Anthem Studies in South Asian Literature, Aesthetics and Culture – serie

Vyāsa is the primary creative poet of the Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata and 'Vyāsa Redux' examines the many paradoxical dimensions of his narrative virtuosity in the poem where the poet is both the creator of the work and a character within it. The book also studies elements in the poem which have been received by the late Bronze Age poets who composed the figure of Vyāsa, elements that reflect kinship, polity and modes of mnemonic inspiration. Three paired concepts function within the poem’s narrative process: first, the central approach of the book is founded upon the distinction between plot and story, that is, the causal relation of events as opposed to the temporal relation of events. Second, much of the argument then engages with how this distinction relates to the difference between the preliterate and literate phases of our present text. Third, the nature of how inspiration functions and how edition operates becomes another vital component in our analytic process explaining how Vyāsa becomes a dramatic, causal and at times prophetic character in the poem’s narration as well as its originator.

This book offers a ground-breaking exploration of the aesthetics of poetic freedom. The range is broad, from antiquity to the present and from Europe and the Middle East into the poetry of the English-speaking world. Revealing questions about the elusiveness of poetic freedom—what does the term actually mean?—are repeatedly tested against the accomplishments of major poets such as Whitman, Dickinson, Rilke, Dante and Virgil, and their public yet intensely private originality. The result is a fresh, and well-nigh revolutionary, way of seeing literary and modern history, or an initiation into the more striking gift of aesthetic freedom.

This book itemize the familial, cultural, religious, and historical themes in a unique life story. The book is distinctive in that it continues the life story as a sociological genre, and as a methodological construct [it] attempts the comprehensive life story which engages the totality of a person’s life by capturing the essence and the development of a peerless human being. Though there are questions whether it is possible to arrange the totality of a life, an important part of the legacy at the moment comes in various forms, including biographies, video diaries, autobiographies, home web pages, and journals, but I realize all life stories are constructed and partial, yet, the attempt here is to tell a story of a member of the ruling elite rarely told. This book is part of a series about cosmopolitan life and no better way to serve that purpose than to use the life story as part of that tradition.

Vyāsa is the primary creative poet of the Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata and 'Vyāsa Redux' examines the many paradoxical dimensions of his narrative virtuosity in the poem where the poet is both the creator of the work and a character within it. The book also studies elements in the poem which have been received by the late Bronze Age poets who composed the figure of Vyāsa, elements that reflect kinship, polity and modes of mnemonic inspiration. Three paired concepts function within the poem’s narrative process: first, the central approach of the book is founded upon the distinction between plot and story, that is, the causal relation of events as opposed to the temporal relation of events. Second, much of the argument then engages with how this distinction relates to the difference between the preliterate and literate phases of our present text. Third, the nature of how inspiration functions and how edition operates becomes another vital component in our analytic process explaining how Vyāsa becomes a dramatic, causal and at times prophetic character in the poem’s narration as well as its originator.

In this book, the author critically interrogates the construction of gender, community and nation in the work of progressive women poets. The book combines the study of nation and community through a close engagement with Urdu literary culture in the twentieth century and particularly the work of pioneering literary women. It argues that gender and sexuality become fixed signifiers in the trauma of partition and the formation of the post-partition Islamic nation. The story of literary women in Pakistan taking up the mantle of public poets thus has to be understood in relation to the history of reform, anti-colonial resistance and a transnational Islamicate culture. The book examines the presence of feminist thought in the work of progressive women poets charting their interrogation of the clash between secular and sacred values and the increasing split between liberal and Islamic nationalism. The book suggests that through their writing and experiences, women have negotiated sacred and secular spaces to move beyond a community that is subservient to nationalist ideology.

Utilizing archival sources, this book examines the formation and evolution of the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, a pivotal institution shaping the art, architecture, and design landscape of contemporary Pakistan since the 19th century. Theoretical analysis reveals how the NCA, as a bureaucratic entity, has influenced the development of design schools, museums, and artistic practices in both British India and Pakistan, initially under the influence of British art education from South Kensington. The study traces the institution's history from its metropolitan European roots during the British colonial period through the American restructuring of art education administration and pedagogy in the early years of independence. It explores how frameworks of art history and anthropology have been used to construct and objectify Pakistani art and artists. By deconstructing these disciplinary frameworks, the book sheds light on how imperial and nationalist discourses have intersected to influence and redefine artistic and cultural identities within Pakistan.

This book itemize the familial, cultural, religious, and historical themes in a unique life story. The book is distinctive in that it continues the life story as a sociological genre, and as a methodological construct [it] attempts the comprehensive life story which engages the totality of a person’s life by capturing the essence and the development of a peerless human being. Though there are questions whether it is possible to arrange the totality of a life, an important part of the legacy at the moment comes in various forms, including biographies, video diaries, autobiographies, home web pages, and journals, but I realize all life stories are constructed and partial, yet, the attempt here is to tell a story of a member of the ruling elite rarely told. This book is part of a series about cosmopolitan life and no better way to serve that purpose than to use the life story as part of that tradition.

This book offers a ground-breaking exploration of the aesthetics of poetic freedom. The range is broad, from antiquity to the present and from Europe and the Middle East into the poetry of the English-speaking world. Revealing questions about the elusiveness of poetic freedom—what does the term actually mean?—are repeatedly tested against the accomplishments of major poets such as Whitman, Dickinson, Rilke, Dante and Virgil, and their public yet intensely private originality. The result is a fresh, and well-nigh revolutionary, way of seeing literary and modern history, or an initiation into the more striking gift of aesthetic freedom.

This book is about strongman and physical culture pioneer Eugen Sandow’s (1867–1925) encounter with colonial Afro-Asia at the turn of the twentieth century, and the fascinating legacy of that encounter. It reveals the significance of Sandow’s 17-month world tour of 1904–1905 (through South Africa, India, the Straits Settlements [Singapore and Malaysia], and China), with much attention devoted to the 8months he spent in India—the British Empire’s “Jewel in the Crown”. It highlights the wider empire, the globalization of physical culture (including yoga and ju-jitsu), and new notions of scientifically sculpted muscular male bodies, entertainment, and transnational or global connections and comparisons in the first decade of the twentieth century.

Utilizing archival sources, this book examines the formation and evolution of the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, a pivotal institution shaping the art, architecture, and design landscape of contemporary Pakistan since the 19th century. Theoretical analysis reveals how the NCA, as a bureaucratic entity, has influenced the development of design schools, museums, and artistic practices in both British India and Pakistan, initially under the influence of British art education from South Kensington. The study traces the institution's history from its metropolitan European roots during the British colonial period through the American restructuring of art education administration and pedagogy in the early years of independence. It explores how frameworks of art history and anthropology have been used to construct and objectify Pakistani art and artists. By deconstructing these disciplinary frameworks, the book sheds light on how imperial and nationalist discourses have intersected to influence and redefine artistic and cultural identities within Pakistan.

This short monograph explores the intersection of philosophy and painting, examining how major thinkers from Hegel to Merleau-Ponty developed key concepts through their engagement with specific artworks. Unlike traditional surveys, my book focuses on philosophers’ ideas as they emerged from concrete encounters with paintings, offering both scholars and general readers fresh insight into philosophical thought. By analysing these interactions, the book illuminates the often-overlooked connection between visual art and abstract reasoning, tracing the evolution of philosophical ideas through tangible, visual experiences. This approach not only bridges aesthetics with other philosophical branches but also presents a unique contribution to the history of ideas, demonstrating how painting has shaped philosophical thoughts. Ultimately, this work provides a novel perspective on familiar philosophical concepts, revealing the profound influence of art on intellectual history.