Page 83 - TheGoldBug1971-72

March 27, 1972 THE GOLD BUG Page Three Dr. Lal:What every Hindu knows by Cathy Nelson One of the most well-liked lecturers to visit Western Maryland made a return visit last Wed- nesday and Thursday. Professor P. Lal, of Calcutta, India, spoke on five different topics relating to Indian literature and culture to five enthusiastically charmed audiences. Kicking off his mini-tour with a Wednesday night discussion of Hindu Reality As Shown In The Isa- Upanisad. Professor Lal set the tone for his sub- sequent talks by being at once witty and thought- provoking. Speaking of the Isa-Upanisad (a Hindu poem) as "something every Hindu knows ... " he stressed the importance of the poem as being basic to Hinduism. The key to a good life, as expressed in Hindu terms by the poem, would be the presence of enjoyment, not as a sought-after goal, but as a by- product. Echoes of his last year's visit sounded as he said with a smile, "If you go looking, for hap- piness, watch ouL. you'll get it." Between the Wednesday and Thursday scheduled lectures, Professor Lal visited two classes and held an informal discussion with faculty and students in the faculty lounge. After sitting in on Dr. Holthaus' class in the morning, the professor addressed Dr Richwine's class on, "Indian influence on the poetry of William Butler Yeats." The topic shifted somewhat from the literary side to the political at the informal discussion, as Dr. Lal gave his views on the Bengali situation; India and East Pakistan, United States intervention, and so on. During the discussion, the professor spoke from personal experience of the impoverished conditions of his country, of Bangladesh. His insights into the problem were sometimes quite-cdisturbtng ; he warned that the U. S. lost much good will in India due to the situation in Bangladesh. However, he, added that there was still, he hoped, some good feeling left for the U. S. in India, since, as he put it, "Mrs. Ghandi is always very careful to say, 'The American government' ... " . His final lecture came on Thursday afternoon, when he took the audience on what he called, "A literary tour of India." He read selections from poetry published by his own Writer's Workshop, representing a major young poet from Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, and Delhi. The last sample was a particularly amusing story dealing with an Indian man who tried to impress his American boss. Professor Lal gave it a dynamic reading, providing Professor P. Lal reads from one of his Writers' Workshop publications. a fitting sendoff to a very personable lecturer. P Lal IS by Cathy Nelson Trying to describe Professor P. Lal is a little like COLLEGE STUDENT'S POETRY ANTHOLOG) trying to do brain surgery with tweezers. Somehow, the words just don't seem fine enough. The NATIONAL POETR Y PRESS For fine, in the best, delicate sense of the word, is announces its what P. La'1 is. He came onto campus like a calming, provoking breeze. In our Westernized SPRING COMPETITION world of hurry-up-and-wait, he stands Ilrmjn his own workable convictions. As a teacher, he surely The do~ing elate for the submission of manuscrints by College Students is must be impeccably popular; as a person, he is April 10 charming, thoughtful, dryly humorous, observant, and, although he would shrug at the thought, wise in ANY STUDENT attendi~ either JunIor or senior college is eligible to submit a way none of us could understand. his verse. There is no limitation u to form or theme. Shorter works are pre- When he speaks, the Western tongue sounds ferred by the Board of Judges. because of .pace limitations. harsh and crude by comparison. He doesn't just use words, he casesses and carefully selects them. He Each poem must he TYPED or PRINTED on a separate sheet, and must challenges constantly, for you to think, reflect, turn bear the NAME and HOME ADDRESS of the student. and the COLLEGE ADCRESS as well. inward. His ready communicability belies his strongly slenderized elegance. He is ready to listen MANUSCRIPTS should be sent to the OFFICE OF THE PRESS also, but just try to explain some of your rationale and priorities to the professor, and be surprised at NATIONAL POETRY PRESS how Westernized you really are. Even so, he listens, and somehow you feel all is not quite lost. 3210 Selby Avenue This is a man who has the rare ability to speak Lo s Angeles, Calif. simple truths which have become all too obscured 90034 in a trivial world. He surpasses the ordinary because he is different, because out of a culture we have only just begun to appreciate, he draws the drive to fit in almost anywhere. No one who meets Professor P. Lal comes away unaffected; for through him, you get a glance of a higher, more meaningful truth.