Spring Symposium Explores the Politics J and Poetics of South Asian Vernaculars Matt MacKenzie Arindam Chakrabarti

The Center for South Asian Studies struct and its use and appropriation in affect a narrative tradition. held its 19th annual Spring Sympo­ the literature of various locales and by Our afternoon session explored the sium, "Tongues of Fire: Languages authors such as Bharatendu Harish intersections between history, politics, and Literatures of South Asia," this Chandre and Alka Saraogi. and language. Prof. Lamia Karim April. The symposium brought Prof. Dalmia's talk was followed (Women's Studies) presented "The together scholars from across the by the first panel session, featuring Politics of Reading: Exiled Feminist University and across the US­ papers by Prof. R. N. Sharma and Writer Taslima Nasreen and Chicago, Austin, Berkeley, Amherst, Aaron Rester (University of Chicago). Bangladeshi Women," in which she Cleveland-to discuss the politics and Prof. Sharma's paper, "Magical examined how the radical feminist poetics of South Asian vernaculars. Births, Curses, and Deadly Ques­ author, Taslima Nasreen, is read by The two-day event consisted of three tions," traced the role and significance mUltiple audiences-Western media, scholarly panels, a roundtable of various mythico-poetic devices­ Bangladeshi women, the Bangladeshi discussion, a literary reading, three such as curses, boons, and strange, clergy, and the reading public of West keynote addresses, and a seemingly magical births-in the rich tapestry of Bengal. According to Prof. Karim, endless feast of insightful, engaged the classical epics. Aaron Rester's for each group, Taslima Nasreen discussion. paper, "The Web of Dharma: the represents a particular voice and a set Our first keynote address, "The Agnipariksha and the Ramayana on of concerns. For the Western media Locations of Hindi," given by Prof. the Internet" examined the ways in and the West Bengal audience, she is Vasudha Dalmia, explored the which Sita's trial by fire is portrayed the "true" voice of Muslim women's complex interconnections between on several sites on the World-Wide oppression; for Bangladeshis, she is a place, language, experience and Web. Further, the paper explored the "publicity-seeker" and not representa­ identity through an examination of interplay between the medium (or tive of problems facing Bangladeshis. both the history of Hindi as a con- media) of the Internet, particular The paper did not claim an intimate narratives, and knowledge of the feminist author's the larger intentionality, or about her specific traditions to audiences, but explored some of the which they deep disturbances that her work belong, in an generated among Bangladeshi middle­ attempt to class and diasporic communities, and understand not what those fears suggest about just the ways in Bangladeshi middle-class sexual which people tell norms and religious identity. different In "History, Heroes and Novelistic versions of the Discourse: Hari Narayan Apte and the "same" story, but Marathi Historical Novel" Rohit also the ways in Dalvi (Philosophy) sought to under­ which entrance stand what Apte's novels could into a new contribute to the heroisation of Shivaji medium can in nationalistic Hindu context. Dalvi SYMPOSIUM continued next page 4 South Asia News/Summer 2002 l

