The Politics of Masculinity in Tony Gould’s Imperial Warriors: Britain and the Gurkhas

The main concern of this paper is to study on masculinity and more importantly the hyper masculinity of the Gurkhas in Imperial Warriors: Britain and the Gurkhas by Tony Gould. The writer describes the courage with discipline and dedication, the Gurkhas had while fighting for Nepal, their homeland during the Anglo-Nepal War (1814-1816) and for Britain in the First and Second World Wars, following the other wars and confrontations in many parts of the world. Despite a lot of hardships and pain in wars, they never showed their back to the enemies, but kept Britain’s imperial image always high with victories. They received Victoria Crosses along with other bravery medals. As a masculinity, the hegemonic masculinity is obviously present in the book since the high ranked British Officers are in the position to lead the Gurkha soldiers. However, the masculinity here is associated with the extreme level of bravery and that is the hyper-masculinity of the Gurkhas. Since this is a qualitative research work, the researcher has consulted various books, reviews and journal articles related to the Gurkhas. It is a new concept in the study of the Gurkhas in the particular book by Gould. So, it will certainly be a new insight for the future researchers in the related area.

Rethinking Social Realism in Gopal Prasad Rimal’s Masan

This paper exposes the issues of urban middle class society of Nepal during the late Rana period in Gopal Prasad Rimal’s play Masan (Cremation Ground). The use of social realism in literature like in this play provides the actual social events and issues to expose within the same society and to other society. The research approach adopted includes social realism as a theoretical approach, textual analysis as a research method and note-taking as a research tool for verbal-data collection from the text. The findings provide evidence that the author portrays the real setting (Krishna’s ordinary room) of educated middle class actual family and social values of patriarchal society (Helen wishes bearing a child to run Krishna’s family line and open the heaven’s gate), real native tongue by the characters Krishna, Helen, Bhotu, Bride, maid of the play. This study explored tensions and struggles of man Krishna and woman Helen in real society; the exploitation of Helen’s body as a sex toy by preventing her bearing a child and the practice of polygamy are considered as social realistic issues in Nepali society. Helen determines to revolt against the sexist domination by separating her way from Krishna’s. The paper concludes that the author realistically portrays the reality of social life of Nepal before 2007B.S. in the play. This paper has shown the application of social realism in a Nepali play, and it presents how social realism theory can be applied in realistic literature, and understood the particular society.

Unrestrained Nature in Cummings’ “O Sweet Spontaneous” and Lohani’s “Gaia”: A Disregard to Anthropocentric Ecocide

The self-centered human activities have tremendous adverse impacts on ecology at the present time, thereby turning the earth into an unwelcoming and inhospitable place for the species. However, nature responds to such ecocidal anthropocentric actions with the continuation of life as a sweet gift. In this context, this study aims at analyzing how literature undermines such anthropocentric activities and presents the earth or the nature as the mother who is very compassionate, protective, and affectionate to her children and is always accountable to them. This study also exhibits how anthropocentric activities invite ecocide and what the response of nature is. In the conflict between human-centered actions and responses of nature, the study also investigates whether nature or the earth forgets her duty. For this, the study makes a critical study of the masterpieces, “O Sweet Spontaneous” by E.E. Cummings and “Gaia” by Shreedhar Prasad Lohani. This qualitative study applies ecocritical and one of its approaches, deep ecological notions to scrutinize how these poems negate ecocide drawn by anthropocentrism. An in-depth analysis of these poems reveals that the anthropocentric philosophy is actually the main cause of ecocide. However, nature, on her part, is very spontaneous and unrestrained who always forgives the serious and notorious human actions and is dedicated to bestow ‘spring’, that is, life to all the organisms which is her major responsibility. In this respect, this study opens an avenue for people about the self-realization of their exploitation of nature and calls for creating this world a common place for all the species.

The Influence of Vedanta on the Writings of Emerson: A Philosophical Inquiry

This article explores the insights of Vedanta in the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Vedanta proclaims that the ultimate reality is within us. The Vedanta propounds for the philosophical explanations of the Vedas. The absolute reality that Vedanta projects as Brahman is essentially inward, and the entire phenomenal manifestations are just the reflection of that ultimate reality. Every phenomenal manifestation is the qualitative growth of the absolute one. The ultimate reality rules everything that exists in the material world. In this way, Vedanta believes in unity between God, man and nature. These essentials of Vedanta have their influences on Emerson’s writings. His essays and poems talk about this cosmic unity. His concepts of Over-Soul and the self-reliance remain as the metamorphosis of the philosophical insights of Vedanta. His poem “Brahma” exactly reflects the impacts of Vedanta because the poem views an individual in an eternal divine form. Therefore, Emerson proves to be an American rishi (sage) in Concord who accordingly elaborates and qualifies the Vedanta with new insights. This article is exploratory and interpretive. It tries to correlate the concepts, ideas and essence of the Vedanta in the writings of Emerson. This study, in this way, makes a philosophical inquiry of Emerson’s writing with the perspective of Vedanta.

Conceptualizing of Aging Literature: A Global Perspective

Aging is generally represented by two stereotypes that present distinctly opposite views: the first views it as a stage of celebration relating it to experience and wisdom. The second is associated with a lamentation on the loss of physical and emotional vigor. There are organized bodies of literature about and for a specific group of the population that includes children literature, young-adult literature. But, there is no such organized body of literature that describes the unique life experiences, physical and psychological conditions, needs, and personal and social relationships of aging people. Though these issues have sporadically appeared in different literary texts, there is still a need to theorize aging literature from academic and other disciplinary perspectives. In this context, this paper serves three-fold objectives: first, it surveys various endeavors to understand aging from both eastern and western perspectives; secondly, it attempts to conceptualize literature on aging by referring to few representations of aging in literary texts; finally, it presents the prospect of literature of aging as a new field of creativity and scholarship.

