient civilizational axis ruptured across millennia, in which the metaphysical reveries of the Indian philosophical tradition found unexpected reverberations in the dramatic catharsis of golden age Athens and later in the exquisite Elizabethan soliloquies that would lend wings to much of what is today venerated as high Western canon.  

In Bhardwaj's deft hands, this profound cross-cultural continuum spanning the hemispheres is revived after centuries of rupture, flowing once more through an ingeniously crafted trilogy that amplifies India's enduring civilizational role as an originary creative fountain enriching humanity's grand artistic traditions with her hallowed insights. 

Shakespeare's tragedies, far from merely being adopted or appropriated by an ambitious Indian auteur, are instead clarified as integral threads flowing through an immemorial South Asian spiritual and philosophical legacy quietly pulsing beneath the surface of early modern European metaphysical quests.  In his cinematic sorcery, Bhardwaj deconstructs the unilateral Western gaze that had flattened out rich civilizational crosspollinations into a unidirectional colonial prism - his art jolts the long-severed synapses of South Asia's generative role in the human creative continuum back to vivid,kinetic life again.

In reclaiming Shakespearean narratives into resonant bhartiya artistic and socio-cultural landscapes, Bhardwaj achieves far more than nationalistic gatekeeping or nativist cultural protectionism.  Rather, his films channel the raw, polyphonic energies of millenia-old civilizational dialogues among antiquity's grand wise-traditions, restoring fluidity to ancient cross-pollinations that had fuelled some of humanity's crowning imaginative achievements.  

 India's famously pluralistic ethic is newly embodied in its artistic expression - its cultural creatives seamlessly retrip to primordial spiritual sources that had enriched the world, this time assimilating and refracting inherited universal canons like Shakespeare through prismatic native lenses capable of illuminating fresh experiential vantages on the human condition. Anchored in authenticity yet emancipated from nativist insularityUltimately, Vishal Bhardwaj's Shakespearean trilogy stands as a crowning achievement that heralds the arrival of Indian cinema on the global stage as a sovereign artistic force. No longer tethered to derivative imitation or exoticization, Bhardwaj's films boldly assert a new era of postcolonial cultural confidence, demonstrating that the universal humanistic truths embedded within canonical Western literature can find authentic reincarnation through a distinctly Indian cinematic lens - one enriched by the subcontinent's pluralistic traditions and rooted in searing social commentary on contemporary realities. With his trilogy, Bhardwaj has forged an indelible artistic manifesto that doesn't merely adopt the Bard's revered works, but radically reclaims them as integral threads within the vast tapestry of South Asian creative consciousness. His spellbinding cinematic oeuvre crystallised as a definitive cultural renaissance - one that emancipates Indian storytellers to emerge from the long shadow of the 'Western canon' as autonomous auteurs capable of refracting universal creative traditions through an indigenous subcontinental prism. As Indian soft power ascends alongside the nation's rising global clout, Bhardwaj's films will be celebrated as vanguard works that heralded a new era of aesthetic self-determination - no longer will the Indian creative voice be confined to derivative 'desi' simulacra of European classics. Instead, Bhardwaj's visionary adaptations will stand as exemplars of a boldly universalized indigenous art forged from the civilizational wellsprings of the subcontinent's pluralistic ethos, yet capable of resonating with the full depth of human experience across cultural boundaries. In the hands of trailblazing auteurs like Bhardwaj, Shakespeare's dramatic genius is liberated from its formerly exclusive Anglocentric provinciality and rewoven into the larger civilizational tapestry of universalist humanism that flowed through the subcontinent's ancient wisdom traditions. This triumphant reclamation of narrative sovereignty will undoubtedly inspire future generations of Indian creatives to fully actualize their civilization's boundless imaginative potential on the global stage, free from the lingering spectres of cultural subjugation or imitative self-doubt.

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Assignment 208 Comparative Literature in India by Amiya Dev

 Assignment Paper 208:  Comparative Literature & Translation Studies 

Name: Bhavyata Kukadiya

Roll No.: 04

Enrollment No.: 4069206420220018

Paper no: 208

Paper code: 22415

Paper name: Comparative Literature & Translation Studies

Sem.: 4 (Batch 2022- 2024)

Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University

Comparative Literature in India

Amiya Dev

Abstract:

In his article "Comparative Literature in India," Amiya Dev bases his discussion on the fact that India possesses a multitude of languages and literatures, representing an inherent situation and conditions of diversity. Consequently, he argues that referring to Indian literature in the singular is problematic. However, Dev also observes that employing the plural form, "Indian literatures," is equally problematic. Such a characterization, he contends, either overlooks or obscures the manifest interrelations and affinities that exist among these diverse literary traditions.

Dev's article compares the unity and diversity theses and identifies the relationship between Indian commonality and differences as the prime site of comparative literature in India. He surveys the current scholarly and intellectual positions on unity and diversity and explores the post-structuralist doubt concerning the homogenization of differences in the name of unity. Dev also examines the search for common denominators and a possible pattern of togetherness, underscoring location and located inter-Indian reception as an aspect of inter-literariness.

