As a visual aid, here is my classroom.
2nd floor, back corner, Arts College, Osmania University, Mr. Medio Azadi (L)
On Wednesday, during the middle of a lecture on transformational grammar, the sound of chanting and crowds of laughing boys and girls filled the hallway. My professor continued to lecture but started to shuffle papers and seemed to kind of brace herself for some sort of confrontation. All the students in the class (which doesn't ever exceed 9) began to whisper and discuss something in Telugu. Suddenly 9 guys entered the classes and in loud, authoritative Telugu said something to the tune of "you are liberated..." or maybe just "Freedom!". Noticing that me and my Iranian compatriot appeared quite blank faced, they rattled of some broken English about class being over....
I sought an explanation from my clasmate Srikant who rolled his eyes and said it was 'a bunt' and that there would be no more class today. When I asked 'Why?', he just told me that it happened often, it's normal, no need for a reason. Every one left the class, the professor being the first out the door, and the gang of 'activist-liberators' marched onward to the Sanskrit department nextdoor.
Not satisfied with Srikant's explanation, I went to the department head, who had yet to be informed that there would be no more class today, to ask again, 'Why?' Again, I was met with a certain nonchalance, 'Oh, that again' look. They also did not know why the students were protesting, nor did they care. When I asked why they didn't stand up to the students, why there was no debate, and how the students had the power to stop all the classes in the whole college, they all smiled. As far as I have been able to ascertain, strikes (in Indian English 'bunts') are triggered by any student dissatisfaction, from a professor showing favoritism to a conflict with the administration, to the lack of acknowledgment of a certain holy day or holiday of X Y or Z religious group. Apparently also, the student union is backed and much-more-than tacitly supported by local political parties in Hyderabad / AP, so the professors and administration are wary of getting involved because of repercussions. Often, the professors told me, the only way to get classes started again is to call the police, which would end in some sort of violent conflict. 'No one wants that...' they said.
Today (Thursday) was a much cheerier demonstration. The strikers entered the class smiling, declaring today September 17th, Telagana Independence Day i.e. the day that Hyderabad, formerly under the control of the Nizam, became a part of of independent India, more than a full year after Indian independence.
newspaper article here:
http://blog.taragana.com/n/telangana-celebrates-liberation-day-171140/
There was a flag-hoisting ceremony that only a handful of students attended.
So, I hesitate to weigh in on this matter without solid facts, but I can't help but think the situation a little peculiar, even ridiculous. I fully support the use of free speech and protest. When the Columbia graduate students refused to hold recitations and classes until the administration listened to their demands, I empathized fully with the students-cum-moms and dads who couldn't find a decent preschool for blocks around Morningside Heights. In this case, I don't see any demands, or at least the people I have talked are unaware of any. It sounds and looks like bullying to me, ochlocracy in brand named jeans and flip-flops.
Now this is not to say that I did not take advantage of the sunshine and 3 extra hours to take a walk into Tarnaka, eat the best MLA Dosa (the steroided cousin of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa) and take a few minutes to watch a man sharpen knives by riding a bicycle, which was attached to a sharpener, which lived in the house that Jack built....
Let's see what happens tomorrow.
In the meantime, pre-sarees:
Let's see what happens tomorrow...
- A
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