Problematizing Indian Literature: The Quest for a Literary Identity of India

Abstract

If we ask the question “What is Indian Literature?” the answer is very difficult to obtain. This is because India is a land of many languages and differing literary heritages, all joined together by an unseen thread. It is a matter of wonder how the idea of nationhood holds together this multilingual society. Is it possible to find a solid literary identity for India? Just as we feel the idea of “world literature” overwhelming, we must feel the same for the idea of “Indian Literature”. The issue of colonialism makes matters worse because there is a new thing called Indian English Literature which may or may not find a place in the Indian Literary paradigm. Whether the models of the comparative literature paradigm can offer any solution is a question yet to be explored.