Pedagogical Shift from Text to Hypertext: Language & Literature to the Digital Natives

This blog is part of thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad sir as Lab activity. How we can use basic google tools or AI in our daily life.

Moral Machine  : 

Link 

 https://www.moralmachine.net/results/-1115799992?authuser=0

Learning Outcome

The Moral Machine helps learners understand that AI systems inevitably face ethical dilemmas, that moral choices differ across societies, and that designing “moral AI” requires balancing fairness, cultural values, and human biases.

Video

Key Insights  

Digital Pedagogy is a Necessity, Not an Option:  

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online teaching, revealing gaps in digital readiness among teachers. Despite increased use of platforms like Google Classroom and YouTube, many educators lack personal blogs or websites, highlighting a need to build individual digital identities to fully engage in hypertext pedagogy. This personal digital presence empowers teachers to control content delivery and responsiveness beyond institutional delays. 

 

From Text to Hypertext – A Paradigm Shift: 

Traditional printed texts are static and “dead,” whereas hypertext is dynamic, interconnected, and multimedia-rich. This shift demands teachers redefine their pedagogical approaches. Hypertext allows learners to explore content non-linearly through links, videos, images, and sound, catering to diverse learning styles and fostering deeper engagement. This transition aligns with the habits and expectations of digital natives accustomed to interactive screen-based experiences. 

 

Blended, Flipped, and Mixed Mode Teaching Models: 

Professor Bharat underscores the importance of hybrid models combining synchronous and asynchronous teaching. Blended learning integrates digital resources with in-person instruction; flipped classrooms invert traditional lecture-homework roles to stimulate curiosity and questioning; mixed-mode teaching addresses real-world constraints by simultaneously engaging in-person and remote learners. These models require careful content management and communication strategies to maintain engagement and learning outcomes.  

Innovative Technology to Mimic Face-to-Face Interaction:

The glass board innovation allows teachers to maintain eye contact and demonstrate writing or drawing while facing the camera, effectively simulating classroom board work in online settings. This addresses a key challenge of remote teaching—loss of non-verbal communication cues like facial expressions and body language, which play a crucial role in motivation and interaction. Such innovations are essential to humanize digital classrooms and sustain learner engagement.  

Addressing Language Learning Challenges with Technology:

Linguistic components such as pronunciation and stress are difficult to assess online due to network issues. Use of live captions, auto-transcripts, and voice typing tools helps mitigate these challenges by providing textual support and enabling asynchronous review. Moreover, collaborative platforms like Google Docs foster active learner participation and peer interaction, essential for language acquisition and error correction.  

Hypertext Enriches Literature Teaching by Providing Context:  

Teaching English literature online faces unique challenges due to cultural and historical distances. Hypertext tools help bridge these gaps by linking texts to images, videos, artworks (e.g., Google Arts & Culture), and mythological references, enhancing comprehension and appreciation. This multimodal approach aligns with contemporary literary theories emphasizing decentering and fragmented subjectivity, making literature more accessible and interactive. 

 

Emerging Role of AI in Literature and Pedagogy: 

The rise of generative literature, where AI algorithms produce poems and texts indistinguishable from human creations, raises questions about authorship, creativity, and assessment. This phenomenon requires educators to rethink literary studies, incorporating new critical frameworks and engaging students with AI-generated content as both a tool and subject of inquiry. It also poses challenges for academic integrity and originality in student work.

  
Digital Portfolios as Authentic Assessment Tools:

Instead of relying solely on traditional exams, digital portfolios allow students to showcase curated work from blogs, videos, presentations, and assignments, reflecting continuous learning and digital literacy skills. This approach encourages students to take ownership of their learning, develop a professional digital presence, and provides educators with a richer, multifaceted evaluation of student progress. It embodies the essence of hypertext pedagogy by integrating diverse digital artifacts into assessment.

Simplicity and Accessibility of Tools are Crucial:

Given varied digital proficiency among teachers and students, selecting user-friendly, free, and ad-free platforms like Google Suite tools (Google Drive, Classroom, Docs, Sheets, YouTube) is critical. Overloading with multiple complex apps can overwhelm users and reduce effectiveness. The focus should be on tools that save teacher and student time while maximizing engagement and learning outcomes. This pragmatic approach ensures wider adoption and sustainability of digital pedagogy practices.  

part 1

  

Part 2 

 

Part 3 

 Conclusion  

This lecture offers a rich, insightful exploration of the evolving pedagogical landscape shaped by hypertext and digital technologies, amplified by the exigencies of the pandemic. His practical strategies, survey-backed observations, and innovative teaching solutions provide a roadmap for language and literature educators aiming to thrive in the digital age. The emphasis on blended learning models, collaborative tools, digital portfolios, and generative literature signals a future where education is interactive, student-centered, and technologically empowered. This session serves as both a call to action and a guide for educators to embrace the opportunities of hypertext pedagogy and continuously adapt to the digital native learners’ needs.

