FL 495: Introduction to
Indian Literature and
Culture
(3 credits : 60 hours of classroom
instruction)
Summer 2006
Instructor: Afroz Taj
Pre-program contact info: Office: (919) 515-9302 Home:(919) 851-1119 Email: taj@unity.ncsu.edu
Meeting Times: The discussion section of this course will
meet daily from 12:00 noon until 1:00 PM.
The activities (visits to historical or religious sites, concerts,
special lectures) will occur in the afternoons and evenings according to the
tentative schedule given below.
Course Description and
Objectives: Introduction to Indian Literature
and Culture provides an overview of Indian literature and culture from
the 13th Century to the Present.
We will read short excerpts from major literary works, as well as essays
on history, music, dance, and architecture.
The class will
meet as shown in the schedule below. For logistical reasons, the itinerary
given below is tentative, but you are expected to keep up with the readings
regardless of changes in the itinerary. In general, we will meet in 50-minute
discussion sessions to discuss the assigned works of literature. Additional
class time will be devoted to guest lectures, and required excursions. All excursions are required unless otherwise
announced.
The primary
objective of this course is for students to develop an understanding of the
evolution of Indian literature and culture, and to discuss the following
questions: How did Indian literature
change over time in response to historical events? How are social and cultural
themes reflected in literature and art?
How did
The readings for
this course will be done in English translation.
Prerequisites: None.
Texts:
1. City of
2. Course-pack: compiled by Afroz Taj.
Course Components:
Attendance: You are expected to attend every discussion
section, lecture and required field trip.
Five points will be deducted from your total score for each unexcused
absence.
Class Participation: You may earn up to 20
class participation points per week, for a program total of 100 points.
Short Papers: You
will be assigned four short papers, one in each of the first four weeks of the
program. Each paper is worth 50
points. Each short paper will consist of
your response to one of the readings, or to one of the genres of art or
performance encountered, or to one of the sites visited, or to a “cultural
experience.” Each paper will be 2-3
pages long. You may choose your topics
from among those studied each week. See
below for some suggestions about your papers.
When writing your short
papers, you might begin by asking yourself the following questions. These questions are designed for a work of
literature, but you can adapt them to a performance, a site, or an experience.
1. What did you
like about this work?
2. What did you
dislike about this work (if anything)?
3. What did you
learn from this work?
4. Did any of
your perceptions or conceptions change as a result of reading this work?
5. Try to imagine
the time and circumstances that produced this work. How would they be different from the
circumstances familiar to you?
6. Compare and
contrast this work with other works you have read. Try to identify common imagery, situations or
themes.
7. How does this
work relate to your experience of modern
Final Exam:
There will be a Final Exam paper assigned in the last week of the
program. It will consist of short answers, essay questions, and a mini-research
project. The Final Exam, which should be 5-8 pages long, is worth 200 points.
NOTE: Since we cannot guarantee access to computers, all
papers should be hand-written.
Grading System:
|
Class Participation |
100 |
20
% |
|
Short Papers (4 x 50
points) |
200 |
20
% |
|
Final Exam |
200 |
40
% |
|
Grand Total |
500 |
100
% |
Semester grades will be awarded according to the percentage you earn out of the total possible points as given in the table above. The following grading scale will be used. Fractional percentages will be rounded up, for example 84.3% would be counted as 85% = B+.
|
100% |
99%
- 95% |
94%
- 90% |
89%
- 85% |
84%
- 80% |
79%
- 75% |
74%
- 70% |
|
A+ |
A |
A- |
B+ |
B |
B- |
C+ |
Important Policies:
1. Academic Integrity: Every student is expected to
abide strictly by the NCSU Code of
Student Conduct, including the use of the Honor Pledge on
all assignments, quizzes and exams.
Students must not give or receive aid on any dictation, essay or exam,
even if it is "take-home" or “on-line,” unless specifically told
otherwise by the instructor.
2. Attendance and Incompletes: Assignments missed due to unexcused absences cannot
be made up without permission from the instructor. More than
five unexcused absences during the term will result in an “F” grade for the
course. See the NC State attendance
regulation for the definitions of excused and unexcused
absences. As per university policy, a
grade of "Incomplete" can only be given when a) the student has been
attending class and turning in all work on time throughout the program and b)
the student submits a valid, written excuse for not being able to complete the
final course requirements at the end of the program.
3. Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable
disabilities. In order to take advantage
of available accommodations, students should contact the Study Abroad Office
before departure.
For more information on NC State’s policy on working with
students with disabilities, please see the Academic
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation.
Note: The readings as given below
will be discussed in class on the dates indicated: you should have completed
the readings by the date listed. All
readings are included in the course pack.