Ultimately, Dev perceives Indian literature not as a fixed or determinate entity but as an ongoing and inter-literary process: Indian language and literature are ever in the process of re/making. His perspective challenges the notion of a singular, monolithic Indian literature, instead viewing it as a dynamic and constantly evolving interplay among diverse literary traditions.

Comparative Literature in India

In this article, Amiya Dev is discussing the a priori location of comparative literature concerning the aspects of diversity and unity within India's literary landscape. Scholars of literature either argue for the unity of Indian literature or for the diversity and distinctiveness of the literatures of India. Departing from this binary approach, Dev's proposal involves a particular view of the discipline of comparative literature because he argues that in the case of India, the study of literature should involve the notion of an interliterary process and a dialectical view of literary interactions.

According to the census and the Sahitya Academy, there are a total of 22 major languages in India, each with its own literature. In general, the perspective of India as a hegemonic language and literature area is pervasive.

However, with the plurality of so-called major literatures in India, we are confronted with a particular problem: Is Indian literature, in the singular, a valid category, or are we rather to speak of Indian literatures in the plural? This question highlights the tension between perceiving Indian literature as a unified entity or as a collection of distinct literary traditions.

Literary histories written in India by Indian scholars have traditionally focused on and continue to focus on a single literature. This single-focus perspective is a result of both a colonial and a post-colonial perspective, the latter exemplified by the motto of the Sahitya Akademi: "Indian literature is one though written in many languages" (Radhakrishnan). However, this perspective was opposed by scholars who argued that a country where so many languages coexist should be understood as a country with literatures (in the plural). 

Presently, a different kind of resistance has emerged to the unity thesis in the form of what may be called "hegemonic apprehensions." In Dev's opinion, arguments of unity in diversity are suspect, as they encroach upon the individualities of the diverse literatures. In other words, a cultural relativist analogy is implied here, emphasizing difference and corroborated by the fact that both writers and readers of particular and individual literatures are overwhelmingly concerned with their own literature and their own literature only. From this perspective, the Academy's motto "Indian literature is one though written in many languages" is countered with "Indian literature is one because it is written in many languages."

Dev mentions Gurbhagat Singh, who has been discussing the notion of "differential multilogue." Singh rejects the notion of Indian literature because it includes and promotes a nationalist identity. As a relativist, Singh accords literatures not only linguistic but also cultural singularities. Regarding the history of comparative literature as a discipline, he rejects both the French and the American schools as well as the idea of Goethe's Weltliteratur. Singh's insistence on the plurality of logoi is particularly interesting because it takes us beyond the notion of dialogue, a notion that comparative literature is still confined to, enabling us to understand Indian diversity without sacrificing the individualities of the particulars.

Singh's notion of differential multilogue reflects a poststructuralist trend in Indian discourse: poststructuralism understands difference as a notion of inclusion, that is, mutuality. Thus, it cannot accept the single-focus category "Indian" without deconstructing its accompanying politics. If Indian literature had not been so heavily publicized and ingrained, as it were, into our national psyche, if our individual literatures had been left alone and not asked to pay their dues to "Indian literature," there would be no resistance to the notion of unity in diversity.

Ironically, Indian poststructuralism imposes upon itself a sameness with difference-speaking elsewhere and does not seem to recognize that difference-speaking in India may be different from difference-speaking in other contexts. At the same time, this poststructuralist perspective does not seem to recognize that given all the differences pertaining to the Indian experience, underlying it and tying together the different entities, there may be a commonality, a sensus communis of a broadly cultural kind.

The poststructuralist trend in Indian discourse, while advocating for the recognition of differences and rejecting the imposition of a singular "Indian" identity, paradoxically adheres to a notion of difference that is similar to that espoused in other contexts. However, this perspective fails to acknowledge that the articulation of difference in the Indian context may be distinct from other regions. Additionally, this poststructuralist view overlooks the possibility of an underlying cultural commonality that transcends the various differences inherent within the Indian experience.

Jaidav develops an argument for this cultural differential approach. Jaidev's notion of an Indian sensus communis cautions against instances of "national" and racial image formations which suggest homogeneity and result in cultural stereotyping. The concept of an Indian sensus communis in the context of Singh's differential multilogue or Jaidev's differential approach brings us to the question of situs and theory. That is, the "site" or "location" of theory and of the theorist are important factors. If situs means cultural and linguistic rootedness, then the notion of commonality is applicable.

Jaidev's concept of oneness provides an ambience for particular concerns regarding cultural and artistic expression, such as the case of language overlaps, the bi- and multilinguality of authors and their readership, openness to different genres, the sharing of themes based in similar social and historical experiences, emphasis on the oral and performing modes of cultural and artistic transmission, and the ease of inter-translatability. On the other hand, Jaidev suggests these characteristics of Indian cultural commonalities are rooted in a situs of the premodern age of Indian literatures.