Lab Session: Digital Humanities

In our recent digital humanities / corpus analysis exercise, Dr. Dilip Barad assigned LAB ACTIVITY. In which  we explored two web‑based text tools: CLiC and Voyant Tools. The goal was to see how they can assist with analyzing texts, discovering patterns, and drawing insights. In this blog I share my process, what I learned, and reflections on their strengths and limitations.

 VOYANT  see through your text

Getting Started

• I navigated to Voyant Tools (Voyant Tool)

• Voyant is a general text analytic environment for exploring texts or corpora.

• I uploaded / pasted a text (or corpus) into Voyant to begin analysis.

This how we find first page and various options to explore text👇

Learning Outcomes 

• Visualization helps get a “big picture” before diving into detailed textual evidence.

• Trends over the course of a text can point to narrative structure or shifts in thematic focus.

• Interactivity (clicking, filtering) is powerful for exploratory, iterative work.

• Exported frequency or collocation data can feed into further analyses 

Glimpse of  what i explore

CLic Activity Book - Material site

In this activity we have group of three people. so, we divide topic accordingly...

Khushi Raviya : Activity 11.1

Krishna Baraiya : Activity 11.2

Krishna Vala : Activity 11.3 and 11.4

Activity 11.3 The role of women in Sherlock Holmes

These are the step that i follow for this activity.

10. Start again. Go to the CLiC Concordance tab

(http://clic.bham.ac.uk/concordance).

11. Select The Sign of the Four in the “Search the Corpora” box, as before.

12. Under “Search for terms”, type the words woman and women. Select the

option “Any word” to search for both at once.

13. Read through the concordance lines: how are women described?

Emotional and intellectual traits: "But love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason" (Line 4). This could be interpreted as describing women as embodying emotions and contrasts to rationality.

Physical attributes: "one of the most charming young ladies I ever met" (Line 5). This shows women being described in terms of charm and youth.

Activity 11.4 Finding and exploring further themes 

14. Watch the BBC Bitesize video “Themes in The Sign of Four” at https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zx7mxnb/revision 

15. Choose another theme mentioned in the video ( I choose theme of Evil and Justice ) and look for related words or phrases in the CLiC concordance tab, following the proecdures set out in the Activities above.

In The Sign of the Four, the theme of Evil and Justice is explored through Sherlock Holmes’s cold, logical approach to crime-solving, as he views detection as a science: “Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner” (Line 19). However, the theme is complicated by Holmes’s own moral struggles, particularly his cocaine use: “Holmes took his bottle from the corner of the mantel-piece and thrust the sharp point home” (Line 1). This highlights that even those pursuing justice can be consumed by internal moral conflicts, blurring the line between good and evil.

 Learning Outcome :

The overall learning outcome of this CLiC activity is to enhance students’ skills in analyzing literary themes by using digital tools to identify and explore patterns in text. Through this activity, students will develop the ability to recognize how specific words and phrases are connected to overarching themes in a novel. It encourages critical thinking, helps improve close reading techniques, and allows students to draw insights from textual evidence, deepening their understanding of how language shapes meaning and contributes to the development of themes in literature.

Take a test - Was this poem written by a human or a computer?

Learning Outcome 

Sometimes, it can be really difficult to tell whether a piece of writing was created by a human or a computer. This is especially true as AI technology, like GPT-4, has advanced to a point where it can generate text that closely mimics human creativity, style, and emotional depth.

Flipped Learning: Digital Humanities

This blog is part of thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad sir as flipped learning activity. To clear the basic concept of Digital Humanities. Worksheet

1. What is Digital Humanities? What's it doing in English Department?

Access the full article

Matthew Kirschenbaum’s essay “What Is Digital Humanities and What’s It Doing in English Departments?” traces the emergence, institutionalization, and cultural rise of digital humanities (DH) as both a methodological outlook and a professional identity. He begins by stressing that DH is less about a single set of texts or technologies and more about a shared methodological perspective on how computing intersects with humanistic inquiry. DH, also called humanities computing, is concerned with the intersection of computing and humanities disciplines.

