History is very powerful – not just conceptually – but emotionally, logically and politically. It hangs on the mind and shapes the mindset. We may even be getting influenced by it – even without realizing its power to shape us. Some might say we are scared of the ghosts! But ghosts are scary – isn’t [...]
Archive of posts tagged Essays
India and English Language
Many years ago, a well known editor and columnist had written that since he writes in english, speaks most of the time in english, most of his reading is english, and he even consequently thinks in english, therefore his mother tongue ought to be English! At that time, such statement sounded too arrogant and whimsical. [...]
The Concept of Swaraj
This essay was presented at the Essay Competition-cum-Young Scholars Seminar on Concept of Swaraj, held under auspeicies of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), at Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (University), Jabalpur, Feb 25-28, 1997. Concept of Swaraj © Anup Mukherjee Swaraje Namah : Salutation to the self ruling splendour – Atharva Veda The impelling urge for [...]
Religion and Politics
If religion is the belief in supernatural, its propriety in civilised society lies in the cognizance of conciliating the divergences to euphony, which is characterised by harmony of universe and is symbolic of the supernatural arbiter. And if religion is merely a bunch of rituals whcich remains with us for sake of tradition then the [...]
Independence Day and Legacy of Mangal Pandey
India celebrated its 59th independence day today (58 years of independence). Some cynic would say, that the republic is already old and it should prepare for its retirement (as a republic, India is 55 something). More optimists would say that India has learned over the years, and the people and leadership and the republic as [...]
Literature, Nationhood and Imperialism
To deny the concept of nationhood that stood in binary opposition to the enterprise of imperialism is basically to deny imperialism and to see the whole imperial enterprise as a foreign rule. When we do a social-history study of colonialism as regards India, we must have some basic factual understanding. Often in interdisciplinary studies, scholars [...]
Secularism and Pluralism
Secularism and pluralism are the two sides of the same coin. A society to exist needs religion – it cannot do without it. However, in todays world situation where the insularity of historical society has largely vanished, we find that every nation is not constituted by a single society, but by many societies that adhere [...]
The A of Theory
Theory is a construct that is a general representation of an actual or constructed truth. When the theory represents an actual, usually recurring, truth or reality it becomes a law. If it does not represent a proved reality, it continues to remain a theory. In such cases we may also find competing theories. eg. we [...]
Cultural Context and Interpretations
Culture gives meaning to our actions and ideas. Any action or idea can have meaning only in a particular cultural context. Waving the hand in a particular context may mean greeting, while in another it may mean a warning or threat. This same thing is also mediated by cultural usages and practices. Cultural difference is [...]
Dreams
“Dreams are like highways, gets lost with distance…”, so went the song. Are dreams meant to be lost? yes, no, maybe…, perhaps, dreams are not landmarks to be reached, but something to be pursued. Dreams do not have any destination, but are guideposts. Dreams have continuity, they are not static, but dynamic. It is the [...]