Aijaz Ahmad's In Theory: Classes, Nations, Literatures describes the construct of a "syndicated" Indian literature that suggests an aggregate and unsatisfactory categorization of Indian literature. Ahmad argues that while the notion of "European literature" is at best an umbrella designation and at worst a pedagogical imposition, Indian literature is classifiable and categorizable.

Further, he argues that while European and African literatures have some historical signifiers in addition to their geographical designation, these are recent concepts, whereas Indian homogeneity has the weight of tradition behind it. In Ahmad's argumentation, the problem is that in the "Indian" archive of literature, Indianness ultimately proves limited when compared with the differential literature comprising each of the twenty-two literatures recognized by the Sahitya Akademi. An "Indian" archive of literature, as represented by an "English" archive – while non-hegemonic on the one hand by removal from a differential archive but hegemonizing by a latent colonial attitude on the other – also reflects the official language policy of the government: English, while not included in the Indian Constitution, is still recognized as a lingua franca of government, education, etc.

V.K. Gokak and Sujit Mukherjee spoke of an Indo-English corpus of literature that was created out of English translations of major texts from major Indian languages.

Ahmad's concern is with the hegemony of English, although he does not suggest its abolition in a way that would be close to Ngugi's arguments. It is true that the ideal of one language in India has been made a reality by now through ideological and political mechanisms. The official national language is Hindi, and if literary texts from the other languages could be translated into Hindi, we could possibly arrive at a national Indian literature. However, in this case, we would again arrive at a hegemonizing situation. On the other hand, it is clear that in the realm of education, English is the largest single language program in our colleges and universities.

Swapan Majumdar takes a systemic approach in his 1985 book, 'Comparative Literature: Indian Dimensions', where Indian literature is neither a simple unity as hegemonists of the nation-state persuasion would like it to be, nor a simple diversity as relativists or poststructuralists would like it to be. He suggests that Indian literature is neither "one" nor "many" but rather a systemic whole where many subsystems interact towards one in a continuous and never-ending dialectic.

Sisir Kumar Das has taken a similar route of literary history with his planned ten-volume project, 'A History of Indian Literature', whose first volume, '1800-1910: Western Impact / Indian Response', appeared in 1991.

The underlying and most important finding is a pattern of commonality in nineteenth-century Indian literatures. Das's work on the literatures of the nineteenth century in India does not designate this Indian literature as a category by itself. Rather, the work suggests a rationale for the proposed research, the objective being to establish whether a pattern can be found through the ages. One age's pattern may not be the same as another age's, and this obviously preempts any given unity of Indian literature. Thus, Das's method and results to date show that Indian literature is neither a unity nor is it a total differential.

In many ways, Das's work is similar to K.M. George's two-volume Comparative Indian Literature of 1984-85. However, George's work was not as comprehensive as Das's: it only dealt with fifteen literatures and that too in a limited way. In Dev's view, George's work also demonstrates Western hegemony. For example, poetry was discussed in terms of "traditional" and "modern," but as if traditional was exclusively Indian and modern the result of a Western impact. Another problem with George's two volumes was that although they were titled Comparative Indian Literature, there was no comparison built into the findings, and the fifteen individual literatures were placed simply side by side.

The Gujarati poet Umashankar Joshi -- a supporter of the unity approach -- was the first president of the Indian National Comparative Literature Association, and the Kannada writer U.R. Anantha Murthy is the current president of the Comparative Literature Association of India. Comparatists reflect the binary approach to the question of Indian literature as explained above. However, the Association also reflects a move toward a dialectic. The method of Comparative Literature allows for a view of Indian literature in the context of unity and diversity in a dialectical inter-literary process and situation.

Dev suggests other aspects which support his understanding of Indian literature in an inter-literary process: we are located in our own languages -- whether with an active or passive bilingualism -- where we have access to one or two other languages. Through inter-Indian translation, we have access to texts from a fourth and more languages. Now, as readers, consciously or subconsciously, we place the texts in additional languages beside our original and first text. Inter-Indian reception presupposes that our situs is in our first text, that is, first language literature.

Conclusion

Amiya Dev concludes by emphasizing the importance of first understanding the nuances and complexities of one's own literary traditions before attempting to apply universal frameworks or make broader comparisons. He advises focusing initially on developing a comprehensive understanding of comparative literature within the Indian context, accounting for its inherent unity and diversity. Once this is achieved, Dev believes India can then contribute to formulating a more inclusive and culturally sensitive approach to comparative literature that embraces diversity across the world.

Assignment 209 Plagiarism in Research Writing

 Assignment 209:Research Methodology

Name: Bhavyata Kukadiya

Roll No.: 04

Enrollment No.: 4069206420220018

Paper no: 209

Paper code: 22416

Paper name: Plagiarism in Research Writing

Sem.: 4 (Batch 2022- 2024)

Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University

Plagiarism in Research Writing

Introduction

Plagiarism entails using someone else's words, ideas, or work without giving them proper credit, akin to stealing intellectual property. In academic and research realms, it's a cardinal sin, tantamount to cheating. Examples range from directly copying passages from books or websites to presenting others' thoughts without citation or claiming someone else's project or paper as your own. The repercussions of plagiarism are severe, potentially resulting in failed grades, university suspension, or even expulsion. In professional settings, it can devastate reputations and careers, leading to ethical violations, job loss, or revoked funding. Moreover, plagiarism may infringe upon copyrights, inviting legal action. To steer clear of plagiarism, one must diligently cite sources, giving credit where it's due, and ensure grammatical accuracy in their work.

