'Cross-Cultural Reception and the Comparative Method in Indian Literary Studies'

This blog is a part of assignment which deals with a topic ' Cross-Cultural Reception and the Comparative Method in Indian Literary Studies' from the paper no. 208 Comparative Literature & Translation Studies.

Personal Details:-

• Name: Unnati Baroliya

• Batch: M.A. Sem.4 (2022-2024) 

• Enrollment N/o.: 5108230002

• Roll N/o.: 26

• E-mail Address: unnatibaroliya@gmail.com 

Assignment Details:-

• Topic:- Cross-Cultural Reception and the Comparative Method in Indian Literary Studies.

• Paper: 208

• Subject code & Paper N/o.:22415  

• Paper Name:- Comparative Literature & Translation Studies

• Submitted to: Smt. S.B. Gardi Department of English M.K.B.U. 

• Date of submission: 17th, April 2024

Abstract

This essay traces the evolution of Comparative Literature in India, highlighting its historical trajectory, intellectual foundations, and shifting paradigms. Beginning with early cross-cultural literary practices and Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of visvasahitya (world literature), the development of Comparative Literature as an academic discipline in India is explored through key institutions, scholars, and theoretical frameworks. The essay discusses how multilingualism, colonial legacies, and the urge for decolonization have shaped Indian comparative literary practices. It further examines how Indian literatures, both classical and marginalized, have been brought into dialogue with global literatures, leading to newer modes of reception, translation, and cultural exchange. The contemporary phase reflects interdisciplinary engagement, inclusivity, and a move toward non-hierarchical, co-constructive approaches in literary studies.

Keywords

Comparative Literature in India, Visvasahitya, Rabindranath Tagore, multilingualism, translation studies, reception, cultural studies, decolonization, folk traditions, literary historiography, interdisciplinary approaches, non-hierarchical connectivity

Introduction

Comparative Literature in India has developed through a rich and complex history, influenced by its colonial past, multilingual society, and the need to engage with both indigenous and global literary traditions. In her essay “Comparative Literature in India: An Overview of its History,” Subha Chakraborty Dasgupta presents a detailed narrative of how this discipline emerged and evolved across different regions and institutions. From early literary interactions involving Persian, Arabic, and English texts to Tagore’s visionary concept of visvasahitya, the Indian approach to Comparative Literature has always embraced plurality and relationality.

The institutionalization of Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University in 1956 marked a significant milestone, shaped by creative and decolonizing impulses. Over the decades, the discipline expanded geographically and thematically, encompassing regional literatures, marginalized voices, translation studies, and cultural studies. The essay explores how reception, transformation, and inter-literary dialogue have redefined comparative practices in India. Today, Comparative Literature in India strives to create inclusive, interdisciplinary, and co-constructive models of literary analysis that respond to contemporary cultural, political, and ecological realities.

Comparative Literature in India has evolved through a unique and diverse trajectory, shaped by its colonial past, multilingual landscape, and a drive to decolonize and expand the horizons of literary studies. Subha Chakraborty Dasgupta’s essay, "Comparative Literature in India: An Overview of its History," offers a comprehensive and insightful account of the development of this academic discipline in India. This essay explores the key milestones, theoretical frameworks, institutional contributions, and cultural dynamics that have influenced the growth of Comparative Literature in India.

Roots and Resonances: Intellectual Origins of Comparative Literature in India

Long before the formal institutionalization of Comparative Literature in India, literary practices reflected comparative approaches. Early literary engagement often involved the interaction between Indian literature and foreign texts, especially Persian, Arabic, and English. The multilingual nature of Indian society allowed for a seamless movement across languages, fostering an innate comparative sensibility. Translation activities became prominent in the late 19th century, especially in Bengal, where poets like Satyendranath Dutta emphasized the need for building “relationships of joy” through translation.