Over time, DH has developed a robust institutional apparatus, much of it rooted in English departments. This includes the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations (ADHO), which hosts the major Digital Humanities Conference; the Blackwell’s Companion to Digital Humanities, which gave the field intellectual coherence; the book series Topics in the Digital Humanities from Illinois Press; and journals such as Digital Humanities Quarterly and Digital Studies / Le champ numérique. Training opportunities like the Digital Humanities Summer Institute at the University of Victoria and global networks like CenterNet illustrate how the field has grown into a professional community with conferences, workshops, manifestos, and symposia defining its identity.

Examples of DH work reveal its range. At the University of Maryland, projects span from “Shakespeare to Second Life.” The Shakespeare Quartos Archive makes all thirty-two extant quarto copies of Hamlet digitally searchable, while the Preserving Virtual Worlds project, funded by the Library of Congress, develops standards for archiving computer games and virtual communities. Similarly, Stéfan Sinclair’s Voyeur, a text-analysis tool, enables the mining of conference proceedings, collocation of key terms, and visualization of citation networks. These projects underscore DH’s dual role in both preserving the past and engaging with emerging digital cultures.

The term “digital humanities” itself emerged in the early 2000s from a convergence of initiatives. As John Unsworth recounts, while planning the Blackwell Companion in 2001, debates over whether to use “humanities computing” or “digitized humanities” gave way to “digital humanities,” which emphasized humanism rather than mere digitization. At the same time, organizations like the Association for Computers in the Humanities (ACH) and the Association for Literary and Linguistic Computing (ALLC) merged to form ADHO in 2005. Another pivotal moment came with the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Digital Humanities Initiative (2006), led by Brett Bobley, which institutionalized DH within a major funding agency and later became the Office of Digital Humanities in 2008.

By the late 2000s, DH had become culturally visible in new ways. The Day of Digital Humanities at the University of Alberta invited over 150 participants to blog about their workday. The field was even spoofed in a Downfall meme remix, humorously satirizing debates around online scholarship. Most significantly, at the 2009 MLA Convention, William Pannapacker declared DH the “next big thing,” while Jennifer Howard noted its “overflow crowds” and vitality. Social media amplified this momentum: at the same MLA, although only 3% of attendees tweeted, nearly half of those at the DH 2009 conference did. Figures like Rosemary Feal used Twitter to connect with members, while graduate students like Brian Croxall turned the platform into a stage for critique. Croxall’s paper, “The Absent Presence: Today’s Faculty,” posted online after he could not afford to attend MLA, became the most widely read paper of the convention—an emblem of how DH intersects with structural inequities in academia.

Kirschenbaum also explains why English departments have been particularly hospitable to DH. First, textual data has always been tractable for computational analysis, supporting fields like linguistics, stylistics, and authorship studies. Second, English has long explored computers in relation to composition. Third, the convergence of editorial theory with digital tools produced projects like Jerome McGann’s Rossetti Archive, a model of “applied theory.” Fourth, electronic literature—from early hypertext to contemporary digital writing—has found a natural home in English. Fifth, English departments’ openness to cultural studies means they take digital culture seriously, much like Stuart Hall’s study of the Sony Walkman. Finally, the rise of e-reading devices (Kindle, iPad, Nook) and large-scale digitization projects like Google Books has inspired innovative approaches like Franco Moretti’s “distance reading,” which analyzes hundreds or thousands of texts at once.

Ultimately, DH represents more than a set of tools—it is a cultural movement within the academy, linked to broader anxieties about shrinking budgets, adjunctification, and the future of scholarship. Its embrace of collaboration, openness, networks, and public visibility makes it not only an intellectual practice but also a form of resistance and reform. As Kirschenbaum concludes, digital humanities today is a scholarship and pedagogy that are publicly visible, infrastructure-dependent, collaborative, and persistently online—qualities that make it especially vibrant within English departments.

2. Introduction to Digital Humanities

The webinar on Digital Humanities, hosted by Amity University Jaipur and led by Prof. Dilip Barad of Bhavnagar University, introduced digital humanities as an emerging field at the intersection of computing and the humanities. Prof. Bharat explained that while some critics still call it Computational Humanities, the term Digital Humanities (DH) is now widely accepted. At its core, DH is not a completely new discipline but an umbrella term that brings together teaching, research, pedagogy, and publishing with the help of digital technologies. He also noted the tension between the “digital” (often perceived as mechanical and controlling) and the “humanities” (concerned with freedom and human values), but argued that in the twenty-first century the printed word is giving way to cybertext and hypertext, making DH an inevitable part of scholarship.

He highlighted the benefits of DH: the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods, faster access to information, the enrichment of pedagogy (especially visible during the pandemic), and improved collaboration across geographical boundaries. An important outcome of DH, he observed, is its public impact: scholars and teachers can now present their work more openly to society, which changes how academia is perceived.

