c. 1825, Kota, Rajasthan. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accn. 2001.747
सलाम-नमस्ते !
During this quarter of Advanced Hindi (Third Year/Fourth Year/Readings in Hindi) we will dive into the world of music in Hindi by reading and discussing lyrics and poetic genres set to music as well as short stories, articles, and essays about musical traditions and musical performers. We will regularly listen to and discuss recordings of music in premodern and modern genres–including qawwali, bhajan, dhrupad, ghazal, Bollywood, Indi-pop, and bhangra. We will also view videos and films related to musical traditions in northern India.
Please note that you do not need to know anything about music in order to take the course.
Class meetings will involve discussion, collaborative reading, presentations, and occasionally group work. Homework assignments will include listening to recordings, reading lyrics and different forms of prose, writing short reading responses, and preparing presentations.
This course is open to all students that a) have completed two years of Hindi/Urdu at any time in the past, b) have completed an equivalent amount of coursework in Hindi/Urdu, or c) have taken the Hindi language placement exam and been placed in the third year/advanced category.
For more information on the course schedule, readings, and assignments, see the Syllabus.
Special note in light of Covid-19 changes:
The shift to online classes and remote teaching at the University of Chicago should not greatly impact this course. All of the materials and resources for the course were designed to be used online at the individual student’s pace, so the only major change will be the movement of class discussions to the Zoom platform. The instructor is currently experimenting with different ways to utilize Zoom for this purpose and is having success.
FAQ:
Q: I’ve never taken a Hindi class before, but I can speak, read, and write Hindi. May I enroll in the course?
A: Yes. We recommend taking the Hindi language placement test beforehand so that you can see if the course is appropriate for your level.
Q: I know Hindi but cannot read or write. Can I take the class?
A: You must be able to read and write in Devanagari script in order to take the class. Hindi instructor Jason Grunebaum has developed an online crash course in Devanagari if you wish to learn. If you can demonstrate sufficient reading and writing skills, you may be admitted to the course.
Q: Are Third Year Hindi, Fourth Year Hindi, and Advanced Readings in Hindi different courses?
A: No– Third Year, Fourth Year, and Advanced Readings in Hindi are all taught as the same course. Students register according to the course number appropriate to their situation but all study in the same class. If this is the first time that you are taking a Hindi course at UChicago, then you should probably enroll in Third Year Hindi.
Q: When does the course meet?
A: The course meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00am to 12:20pm. There is also a one-hour discussion section (to practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing); students will decide a time for the discussion section in consultation with the course Language Assistant.
Q: Will we learn about things besides music in the course?
A: Yes. We will be reading and discussing multiple topics that intersect the world of music and poetry in Hindi-speaking India such as literature, history, language, religion, and caste.
Q: Will we practice reading and writing, or speaking and listening?
A: We will practice all of the above!