suggests that, in the end, an apolitical and non-perspectival architecture might harbor multiculturalism. more of the virtues of "mother Conducted by S. Shankar, the tongue" than language if by roundtable on translation revolved "mother tongue" is implied an around the following questions: original sense of belongingness, an "at­ 1. What are the responsibilities of a homeness." In "Mahadevi translator from South Asian V arma: The Dialogue of languages such as Nepali, Urdu, Desire and the Sacrificial · Oriya or Sinhalese, Bengali or Heroine" Sarah Green Tamil into English? They are (University of Texas) often faced with the choice of explored the poetic dialogue either producing a scholarly of desire between self and translation (with footnotes, other-taking up themes of glossaries, parenthetical longing, absence, sacrifice, interruptions,lengthy introduc­ self-recognition, and agency­ tions, so on) or a literary transla­ in Mahadevi' s poetic gestalt, tion (without such surrounding her bounded universe. Menaha paraphernalia) which aims at a Ganesathasan (Philosophy) certain seamlessness What are the then spoke to "The Role of advantages and disadvantages of Literature in South Asian each type of translation? Morals," through her philo­ sophical, ethical, and literary 2.What is or should be the relation­ analysis of certain central ship between translation and · story's in the Y ogavasishta. original? Is there any way better Prof. Radhakrishnan' s than an original? Is there any way keynote was an attempt to in which the translation changes theorize postcoloniality across the original? the asymmetry of the metro­ politan-third world divide. If 3. What are the politics and the postcoloniality is to be economics of postcolonial understood differentially and translation today? Could South heterogeneously, Asian literature survive merely in Radhakrishnan argued, it can the vernacular market without be done so only the basis of an English translations today? Who abiding double-consciousness or what determines what gets that has to be produced translated, when and how? agentially. Works produced in South Asian languages 4. How important is theoretical problematize the exemplarity inquiry into the nature of transla­ of the metropolitan tion for the practice of transla­ postcolonial model by opening tion? What does a philosophical up a different relational-global inquiry into translation teach us space where there are possi­ about literature, language, and bilities for multi-lateral texts? translations and transcreations of literary value. The paper Dipesh Chakrabarty, as a panelist, suggested that there indeed are also brought in the question of rich possibilities for substan­ nonliterate, bodily presence of the tive and semantically rich word such as in thumb-impressions SYMPOSIUM cont'd "fusion" among different horizons so which were so important for legal tion on the bangla hut, the paper also long as the fusion is undertaken in the documentation and therefore for much analyzed the nexus of architecture and name of a radical Alterity that is not language, and considered which one reducible to the practice of dominant is more "fundamental." Prof. Ashraf representation or the vapid pieties of continued page 7 South Asia New/Summer 2002 5 Book Review defined themselves prior to the Nicholas B. Dirks colonial encounter, Dirks states that Castes of Mind: Colonialism "it was under the British that 'caste' and the Making of Modem became a single term capable of India, Princeton, N.J.: expressing, organizing, and above Princeton University Press, all, 'systematizing' India's diverse forms of social identity, community, 2001,315 pages. and organization .... In short, colonialism made caste what it is By Himanee Gupta (Political today." (5) Science) Questions of ethnography inhabit a central space in Dirks' argument. Gstes of Mind: ColoniiUism and the Perhaps the most provocative aspect of Castes of Mind is how Dirks Making ofModem India, meticu­ illustrates the role that colonial lously explores the relationship ethnography played in defming, between British colonialism and caste. disciplining and managing Indians. This detail-packed study by Nicholas British administrative practices of Dirks examines references to caste in amassing knowledge on the Indian both precolonial and colonial writings populace contributed to the forma­ as well as those prepared by both tion of what Dirks calls the ethno­ Indian and non-Indian scholars in the graphic state, particularly after 1857 decades following India's indepen­ when India was brought under direct dence. It covers, among other things, Crown rule. Doing ethnography, missionary commentaries, ethno­ Dirks suggests, was a way of not graphic writings by colonial adminis­ only knowing India but also trators, the role of caste in establish­ controlling India by shaping how it ing enumerative categories in the late was that India was to be known. nineteenth-century census, and "To keep India, the British felt the discussions of caste that emerged need to know India far better than among Indians during the nationalist they had ... ," Dirks writes. And, movement and in contemporary thus, "the ethnographic state was political and socio-economic debates. driven by the belief that India could Dirks' hypothesis, which elabo­ be ruled using anthropological rates on a thesis he put forth in a 1992 knowledge to understand and piece in the journal Representations, control its subjects, and to represent is fairly straightforward. Dirks argues and legitimate its own mission." that while caste existed in India prior (44 ) Yet, even as the British to the colonial encounter, how we amassed more know ledge, India understand caste today owes its grew more unknowable. The genealogy to how British colonialist response was not to question the discourse constructed caste as the approach being taken to knowledge primary ordering principle of Indian itself but rather to collect more data. society. This is not to assert that the "The empiricist response was British "invented" caste, as Dirks always to know more, even as the repeatedly states. However, as he British could never acknowledge the argues, the colonialist role in articu­ deep uncertainty about the possibil­ lating caste as-not only uniquely and ity of real knowledge about subjects timelessly Indian but also as the sole increasingly cast in terms of means through which Indians concep­ incommensurability." (44) tualized their own society and social relationships within it should not be Castes of Mind sensitizes readers understated. Whereas caste had been to the legacy of colonial domination one category among many through in the shaping of a decolonizing which Indians were defined and . India. At the same time, it urges CASTES continued on page 11 6 South Asia News/Summer 2002