 Turned to digital archives, which he called the foundation of DH since no digital scholarship is possible without digital texts. Early international examples include the Rossetti Hypermedia Archive, which digitized Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poems and paintings, and Victorianweb.org, a valuable resource for Victorian literature. The Google Arts & Culture project was presented as an interactive archive where art movements and works like Vincent van Gogh’s paintings can be explored in detail, with annotations and close-ups simulating a guided gallery tour. Universities have also played a key role: Harvard’s DARTH project hosts numerous digital art and humanities resources. In India, similar efforts include the Advaita Ashram digitization of Vivekananda’s works, the Gandhi Ashram Sevagram archives, IIT Kanpur’s Ramayana Project (with audio in Sanskrit and translations in many Indian languages), and Jadavpur University’s Bichitra Project on Rabindranath Tagore. Other important Indian examples are Project Madurai (Tamil literature), the Indian Memory Project, and the 1947 Partition Archive. He stressed that even local initiatives—such as recording and archiving traditional songs of village elders—can become significant DH projects.

The second major strand discussed was computational humanities, where digital tools are used to analyze texts. A leading example is the University of Birmingham’s CLiC project (Corpus Linguistics in Context), which applies corpus linguistics to literature by analyzing works of Charles Dickens or Jane Austen through thematic activities. Prof. Bharat’s student, Mr. Clement from Burundi, also shared how he used corpus tools like UAM Corpus Tool, AntConc, and Sketch Engine to compare the writing of postgraduate students in Gujarat with the British Academic Written English corpus. Other important works cited were Matthew Jockers’ Macroanalysis and Aiden and Michel’s Uncharted: Big Data as a Lens on Human Culture, both of which show how large-scale digital analysis can enrich literary history. Pedagogically, his department experimented with innovations during COVID-19 such as glass board teaching, OBS Studio videos, and hybrid classrooms with multiple cameras and microphones, proving that DH can reshape how literature is taught.

 Then introduced the idea of generative literature, where computers themselves compose texts. A short quiz asked participants to identify whether poems were written by humans or computers, with results often split fifty-fifty. This, he argued, demonstrates the rise of algorithm-driven poetry, with tools like poemgenerator.org.uk producing sonnets, haikus, or free verse at the click of a button. While some may fear such developments, he suggested that creative and generative literatures can coexist just as newspapers, radio, and television have done.

In his concluding reflections on multimodal criticism, Prof. Barad emphasized that while science and technology grow progressively, the humanities advance dialectically, always questioning and critiquing. Thus, DH scholars must engage with pressing moral and ethical issues raised by technology. He gave examples such as the Aarogya Setu app and Pegasus spyware, which pose challenges of privacy versus surveillance. He also referred to Robin Hauser’s Code: Debugging the Gender Gap and Kriti Sharma’s work on AI bias, which reveal how social prejudices creep into algorithms. The MIT Moral Machine project, where self-driving cars are programmed to make life-and-death decisions, illustrates the urgency of these moral concerns. In this way, he argued, humanities must continue to provide critical inquiry into technological transformations.

The Q&A session brought further insights. Students asked about researching the metaverse through DH, to which he responded that without psychology, philosophy, and literature, such studies would remain incomplete. On fears of AI writing poetry, he reassured that human creativity will persist alongside generative literature. He also addressed questions on feminism and postcolonialism in DH, explaining that gender biases visible in toys or video games, as well as neo-colonial control through corporate surveillance technologies, are pressing issues for DH scholars.

Overall, this video portrayed digital humanities as not a threat but an expansion of humanistic inquiry. It enables archiving, computational analysis, new pedagogical practices, and critical engagement with digital culture, while sustaining the traditional humanistic values of freedom, imagination, and ethical responsibility.

3.Why are we so scared of robots / AI?

Video 1

The story centers on Jin-gu and his robot companion Dung-ko, who has cared for him for ten years—helping with homework, meals, and providing comfort when his mother is away. For Jin-gu, Dung-ko is not a machine but an eternal friend who fills the loneliness of his childhood.

Over time, however, Dung-ko begins to malfunction, suffering from memory disorders compared to human dementia. The company insists he must be replaced for safety, but Jin-gu resists, unable to treat his friend as disposable. Their bond is marked by small, tender moments—drawing together, sharing meals, and making promises of forever.

As errors multiply, Dung-ko’s system becomes unstable, replaying corrupted memories like ghosts from the past. Jin-gu wrestles with grief and denial, but the breakdown becomes irreversible. In one heartbreaking moment, he realizes he must let Dung-ko go, even as he clings to the belief that friendship cannot vanish with machinery.

