"A look at the role of literature, in the context of the recent Jaipur Literature Festival."
Markandey Katju, the author is the Chairman of the Press Council of India, and a former Judge of the Supreme Court. There are two theories about art and literature. The first, ‘art for art's sake' and the second, ‘art for social purpose'. The author ponders on the question of "Which of these should be adopted and followed by artists and writers in India today?" The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Writers must serve a social purpose
In the author's view, "Much of the ‘Literature' Festival was really a caricature. Much of the time was wasted on Salman Rushdie, whom I regard as a very mediocre writer who would have been unknown to most people but for The Satanic Verses. There were, of course, serious writers too whose work deals with the problems of the people but they received no attention in comparison."
There is hardly any good art and literature today before us. Where are the Sarat Chandras and Premchands? Where are the Kabirs, the Dickens? There seems to be a vacuum in artistic and literary terms. Everything seems to have become commercialised. Writers write not to highlight the plight of the masses but to earn money.
Markandey Katju, the author is the Chairman of the Press Council of India, and a former Judge of the Supreme Court. There are two theories about art and literature. The first, ‘art for art's sake' and the second, ‘art for social purpose'. The author ponders on the question of "Which of these should be adopted and followed by artists and writers in India today?" The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Writers must serve a social purpose
In the author's view, "Much of the ‘Literature' Festival was really a caricature. Much of the time was wasted on Salman Rushdie, whom I regard as a very mediocre writer who would have been unknown to most people but for The Satanic Verses. There were, of course, serious writers too whose work deals with the problems of the people but they received no attention in comparison."
There is hardly any good art and literature today before us. Where are the Sarat Chandras and Premchands? Where are the Kabirs, the Dickens? There seems to be a vacuum in artistic and literary terms. Everything seems to have become commercialised. Writers write not to highlight the plight of the masses but to earn money.