Promotion of Nationalism through Caste: A Study of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s Gora

The original idea of caste system was engineering the society on the basis of labor division by providing every sector of society a distinct and important role to make the Hindu society an integrated whole making every group in the society depending on every other or the society was engineered to be completely inter-dependent, but the problem is that it has been misused as a means of social exploitation, oppression that has led the society towards mutual hatred and disintegration. The main objective of this research article is to find out how Gora, the protagonist of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s novel Gora, has used the idea of caste division as a means to promote nationalism among the people. Theoretical insights of liberal nationalism are used to analyze the primary text with the help of theoretical insights of Edward Soja’s ‘Thirdspace’. The article examines and analyzes how one can help strengthen social integration by respecting the others and offering the people justice even though difference is inevitable among the people living in a society. The article concludes that caste system can be exercised as a means of cultural nationalism by celebrating the difference among the people and respecting the jobs done by others.

Yogmaya and Durga Devi: Different Modes of Resistance to Patriarchy

This paper analyses Yogmaya and Durga Devi’s modes of resistance against Brahmanic rigidity in Nepali society a century ago. It is based on Barbara Nimri Aziz’s Yogmaya & Durga Devi: Rebel Women of Nepal (2020). Yogmaya and Durg Devi have resisted against Hindu patriarchal orthodoxy that has inflicted immense structural domination on women and validated various social injustices. Yogmaya has taken path of religion and spirituality, whereas Durga Devi fetches justice to victims through law. Hindu values were extremely rigid towards women that burning sati, child marriage, and widow system used to be the part of their life. Amidst patriarchal austerity these daring women raise their voice for social reforms taking distinct paths of resistance. Nonetheless, both voice against women’s violence, corruption, and social injustices caused by Hindu authoritarian rules and religious fanaticism. This paper examines Yogmaya and Durga Devi’s contrasting modes of resistance against Hindu patriarchal domination employing Judith Butler’s perspective on patriarchal normative heterosexuality that treats several bodies including women as ‘unlivable’ and Margaret S. Archer’s idea of resistance and human agency as fundamental theoretical backing.

The Science of Religion in the Vedic Texts: A Physico-Theological Perspective

Vedas, in common perception, are understood as purely cultural texts even to the academic province with the logic that they provide purely religious and theological knowledge, however the quest of spiritual truth is the prime concern of Vedas. The real problem on such understanding is that the scientific part of the Vedas is always under the shadow. This is partly from the Vedic scholars, as they have not properly revealed the scientific part of the Vedic knowledge; and partly it is the weakness of scientists because they have heavy concentration just on the facts that they have little time to keep eyes on the Vedic science. The question is always unaddressed whether religion has science. This study tries to unearth the part of science veiled within the Vedic texts, especially seeing the Vedic science of ecology, biodiversity, physics and cosmology using physico-theology as the tool of observation.

The Theme of Resistance in Rabindranath Tagore’s Malini: A Humanistic Perspective

This paper explores the themes of resistance emerged in a Hindu kingdom after the pervasion of a new religion namely the Buddhism in Rabindranath Tagore’s play Malini. The primary conflict arises when princess Malini follows the Buddhism in the land of orthodox Hindus. Her conversion and the conflicts that it drives, thus, is the major issue of this paper that invites a systematic exploration with the perspective of resistance theory. The ground of resistance solidifies with the oppositional feelings, beliefs, and the milieu of rebellions. Thus, these inciting aspects are enough to give birth to the resistance. As a qualitative applied research, this paper draws on ideas and theories of resistance postulated by the scholars like Kasper Masse, Miguel Tamen, Jocelyn A. Hollander, and Rachel L. Einwohner to observe the revolt and resistance in the play. Malini and Kemankar stand as the representatives of their respective religious ideologies, and their struggles against the “power bloc” expose the nature of the resistance. This resistance remains as the harbinger to spread the voice of humanity throughout the world. Tagore's idea of universal humanism sustains if only the religious dogmatism and fanaticism stop to judge, discriminate, and lynch people. It is only the resistance to such dogmatism that gives birth to the voice of humanity when the rationality rules the world.

"Enough Is Enough": A Cultural Turn of Youth Activism in Nepal

On 9 June 2020, most of the national and international media covered the news related to a youth movement organized under the banner "Enough Is Enough" outside the Prime Minister's residence in Nepal. The movement had non-violently resisted the indifference of the government in responding the Covid-19 pandemic. That was completely different from mostly the violent history of youth activism in Nepal, which used to involve in tussling with police, breaking fences, smashing windows, throwing brick and stone, setting a fire, and lightening torches and tires on the street. Disbarring the health protocols regarding the mass gathering, it got momentum and expanded to other urban centers within a week. The protestors appeared enchanting unique slogans, holding creative placards, and singing the national anthem as well as the lyrics of rock and rap music. Observing all, a question emerges concerning the causes behind the shift from the largely practiced aggressive youth movement to the creative, peaceful and musical form of resistance. To respond the question, this study analyzes the purposively selected photos, placards, slogans and music associated to the movement using interpretive approach. Mainly the insights related to popular culture and their associations to politics by Marshall W. Fishwick, John Storey, John Street and Ray B. Browne have been collectively applied as a theoretical framework in the analysis process. As a result, the study has inferred that the integration of popular culture and resistance has altered the movement to non-violence with wider visibility among media and people.