Rabindranath Tagore's 1907 lecture on "Visvasahitya" (World Literature) is seen as a conceptual precursor to the development of Comparative Literature in India. Tagore envisioned world literature as a collaborative effort among artists and intellectuals, emphasizing the humanistic and relational nature of literature. His ideas laid the intellectual groundwork for future comparative studies.

The formal establishment of Comparative Literature as a discipline occurred at Jadavpur University in 1956, influenced by Tagore's vision and led by modern poets such as Buddhadeva Bose. The early years of the department emphasized creativity, aesthetic plurality, and a decolonizing impulse, although British academic structures still shaped the curriculum. Sanskrit and Bengali literature were taught alongside Greek and Latin texts, and comparisons were made between works like the Iliad and the Ramayana, or between Greek and Sanskrit drama using Aristotle's Poetics and Bharata's Natyasastra.

Reimagining Indian Textuality: Comparative Perspectives Across Literatures

In the 1970s, a paradigm shift occurred, bringing Indian literature to the forefront of comparative literary studies. This transition was not driven by nationalist motives but by the recognition that comparative literature must include the relational dynamics of Indian texts. The University of Delhi's Department of Modern Indian Languages played a pivotal role in this transition, especially through its "Comparative Indian Literature" course introduced in 1974. This initiative expanded the scope of comparison by integrating various Indian literatures.

Sisir Kumar Das's three-volume history of Indian literature marked a significant contribution by studying Indian literatures not as isolated entities but as interrelated narratives. Comparative literature in this context examined overlapping histories, performative traditions, multilingualism, and the dialectic of unity and difference. As Aijaz Ahmad pointed out, the goal was to trace connections through class, gender, community, and oral traditions. This approach led to an inclusive literary historiography that challenged the dominance of canonical Sanskrit texts and highlighted marginal voices.

Expanding Horizons: Regional Footprints and Institutional Flourishing

During the 1970s and 1980s, Comparative Literature gained traction in Southern India, including institutions like Madurai Kamaraj University, Bharathidasan University, and others. K. Ayappa Paniker's contributions to narrative theory and comparative poetics were particularly influential. The establishment of departments at Punjabi University, Patiala; Dibrugarh University; Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University; and SNDT Women’s University further expanded the discipline across India.

The Veer Narmad South Gujarat University and Dravidian University in Kuppam emphasized Indian literatures in their regional contexts. The Visvanatha Kaviraja Institute of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics in Orissa became a hub for research in comparative poetics. National associations like the Indian Comparative Literature Association and the Comparative Indian Literature Association eventually merged in 1992 to form the Comparative Literature Association of India.

Shifting Terrains: Redefining the Comparative Landscape

The 1980s saw further expansion and reconfiguration of comparative areas. The inclusion of Latin American, African, Canadian, and Bangladeshi literatures in the curriculum at Jadavpur signified a shift towards South-South literary relations and a focus on resistance, solidarity, and decoloniality. The traditional concept of "influence" was questioned, especially in postcolonial contexts, leading to a focus on "reception" and "transformation."

Reception studies emphasized how Indian readers and writers interpreted and transformed foreign literary elements. Romanticism, for instance, entered Bengali literature selectively—Wordsworth and Burns were favored for their serenity, while Shelley and Byron received mixed responses. Similarly, the reception of Shakespeare varied across time and forms—from classroom imposition to rich adaptations in Parsi and political theatre. These insights highlighted the agency of local cultures in appropriating foreign texts.

New Research Directions and Pedagogical Shifts

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Comparative Literature research expanded significantly with funding from the University Grants Commission. Various universities pursued themes such as the Indian Renaissance, early travelogues, folk traditions, and translation studies. The Jadavpur department received Special Assistance Programme grants to develop research in East-West literary relations, Indian literature, Third World literature, and translation studies.

Workshops on inter-literary translation without the mediation of English were conducted, promoting direct interaction among Indian languages. Publications on literary genres, themes, historiography, and periodization revealed how Indian literary categories like Romanticism needed reinterpretation in local contexts. For example, Hemanta Kumar Sarma's periodization of Assamese literature used terms like "post-Swaraj" to contextualize modernity within Indian realities.

