Mumbai: The city witnessed an enchanting convergence of literature and history at the ‘Words and Worlds’ programme held on Monday evening. Hosted by the Columbia Global Center, Mumbai, the event brought together celebrated poet and prose writer Sharmistha Mohanty and Professor Anupama Rao from Columbia University for a captivating exchange of ideas and readings.
Sharmistha Mohanty On Literature’s Ability To Transcend Time & Space
Mohanty, founder-editor of the online literature journal ‘Almost Island’, engaged the audience with her deep reflections on literature’s ability to transcend time and space. Later, Rao, an eminent historian with expertise in caste, race, and comparative urbanism, hosted a talk show with Mohanty, who is also the author of acclaimed works such as Extinctions and Five Movements in Praise.
Sharmistha Mohanty, acclaimed author, poet, and editor Almost Island reads from her works at G5A in Mahalakshmi as part of ‘Word and Worlds’ event organized by Columbia Global Center Mumbai.
The evening began with an exploration of subaltern archives and anti-caste traditions as Mohanty delved into the importance of “non-official, non-state” collections of memory. Professor Rao emphasised on it, telling the Free Press Journal, “We are looking at public, popular, and ephemeral archives that allow us to write different kinds of histories.” She highlighted the need for such archives to offer communities, which are historically misrepresented in official records, the opportunity to reclaim their dignity.
Concept Of Time
A central theme of the discussion was the concept of time. Mohanty drew intriguing contrasts between a historian’s and a poet’s perception of time. While the former views time as linear, the latter sees it as fluid, she said. “For historians, time moves forward, symbolising progress and development. However, for poets and artists, time can stretch, bend and reflect deeper truths,” Mohanty observed.
Her readings and reflections brought this idea to life as she emphasised the agency of non-human entities in shaping narratives. “The mud moves,” she mused. Her evocative prose painted vivid pictures of human and nonhuman interactions, inviting the audience to rethink conventional notions of agency.
The event also touched upon the significance of archives for marginalised communities. “History is connected with identity and the future. Communities without recognised archives are increasingly driven to build their own repositories of memory, challenging misrepresentations in history,” Professor Rao noted.
