Author(s): Rahul Chauhan

Abstract: This paper attempts to investigate the process of writing of the literary history in the context of South Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In doing so, it problematizes the process of canon formation by raising a number of questions. What are the critical frameworks and methodological tools involved? What are the gaps in the formation of the literary canon? What roles did caste, gender and class play in the process of writing of literary texts and their incorporation into the canon? The paper also problematizes the influence of the Western models of literary historiographies over the existing literary historiographies across Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It attempts to probe into the possible points of departure that provide us with the alternative frameworks from the ones provided to us by the Western model. Can we look at the literary history, alternatively, rather than classifying texts according to chronology or genres as is conventionally done? The paper attempts to suggest some of the frameworks in order to undo the influence of western model. Tracing the oral transmission of texts while highlighting numerous folkloric motifs prevalent in the canonical texts particularly focusing on the Sufi-Bhakti traditions. Another alternative is adopting a dynamic approach by incorporating new concepts such as “margino-centrism”, “multicultural corridors” and “pluralistic epistemologies” (206), as Prof. T.S. Satyanath puts it. His approach would be to reconceptualize cultural contacts as cultural re-negotiations which “nullifies the effects of imperialistic influence model of comparison” (208). Such an approach could dismantle the status of literary history as a grand narrative and propose alternative approaches.

Keywords: literary canon, literary historiography, margin-centrism, multicultural corridors, pluralistic epistemologies, grand narrative

Article Info: Received: 30 Apr 2026; Received in revised form: 25 May 2026; Accepted: 29 May 2026; Available online: 01 Jun 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.113.41