Thursday. April 11. 2002 Lamia Karim (Women's Studies)

Opening Remarks: "History, Heroes, and Novelistic Discourse: Hari Lila Sahney, Narayan Apte and the Marathi Historical Novel" G. J. and Ellen Watumull Foundation Rohit Dalvi (Philosophy)

9:00 - 10:15 a.m.: Keynote I "The Language of Dancing-Girls and Prostitutes: Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and the Making of a New Subjec­ tivity in Urdu, 1857-1898" Jennifer Dubrow (University of Chicago) 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. Session III: Chair: Eliot Deutsch (Philosophy)

"Is There a Mother Tongue to Architecture?" Kazi Ashraf (Architecture)

"Mahadevi Varma: The Dialogue of Desire and the Vasudha Dalmia Sacrificial Heroine" Distinguished Professor of South and Southeast Asian Sarah Green (University of Texas, Austin) Studies, University of Caifornia, Berkeley "The Role of Literature in South Asian Morals" "The Locations of Hindi" Menaha Ganesathasan (Philosophy) 10:30 - 12:00 a.m. Session I: Chair: Peter Hoffenberg (History)

"Magical Births, Curses, and Deadly Questions" Ramanath Sharma (Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures)

"The Web of Dharma: the Agnipariksha and the Ramayana on the Internet" Aaron Rester (University of Chicago) Friday, April 12, 2002

1: 15 - 3: 15 p.m. Session II: 10:30 - 11:45 a.m.: Keynote III Chair: S. Charusheela (Women's Studies) R. Radhakrishnan "National Identity and the Politics of ReadingTaslima Professor of English, University of Massachusetts, Nasreen" Amherst South Asia New/Summer 2002 7

"Post-Coloniality: The Vernacular Difference"

1:15 - 2:45 p.m. Session IV: Roundtable: The Politics and Poetics of Translation 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. S. Shankar (Moderator), Dipesh Chakrabarty, R. Radhakrishnan,Vasudha Dalmia, and Arindam Samrat Upadhyay Chakrabarti Assistant Professor of English, Baldwin-Wallace College

Reading from his collection of short stories, "Arresting God in Kathmandu" (Supported by MANOA Journal)

Our thanks to:

The G.]. and Ellen Watumull Foundation

Manoa Journal

College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literatures

3:00 - 4:15 p.m. : Keynote IV Departments of History and English

Dipesh Chakrabarty Center for Korean Studies Professor of South Asian Studies and History, Univer­ sity of Chicago The Sydney Stern Memorial Trust

"Bilinguality and the Writing of History"

