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6th Summer Program in Punjab Studies June 30 - August 11 This year's program ran from June 30 through August 11 and was based at the Hotel Shivalikview in Chandigarh. There were eleven participants whose names are listed at the end of this document. On August 5, participants were asked to write detailed evaluations on the five main components of the program indicated below. Connie Elsberg and Dan Michon prepared the following summaries of the evaluations for each category. 1. Punjabi The Punjabi language instruction portion of the 2002 program had three distinct groups of students: one, native Punjabi speakers, two, non-native Punjabi speakers who had some previous instruction, and three, absolute beginners. The daily two-hour sessions needed to cater to all three groups, a challenge that was successfully met. In the first group, native speakers, there was quite a mix, Canadian, German, and American born Punjabis, as well as one resident of Chandigarh itself. While there was some trepidation at the outset that the class would move too slowly in order to accommodate the beginners, all in this group learned a great deal about Punjabi grammar, pronunciation, and local variations in the language. As one participant, a middle school teacher, wrote, "[t]he lessons were extremely helpful. I, as a 'native' speaker, had no clue about the grammar before. Now, after the program, I can say that I have a basic insight into the grammar, and I think I will be able to teach Punjabi for beginners." And another participant stated, "[i]t [the instruction] really taught me the mechanics of the language." However, the most valued aspect of the instruction was Prof. Mann's ability to explain the origin of the regional variants and bring them together in some sort of standard Punjabi. In this regard, one participant wrote, "I don't think that all we learned could be gathered from any textbook or by ourselves." Clearly, a unique part of the program for advanced speakers is to sit with other Punjabis from all over the world and discuss the variations that have accrued in the language. As for the third group, those with no training in Punjabi at all, sitting with the advanced students was very helpful (even though at times it was also frustrating), and there was a general consensus that Prof. Mann's patience was truly amazing. As one beginner wrote, "for beginners, Prof. Mann's patience in teaching Punjabi was inexhaustible." The lessons progressed slowly as Prof. Mann took time to make sure that the script and phonetic system were clear before moving to basic grammar. However, there were frequent diversions into the various dialectical differences, and while some appreciated these forays, one participant wrote, "[t]oo many grammatical theories and new words overwhelm the student, making any learning more difficult." Finally, one beginner suggested more useful "around town" phrases to be taught from the very beginning. The second group, non-native Punjabi speakers with some background in the language, was thoroughly pleased with the language instruction. It was a perfect mix of review and new material, a mix that advanced their speaking and listening skills immeasurably. As one participant wrote, "Prof. Mann sat with us through high tones and low tones, dentals and retroflexes, and aspirates and non-aspirates, always making sure we had it right so we could venture off to the market to practice our new found skills. I found my abilities to speak with Punjabis increasing by the day." Overall, the language portion of the program was a success. Prof. Mann negotiated the treacherous ground of having vastly different levels of competence in the class with good humor and energy. For a program that doesn't profess to be "language intensive," there seemed to be a great deal of "intense" learning occurring. 2. History Classes in Punjab geography, history, and art history were offered in the mornings. Professor Gossal's review of the geography of the Punjab and the hills prepared the group for history lectures and for travel in the area. Professors Banga and Grewal provided a much-praised survey of Punjabi history from the prehistoric period to the present. Indeed, this was an area of the program that received a great deal of praise. All expressed appreciation for the history lectures and agreed that these were inclusive, valuable, and the background necessary for all the other facets of the program. As one student wrote, "The lectures by Drs. Grewal and Banga were absolutely wonderful. I doubt that any other scholars would be able to recount Punjabi history with the same breadth and depth of knowledge." Participants also praised review sessions in which Professor Mann answered questions about a wide range of subjects covered in the lectures. And of the art history lectures, one student said, "Karuna and B.N. Goswamy were fantastic." Given the amount of material covered, some people felt that they would have benefited from receiving reading lists before they traveled to India, and several would have appreciated a general summary of Punjab history so that they could better put individual lectures into the broader context. 3. Culture This is a unique aspect of the program. Each afternoon individuals representing aspects of Punjabi culture talked about their work or performed for the group. This segment included a presentation on the planning of Chandigarh, a discussion of twentieth century Sikh journalism, reflections on being a Hindu in the Punjab, reading of poetry and short stories, musical performances, and more. Participants praised the variety of cultural activities represented and welcomed the change from more scholarly presentations. Favorites included bhangra lessons, musical performances and a presentation by the poet Surjit Patar. One enthusiastic student wrote, "The cultural aspect of the program has been the most interesting for me. Having such important Punjabi poets and writers as Surjit Patar read their own works was a special and moving experience and added flavor to the more academic aspects of the program." The social scientists in the group expressed a desire for even more variety. Said one, "As a social anthropologist I would appreciate meeting more scholars from this field. It would be interesting to learn more about communalism and other current issues." Another would have liked to "see more of the rural life and observe some 'unsung' traditions," and to have ventured out into the field more. 4. Travel The travel portion of the program received, by far, the most ink in the written reviews of the participants. Almost unanimously, it was lauded as the best part of the program. Each weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, Prof. Mann took the group on day trips to various points in Panjab. These weekend trips were complimented by a week long trip that crisscrossed the landscape, from Chandigarh to Amritsar to Dharmsala to Kangra and many points in-between. Sights visited included Hindu temples, Sikh Gurdwaras, Sufi shrines and mosques, universities, schools, medieval forts, museums, palaces, archaeological sites, gardens, sites of colonial conflict, and the ever-present countryside. As one participant stated, "the travel completes the program . . . and even though the accommodation can be difficult at times, in Dharamsala the beauty made up for the inconvenience." All agreed it was hot, but all also understood that this was India and pushed on. In the end, most participants said something like this reviewer, "[t]ravel was by far the strongest portion of the program." The strength of the travel came from three inter-related aspects. First, Prof. Mann was careful to present all of Punjab in the itinerary. As one participant wrote, "I had always associated Punjab with Sikhism only, but visits to so many religious places has made me aware of the multi-religious nature of the region." This sentiment, the surprising diversity of Punjab, was echoed by many of the participants. Second, the travel portion complemented the classroom lectures, "it is in the travel where much of the history begins to really take shape. Without the physical contact with the land, the history remains elusive. For example, to see the geographic reality of the physical relationship between Guru Gobind Singh's seat of power at Anandpur and the Bilaspur chieftan's seat of power at Naina Devi, to stand in one place and see the other (we went to both), brings a whole new understanding of this period of Punjab history, an understanding that is hard to grasp without being there." Finally, the travel offers an opportunity to meet with Punjabi scholars, artists, and politicians, "[m]eeting with local scholars was a pleasure, and the chance to build a relationship with them was invaluable." The highest praise for this portion comes from one participant who wanted travel week, despite its hardships, to be much longer! In closing, a good summary of the experience came from one participant, "what will stay with me is the life - the crowds, the jostling, the cows and pigs and monkeys, the stretches of green fields, the canals and irrigation systems, throngs of devotees going to goddess temples, a monsoon shower at the Darbar Sahib and the crazy rickshaw ride back to the guesthouse at Guru Nanak Dev University. . . and the contrasts of the drought ridden plains, the rain and mists of the hills, and dust - dust everywhere." 5.
Administration There
were some suggestions for fine-tuning arrangements, which included
more time off in the afternoons for reading, reflection, or personal
errands and taking Saturdays, rather than Sundays, as off days since
stores and other facilities are open then. List of the participants 1.
Jeff Albanese, Ph.D. candidate, Religion, |
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