Siddhiba Gohil

To understand the landscape of contemporary creativity, one must first look to the fractures of the early 20th century. This was an era defined by upheaval—technological, social, and psychological—where the traditional "rules" of art and literature were found insufficient to describe a rapidly changing reality. What followed was a series of radical departures: the dream-logic of Surrealism, the fragmented introspection of Modernism, and the defiant absurdity of Dada. These movements were more than mere aesthetics; they were intellectual survival strategies. They challenged the limits of the rational mind, dismantled the elitism of the gallery, and ultimately reshaped how we perceive truth in a "shattered mirror." In this exploration, we trace the evolution of these "Isms"—from the smoke-filled cafes of Zurich to the subconscious depths of the Parisian avant-garde—to discover how their legacies continue to serve as the DNA of modern thought. Why this works ...

 This blog post provides a comprehensive summary of the expert lecture series delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Vinod Joshi on Indian Aesthetics and Poetics. Drawing from the sessions at the Department of English, MKBU, and the resources provided by Dr. Dilip Barad, this summary captures the essence of classical Indian literary theory. Introduction   The study of literature often leads us to Western critical frameworks, but the deep-rooted wisdom of Indian Poetics offers a profound, spiritually aligned understanding of the "soul" of a creative work. Over a series of enlightening sessions, Prof. (Dr.) Vinod Joshi, a renowned Gujarati poet and scholar, guided us through the intricate architecture of Indian Aesthetics. 1. The Foundation: What is Criticism? Dr. Joshi began by reframing our understanding of criticism. In the Indian context, criticism is not merely an evaluation of a text's success but a process of "Sahridaya" (the sensitive reader) engaging with the "Kav...

Introduction In the suffocating atmosphere of George Orwell’s 1984, the line between political submission and religious devotion does not simply blur—it vanishes. While Oceania is presented as a post-theological wasteland, the Party does not actually destroy the concept of God; it merely occupies His vacancy. By redirecting the human impulse for worship toward the state and the omnipresent figure of Big Brother, the Party creates a "Priesthood of Power" that seeks to dominate not just the body, but the very soul and memory of the individual. This blog post explores two critical dimensions of Orwell’s masterpiece. First, we examine the chilling doctrine of "God is Power," investigating how the Party utilizes psychological conditioning and the manipulation of reality to achieve a state of collective immortality. Second, we delve into Orwell’s profound critique of organized religion, analyzing how the structural parallels between the Church and the Superstates suggest ...

About Roger Zelazny Full Name: Roger Joseph Zelazny Born: 13 May 1937, Euclid, Ohio, United States Died: 14 June 1995, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States Nationality: American Occupation: Science fiction and fantasy writer, poet, editor Famous As: A leader of the New Wave of science fiction and the master of "Science Fantasy" who merged ancient mythology with high-tech futurism. Roger Zelazny was a titan of 20th-century speculative fiction, known for his lyrical prose and his ability to modernize ancient myths. He was a central figure in the New Wave movement, which pushed the genre toward literary experimentation and psychological depth. Best known for his Hugo-winning masterpiece Lord of Light and the epic Chronicles of Amber series, Zelazny’s work often explored characters who achieved god-like power through technology or mystical "Attributes." His writing combined a gritty, hard-boiled detective sensibility with profound philosophical inquiries into identity, s...

 Beyond the Algorithm: A Deep Dive into Aranya Sahay’s "Humans in the Loop" The contemporary narrative surrounding Artificial Intelligence is often sanitized, presented as a triumph of silicon, speed, and mathematical perfection. We speak of "machine learning" as if the machine is a solitary student, and "automation" as if the process is untouched by human hands. However, Aranya Sahay’s 2024 film, Humans in the Loop, shatters this illusion. It pulls back the digital curtain to reveal a much more human—and often marginalized—reality. Drawing from the scholarly worksheet developed by Dilip Barad of Bhavnagar University, this analysis explores how Sahay’s film serves as a critical intervention in the age of AI, reframing technology not as a neutral tool, but as a site of cultural friction, "invisible" labor, and epistemic hierarchy. I. The Ghost in the Machine: Nehma’s Narrative Arc At the heart of the film is Nehma, an Adivasi woman from the minera...

As the morning sun filtered through the tall, arched windows of the university’s grand auditorium on January 27, 2026, a palpable sense of intellectual energy filled the air. The hall was a sea of professional attire—scholars in crisp Nehru jackets, researchers in formal western blazers, and faculty members in elegant, traditional sarees—all gathered with a singular purpose: to bridge the gap between raw data and impactful scholarship. The academic landscape is shifting, and in an era of rapid digital evolution, the demand for rigorous, clear, and ethically grounded writing has never been higher. From January 27 to February 1, 2026 , the National Workshop on Academic Writing served as a sanctuary for those looking to refine their voice in the global scholarly conversation. Over six intensive days, participants moved beyond the basics, engaging with seasoned experts to deconstruct the nuances of contemporary research. This blog serves as a chronological archive of the insights shared b...

Introduction In the late 1930s, the world stood on a precipice. As totalitarianism surged across Europe, artists and thinkers grappled with the impending collapse of peace and the failure of international diplomacy. W.H. Auden emerged as one of the most vital voices of this era, capturing the anxiety of a generation caught between the "clever hopes" of the past and the "appalling" reality of the future. This blog explores how Auden uses poetry to dissect the nature of power, the weight of history, and the enduring, if complicated, role of art in a time of crisis. Navigating the Crisis: "September 1, 1939" W.H. Auden composed this seminal work while sitting in a dive bar on Fifty-second Street in New York City. The date marks the day Nazi Germany invaded Poland, the definitive catalyst for World War II.  Themes and Summary: The poem serves as a meditation on a "low dishonest decade". It explores collective guilt and the deceptive nature of politic...

Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night is widely considered one of the greatest American plays ever written. A harrowing, semi-autobiographical account of a single day in the life of the Tyrone family, it serves as a masterclass in depicting the slow, painful disintegration of a household. However, while the play is set in 1912, its themes are hauntingly persistent. Today, we often look at modern families—aided by technology, therapy, and a more open society—and assume we have moved past the "dark ages" of the Tyrones. Yet, when we look closer at modern media like Succession, Euphoria, or even real-life family dynamics, we see that the ghosts of the past still haunt our living rooms. 1. The Architecture of Silence: Communication Gaps In the Tyrone family, communication is a weapon, a shield, and a cage. James, Mary, Jamie, and Edmund are trapped in a cycle of "reproach and denial." They talk constantly, yet they say very little that is honest or healing. The...