Origin of the word Plagiarism

Derived from the Latin word plagiarius ("kidnapper"), to plagiarise means"to commit literary theft" and to "present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source"

The word "plagiarism" finds its roots in the Latin term "plagiarius," originally denoting a kidnapper or abductor. This Latin term derived from "plaga," a net utilised by hunters to ensnare prey, later metaphorically extending to individuals who "netted" or stole the words of others.

As the concept evolved and entered the English lexicon, it initially appeared as "plagiary," describing those who committed literary theft or appropriated another's ideas. With time, "plagiarism" gained prevalence, becoming recognized as a significant transgression in academic and professional domains.

Today, plagiarism is universally condemned as a form of intellectual theft, with serious ramifications such as tarnished reputations, compromised credibility, and potential legal consequences. The evolution of the term reflects the shifting perceptions of originality and ethical standards across centuries.

The etymology of "plagiarism" serves as a captivating window into linguistic evolution, underscoring the importance of vigilance in producing authentic, innovative work among writers and thinkers alike.

DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM

plagiarism is representing a part of or the entirety of someone else's work as your own. Whether published or unpublished, this could be ideas, text verbatim, infographics, etc. -  The Complete Guide [eBook] by  DEEPTANSHU D 

plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.-  Oxford Dictionary

Plagiarism is presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement.  -  Website of Oxford Student

Plagiarism involves two kinds of wrongs.

1.Using another person's ideas, information, or expression without acknowledging that person's work constitutes intellectual theft.

2, Passing off another person's ideas, information, or expressions as your own to get a better grade or gain some other advantage constitutes fraud.

Forms of Plagiarism:

1] Repeating or Paraphrasing Wording :

Reproducing or rephrasing content without proper acknowledgment constitutes a variant of plagiarism. It transpires when a writer replicates or reiterates another individual's expressions or concepts without appropriate citation. This manifestation of plagiarism manifests diversely, including direct replication of text, rewording sentences or notions without due credit, or substituting synonyms to uphold the initial text's structure and essence.

Original Source : Someone is using information about Dickinson’s poems that appears on page 625 of an essay by Wendy Martin in the book Columbia Literary History of the United States.

Plagiarism : Emily Dickinson Firmly Believe that….

Without Plagiarism :  As Wendy Martin has suggested, Emily Dickinson firmly believed that….The example illustrates a case of plagiarism where the writer has rephrased information on Dickinson's poems without acknowledging the original source, Wendy Martin's essay. Although the wording is altered, the essence remains the same, yet the writer fails to credit Martin.

To prevent such plagiarism, it's crucial to cite all sources accurately and articulate ideas in your own words. While researching or note-taking, always record the source of information and rephrase it using original language, ensuring proper attribution. When incorporating direct quotes or paraphrasing, employ quotation marks and provide citations to uphold integrity and avoid plagiarism effectively.

In essence, repeating or paraphrasing wording without citation constitutes plagiarism, emphasising the necessity of employing proper referencing techniques in all writing endeavours.

2] Taking a particularly Apt Phrase

Utilising a striking phrase without appropriate acknowledgment is a type of plagiarism wherein a writer incorporates a term or concept originated or popularised by another individual without due citation. This form of plagiarism can be subtle, as the writer might be unaware that the phrase they're employing isn't of their own devising.

Original Source : Everyone uses the word language and everybody these days talks about culture… “Languaculture” is a reminder….(Michael Agar, Language Shock: Understanding the Culture of Conversation[New York: Morrow, 1994;60])

Plagiarism : At the intersection of language and culture lies a concept that we might call “Languaculture”.

Without Plagiarism : At the intersection of language and culture lies a concept that Michael Agar has called “Languaculture” (60).

In the example provided, the writer has committed plagiarism by using the term "Languaculture" without giving proper credit to Michael Agar, who coined the term in his book Language Shock: Understanding the Culture of Conversation. By presenting the term as their own idea, the writer is taking credit for Agar's original contribution to the field of language and culture studies.

To avoid this type of plagiarism, it is important to properly cite all sources and give credit to the original creator of any particularly apt phrase or concept. In the example provided, the writer could have avoided plagiarism by acknowledging Agar's contribution and using his exact wording, as shown in the "Without Plagiarism" version of the sentence.

3] Global or Complete Plagiarism

Copying an entire piece of work without saying who wrote it is called complete plagiarism. It's like taking someone's homework and saying you did it yourself. This is a big no-no because it's unfair to the person who actually did the work. It's also against the rules because it's like stealing someone's ideas. If you get caught, you could get into serious trouble, like paying a fine or even going to jail, depending on how serious it is. Plus, people won't trust you because they'll see you as someone who cheats and doesn't play fair.