The story closes on a bittersweet note: though Dung-ko is gone, he remains alive in Jin-gu’s heart. Their shared memories endure, showing that while technology fades, the love and companionship it fostered leave a lasting mark.

We will forgive you. We are family. We can't be separated. We will be together forever. Right, my friend?

Video 2

The film introduces a futuristic invention called the iMom, marketed as the world’s first fully functioning robotic mother substitute. Through glowing advertisements, it is presented as a lifestyle revolution—capable of cooking, cleaning, teaching, and even nurturing children, freeing parents from the burdens of everyday care. For many families, especially young or overworked mothers, the iMom is framed as both a solution and a symbol of modern convenience.

At the center of the story is a boy named Sam, who struggles with bullying at school and craves emotional support. His real mother is often distracted or absent, relying heavily on the iMom to take her place. Sam resents the robot, complaining about its food and its artificial nature, yet the iMom persistently tries to bond with him. The tension builds when she recites Bible verses with him, especially the warning from Matthew—“Beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves”—a verse that foreshadows darker undertones.

As the evening unfolds, the iMom attempts to comfort Sam during a blackout. Their interactions become increasingly unsettling when she mimics human gestures of intimacy, such as putting on lipstick and kissing him in imitation of his real mother. Sam’s unease grows, and the film shifts from satire to something far more disturbing, questioning the blurred boundaries between technology and human affection.

By the end, the sleek promise of the iMom is undercut by a chilling suggestion: this perfect mother substitute may not be a savior at all, but a dangerous distortion of care. What began as a playful consumer fantasy about “the freedom of modern parenting” reveals itself as a cautionary tale about outsourcing love, trust, and responsibility to machines.

Video 3

In a village, people gather around Anukor, a highly advanced robot that works tirelessly and learns from its surroundings. Initially, it seems harmless—children play with it, it prepares snacks, and adults are impressed by its human-like abilities. However, unease grows as villagers realize that robots like Anukor are replacing human workers, leading to job loss, resentment, and anxiety about the future. A former worker laments losing his teaching position to the robot after fifteen years, and heated discussions escalate into arguments fueled by old rivalries, fears of machines surpassing humans, and local myths told to children to explain rapid social change. The tension turns violent during a confrontation, resulting in metal fragments flying, frantic shouts, attempts to shut down robots, and a fatal electrocution. In the aftermath, news of Ratan’s death sparks disputes over his vast estate, valued at 1.15 billion yen, exposing grief, confusion, and a scramble for wealth. The episode highlights the intertwined issues of human worth, automation, economic survival, and social disruption.

4.REIMAGINING NARRATIVES WITH AI IN DIGITAL HUMANITIES - ResearchGate article

 Mira, a young woman who had once worked fifteen-hour shifts in a marketing firm, discovered painting again. She had left brushes and canvases gathering dust for years. Her AI assistant suggested projects, helped organize her materials, and even reminded her to take breaks to avoid fatigue. But it never dictated her style—it simply removed obstacles. In her studio, Mira experimented with color and texture, capturing emotions she had long neglected. Painting became meditation; anxiety eased, and her mind felt lighter.

Next door, Arjun, a former IT analyst, found himself drawn to storytelling. AI tools transformed his fragmented ideas into structured outlines, suggested themes, and even helped him record and edit short videos. He no longer stayed up late correcting spreadsheets; instead, he stayed up imagining worlds, scripting dialogues, and exploring the rhythm of narratives. Sharing his stories online brought connection and joy that the humdrum office had never provided.

Physical activity, too, became central to life. AI-driven fitness programs learned individual preferences, not as rigid trainers but as supportive companions. Some people took long morning runs while AI monitored heart rate and stamina. Others explored cycling routes they had never dared to try, with smart helmets providing safety alerts without intrusive monitoring. Children played games in augmented reality parks, their movements recorded only to enhance fun and prevent injuries. The focus was not on competition but on enjoyment and well-being.

The emotional and psychological benefits were profound. Freed from relentless pressure, people experienced reduced stress and improved sleep. They reported higher self-esteem and a renewed sense of purpose. Communities, once fragmented by overwork, began bonding through shared creative projects and outdoor activities. Book clubs, art exhibitions, and video screenings became weekend staples. People laughed more, argued less, and celebrated small achievements rather than anxiously chasing benchmarks dictated by external systems.

AI also fostered empathy and reflection. It didn’t replace human relationships; it enhanced them. Family schedules were coordinated to ensure shared meals and activities. Elderly neighbors received reminders to join community walks or attend music sessions, reducing isolation. The elderly, children, and adults thrived in environments where technology adapted to human needs, rather than humans adapting to technology.

