One World, One English, The Many Languages of the Imagination

Map of the (major) dialects of Hindi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

FSALA-2013 session on "One World, One English, the Many Languages of the Imagination" at University of Toronto". Participants: Sadhu Binning (Punjabi) Valerie Joan Tagwira (Shona) Sharankumar Limbale (Marathi), Meena Chopra (Hindi), Humaira Rahman (Urdu). Moderator: Arun Prabha Mukherjee

 Meena Chopra is a Canadian artist and poet of Indian origin. She writes both in Hindi and English. She read the following paper at the Festival of South Asian Literature & the Arts 2013 held at University of Toronto from May 3 to 5, 2013. Meena was a panelist on 'One World, One English, the Many Languages of the Imagination'

Blessed are the people who become the vehicle to the inspired moments of the creative impulse in the language of their soul.

World is transitioning into a global village where English language is taking the front seat but not in a traditional British, American or any other way. It is evolving with variety of different realistic cultural influences. The biggest influence on new English is of the technological culture and the dynamism of the young who are the creative compelling users of technology. The idiom and syntax are changing fast. 

Manifestation of the subtle thought imaging is taking over directly from the mental sound vibrations in a language where we have started expressing in symbols like smilyes, pictograms and info-graphics etc. This visual expression of subtle thought is the immediate outer expression of our mental imagery perhaps descended on us from that one ultimate sound vibration (Shabd Brahm).   The entire generation is on the thresh hold of being more and more visual in their expression of thought.  

Underneath this visual explosion, English, with its new tools of expression is threading the beads of different languages so to speak, where the images of mind in their visual expression have started taking the lead.

What language does imagination has?  It is a question that eludes many of us. Whatever way our creativity gets stimulated, according to the researchers, as humans our thinking is mostly in images and is visual. To add, from generations, powerful imagery has always been an intrinsic part of any creative writing which actually surpasses the barriers of language and language becomes a medium of creative expression.

Einstein said that he always thought in images, in his words, "I very rarely think in words. A thought comes, and I may try to express it in words afterwards," 

So what we have observed with any of our senses, we can imagine; what we imagine, we image.

Traditionally in a country like Canada with its English predominance, linguistic diversity definitely breaks down the barriers to intercultural dialogue and promotes multilingualism as a fundamental tool for the prosperity of literature. Linguistic diversity also contributes to enhancing creativity and innovation at all levels of education and learning. There is a clear link between multilingualism and creativity because knowledge of languages gives access to other ways of thinking and to other cultures as well, reinforcing our creative capacities. This in turn has a positive impact on innovation.

In the changing environment where English is the predominant world language, Hindi like many other languages of the world is also transforming. It is becoming richer because of cultural influences for both in its usage, vocabulary and expressiveness. English language definitely has a major influence on Hindi as well as it has on many other languages in many ways. 

There are many remarkable Hindi literary blogs on the net. It is adapting very well to the transition and the idiom. This change is inevitable with technological progression where English is predominant.

Some facts and observations about Hindi language:

·        After Chinese, Hindi is the maximum spoken language of the world.

·        Hindi has been one of the first languages which was picked up by Google when they started adding and introducing languages to the net for a wider usage of technology with languages. 

·        Instant Google translations are available at hand for all languages.

Hindi Writers' Guild, the organization I represent here, was formed in June 2008. It isthe first of its kind multi-faceted organization in Canada. Its prime objective is to educate and increase public understanding of Hindi literature and the language, also to develop the writing skills in Hindi language. Organization promotes South Asian writers and literature through seminars, lectures and conferences etc. Computer literacy and promotion of book publication in Canada are the main intents of Hindi Writers’ Guild.

To elaborate the organization is involved in the following:

• GUIDANCE IN THE ART OF HINDI WRITING AND HINDI LITERATURE
• FACILITATION OF COMPUTER LITERACY IN HINDI WRITING
• FACILITATION OF EDITING AND PUBLICATION OF HINDI BOOKS
• TRANSLATION AND PUBLICATION OF NON - HINDI LITERATURE IN HINDI
• ARRANGING LECTURES BY EMINENT LAUREATES ON HINDI LITERATURE, BUSINESS, ENVIRONMENT AND PHILOSOPHY
• HOLDING BOOK EXHIBITIONS, PUBLIC SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES TO PROMOTE HINDI LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
• PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR HOSPITALS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE MOTHER TONGUE IS NOT ENGLISH
• LIAISON AND COLLABORATION WITH CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS RELATING TO HINDI LANGUAGE AND HINDI LITERATURE
• HELPING IMMIGRANTS ASSIMILATE INTO CANADIAN SOCIETY BY DEVELOPING HINDI INDO-CANADIAN LITERATURE IN CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE
• MAINTAINING HINDI WEB-SITE FOR E-MAGAZINE AND E-LIBRARY FOR MEMBERS
  
  

http://hindiwg.blogspot.com/

Trans-creating my poem from Hindi to English. Sometimes I do it from English to Hindi

जीवन गाथा 

उठती हैं
          गिरती हैं
      दर्पण हैं साँसें
   प्रतिबिम्बों को
   जन्म देती हैं

साँसें 

         प्रतिबिम्ब, जो कई
            चिह्न बना देते हैं
                 दाग देते हैं प्रश्न -?
                 कई दायरों पर
              लिख देते हैं दायरे
              कई सीनों पर।

          छप जाती है
    समय के पन्नों पर
 जीवन गाथा। 

Epic 

It rises and falls.