Some folks do this because they don't understand that it's wrong to copy someone else's work. They might think it's okay if they're in a hurry or if they're not good at coming up with their own ideas. But even if you change the words a bit, it's still not okay if you don't give credit to the person who originally wrote it.

To avoid this, it's important to always say where you got your information from and who wrote it. That way, everyone's work gets the credit it deserves. If you're not sure if you're doing it right, you can use special tools to check if you accidentally copied someone else's work. Overall, it's really important to be honest and give credit where it's due.

4] Verbatim or Direct Plagiarism

Verbatim plagiarism happens when someone copies a piece of someone else's work word-for-word without giving credit. It's like taking a whole sentence or paragraph from another source and using it in your own work without saying where you got it. This is a big problem in research and writing because it's not honest or fair.

Whether it's done on purpose or by accident, verbatim plagiarism is a serious offense. It can get you in trouble legally and make people question your integrity. In academic writing especially, where being original is crucial, it's a big deal.

To avoid verbatim plagiarism, it's important to cite your sources properly. Whenever you use someone else's words exactly, you need to put them in quotation marks and give credit to the original author by mentioning their name, the title of their work, and where you found it. Even if you rewrite someone else's ideas in your own words, you still need to acknowledge where those ideas came from. Using plagiarism checkers can help you spot any similarities between your work and other sources, but remember, they're not perfect, so always double-check your citations. The key is to always be honest and give credit where it's due.

5] Accidental Plagiarism

Accidental plagiarism happens when you accidentally present someone else's work or ideas as your own. It often occurs when you forget to give credit to the original source by not including proper citations. This can happen when you're not careful while using sources, like when you forget to mention where you found certain information or when you accidentally use similar words or phrases as the original text.

Accidental plagiarism can lead to serious consequences, like damaging your reputation or getting into trouble for not following academic rules. But usually, it's seen as less serious than if you intentionally try to pass off someone else's work as your own.

To avoid accidental plagiarism, it's important to double-check your work and make sure you've cited all your sources properly. You can also use special software to help you find any unintentional plagiarism in your writing. By doing these things, you can make sure you're giving credit where it's due and avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else's work.

CONSEQUENCES

Research holds significant power in shaping opinions and decisions, and responsible writers approach their work with meticulous care. They make it clear when they are referring to someone else's ideas, facts, or words, whether they are agreeing with, disputing, or analyzing the source. This kind of citation not only acknowledges the efforts of writers but also helps prevent the spread of inaccuracies. However, plagiarists disregard these crucial principles.

Plagiarism is a grave offense. Those who commit it are viewed as incompetent and incapable of formulating and articulating their own thoughts. When professionals like journalists are caught plagiarizing, they often face termination from their jobs, public shame, and a decline in reputation.

For students, the consequences of plagiarism can be severe. They may receive harsh penalties, fail assignments, or even be expelled from school. Moreover, it can strain relationships with teachers and erode the credibility of academic standards for grading and degree conferment.

Students who resort to plagiarism deprive themselves of a valuable opportunity to learn how to write a research paper. They miss out on developing essential skills for academic success and personal growth.

Other consequences of plagiarism are:

Destroyed Student Reputation

Destroyed Professional Reputation

Destroyed Academic Reputation

Legal Repercussions

Monetary Repercussions

Academic Penalties

Poor Quality Content

Career Damage

Potential Legal And Criminal Action

How to know Plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Failing to properly cite your sources or providing inadequate citations constitutes plagiarism, a grave offence in academic circles and a serious form of misconduct. Plagiarism poses a significant threat to academic integrity, prompting the need for students and researchers to be well-informed about proper documentation practices. Proper citation is the key to avoiding plagiarism.

Many universities utilise plagiarism detection software to identify potential instances of plagiarism and discourage students from engaging in such misconduct. Upholding academic integrity involves providing students with comprehensive orientations, mandatory writing courses, and clearly defined honour codes. These measures contribute to fostering a shared understanding among students and researchers that plagiarism is unacceptable.

To prevent plagiarism, it's crucial to follow these essential steps:

Practise ethical and honest writing in all scientific endeavours.

Attribute credit to all original sources used in your work.

Use quotation marks appropriately when directly quoting from a source.

Reserve quotation marks for widely recognized scientific and historical facts.

Obtain permission from publishers or copyright holders to avoid self-plagiarism.

Keep track of all sources consulted during your research.

Paraphrase or quote from sources while integrating your own ideas.

Provide proper acknowledgment of the original author through in-text citations and a comprehensive reference list.

Use plagiarism detection tools such as Scribbr, Quetext, Grammarly, or Unicheck to review your work before submission.

Words- 2100

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                              Work Cited

Deeptanshu D, and Dogra Shubham. “What Is Plagiarism? - The Complete Guide [Ebook]” SciSpace, SciSpace Resources, 18 Oct. 2022,https://typeset.io/resources/the-only-plagiarism-guide-you-will-need/.

