Echoes of Academia: "Memoirs from Postgraduate Days" Part I

 Some moments in life are like precious jewels, permanently woven into the fabric of memory, resistant to the erosion of time. I experienced those cherished days within the scholarly haven of my dream institution, a distinguished fortress paying tribute to the heroic legacy of Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj – the esteemed Shivaji University!

Being enrolled in the English Department of Shivaji University is an aspiration shared by every English graduate, and I was no exception. During my undergraduate years, I had the opportunity to visit the language lab of the English department at SUK. Since that moment, I've been envisioning myself pursuing my advanced studies there. The day arrived when my name graced the merit list of the English department at Shivaji University! My elation knew no bounds; I was absolutely ecstatic. Having already experienced hostel life during my undergraduate years, I was familiar with the routine and dynamics of living there.

I vividly recall my father accompanying me to complete the admission process for the department. My parents' happiness knew no bounds upon learning of my placement in the merit list and my subsequent enrolment for post-graduation studies. Their relief and joy were palpable when they discovered that I had been allocated a spot in the women's hostel, a place they deemed safe and secure for their daughter. Upon my arrival, I discovered that I had been assigned room number 23 in the old building of the women's hostel. As I entered, I was greeted by a serene-looking girl named Shubhangi with her long hair. After introducing myself, we exchanged basic information about each other.

The following morning, we prepared ourselves to head to the department. Upon our arrival, we discovered that besides students from Kolhapur, Satara, and Sangali, there were also many others hailing from places like Pandharpur, Solapur, Latur, Osmanabad, and beyond. The classroom was brimming with top achievers from various institutes. As it was my first day in the department, I felt a tinge of nervousness but remained composed, responding only to those who inquired about my name and other details.

At precisely 11 am, a woman entered the classroom. She was dressed in a sky blue kurta set, clutching a book and some notes in her hand. She extended a warm welcome to all of us and began introducing the course she would be teaching. For the next 60 minutes, the entire class of 70 students fell into a sombre silence. Her manner of speaking instilled such apprehension that by the lecture's conclusion, a significant number of us had resolved not to pursue our postgraduate studies further. However, it wasn't due to her teaching style, but rather the the fear we felt about studying linguistics. We were scared of linguistics because during that time, only one of our seniors managed to score a B+ grade, and they had warned us that linguistics is a very tough subject.

As the lecture concluded, I came to the realization that I could only grasp a few words and sentences from her teaching. Surprisingly, the idea of quitting my postgraduate studies never crossed my mind. Instead, I found myself developing a deep admiration for the teacher, and she quickly became my favourite – Dr. Tripti Karekatti!

One after another, esteemed intellectuals graced our class, enlightening us about the expansive realms of British English Literature, Indian English Literature, American Literature, and, notably, Literary Criticism. I felt incredibly fortunate, as if I were personally favoured by the divine, to have the opportunity to learn from such stalwarts as Dr. Jayprakash Shinde, Dr. Tripti Karekatti, Dr. Chandrashekar Jahagirdar, Dr. M. L. Jadhav, Dr. Arundhandhi Pawar, Dr. Rajashri Barvekar, and Dr. Shubhangi Jarandikar.

Every one of them possessed exceptional expertise and knowledge within their respective fields. It was impossible for any of us to divert our attention when Dr. J. A. Shinde delved into poetry during his lectures. Personally, I found myself captivated by Dr. Arundhandi's (affectionately known as Aaru mam) teachings on Stylistics. I must express my apologies to Aaru mam for the playful mimicry I used to indulge in at the hostel; it was merely my admiration for her and my desire to emulate her. Similarly, when Dr. Jarandikar madam dissected Alexander Pope's poem "The Rape of the Lock" during her class I could not resist myself to have lock like Belinda.

