The significance of Charles Dickens in English Literature can hardly be overstated. He was a prolific writer contributing not only to English Literature but also to the World Literature through his numerous short stories, plays, fictions and non-fiction prose. He is known for his remarkable characters and his sympathetic portrayal of their lives.
While some value him for being the spokesperson of the poor some love him for his stories. Since the 19th century he has commanded the respect of such a wide variety of readers and critics that a student of English Literature can’t really miss the aura of Dickens in his Bi-Centenary year. While one reflects on the 19th century writer from Europe one also gets reminded of a 20th century writer from Indian subcontinent, a realist like Dickens, Saadat Hasan Manto, whose Birth Centenary falls this year. (First lit fest at Jamia celebrating centenary of Saadat Hasan Manto, bicentenary of Charles Dickens)
To critically engage with these two writers (Charles Dickens and Saadat Hasan Manto) Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, proposes to celebrate the Bi-Centenary year of Charles Dickens and Centenary of Manto by organizing a 3 Days Literary Festival. Apart from a series of scholarly lectures to be delivered by National and International Dickens Experts, the Festival looks forward to organize various co-curricular activities. Prominent events of the festival can be summarized as follows:
DAY-1
Inaugural Session: Lecture cum Seminar
An inaugural lecture by renowned scholars followed by presentations to kick-start the festival. The intention is to create an ambience of serious scholarly engagement with Dickens and Manto.
Dramatization of Dickens’ stories/fiction: Student Groups will choose a scene or two from any of Dickens’/Manto’s works and will dramatize them. They will present their skits/plays on stage for public viewing whereby the skits will be judged on the criteria of creativity, stage direction, dialogue delivery, costumes etc.
Graffiti Making Competition: Graffiti making are as powerful modes of expressions as literature. So in order to test the artistic skills of the students Painting Competitions and Graffiti making Competitions based on Dickensian/Mantonian theme are to be organized.
Creative Cruise: Superimposition of a Dickensian/Mantonian plot on contemporary India and adapting it to local Indian sensibilities, or the continuation and culmination of a Dickensian plot via the quill of students.
DAY-2
Elocution Contest: A mono-act, or a speech, which is in essence a role play of some Dickens'/Manto’s character with scope for creativity/ humor. The character introducing himself/herself taking the humorous route to describe how the author crafted him, what might be lacking in him, etc.
Quiz Competition: There will be the Quiz Competition to creatively assess the students’ knowledge about Dickens’ and his world.
Film Screening: Films based on Dickens’ stories/fictions, whether documentary or commercial available in any language is to be screened and which will be followed by a Moderated Group Discussion.
DAY-3
Different Genres, Different Strokes: There will be Paper Presentations by the students. Then there will be a solo performance based on Manto’s works followed by an animation movie adapted out of Dickens’ works.
Valedictory Session
Awards for various competitions will be given away and a closure of thoughts would be brought about through some lectures on the last day of the fest, during the Closing Ceremony/Valedictory Session.
Newsletter: Apart from the above a digital documentation of each day of the fest has to be done. The web portal could be made public during any one of the session which is more like the launch of a physical newsletter. A Press Club is proposed to be formed, dedicated to reporting daily highlights and collecting feedback and publishing it on the blog/virtual newsletter.
Itinerary
Day-1: (15th October, 2012)
11.00 AM -12.00 PM: Inaugural Session
Venue – Rear Lawn, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Welcome address by the Head
The Student Representative introduces the Festival and invites the VC to declare the Festival open and say a few words.
Dickens and Manto introduce themselves
Lecture by Prof Sambuddha Sen on Dickens
Vote of Thanks
1:00 PM Onwards: Dramatics
Venue – Rear Lawn, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Rules: Maximum of ten teams will be permitted.
Registration on first-come-first-serve basis.
Registration to be done in advance – no on-the-spot registration.
Time per team – 20 to 30 minutes. This time includes stage setting, if any required.
A maximum of 10 and minimum of 5 participants are permitted per team.
The play has to be adapted out of any of Dickens’/Manto’s works – a single episode or a combination of them. Marks will be awarded for adaptation, script, dialogues, enactment, costumes and other criteria as may be decided by the judges. The decision of the judges will be final. Attractive prizes will be awarded to the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and Certificate of Participation for all.
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM: Graffiti Making Competition (Theme: Manto and Dickens)
Venue – Front Lawn, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Rules: It is a team event, where a team of 3 students will be eligible for participation. A total of one hour will be provided to allow the teams to make graffiti themed around Dickens/Manto. Material – boards and colors – will be provided by the organizers. Creative and innovative presentation will be significant judgement parameters. Maximum of ten teams will be registered. Registration will be on first-come-first-serve basis. Decision of the judges will be final. Attractive prizes will be awarded to the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and Certificate of Participation for all.
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM: Creative Writing Competition (‘Creative Cruise’)
Venue – Seminar Hall, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Rules: It is an individual participation event. Registration on first-come-first-serve basis. Material for writing will be provided by the organizers. Theme for writing will be given on the spot, and will be based on the works of Dickens’/Manto. Decision of the judges will be final.
The winners will be awarded attractive prizes (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and Certificate of Participation for all.
Day-2: (16th October, 2012)
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Elocution Competition
Venue – Seminar Hall, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia Rules: Individual participation. Registration on first-come-first-serve basis. Maximum of 20 participants. Participants are supposed to pick up a Dickensian/Mantonian character and bring him/her alive in a speech which discusses his/her life, travails and Dickens’/Manto’s representation of him/her – all in first person narrative. Participants are supposed to act out the characters by giving a speech in their style. Time limit – Between 3 and 5 minutes. Judgement will be based upon creativity, script, understanding of the character and his/her relation to the text, articulation and any other criteria as the judges may deem fit. Decision of the judges will be final. Winners will be awarded attractive prizes (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and Certificate of Participation for all.
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM: Quiz Competition
Venue – Rear Lawn, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Rules: Participation will be in teams of two. No upper limit on the number of participants. There will be a preliminary round to decide the final teams. Different rounds and their details will be disclosed on the spot. The quiz will entail questions which are drawn from different aspects of Dickens and Manto- their life, contemporaries and works. Winners will awarded attractive prize (1st,2nd and 3nd ) and Certificate of Participation for all.
1:00 PM onwards: Film Screening + Moderated Group Discussion
Venue – CIT Auditorium, Jamia Millia Islamia
Rules: Individual Participation. A film/documentary based on the life/works of Dickens/Manto will be screened, following which a group discussion will be conducted about the theme of the same. Everyone is invited to watch the film. Maximum of 20 students can participate in the group discussion. These participants must have sat through the entire screening. Decision of the judges will be final.
Winners will be awarded attractive prizes (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and Certificate of Participation for all.
Day-3: (17th October, 2012)
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Different Genres, Different Strokes
Venue – Seminar Hall, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Will include: Paper presentations by students on Dickens/Manto, animation on Dickens’ works
12:00 PM Onwards: Valedictory Session
17th October, 2012
Venue – Rear Lawn, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia
Will include: A presentation by the Press Club – reflecting on the entire fest. Presentation of awards of all the winners of the three days. Closing Speech by the Chief Guest. Vote of thanks by the ELA representative.
(The author is advisor of English Literary Association of department of English, JMI)
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Okhla Times.
Saroj Mahananda
