Nagmandala - A Modern Folktale

 This blog is written in response to a task assigned by Sima Rathod Ma'am. We (students) are assigned a task of creative writing in which we are supposed to rewrite the climax of a folktale "Nagmandala" in our own words. It also includes the introduction of writer and the play. 

Introduction of Writer 

Girish kanrad was born on 19th May 1938. He was an India actor, film director and playwriter. He worked in south Indian industry for over a period of four decades. He rose to fame as a playwright in the 1960's. In 1998 he received Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour conferred in India. 

His major works 

- Yayati

- The dreams of Tipu Sultan

- Nagmandala

- Tughlaq

- Hayavadana

Introduction of the play 

Nagmandala is one of the unprecedented plays written by Girish Kanrad in which he exposes a sarcastic verity of male chauvinism. He raises awareness against the daily intimidation females have to confront in a patriarchal population. In this play he denies the concepts of gender discrimination and resists female supremacy and orthodox practices. 

Summary of the play with  own climax 

The story of the play is about Rani, the central character of the story. She was married to a man named 'Appana'. Appana always locked Rani inside the room and mostly spend his time outside with a concubine as he don't love her and he shuts her up whenever she tries to talk to her.  

One day an old women named 'Kurudhawa'

Comes near Appnana's house with her son Kappana. She learns about her bad situation and informs her about Appnana's love affair and decided to help her by giving her two magical roots.  

Apparently, the small root didn't worked so Rani decided to mix the bigger one in the curry she made. The color of the curry changed into red and afraid to give this to his husband she pours it on an anthill where a Naga used to live.

The Naga consumes it and fell in love with Rani and started visiting her everynight in the form of Appana. Rani was so happy with the change in his husband's mentality who treats her like queen at night, but during the day he treats her like a servant. In reality, it was Naga who was visiting her everynight.

 A few months later, Rani got pregnant and when she informs Appnana about it, he dragges her to Panchayat claiming that she is having an extra-marital affair with someone else and he is the not the father of the baby. 

The Panchayat village elders suggests that Rani has to pass through an ordeal to prove her innocence by taking the Naga in her hand. The Naga turned like a garland over her neck, then it slid through her shoulder and didn't bit her. Thus, her innocence was proved and then Appnana  had no choice except to accept her. 

Some days later, the Naga decided to see Rani so it went to her home and saw her with Appnana. The Naga was so furious to see them toghter that it decided to kill Rani, but couldn't, out of love and turned into a small Naga and hid in her hair. 

Climax 

On next morning, while Rani was combing her hair the Naga fell down, and she started screaming and running towards the door. Mysteriously, when she turns around she saw Appana on the place of Naga and fainted. 

When she woke up, the Naga explained her everything that how it drank the curry and fell in love with her. Devastated to learn the truth, she apologized to the Naga and explained everything to her husband Appnana. Firstly, Appana lashes out on her but then he realized that it was his own mistake that everything happend. 

On the very next day, Rani together with the Naga and Appana, went to meet Kurudhawa to undo the spell of love. The lady gave a tonic to Naga to drink and the spell of love was broken and it forgot everything that happend and goes back to the anthill.  

Appnana accepted the child and after some years, the child grew up with having the supernatural abilities, and they all live happily together. 

The Function of Criticism - T. S Eliot

 Introduction of T. S Eliot 

Thomas Stearns Eliot ( 26 Sep 188 - 4 Jan 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic and editor. Considered one of the 20th century's major poets, he KS a central figure in English-language Mordenist poetry. In 1948 he won the Nobel Prize in literature. 

Introduction of the Essay 

'The Function of Criticism' was published in 1923 by T. S Eliot, perhaps the most important Poet-crtitic of the mordenist movement. It is the follow up of Elliot's previous essay 'Tradition and the Individual Talent' from four years earlier. 

This essay was written as a response to John Middleton Murray's work "Romanticism and Tradition" in which Murray challenged the ideas of T. S Eliot presented in his previous work "Tradition and Individual Talent".

 Traditional and Individual Talent (1919)
                       ↓  
       Romanticism and Tradition 
                       ↓
      

       The Function of Criticism (1923)

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World

 Did I say a lot? Yep... Isn't this true? because being an introvert my love, feelings and emotions stay with me and keep getting double, it's hard to tell people how I feel, it's hard to show people how much I appreciate them, it's like there are so many thoughts, thoughts after thoughts, feelings after feelings, so many words, a doubt in my head that will they understand it? Will they understand my idea of love? Will they understand how I feel about certain things? Is it acceptable even if it is different from the others? ...and then I keep wondering and keep it to myself .