Unfortunately, we had limited opportunities to learn from Dr. C. A. Jahagirdar, who served as the Head of the Department of English and was a revered figure in our department. Despite his sparse lecture schedule due to his busy commitments, his discourse on Karl Marx and Marxism left a lasting impression on us. We eagerly anticipated his lectures, eagerly waiting to glean even a fraction of the vast knowledge he possessed. In my pursuit of academic excellence, I would arrive an hour early to his classes, eager to secure the top spot in the class. When we encountered him in the garden accompanied by his hound, it felt akin to a divine encounter, and touching his feet was reminiscent of the reverence shown to Lord Vitthala.

Within the first two months of our time at SUK, the six of us – Shubhangi, Prachi, Mangal, Tejaswini, Sneha, and myself – formed a close-knit group of friends, without even realizing how it happened. It was a natural bond that brought us together. Following tradition, our seniors organized a welcome function for us, as is customary in the department. Just as they welcomed us, we would later bid farewell to the seniors.

In addition to our studies, a streak of mischief ran through all of us, with Sneha being the most playful among us. She had a habit of doodling or writing something in her notebook and passing it around for others to contribute to. By the time it reached me, it would often contain something humorous, causing me to burst into laughter. On several occasions, Dr. Barvekar, who was quite friendly with us, would notice our amusement and ask me to stand up and explain the reason behind our giggles.

In addition to our core group of six, we formed friendships with other classmates such as Vishwanath, Sudhir, Rameez, Tanaji, and Pandu, each of whom holds a special place in our memories. Choosing elective courses was quite challenging back then. The more inquiries we made about the available electives, the more confusion arose. Many students opted for electives that would be beneficial for the SET and NET exams, which are prerequisites for pursuing a career in academia as a professor.

When it was my turn to select elective courses, I had initially planned to choose Indian English Literature, believing it would be advantageous for the SET and NET exams. However, when I entered the professor's chamber, they asked me to justify my choice. Despite my innocence, I explained my reasoning, but they persuaded me to opt for Popular Literature instead. At the time, I knew very little about Popular Literature, but the prospect of being taught by Dr. TKK and Dr. Jahagirdar brought me joy.

Approximately 15 students, including myself, chose Popular Literature, a newly introduced elective at the time. During our first lecture, Dr. TKK familiarized us with the concept of Popular Literature and introduced us to the curriculum, which consisted of 10 widely acclaimed novels. Some of these novels were displayed on her desk, and we observed that each one was approximately 2000 pages in length, except for "Contact," which ranged from 500 to 800 pages. In that moment, we exchanged glances and came to the realization that we had unwittingly fallen into a challenging situation as no any notes, reference material was available for those novels.

Popular Literature proved to be more daunting for us than Linguistics, as at least there was an abundance of material available for the latter. We left no library unvisited in Kolhapur, scouring them for reference materials to aid our studies. However, as we found the required material to be scarce, we devised a strategy: we divided the 10 novels among ourselves in pairs and focused solely on the novel assigned to each pair. In some cases, films based on these novels were available. Shubhangi and I watched "Gone with the Wind" numerous times to grasp the intricacies of its storyline. Gone with the Wind" is a novel by Margaret Mitchell set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. It follows the life of Scarlett O'Hara, a headstrong Southern belle, as she navigates through love, loss, and survival amidst the turmoil of war and societal upheaval. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the decline of the antebellum South and the rise of the Reconstruction era, depicting Scarlett's relentless pursuit of her desires and her tumultuous relationship with Rhett Butler, a dashing and enigmatic rogue. The novel explores themes of love, resilience, and the complexities of human nature, all set against the backdrop of a changing society.

Even after our elective classes concluded, the 15 of us would often engage in lively discussions about our novels, delving into their characters, plots, and various intricacies. Our camaraderie and enthusiasm for Popular Literature sparked envy among other students, who observed the strong bond we had forged despite initially being hesitant about the elective. Eventually, we decided to compile our own comprehensive notes based on our discussions and insights gained from our readings. Upon reviewing the notes created by the team, Dr. Jahagirdar and Dr. TKK were amazed by the level of teamwork and dedication demonstrated. They commended each of us for our collaborative efforts, and our group, Team Popular Literature, emerged as a shining example for all other students to follow.