Comparative Literature as a Knowledge System

The designation of Jadavpur as a Centre of Advanced Studies in 2005 marked a new phase. Comparative Literature was now seen as a "knowledge system" with its own methodologies. The department collaborated with philosophy, history, science, and social sciences to explore ways of knowing and creativity. Oral traditions, folk cultures, and performative texts were emphasized as alternative knowledge systems. One notable project, "Vanishing Seeds of Culture," examined folk cultural forms tied to rice varieties in Bankura, linking agriculture, ecology, and oral traditions.

Dalit literature also gained attention in some courses, prompting questions about its relationship with mainstream literature. Comparative approaches could examine how Dalit texts challenge and influence dominant literary discourses while preserving their unique identity rooted in performativity and ethical witnessing.

Bridging Asia

The second focus area of the Centre of Advanced Studies was on India’s literary connections with neighboring Asian countries. Initial research showed rich historical interactions among Asian cultures. Projects included annotated bibliographies of travelogues from Bengal, studies on the image of Burma in Indian literature, and the Bhakti-Sufi interface. Seminars and collaborations explored India-China cultural connections and Japanese and South Korean literature.

Comparative Literature's close relationship with Translation Studies was reaffirmed in the 21st century. Departments across India included courses on translation history, theory, and practice. Translation was seen as rewriting and a key to understanding cultural and literary systems. The Jadavpur department established a Centre for the Translation of Indian Literatures to support these efforts.

Intersecting Cultures and Dialogues

Cultural Studies emerged as another critical interface. Comparative Literature departments began offering courses on comparative cultural studies, focusing on marginalities, identity politics, nationalism, and globalization. Themes like urban vs. rural representation, ecological narratives, and performative traditions were explored through interdisciplinary lenses.

Courses examined how concepts like city and village were represented in literature and how performativity could be used to analyze social behaviors and rituals. Diaspora studies also became an area of interest in newer Comparative Literature centers, reflecting changing global and local realities.

Conclusion: Towards Non-Hierarchical Connectivity

Comparative Literature in India today reflects a wide array of scholarly concerns, from decolonization and inclusivity to interdisciplinary methods and planetary consciousness. The discipline strives to discover non-hierarchical connections across regions, languages, and cultures. As Kumkum Sangari notes, the aim is "co-construction" through complex histories of translation, circulation, and cultural exchange.

Although challenges remain, especially in mapping literary histories and intercultural relations, the foundational goal of nurturing creativity and critical engagement continues to guide Comparative Literature in India. From Tagore's vision of "visvasahitya" to contemporary explorations of marginal voices and oral traditions, the journey of Comparative Literature in India is one of expansion, transformation, and renewal.

References:-

Ahmad, Aizaz. “Indian Literature.” Theory: Classes, Nations, Literatures. 

            London:       Verso. 1992. 243-285. Print.

Chakraborty Subha Dasgupta. “Comparative Literature & World Literature.” Comparative Literature & World Literature, 2016/7/4. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZxTtuj2_lUh8JKaHQr8Tan-Ri66N6KTG/view.

Datta, Satyendranath. “Samapti.” Satyendranath Kabyagrantha. Ed. Aloke 

             Ray.     Kolkata: Sahitya Samsad. 1984. Print.

R. Radhakrishnan. “Why compare?” New Literary History 40.3, 

             Summer (2009):   453-71. Print.

Sangari, Kumkum. “Aesthetics of Circulation: Thinking Between Regions.” 

               Jadavpur    Journal of Comparative Literature XLVX (2013-14):9-38. Print.

Tagore, Rabindranath. “Visvasahitya.” Rabindra-Rachanabali Vol. 10. 

               Kolkata:     WBSG 1987. 324-333. Print.

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