SYMPOSIUM from page 4 languages survive as vibrant sites of literary activity after subaltern history. globalization and the unstoppable hegemony of English? In his much-awaited keynote address on bilingulaity, But he also added that he himself sees no sign of their Dipesh Chakrabarty confessed that his own relationship to death or sickness and hopes that Bengali will be alive and his vernacular Bengali has been erotic-so much so that bursting with creative energy as long as he lives. After that his current lived distance from that language has only it mayor may not die. Languages do die after all and also made his involvement with it even more poignant. In sometimes get changed beyond recognition. answer to questions from the audience he withheld his The dialectic of a bilingual consciollsness was very judgement on the question: Would vernacular South Asian mllch at the center of Chakrabarty's talk which was continued on page 12 8 South Asia News/Summer 2002 Center news Perrett defended Gandhi against negotiations with the state, South Spring 2002 events this charge by arguing that he is best Asian communities, and the social interpreted as a kind of principled movements in which they participate, Thovil: Ritual, Healing, and Theatre moral casuist: that is, one who address what it means to be immi­ in Sri Lanka believes both in use of the "method of grant. They make visible the ' cases" to provide practical advice in racialized, gendered, sexualized, and Kirstin Pauka (Theatre and Dance) situations where more than one moral class dimensions of immigrant status principle applies, and in the impor­ thereby opening up grounds for Based in animism, Buddhism, and tance of moral principles as regulative alliances with other minoritized traditional healing methods, Sri ideals. On this account, casuistry is . groups struggling for social justice. Lanka's Thovil ceremonies incorpo­ not an alternative to, but a comple­ rate theatre, dance, and trance by ment of the development of moral Lyrics of Love/Love of Lyrics: The professional performers under the principles - even though the weight Social Impact of Mirabai Across leadership of a shaman healer. The of a principle in a particular case Caste and Gender aim of the performance is to restore cannot be determined in the abstract. to balance and health sick individuals Understood in this way, Gandhi has a in their Sri Lankan communities. plausible reply to the critics' charge Prof. Pauka's presentation focused on that his moral theory is both too the roles of theatre and dance within conservative and too indeterminate. Thovil and how these elements Moreover Gandhi's principled contribute to the efficacy of this ritual. casuistry also offers a model for a (suitably modest) global ethic, where Gandhi, Nonviolence, and Moral this is understood as less a search for Casuistry an overarching moral theory than an international and intercultural concern Roy Perrett with problem-driven specific agendas Senior Research Fellow whicb allow only a limited role for Centre for Applied Philosophy and theory. Public Ethics Nancy Martin Charles Sturt University Unruly Immigrants: South Asian Associate Professor of Religion and Canberra, Australia social change politics in the US South Asian Studies, Chapman (Sponsored by Women's Studies) University Gandhi's theory of non-violence (ahimsa)is an important and original Monisha Das Gupta The sixteenth-century bhakti saint contribution to a global ethic. Critics Syracuse University Mirabai is immensely popular, with have claimed, however, that the her appeal crossing the boundaries of theory is vitiated by its replication of South Asians in the US are usually caste and gender. The breadth and a dilemma that is also present in the portrayed as "model minorities" who nature of her social impact can be traditional Hindu moral theory are trouble-free and economically seen through, first, an examination of Gandhi drew upon: namely, an uneasy successful, and therefore, have no low-caste performance traditions of oscillation between, on the one hand, need for social change-oriented Mira's story and songs. Here she an elaborate code of conduct regulat­ politics. Yet, feminist, queer, and serves as an inspiring figure who ing the minutest details of everyday labor organizations have mush­ chooses to live in solidarity with the life and, on the other, a set of highly roomed in immigrant South Asian low-caste, suffers as they do, but also abstract ideals with the minimum communities since 1985. They draw asserts the dignity of their lives and possible rules to guide their practice. attention to key, but often erased, the equality of all before God even as For the most part, the fonner is immigrant realities of labor exploita­ she rejects the value system which recommended for ordinary folk and tion, violence against women, lauds the wealthy and the powerful. the latter for a moral elite. The result homophobia, racism, and nativism. Singing in Mirabai's name becomes has often been an unthinking con­ By doing so, they break the silence an avenue for people within low-caste formism at one end of the social imposed by the model minority communities in Rajasthan to articulate spectrum and limitless freedom at the image which the state and the South their own resistance and theological other. Gandhi's theory, it is charged, Asian mainstream actively co­ insight. Yet Mirabai has also played a not only failed to solve this traditional produce. The organizations, in their role in Hindu nationalist and Rajput Hindu dilemma, but accentuated it. EVENTS continued page 11 South Asia New/Summer 2002 9