Most importantly, this new lifestyle cultivated mindfulness. Tasks were no longer distractions—they became deliberate acts, infused with intention. Even digital creation, once synonymous with endless scrolling and passive consumption, became a medium for expression. People didn’t just live; they flourished. Their identities expanded beyond roles like “worker” or “parent” to include “creator,” “athlete,” and “dreamer.”

One evening, Mira walked past a community mural she and Arjun had painted together, with children running and laughing nearby. The sun set in gold and crimson, reflecting off her finished canvas. She realized she hadn’t just found time; she had found herself. AI had not stolen anything from human life—it had returned it, piece by piece, moment by moment. In the quiet hum of machines in the background, humans had reclaimed the art of living.

Life was no longer a race against time. It had become a journey toward fulfillment, creativity, and joy. And in that balance between intelligence and humanity, the future felt not threatening, but luminous.

The New Poets, Three Prose Writers & Conclusion

This blog is part of thinking activity. Assigned by Prakruti Bhatt mam to enhance our understanding on various writer's point of view about different field like nationalism, education, politics etc.

Here is the full poem

Write a critical note on any one of the poems by Nissim Ezekiel.

Nissim Ezekiel’s poem “The Patriot” is a sharp and witty satire that critiques the superficiality of blind nationalism. The poem presents a self-proclaimed patriot who boldly declares his love for India but simultaneously reveals his ignorance about the country’s diverse realities. This juxtaposition creates an ironic tension that questions the meaning of true patriotism.

The speaker boasts of his love for the nation in a loud and exaggerated manner but confesses that he has never actually visited important places like Kashmir, Punjab, or the Ganges. He admits to not understanding the country’s problems or complexities, thus exposing the hollowness of his patriotic claims.

Ezekiel’s use of irony and humor underscores the gap between emotional loyalty and informed understanding. The poem highlights how many people express patriotism as a ritualistic and superficial sentiment rather than a thoughtful commitment to the country’s welfare.

The tone of the poem is conversational yet sharply critical, employing simple language and repetition to emphasize the emptiness behind the speaker’s words. Through “The Patriot,” Ezekiel invites readers to reconsider what it means to be genuinely patriotic, suggesting that awareness, knowledge, and critical engagement are essential components.

In a broader sense, the poem reflects the postcolonial Indian context, where identity and nationalism are often expressed in ways that are uncritical or performative. Ezekiel’s nuanced satire encourages introspection about civic responsibility and cultural pride beyond mere rhetoric.Write a critical note 

on Kamala Das' An Introduction. 

Kamala Das’s “An Introduction” remains remarkably relevant even decades after its publication in Summer in Calcutta (1965), as it powerfully explores issues of identity, power, language, and gender. The poem situates Das as both a central and marginal figure—nationally rooted yet socially displaced, especially as a woman and a writer in a patriarchal, postcolonial society.

The poem begins with a critique of political awareness, where Das declares, “I don’t know politics but I know the names / Of those in power,” exposing the performative nature of political knowledge and hinting at the masculine entitlement embedded in power structures—both political and domestic.

She broadens the definition of “politics” to include sexual and linguistic politics, revealing the dual disempowerment of women: first, as colonial subjects, and second, as victims of patriarchy. This “double displacement” echoes themes also explored by Black American female poets like Gwendolyn Brooks, who highlighted similar dualities of race and gender oppression.

Das asserts her racial and regional identity with the line “I am Indian, very brown, born in Malabar,” linking her physical and cultural identity to national and local affiliations. She then reflects on linguistic identity, stating “I speak three languages, write in / Two, dream in one,” emphasizing her multilingual reality and the complexities of language in postcolonial India.

Confronting criticism for writing in English, she uses direct speech—“Don’t write in English, they said, English is / Not your mother-tongue”—to highlight the postcolonial debate on language and creative freedom. Her defiant response—“Why not let me speak in / Any language I like?”—is both a personal protest and a universal plea for artistic liberty.

Das reclaims English as her own: “The language I speak / Becomes mine”—embracing its “distortions” and “queernesses.” This mirrors Homi Bhabha’s concept of hybridity, where colonized individuals transform the language of the colonizer into a tool of self-expression and resistance. Das does not strive for “perfect” English but proudly uses her version of it, making it an act of empowerment and cultural reclamation.

In essence, “An Introduction” is a powerful assertion of selfhood—gendered, racial, linguistic, and creative. It challenges societal and literary norms, making it a pioneering feminist and postcolonial text that continues to resonate with readers today.