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Seventh ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2015. 

Hornby, Albert Sydney. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English / [by] A.S. Hornby ; Editor Jonathan Crowther. Oxford, England :Oxford University Press, 1995.

“Plagiarism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism.

"Plagiarism." University of Oxford, 2023, https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/plagiarism.

Assignment 207 Ecofeminism in Myth of Manasa devi in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island

 Assignment 207:Contemporary Literatures in English

Ecofeminism in Myth of Manasa devi in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island

Name: Bhavyata Kukadiya

Roll No.: 04

Enrollment No.: 4069206420220018

Paper no: 207

Paper code: 22414

Paper name: Contemporary Literatures in English

Sem.: 4 (Batch 2022- 2024)

Submitted to: Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English, M.K. Bhavnagar University

About Writer:-

Amitav Ghosh (born 1956) is an Indian novelist and writer whose works explore themes of identity, colonialism, and environmentalism through complex narratives and blended genres. Born in Kolkata to a diplomat family, Ghosh lived in several countries growing up before studying at Delhi University and Oxford. After an academic career, he turned to writing full-time, producing novels like The Circle of Reason, The Shadow Lines, and The Glass Palace that established his literary reputation. Ghosh gained further acclaim for the Ibis trilogy of historical fiction set during the Opium Wars. His recent novels like Gun Island address climate change through the lens of myth and legend. In 2018, Ghosh became the first English writer to receive India's highest literary honour, the Jnanpith Award, recognizing his significant contributions exploring postcolonial identity, migration, and the environment across genres spanning fiction and non-fiction.

About Novel:-

Published in 2019, Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh is a genre-blending novel that seamlessly weaves together historical fiction, contemporary narratives, mythology, and urgent environmental themes. The story spans multiple locations globally, including Kolkata, Venice, Los Angeles, and the Sundarbans delta region in Bangladesh. 

The protagonist is Deen, a rare book dealer from Kolkata, who travels to the Sundarbans to investigate the legend of the Gun Merchant, a mythical figure said to have exchanged guns for slaves. There, he meets Piya, a Bangladeshi-American marine biologist researching the delta's degrading ecosystem due to climate change. Together, they embark on a quest to unravel the truth behind this ancient myth

Through Deen and Piya's journey, the novel vividly depicts the catastrophic impacts of rising sea levels, cyclones, and flooding on the Sundarbans delta and its inhabitants. It poignantly examines the region's colonial legacy and how slavery has shaped its history and identity.

Deen becomes increasingly obsessed with validating the Gun Merchant fable, leading him to Venice where he encounters Cinta, who claims to communicate with spirits. She recounts a tale of Bangladeshi refugees who fled the 1971 war and settled in Los Angeles, convincing Deen it may unlock the myth's origins.

Gun Island adeptly intertwines narratives exploring humanity's deep connections to cultures, environments, and the power of myths to shape understanding of our place in the world. Critically, it underscores the urgency of addressing climate change's devastation on vulnerable communities worldwide. Ambitious and thought-provoking, the novel offers a rich, nuanced examination of migration, ecology, and the interwoven tales binding humanity together.

Ecofeminism in Myth of Manasa devi 

Ecofeminism is a philosophical and theoretical perspective that explores the interconnections between the oppression of women and the exploitation of nature. It argues that patriarchal structures and attitudes contribute to the subjugation of both women and the environment. The Myth of Manasa devi in Amitav Ghosh's novel "Gun Island" provides a fertile ground for exploring ecofeminist themes.

In the novel, Ghosh draws upon the ancient Greek myth of the goddess Mnasa, who was transformed into a shapeshifting serpent after being raped by the god Dionysus. Mnasa's story represents the violation of the feminine principle and the subjugation of nature. Her transformation into a serpent can be interpreted as a symbol of the interconnectedness between the feminine and the natural world.

Ghosh weaves this myth into the contemporary setting of the Sundarbans, a vast mangrove forest in the Ganges delta region of India and Bangladesh. The Sundarbans is not only a unique ecological ecosystem but also a site of ecological struggles, where the lives of marginalised communities, particularly women, are inextricably linked to the fate of the environment.

Through the character of Piya, a cetologist (a scientist who studies whales and dolphins), Ghosh explores the relationship between women and nature. Piya's efforts to protect the endangered dolphin species in the Sundarbans can be seen as a metaphor for the preservation of both nature and the feminine principle.

The novel also delves into the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on the lives of the inhabitants of the Sundarbans...

In all her forms, the Goddess Manasa Devi symbolises the unity of all life in nature. Her power is present in water, stone, tombs, caves, animals, birds, snakes, fish, hills, trees, and flowers. Ghosh believes in perceiving the sacredness and mystery of everything on Earth in a holistic and mythical way. Legend says the Goddess gradually retreated into deep forests or mountaintops. Today her presence is limited to beliefs and fairy tales. When humans become disconnected from nature and the earth, the result is chaos, which we see in contemporary society. However, cycles never stop, and as revealed in Gun Island, the Goddess re-emerges from forests and mountains to remind us to revisit and return to our basic human roots. In the novel, Goddess Manasa Devi represents nature's protective, possessive, and passionate spirit. Her ability to regenerate, reproduce, and replenish breathes life into the earth, even when annihilation seems complete. Her spirit and presence pervade and persist throughout the book. Gun Island moves from Brooklyn and Kolkata to Venice. Ghosh returns to themes of migration and climate change, examining them through the lens of oral narratives, new histories, migration, and old and new myths.