Center news Peter H. Hoffenberg (History), in addi­ Faculty Notes tion to a piece on the Calcutta Interna­ tional Exhibition, is also researching Barbara Andaya (Asian Studies ) re­ and writing an article about the Journal cently published an article which looks of Indian Art and Industry (1884-1917) at the early religious links between Sri for a special issue of Victorian Periodi­ Lanka and Southeast Asia, "Localising cals Review devoted to Indian and the Universal: Women, Motherhood Anglo-Indian periodicals. and the Appeal of Early Theravada Buddhism." Journal ofSoutheast Asian Sankaran Krishna (Political Science) Studies 33, 1 (February, 2002): 1-30. recently presented his ongoing work at the Association of Asian Studies Arindam Chakrabarti (Philosophy) de­ meetings in Washington DC (April livered "Perception, Apperception and 2002). He will be presenting a paper on Nonconcpetual Content" at an interna­ Indo-Sri Lankan relations at the 20th an­ tional conference on Consciousness at niversary celebrations of the Interna­ Jadavpur University Calcutta, on Janu­ tional Center for Ethnic Studies (ICES) ary 2-4. He published "Frege' s Regress in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in August 2002. Argument Against Correspondence Recent publications include: Theory of Truth" in the Journal ofDe­ partment ofPhilosophy Rabindrabharati "Methodical Worlds: Partition, Secular­ University Calcutta and submitted an ism and Communalism in India" in the invited long article on "Problems in the journal Alternatives, Special Issue on Epistemology of Testimony " to "Partition" jointly edited by Sankarari Stanford Online Encyclopedia of Phi­ Krishna and R.B.J. Walker, 27, 2 losophy in March. (April-June) 2002: 217-243. This spe­ Arindam is scheduled to deliver cial issue also has essays by, among three distinguished lectures on "Ethics others, Gyanendra Pandey and Urvashi of Speech" at the Central Institute of In­ Butalia. "Partition: On the Discrimina­ dian Languages and Linguistics at tions of Modernity" Introduction to the Mysore, India in July. He is also pre­ above special issue, co-authored with senting a plenary paper, "Making Sense R.B.1. Walker, Alternatives 27, 2 (Apr­ of the Vedic and Tantric Divinities" at Jun) 2002, 143-146. "In One Innings: The Giobal Renaissance conference at National Identity in Postcolonial Columbia University Center for ~ud­ Times" in Geeta Chowdhury and Sheila dhist Buddhist Studies in July 24-29. Nair (eds)., Power, Postcolonialism and International Relations: reading race, Vrinda Dalmiya (Philosophy) has re­ gender and class, Routledge, 2002: 170- R.N. Shanna (Indo-Pacific Languages) cently published, "Cows and Others: 183. Presentations: March 1-2, 2002, Towards Constructing Ecofeminist Stanford University, invited presenta­ Selves" in Environmental Ethics Sum­ J. P. Shanna (History) just finished fi­ tion at the panini workshop of Depart­ mer, 2002, and "Caring to Know" in nal page-proofs of his edited volume, ment of Linguistics, under the title, Hypatia 17.1, Winter 2002. She co-ed­ Individuals and Ideas in Traditional In­ "Once again on conflict among rules of ited (with Xinyan Jiang) the American dia: Ten Interpretive Studies, which is equal strength;" March 4, 2002, Uni­ Philosophical Association Newsletter published by Munshiram Manoharlal versity of California at Berkeley, invited for the Status of Asian/Asian American Publishers, New Delhi, 2002. It includes presentation at the Department of South Philosophers and Philosophies on papers by some of his students, Priti K and Southeast Asian Studies under the "Asians and Asian Americans in Phi­ Kitra, Julie Trott,Surojit Mohan Gupta title, "Rule-interaction in Panini' s losophy" Spring, 2002. In April, she ,Gregory Mascarinec and me and one Grammar". Publications: Sharma has presented, "Representing Excellence: by Prof Walter Maurer. His next book completed his six-volume study on The Authoritative in South and East will be the revised and enlarged sec­ Panini's grammar. He started working Asian Art and Literature" in an NEH ond edition of my Republics in Ancient on this study in 1979 and completed it sponsored workshop in Nashville. India from 3000 - 500 Be, which he in 1999. Five of these volumes have al­ hopes to finish in summer 2002. ready been published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers of New Delhi. 10 South Asia News/Summer 2002 Center news A second revised edition of his fIrst volume on the treatment of Panini's grammar as a linguistic device came out in April 2002. The last volume is sched­ uled for release before the end of sum­ mer. He is currently working on a four­ volume study on the Kashika-vrtti of Vamana-Jayaditya. He will soon be submitting its fIrst two volumes for pub­ lication to Munshiram. The Center for Studies in Civilizations (New Delhi) has published Sharma's paper "Panini, Katyayana and Patanjali" in its History of Science, Philosophy and Culture, volume I: The dawn of Indian Civili­ zation. Two other papers on "System­ atization of Sanskrit Grammar", and "Sphotavaada" will soon be published in other volumes., Student Notes Rohit Dalvi (Philosophy) is continu­ ing to explore the concepts of "relation" and "difference" in Indian philosophy under the guidance of Prof Chakrabarti. This research toward a dis­ sertation includes texts from the Nyaya, Dvaita and Buddhist intellectual tradi­ tions. Rohit is teaching a summer course in Philosophy which will focus on Buddhist and Greek thought. He is also working on translating the work of some French Indologists into English.