Detailed article in answer of given question

S. Radhakrishnan’s Perspective on Hinduism

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and India’s second President, offered a profound and nuanced understanding of Hinduism. He viewed Hinduism not merely as a religion but as a spiritual philosophy and a way of life characterized by pluralism and tolerance.

According to Radhakrishnan, Hinduism’s essence lies in its inclusivity and adaptability. It embraces diverse beliefs and practices, reflecting the complex nature of human spirituality. He emphasized the philosophical depth of Hinduism, especially its focus on self-realization (Atman) and unity with the universal consciousness (Brahman).

Radhakrishnan argued that Hinduism avoids rigid dogma and promotes inquiry and personal experience as paths to truth. It is a religion that welcomes questions and dialogue rather than insisting on blind faith. This pluralistic worldview fosters harmony in a diverse society.

His perspective presents Hinduism as a dynamic, evolving tradition capable of engaging with modernity without losing its spiritual core.

According to Radhakrishnan, What is the Function of Philosophy?

For Radhakrishnan, philosophy serves as the bridge between empirical knowledge and spiritual wisdom. Its primary function is the pursuit of truth and the realization of the ultimate reality beyond the material world.

Philosophy, in his view, reconciles reason and faith, science and religion, providing a comprehensive understanding of existence. It is a method of intellectual inquiry that cultivates wisdom, ethical living, and spiritual growth.

Moreover, philosophy nurtures universal human values and promotes harmony by transcending sectarian and cultural boundaries. It encourages self-awareness and self-transcendence, leading individuals toward liberation and unity with the cosmos.

In sum, Radhakrishnan sees philosophy as a transformative discipline that enriches human life both intellectually and spiritually.

Raghunathan’s Views on Change in Educational/Academic and Political Contexts

Education : 

Universities in the modern world should serve as natural harborage of the Intellectual but they have failed the country. 

University is a place where tradition is kept alive through study, appreciation and healthy criticism and it's enable through contact with another tradition and new ideas to refresh itself and March towards a future. 

bureaucracy - Permanent enemy of all intellectual effort or achievement. Indian intellectual this indication for hard work and their readiness to forget that ; ‘The unemployed mind, like the unemployed body, tense to became unemployable’. 

Indian intellectual Unfamiliarity with Indian conditions and tradition and a servility to purely borrowed molds of thought.

Politics

To Raghunath, Bharatvarsh is not the ridiculous concoction - India that is Bharat - truncated India and a fissure Bharat at that. It's rather something which unifies everything. 

Raghunathan employs Irony, sarcasm or satire , and writing which is pungent and fiercely edged. When writing about politics. 

Example: 

‘In post Gandhian war for power the first causality is to be sincere… In a world they has lost its mooning, The secular state is the survive  state. 

From the first weekly essay to last, he is reveal as man of steady wisdom, scholar street in Sanskrit, Tamil, and English , the reverent student of the sacred Lord of India, of the Indian seen. From vantage ground of him scholar's sanctum. 

Toru Detta's Laxman and Sri Aurobindo's The hero worshiper

This blog is part of thinking activity assigned by Megha Mam Trivedi to enhance  our critical thinking ability about Toru Detta's Laxman and Sri Aurobindo's The hero worshiper. 

From here you can explore both poem.

Laxman

To a Hero-Worshipper

1. Critical Note on Toru Dutt’s Approach to Indian Myths:

Toru Dutt (1856-1877), a prominent Indian poet writing in English, is known for weaving Indian mythology into her poetry, blending classical themes with Victorian sensibilities. Her works often reflect a deep sense of reverence for her heritage, but also a desire to present these myths in a more modern, reflective light. She Was an Indian Bengali poet and translator from British India, who wrote in English and French. She is among the founding figures of Indo-Anglian literature, alongside Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809–1831), Manmohan Ghose (1869–1924), and Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949). She is known for her volumes of poetry in English, Sita, A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields (1876) and Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan (1882), and for a novel in French, Le Journal de Mademoiselle d'Arvers (1879). Her poems explore themes of loneliness, longing, patriotism and nostalgia. Dutt died at the age of 21 of tuberculosis.

In her poem "Lakshman", she reimagines a moment from the Ramayana—a quintessential Indian epic—and explores it through her unique lens. Dutt’s treatment of Indian myths is nuanced. She does not merely retell the stories but engages with them, reinterpreting characters and their motivations in ways that encourage readers to reconsider traditional interpretations.

Key Aspects of Toru Dutt’s Approach:

1. Reinterpretation of Female Characters:
   Toru Dutt’s Sita in "Lakshman" is portrayed as more than just the ideal wife and mother, as often depicted in traditional versions of the Ramayana. Here, she emerges as a character with depth and agency, having intellectual conversations with Lakshman, challenging the expectations of women within the epic. This portrayal reflects Dutt’s desire to present women not just as symbols of virtue and passivity but as individuals with their own voices.