But at some point it is too hard... It is too hard to be alone, too hard to be an introvert(sometimes... Of course), too hard to do more without even being done a little... But I've realised it that no matter how my feelings, emotions and love are being looked at , they are never invalid.... No matter how alone I feel but that's how the reality hits in... I need to be there for myself, I need to be my home before allowing someone else to enter and pretend as if it's their own, because my home is where my heart feels safe, and it is mostly around me....and looking at the stars and moon because if I count them, they count me too.

Choose the path of Healing

This year has been so had for me I lost some of my close people and my beloved Nani  who recently passed away. Lying in bed one night, unable to sleep, I asked myself : If there was a magic pill that could erase my grief, would I take it ? 

The answer that came to my mind was No. Because, to erase the grief would be to erase my ongoing love for them. Then I realized that the best way to deal with emotional pain is to let yourself feel it. If you’re holding it in, it hurts. If you let it go, you feel much better because time heals everything they say. 

Someone recently asked my - How are you so positive even after all this? How did you deal with it? Such a positive girl you are, what does it take to be one? 

Well.. No... I'm not positive all the time, I've my low points, my own problems, my own share of pain, sadness, some days I feel weak and there are days when I'm unable to handle the pain,  it's just that I choose not to show it. Life is same for each one of us but how we live it becomes our style, I choose patience, healing and positivity. I continue doing what I love to do, this is my way to deal with my problems and sorrow, to be positive I need to go through the darkest night and come back stronger, I can't sit and wait for the magic to happen, I can't sit and cry a river.

The strongest girl you see today was the broken  girl you met yesterday, his is what it takes to be one. We evolve, we grow, we bloom and it's okay to be sad and broken but we decide to not stay broken. 

We all have a story where we were so broken that hardly we understood that something like strength exists, something like healing exist but with time we saw that if we believe in magic, magic happens, if we believe in healing it heals, if we believe in the power inside us then we become brave enough to fight back and to handle each situation.  

Maybe today you are broken but that's how we learn to heal, we learn to be strong, we learn to be on our own. 

Exams

What are exams? 

An exam is a formal test that you take to show your knowledge or ability in a particular subject, or to obtain a qualification.

 Who discovered exams?

Henry Fischel, invented the concept of exams in the late 19th century. He was an American Businessman and a philanthropist. And China was the first country to implement this concept nationwide and conducted the first-ever exam, namely the Imperial Examination.

How important are exams? 

Exams are excellent way to see what students have learned throughout the year in each particular subject. Exams also reveals the interest of the students in different subjects. Exams are also a fantastic opportunity for teachers to learn more about their students because each student is unique. The exam atmosphere adds to the tension, allowing teachers to see how their students dispute and think independently through their work, which is a valuable trait to remember for future class activities.

Exams can also be used to measure strengths and shortcomings. Teachers will be able to recognize when more class attention is required while teaching a specific subject. 

Furthermore, Exams are a wonderful way to track the development and efficacy of students.

What is the purpose of exams? 

Exams have an important role in the process of learning and in the whole educational institution.”

Exams and tests are a great way to assess what the students have learned in each particular subject.

Additionally, Whatever a student studies need to be checked whether his concepts are clear or not.

Also, exams are important to motivate students to study more. U might have seen many students studying only during exams ….they don’t study whole year but only during exams…although this should not be appreciated but still it somehow seems good for the students who don’t study at all … they study for their exams atleast.

Examinations : For and Against

ADVANTAGES 

◾Self analysis of one's own abilities

◾Tool for learning and working 

◾Spirit of competition 

◾Development of personality and confidence 

◾Easy detection of teaching flaws

DISADVANTAGES 

◾Source of stress and pressure 

◾Loss of confidence 

◾Health problems/ issues 

◾The tendency of suicide 

◾Breaking of companionship 

My experience of exams 

Well... I was a science student till 12th I usually felt nervous and stressed because of board exams, pre boards and all... There were tough subjects like physics and chemistry which made me suffer the most.... Though, I felt nervous and stressed still I enjoyed it.

As I've changed my stream now from Science to Arts I still enjoy to give online exams sometimes about  my previous stream through several apps, I enjoy writing the answers most.

Writing answers in the examination is honestly a great feeling. Like, it's just so quiet and my brain works so well and the whole environment is just very relaxing and when you come across something you know inside out and you can just scribble down the answer with total confidence, it's just such a great feeling. Being in the hall and in those organised rows with no noise... it's just so calming. 

As a major introvert I prefer written exams  over oral ones.

Honestly, I've never feared exams in my entire life till now. Exams are inevitable, so what's the point of fearing? Instead you should face them head on!