Is it a mirror?

Breeding reflections

Earthlings

Multitude,

Stamping signatures

Carving the questions beyond-?

Limiting the limits.

Marking the boundary lines

inscribed in hearts. 

Binding and circulating

A printed lifeline.

An epic

Ending

on the blank sheets

of  time.

Is this my breath in action

my spirit in a straight line ?

StarBuzzOnline.com -Toronto. LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT - . Published from Toronto & distributed all over GTA.

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Generally About Books: "Guest Post by Meena Chopra

Meena Chopra is a Canadian artist and poet of Indian origin.
She read the following paper at the Festival of South Asian Literature & the Arts 2013 held in Toronto May 3 to 5, 2013. Meena was a panelist on 'One World, One English, the Many Languages of the Imagination'

Blessed are the people who become the vehicle to the inspired moments of the creative impulse in the language of their soul.

World is transitioning into a global village where English language is taking the front seat but not in a traditional British, American or any other way. It is evolving with variety of different realistic cultural influences. The biggest influence on new English is of the technological culture and the dynamism of the young who are the creative compelling users of technology. The idiom and syntax are changing fast.
"
Read More at: Generally About Books

'via Blog this'

StarBuzzOnline.com

Art and its incredible effects on mind - An insight

Author: Meena Chopra
Art House for Kids-Art as healer has always improved the quality of life and mind giving a third dimension to the human personality in many ways. Art is a beautiful thing to be enjoyed, and knowing the powers it can have on the human mind is certainly an added bonus.

Music, dance, painting and other forms of art have shown to have an incredibly significant and positive effect on children and adults both.. 

Starry Night by Van Gogh

 

Art therapy has been used to awaken the senses of underprivileged children through both the viewing and creating of art by them.Through their artistic endeavours they subconsciously associate themselves with their past. The memories come more freely since they are not elicited by direct objects, but indirect thought instead. 

Sun Flower by Van Gogh

 

Due to many past experiences many children begin to develop nervousness, anxiety, sleeping excessive or too little, a lack of verbal, social and language skills. Many times depending on the color within a piece, or may be some other quality of the artwork, different emotions can be evoked by the observer unknowingly. Awakening of the senses through experimentation with the different types of art these children experience an untapped emotional world within themselves and with this association with their own inner being, they are able to show increased abilities in their cognitive, motor and social skills. 

Many of the most famous pieces in the Pop art movement have utilized popular advertisements that could be easily tied to past memories. Pop art is known very well for its use of bright, vibrant colors. 

Piccaso - Woman with Fan

Pop art is specifically tied to nostalgic thoughts since many of these works utilize old comics, food wrappers, advertisements and other types of art that people may recognize from past events in their lives.  Pop art is especial useful in helping evoke past memories and gain insight through the use of bright colors. Nostalgic undertones emotions and feelings surrounding past events can be easily conjured up through the study of Pop art.


According to a 2010 study conducted by researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, viewing paintings as opposed to photographs of similar objects evoked more of a sense of reward within the brain. Participants in the study were shown pieces from different artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso, and then they were showed photographs that depicted very similar objects. When they studied the brains of the participants through imaging technology, the ventrial striatum, which is part of the reward system, became more strongly activated when the participant saw a painting rather then a photograph of a similar object. Even if only momentarily, the memories they experience have shown to increase positive moods and improve their quality of life.

Pop art, for example, impacts different people in different ways. Clearly different aspects of art and the participation in the arts can have a profound and positive effect on the human mind. Most forms of art are able to impact the human mind in one way or another.With its strong ties to commercial consumerism and found art, it is easy to evoke emotion in someone when utilizing the properties of Pop art. But Pop art is not the only type of art that can be used to help stimulate areas of the brain and help in the process of resolving issues. 

Beatles

Bright yellows often evoke a feeling of happiness, which is a very common color in Pop art pieces. For example, if someone is dealing with a childhood trauma, memories from childhood can help them figure out exactly what happened and how to move past it.

Utilizing pop art to delve into past memories can be very therapeutic for many different reasons. Alzheimer's patients are often involved in music therapy, which has shown to help them recover and reconnect with past memories therefore acting as a healer and giving a positive impact to the mind towards their improvement and well being .  