Himanee Gupta (Political Science) or­ ganized the panel, "DefIning Nation and Diaspora in India's (Trans )national The Role of Literature in South Asian Conference. Present: Narratives of Gender, Culture, Morals, at the recent CSAS symposium. and Nationality," for the East-West Matt MacKenzie (Philosophy) will be Center International Graduate Student Jill Keesbury (Political Science) is cur­ participating in the AIlS Summer San­ Conference, Feb. 21-23, Honolulu. She rently completing work on her disser­ skrit Program in Pune this summer, presented the paper, "Amid the 'Ruins' tation, "Evaluating the Effectiveness of thanks to the Watumull Scholarship. His in Ayodhya Lies a Narrative of India's the International Population Regime: paper, "The Five Factors of Action and National 'Present, '" as part of the panel. An Examination of International Influ­ the Decentering of Agency in the She is teaching two political science ence and National Policy Change in Bhagavad Gita" recently appeared in courses this summer. India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh." In the journal, Asian Philosophy. In the February 2002 she presented a paper Fall he will present his paper, "From Menaha Ganesathasan (Philosophy) is based on this work, "The Politics of Resentment to Freedom: celebration of currently working on her dissertation: Reproductive Health: Toward and Ex­ the body in the Y ogavasistha" at the The Kingdom within the Hut: Ethical planation of Differences in South Asian American Academy of Religion East­ Education and Story-Telling in the Program Strategies," at the East-West ern Division meeting in Toronto. He Y ogavasistha. She presented a paper, Center International Graduate Student will also present his paper, "Does Self- South Asia New/Summer 2002 11