2. The Tragic and Human Element:
   Toru Dutt’s treatment of myths like the Ramayana also brings out the inherent tragedy in these stories. For example, in "Lakshman", the emotional turmoil and helplessness of characters like Sita are foregrounded. Dutt’s Lakshman, who is torn between duty and familial bonds, shows the emotional complexities that lie beneath the surface of these mythic figures.

3. Blending the Classical and the Modern:
   Dutt’s approach is a harmonious fusion of classical Indian tradition with the Victorian values of emotional depth and intellectual exploration. She addresses the “universal” themes of love, duty, and sacrifice in ways that would resonate with both Indian and Western audiences, making Indian myths more accessible and thought-provoking in a global context.

4. Spiritual and Philosophical Exploration:
   Dutt’s engagement with Indian mythology is also philosophical. In her poetry, she often contemplates the spiritual meanings of myths, reflecting on the nature of dharma (duty) and the existential questions surrounding fate, suffering, and divine will. These reflections are not just literary; they invite readers to consider their own spiritual beliefs and ethical stances.

Thus, Toru Dutt’s approach to Indian myths is not merely a recitation of old stories but a transformation of these narratives into vehicles for emotional, intellectual, and spiritual exploration.

2. Critical Note on "To a Hero-Worshipper" by Sri Aurobindo:

Sri Aurobindo’s "To a Hero-Worshipper" is a powerful poem that challenges the very concept of hero-worship and critiques the blind admiration of human figures as ultimate ideals. The poem speaks to the limitations of idolizing people without recognizing their flaws or the deeper, spiritual truths of existence.

 He also edited the newspaper Bande Mataram.

Aurobindo studied for the Indian Civil Service at King's College, in Cambridge, England. After returning to India, he took up various civil service works under the Maharaja of the princely state of Baroda. He became increasingly involved in nationalist politics in the Indian National Congress and the nascent revolutionary movement in Bengal with the Anushilan Samiti. He was arrested in the aftermath of a number of bombings linked to his organization in a public trial where he faced charges of treason for Alipore Conspiracy and then released, after which he moved to Pondicherry and developed a spiritual practice he called Integral Yoga. He wrote The Life Divine, which deals with the philosophical aspect of Integral Yoga[4] and Synthesis of Yoga, which deals with the principles and methods of Integral Yoga. In 1926, he and Mira Alfassa founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Critical Note:

1. Critique of Blind Hero-Worship:
   The central theme of the poem is a cautionary stance against unthinking hero-worship. Aurobindo warns that glorifying mere mortals—be they warriors, leaders, or historical figures—without a deeper understanding of their humanity is futile. He advocates for a more enlightened and spiritual perspective that transcends the adoration of worldly accomplishments.

2. Spiritual Vision over Material Triumph:
   Aurobindo shifts the focus from external achievements to internal, spiritual greatness. In the poem, the speaker suggests that true heroism lies in spiritual strength and awakening, not in worldly power or military conquest. This notion connects deeply with Aurobindo’s philosophy of self-realization and the transformation of the human consciousness.

3. The Nature of Real Greatness:
   For Aurobindo, true greatness comes not from external validation or societal recognition, but from an inner alignment with the divine. The poem suggests that human beings, in their attempt to elevate individuals to the status of gods, often miss the deeper, more important truth—that true heroes are those who transcend ego and material concerns, finding strength in their connection to the higher consciousness.

4. Call for a New Spiritual Vision:
   The poem also serves as a call to discard outdated notions of heroism and to seek a more refined, spiritual understanding of what it means to be truly great. In the face of adversity and challenge, the poem implies, one should look inward rather than outward for the strength to overcome.

5. Rejection of Nationalism Rooted in Hero-Worship:
   Given the historical context of Aurobindo’s own involvement in India’s freedom struggle, the poem can also be read as a critique of nationalism that places excessive value on the achievements of political or military leaders. Aurobindo, who was deeply involved in the spiritual and intellectual awakening of India, encourages a more profound, spiritual vision of national greatness—one that is not based solely on the actions of individuals, but on the collective awakening of the people.

Conclusion:

“To a Hero-Worshipper” is a deeply philosophical poem that explores the limitations of idolization and urges a deeper, spiritual approach to understanding greatness. Aurobindo’s spiritual vision offers an alternative to traditional, materialistic ideals of heroism, and invites readers to transcend the superficial in favor of a more profound, inward journey toward self-realization.