Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: The Department of English, Central University of Jammu is organizing a two day national seminar on “Value Awareness and Aesthetics in Literary Criticism” in collaboration with Daya Krishna Academic Foundation.
Minister for Social Welfare, ARI and Trainings, Science and Technology, J&K Government , Sajad Gani Lone was the chief guest for the inaugural ceremony of the seminar while Prof Ashok Aima, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Jammu presided over the function.
Speaking on the occasion, Jenab Sajad Gani Lone talked about the importance of philosophical interaction and the great heritage of aestheticism in the State, quoting Lal Ded. He added that universities could find ways of having both economic and spiritual value intact to each other.
Prof Ashok Aima talked about how universities are stakeholders in generating a discourse required to meet current challenges in the State and the world at large.
Prof Makarand R Paranjape from the Centre for English Studies, JMU, delivered key note address. He talked about the role of beauty/ saundarya in Indian Aesthetic tradition, the relevance of aesthetics in contemporary criticism and highlighted the contribution of Prof Daya Krishna in the field of Aesthetic Philosophy.
Earlier, Prof Deepshika Kotwal, Head, Department of English, presented welcome address while Prof Asha Mukherjee presented the theme note for the seminar.
The seminar intends to debate upon the ‘war’ in literary theory, to study the dialectics between the traditions of aesthetics and politics in literature. India has a rich history of aesthetic tradition ranging from the Natyashastras, the works of Abhinavgupt and Kashmir Shaivism.
The academicians presented papers in different sessions and they included Prof T N Dhar on ‘Literature and Aesthetic: From the Classical to Modern’, Prof R C Sinha on ‘Aesthetic Dimension of Daya Krishna’s Thought’, Dr K L Chowdhury on ‘Aestheticism in Enchanting World of Infants- A self analysis’, Prof G R Malik on ”Muslim Aesthetics: The Quranic Origin’, Dr Roshan Lal Sharma on ‘Did Whitman know Sufism prior to the First Edition of Leaves of Grass(1855)? Envisioning Walt Whitman’s Poetic Universe in the Light of Sufi Aesthetics’, and Prof. Ananta Giri on ‘Integral Aesthetics and a New Purusartha and Poetics of Development: Art, Spirituality and Social Transformations’.
The vote of thanks was presented by Prof Raj Thakur, Department of English, Central University of Jammu.