Ghosh's narrative, a story within multiple stories, begins at a temple in the Sundarbans in West Bengal. The temple, supposedly built by the Gun Merchant to honour the snake goddess Manasa Devi, propels the winding plot forward. The legend surrounding the temple drives the protagonist Deen to uncover its truth. Visiting deep in the Sundarbans, Deen encounters the king cobra guarding the temple. Pridefully, his companion Tipu tries subduing the cobra and gets bitten, sparking a series of strange, fantastical journeys blurring the natural and supernatural across geographies and time for Deen. 

Against backdrops like Los Angeles, the Sundarbans, Venice, and New York, these locations metaphorically represent entry points for explorers who built empires by extracting riches from defenceless nations. The conquered lands' slaves were carried across oceans to serve ruthless masters. Now the characters are immigrants of another kind, escaping poverty to cross borders for new homes. Gun Island tells of a man long ago attempting to escape the wrath of a goddess, interweaving stories of illegal immigrants seeking imagined lands and sea mammals whose homes industry and capitalism destroy.  

The myth of Goddess Manasa Devi from Bengali folklore drives the plot's core rivalry. The Snake Goddess epitomises feminism and earth, while the merchant Chand Saudagar represents patriarchal, money-driven male power blessed by Lord Shiva's patronage. Manasa has command over snakes as her sole defence against Saudagar's overbearing strength from gender, capital, and divine favour. She relentlessly campaigns for respect using this meagre resource. Today, Manasa is a feminist icon - a semi-divine female confronting patriarchal establishments personified by Shiva or Saudagar's capitalist authority, uncomfortably questioning feminine energy against male power like Sita did. Fiercely independent, the lone warrior goddess negotiates calculatingly to extract her dues rather than selflessly give, defying expectations of women.

By weaving Manasa's story, Ghosh depicts the catastrophic displacement of humans and animals alike. Her pursuit of the merchant warns human predators - capitalists and profiteers - of the havoc and impending doom wrought on Earth. And unless this is persistently overcome, Ghosh argues there is no way out.

Ghosh wants to convince big business to save the earth. In the Sundarbans, farming waste and chemicals from factories are killing lots of fish and making dolphins leave. The water is different now. The sea is higher. Piya sees all this happening.

“The flow of freshwater diminished, saltwater had begun to intrude deeper upstream making certain stretches too saline for the dolphins.”

A sense of bewilderment and chaos pervades, as neither humans nor animals seem to know where they belong anymore. Both Piya and Moyna realise that like humans, animals too are repressed, oppressed and stressed, constantly on the move in search of new habitats. In Gun Island, Ghosh explains that life originated from the sea. It's unsurprising then that destruction's impacts are most acutely felt in the waters. In Garjontola, in the Sundarbans, Rani the dolphin and her entire pod had beached themselves. Birds circled overhead, leaving the region reeking with a putrid, hellish stench. As Piya observes, the reason for this mass stranding is the man-made sounds from submarines and sonar equipment. The unnatural noise pollution has disrupted the delicate marine environment, rendering it uninhabitable for its previous residents. Ghosh paints a haunting picture of the widespread devastation wrought by human activities, leaving both people and animals as displaced refugees searching for new homes.

“Marine animals use echolocation to navigate. If something messed with that they could become disoriented and run aground.”  

Amitav Ghosh reinforces the myth of Manasa Devi through the architectural details of the shrine, built in the 17th century around the same time as the Little Ice Age. He traces the merchant's path in hot pursuit through the shrine's symbols, friezes, and carved panels. The physical appearance of the king cobra establishes the tangible connection between myth and living belief systems. The king cobra follows Deen but does not attack him, as if acknowledging his unthreatening entry into its domain. However, it strikes Tipu when feeling threatened by his brash actions. Tipu pays the price for his pride and insensitivity, as Rafi's grandfather notes in Gun Island,

 "If a cobra puts something in you, you can never be rid of it." 

The cobra represents the myth's enduring power - those who respect it are left unharmed, while those who arrogantly disregard it face lasting consequences. Ghosh deftly intertwines the ancient serpent myth with the contemporary setting, highlighting its persistent relevance.

Once Nature is harmed, it's hard to fix. In Tipu, Manasa Devi has a way to remind people of their mistakes. She shows up after Tipu encounters a cobra, making him more aware of the bad things happening in the environment. Tipu starts having visions of the future and warns Piya about an endangered dolphin named Rani. Piya tracks Rani with GPS but is surprised when Tipu's predictions come true. In Los Angeles, Deen is warned by Tipu about a disaster, which turns out to be wildfires. Snakes start showing up in unexpected places, like Venice beach, because of climate change. Ghosh uses the myth of Manasa Devi to highlight the impact of global warming on animals and humans. Spiders also start appearing in Venice due to rising temperatures. Manasa Devi seems to be sending a message about the consequences of ignoring nature's warnings. Ghosh's message is clear: we need to take better care of the environment before it's too late.