portraiture as a genre, in fact favouring the very art of painting, could not have been easy in the initial stages, even for the great Akbar. For there must have been opposition to the art from the orthodox among the Muslims, who had their familiar reservations about the making of images that exist in Islam. But the Emperor seems to have met these 'objections' in his own manner, using both his power, and his philosophical way of explaining things, to do this. As his chronicler and friend, Abu'l A wareness Require a Self? Buddhist lyrics articulating love of both God Fazl wrote, such men as are opposed Reductionism and the Reflexivity of and human, resistance and dignity, to painting "His Majesty does not Consciousness" at the Eastern APA unshakable conviction and absolute like." For, in the emperor's consid­ meeting of the Society for Asian and devotion. She belongs to all and yet ered view, a painter had 'peculiar Comparative Philosophy in Philadel­ none, with new stories continuing to means of his own' to recognize the phia. He will eventually find time to ?e told about her and new songs sung glory of God. complete his dissertation. mhername. ~-~. ~ i ~. . There is much to read between the lines in the chapter on EVENTS cont'd from page 8 PORTRAITS cont'd from page 3 the Art of Painting that Abu'l Fazl Akbar, left by Jahangir, cited as an identity politics, where she was seen brings in, in his great Ain-i Akbari. epigraph above. There are no great as a model for the ideal Indian But one certainly knows that, as a poetic flourishes in the description, woman, though to present her as such result of the interest that the Emperor and it remains brief. But one begins meant that all hint of her rejection of took in the matter, an enormous to sense the presence of an individual her husband's world had to be album of portraits was made for him through these words. There are built expunged from her story and her story by his painters. This could only have into them references to divine glory, was "purified" in this way by a small helped clear the way for the great and a mention of the "science of group of men related to her natal and portraiture that was to follow in the physiognomy" according to which marital families who played a key role succeeding reigns: those of Jahangir appearances can be interpreted, but in the historical writing of the late and Shah Jahan. some palpable facts, specific to the -~ nineteenth century. This telling of ....,.·v ' individual described, come one's ~irabai's story was widely popular­ way: the complexion, the colour of CASTES cont'd from page 5 Ized but has no more claim to eyes and eyebrows, the frame, the readers to keep in mind the fact that authenticity than do the tellings of height, the quality of voice, and the the dominating power that colonial­ low-caste communities. Mirabai has like. One seems to enter here a world ism attained did not arise through also served as a model for uppercaste of observation rather than of conven­ British authority alone. Missionaries women, who have chosen to live lives tion and imagination. traders and administrative authorities' of religious devotion outside of The two approaches are relied on local informants for data. marriage, the wider society and they clearly different, and one senses their Because these informants typically themselves coming to terms with their continued presence even in a number were Brahman, scriptural and other choices through their identification of Rajput portraits made in the references to Brahman superiority in with the saint. Mirabai remains a awareness of, and certainly inspired a varna-based hierarchy attained an powerful presence though an by, Mughal portraits. Portraiture, as importance that was not necessarily ambivolence still attends her behavior established at the Mughal court, reflective of on-the-ground caste as a woman. For some she is too became very quickly a favoured practices in daily life in localized rebellious, while for others she seems genre of painting at all Indian courts settings. Yet, this privileging of only an exception that proves the rule as one knows. But approaches to it ' Brahman authority came to be the for women, reinforcing marital often varied. And it is of interest to reality that shaped late colonial India. hierarchical imagery even as she track the differences down for the It remains, Dirks argues, a primary transposes it to the human divine next two hundred years. dynamic in caste politics today. relation. But many, across the It is of interest to recall at As noted, this study is detail spectrum of caste an4 gender, look the same time that establishing heavy. The text, as a result, can be upon her with great affection, her continued next page South Asia New/Summer 2002 12

.political milieu of the old regime and then increasingly Brahmanical forms under colonial rule, the most pervasive forms of oppression were directed at women." (72) He also notes that women, while "the most important objects of social regulation," generally were absent in caste discus­ sions. (72) However, he does not elaborate on the i'ssue . further. Nevertheless, Castes ofMind is a worthy contri­ bution to studies of colonialist discourse and the insidious traces that they leave on the post-colonial state. It offers a' reminder that, as Dirks states in Representations, "India's postcolonial condition is not its precolonial fault." ~

SYMPOSIUM from page 12 followed by an hour of lively question and answer session. Friday evening, we wrapped up our two-day sympo­ sium with a reading from critically-acclaimed Nepali­ American author, Samrat Upadyay, co-sponsored by Manoa Journal. Prof. Upadyay read from his collection of short stories, Arresting God in Kathmandu. The well­ attended reading was followed by a lively and wide­ ranging discussion. Finally, CSAS would like to extend our sincerest thanks CASTES cont'd to the G. J. and Ellen Waturimll Foundation, Manoa daunting, especially for non-India specialists. For special- Journal, the College of Languages, Linguistics, and ists, the historical material that Dirks presents is fascinat­ Literatures, the Departments of History and English, the ing but not particularly new; this makes the energy he puts Center fot Korean Studies, Linda Miyashiro, and all of our into backing up a hypothesis he presents quite elegantly in particiapants and attendees for helping to make our his opening chapters a bit tiresome at times. In addition, symposium such a success. Next year's symposium, we more is needed on the interplay of caste and gender. Dirks think, will focus on the role of food in South Asian culture notes that power in both precolonial and colonialist ' and society. We hope that you will join us. understandings of caste "functioned in the service not only of Brahmans but of men more generally" and that "in the

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