What is most important is to explore the impact art has on the human mind and figure out how to positively harness the impact and minimize any negativity.

औरत

ये वह शक्ति है जिसकी कोख में जीवन पनपता है 

वो ताकत है, जो सितारों भरी क़ायनात को जन्म देती है, 

जीवन को जगमगाहट और नज्जारों  को इल्म देती है,

धरा पे उगते फूलों, पौधों और पेड़ों को सींच देती है 

कहीं शबरी, कहीं मीरा, तो कहीं रानी झाँसी का रूप लेती है 

ये औरत है जो रण में जाते वीरों को विजय तिलक देती है 

ये औरतहै, निर्भय है, 

निर्भयता को जन्म देती है। 

(Dedicated to WWGC - World Women Global Council)

-मीना 

ye wo shakti hai jiski kokh main jeevan panapta hai

wo taakat hai, jo sitaron bhari quayanaat ko janm deti hai,

jeevan ko jagmagahat aur nazzaron ko ilm deti hai,

dhara pe ugte phoolon, paudhon aur pedon ko seench deti hai,

kahin Shabri, kahin Meera aur kahin Jhansi ki Raani ka roop leti hai.

ye aurat hai jo rann mein jate veeron ko vijay tilak deti hai,

ye aurat hai "nirbhaya" hai.

nirbhayata ko janm deti hai!

(dedicated to WWGC and "Nirbhay")

-Meena

"She is the power because she is the womb, where the life is created and from where the life is generated, she is the mother of the universe which is a spellbinding miraculous experience. She is the bearer of the eternal light of life and strength. She is the fearless one".

Meena's Art

Source: meenasartworld.blogspot.ca via Meena Chopra on Pinterest

Art and its incredible effects on mind - An insight

Author: Meena Chopra
Art House for Kids-Art as healer has always improved the quality of life and mind giving a third dimension to the human personality in many ways. Art is a beautiful thing to be enjoyed, and knowing the powers it can have on the human mind is certainly an added bonus.

Music, dance, painting and other forms of art have shown to have an incredibly significant and positive effect on children and adults both.. 

Starry Night by Van Gogh

 

Art therapy has been used to awaken the senses of underprivileged children through both the viewing and creating of art by them.Through their artistic endeavours they subconsciously associate themselves with their past. The memories come more freely since they are not elicited by direct objects, but indirect thought instead. 

Sun Flower by Van Gogh

 

Due to many past experiences many children begin to develop nervousness, anxiety, sleeping excessive or too little, a lack of verbal, social and language skills. Many times depending on the color within a piece, or may be some other quality of the artwork, different emotions can be evoked by the observer unknowingly. Awakening of the senses through experimentation with the different types of art these children experience an untapped emotional world within themselves and with this association with their own inner being, they are able to show increased abilities in their cognitive, motor and social skills. 

Many of the most famous pieces in the Pop art movement have utilized popular advertisements that could be easily tied to past memories. Pop art is known very well for its use of bright, vibrant colors. 

Piccaso - Woman with Fan

Pop art is specifically tied to nostalgic thoughts since many of these works utilize old comics, food wrappers, advertisements and other types of art that people may recognize from past events in their lives.  Pop art is especial useful in helping evoke past memories and gain insight through the use of bright colors. Nostalgic undertones emotions and feelings surrounding past events can be easily conjured up through the study of Pop art.


According to a 2010 study conducted by researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, viewing paintings as opposed to photographs of similar objects evoked more of a sense of reward within the brain. Participants in the study were shown pieces from different artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso, and then they were showed photographs that depicted very similar objects. When they studied the brains of the participants through imaging technology, the ventrial striatum, which is part of the reward system, became more strongly activated when the participant saw a painting rather then a photograph of a similar object. Even if only momentarily, the memories they experience have shown to increase positive moods and improve their quality of life.

Pop art, for example, impacts different people in different ways. Clearly different aspects of art and the participation in the arts can have a profound and positive effect on the human mind. Most forms of art are able to impact the human mind in one way or another.With its strong ties to commercial consumerism and found art, it is easy to evoke emotion in someone when utilizing the properties of Pop art. But Pop art is not the only type of art that can be used to help stimulate areas of the brain and help in the process of resolving issues. 

Beatles

Bright yellows often evoke a feeling of happiness, which is a very common color in Pop art pieces. For example, if someone is dealing with a childhood trauma, memories from childhood can help them figure out exactly what happened and how to move past it.

Utilizing pop art to delve into past memories can be very therapeutic for many different reasons. Alzheimer's patients are often involved in music therapy, which has shown to help them recover and reconnect with past memories therefore acting as a healer and giving a positive impact to the mind towards their improvement and well being .  

What is most important is to explore the impact art has on the human mind and figure out how to positively harness the impact and minimize any negativity.

Khayalon me dooba waqt - Hindi poem by Meena Chopra

StarBuzz, Toronto-