The myth of Manasa Devi presents an eco-feminist challenge against the corporate patriarchal system. Deen realises the tender nature of her pursuit when he sees it "from the perspective of...the goddess herself. And then the pursuit no longer seemed vindictive but something more fraught, and even tender, a search driven by fear and desperation."

 Manasa Devi was

 "a negotiator, a translator, a voice carrier between two species that had no common language or means of communication. Without her mediation, there could only be hatred and aggression between animals and humans." 

For communication, she must gain trust from both sides. The merchant and fellow humans refused to acknowledge her voice. Hence, the urgency to find the Merchant. If her authority was questioned,

 "all those unseen boundaries would vanish" 

and merchants seeking profit would trample the earth's creatures with

 "no restraint towards other living beings."

 Manasa Devi had to thwart his concealment at all costs to save him, other creatures, and strike a balance of harmony and peace. The myth's power is confirmed when Tipu tips off Piya about dolphins beaching in the Sundarbans, bringing them near extinction - mysteriously connected to the gun merchant's movement. The ensuing catastrophe, Cinta argues, has rational explanations like global warming, changing habitats, increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted by cars, planes, factories making once unneeded gadgets - all inevitably linked to history.

Nature, like the goddess Manasa Devi, is disrespected and humiliated by modern "gun merchants." She is forced to take back her power through force or revenge. Like magic practices, something has taken control of humans' ability to react and respond - we are no longer in charge of what happens to us. Cinta explains we live in a world of impersonal systems that slowly take over as our presence fades away; a demon-like possession has overcome human beings. Ghosh says

 "everybody knows what must be done if the world is to continue being a livable place...yet we are powerless. We see shocking and monstrous things all around us and we look away: we willingly surrender ourselves to whatever it is that has control over us." Ghosh cleverly compares 17th century Venice to modern Venice, seeing it through the Merchant's eyes. He describes the deadly plague epidemic of 1629 only stopping through the Virgin Mary's miraculous help. Interestingly, Cinta connects the Black Madonna to the Greek snake goddess Ariadne, similar to Manasa Devi. Ghosh takes readers to present-day Customs House Point hoping to spot the monster that once lived beneath the embankment, last seen in 1930 but disappearing as the area became Venice's busiest canal network. Now shipworms, invading due to warming lagoon waters, are eating away the city's wooden foundations while Deen and Cinta hear sirens warning of floods - Nature taking back control from humanity's impersonal systems.

Human displacement is inextricably linked to climate change and the Gun Merchant myth. Tipu and Rafi flee darkness, closing in on their Sundarbans home, risking traffickers to seek new lives in Europe. Deen explains how modern technology fuels relentless pursuit of desires, moving people globally to produce more merchandise they can't enjoy. Today's youth crave phones and cars over nature. The refugee "Blue Boat" symbolises issues like inequality and climate change. Ghosh presents the Manasa cult's feminine "fighting spirit" - her aggressive self-interest and untiring quest can inspire. The relentless ecofeminist subjugates patriarchy through vindictive power and eco-feminine strength. Readers feel gratitude at being freed from bewilderment by Manasa and nature's mysterious forces, which offer hope of generosity as long as they persist.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh powerfully explores the interconnected struggles of women's oppression and environmental exploitation through the ancient myth of the goddess Manasa Devi. The novel sends a clear message - modern society's pursuit of profit and disregard for nature has catastrophic consequences for both the earth and marginalised communities, especially women. However, Ghosh offers hope that by heeding the warnings of myths and feminine spiritual forces tied to nature, humanity can rectify its path. If we realign to respect the delicate balance with the environment before irreversible damage is done, the novel suggests there is still potential for an outpouring of generosity, love and the reclamation of our fundamental human roots in harmony with the natural world. Ghosh's ecofeminist lens reveals the way forward is by rejecting patriarchal systems subjugating both women and nature in favour of an ethical, sustainable ecocentric worldview.

                                 Work Cited

Ferdous, Mafruha. "Ecofeminism during Pandemic: A Study of Amitav Ghosh’s Sundarbans Trilogy." European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies 10.8 (2022): 33-41.

Ghosh, Amitav. Gun Island. Penguin Random House India Pvt. Limited, 2019.

Luebering, J.E.. "Amitav Ghosh". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Amitav-Ghosh. Accessed 25 April 2024.

Mies, Maria, and Vandana Shiva. Ecofeminism. Zed Books, 1993

Shiva, Vandana. Staying alive: Women, ecology, and development. North Atlantic Books, 2016.

Plumwood, Val. "Gender, eco-feminism and the environment." Controversies in environmental sociology 1 (2004): 43-60.

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