You might want to read the first few selections before departure or on
the plane. The right-most column lists
the field trips/site visits for the course; most of these are required, but
some may be optional. These will take place in the afternoons or evenings. The
program pays admission fees (if any) for all required site visits, but not for
optional outings. The field trip schedule
is tentative and may change based on circumstances (monument closures, ticket
availability, transportation issues, etc.)
On Sundays there will be no class, but there may be required field trips
or other activities.
Unit 1: THE EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD (1200-1300 CE)
|
Wed |
May 24 |
|
"Of Indians and Other
Minorities," Chapter 5 in "Synthesis and Growth of
Mixed Culture: Purdah, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Amir Khusrau" from Nehru, The Discovery of |
Bazaar |
|
Thur |
May 25 |
|
Amir Khusrau, Selected verses. |
Nizamuddin Sufi Shrine |
|
Fri |
May 26 |
|
Regula Qureshi, Sufi music
of |
Chattarpur, Kalkaji temples |
|
Sat |
May 27 |
|
“Qutb and Modern Memory” by
Sunil Kumar, from The Partitions of Memory: the afterlife of the division
of |
Qutub Minar |
|
Sun |
May 28 |
|
No Class |
|
Unit 2: THE AGE OF DEVOTION (1300-1500)
|
Mon |
May 29 |
|
TRAVEL DAY - Short Paper
1 due – No Class |
Maha-Aarti, Hari ki Pauri |
|
Tue |
May 30 |
Haridwar-Rishikesh |
"Seeing the Sacred,"
Chapter 1 of Diana Eck, Darsan: Seeing
the Divine Image in |
Rishikesh |
|
Wed |
May 31 |
Haridwar to |
TRAVEL DAY – No Class |
|
|
Thur |
June 1 |
|
Kabir, selections from The Bijak of Kabir |
Old |
|
Fri |
June 2 |
|
Mira Bai, selected padas. |
|
|
Sat |
June 3 |
|
Excerpt from the Ramcharitmanas (Ramayana) by Tulsidas, pp. 218-242 |
|
|
Sun |
June 4 |
|
FIELD TRIP – No Class |
Religions Field Trip |
Unit 3: MUSIC, LITERATURE, and ARCHITECTURE
|
Mon |
June 5 |
|
TRAVEL DAY - Short Paper 2 due – No Class |
|
|
Tue |
June 6 |
|
“Sir Syed Ahmed Khan” |
University Tour |
|
Wed |
June 7 |
|
"My Heritage:"
Chapter 1 in |
|
|
Thur |
June 8 |
|
"Ghazal and Taghazzul," by C.M. Naim |
|
|
Fri |
June 9 |
|
"Understanding the Urdu Ghazal," by Ralph Russell |
|
|
Sat |
June 10 |
|
"The Mughal Dynasty and
Mughal Architecture," in G.H.R. Tillotson, Mughal |
|
|
Sun |
June 11 |
|
TRAVEL DAY – No Class |
|
Unit 4: THE MUGHALS AND RAJPUTS (1500-1857)
|
Mon |
June 12 |
|
Short Paper 3 due |
|
|
Tue |
June 13 |
|
"The Ghazals of Ghalib," by Ralph Russell |
Fatehpur Sikri |
|
Wed |
June 14 |
|
FIELD TRIPS to Monuments |
Taj Mahal, |
|
Thur |
June 15 |
|
FIELD TRIP to |
|
|
Fri |
June 16 |
|
Ghalib, selected ghazals |
Reception |
|
Sat |
June 17 |
|
Ruswa, Umrao Jan Ada, excerpts, pp. 126-138, pp. 144-149. |
|
|
Sun |
June 18 |
|
TRAVEL DAY – No Class |
|
Unit 5: PRELUDE TO
|
Mon |
June 19 |
Jaipur |
Short Paper 4 due |
|
|
Tue |
June 20 |
Jaipur |
"The Postmaster," and "Kabuliwala," by Rabindranath Tagore. |
Amer Fort |
|
Wed |
June 21 |
Jaipur |
"Kathak," by Mekhala Devi Natavar |
Kathak Kendra |
|
Thur |
June 22 |
Jaipur |
"The Supreme Dharma is Violence," by Munshi Premchand. |
Chokhi Dhani |
|
Fri |
June 23 |
Jaipur |
Faiz Ahmed Faiz, selected poetry |
|
|
Sat |
June 24 |
Jaipur |
||
|
Sun |
June 25 |
Jaipur to |
TRAVEL DAY – No Class |
|
Unit 6: MODERN
|
Mon |
June 26 |
|
“The Mosque and Rama’s Kingdom,” Ved Mehta |
|
|
Tue |
June 27 |
|
Nasreen Kabir, Talking Films: conversations with Javed Akhtar |
|
|
Wed |
June 28 |
|
Review |
|
|
Thur |
June 29 |
|
No Class |
Farewell Banquet |
|
Fri |
June 30 |
|
Final Exam Due |
|
|
Sat |
July 1 |
Home |
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