The challenges of communication: JP Naik Memorial Lecture 2025, 2025
Chairperson and friends, I am very grateful to friends and colleagues at the Centre for Women's D... more Chairperson and friends, I am very grateful to friends and colleagues at the Centre for Women's Development Studies for inviting me to deliver the J.P. Naik Memorial Lecture this year. 2025 marks the 50 th anniversary of the historic Towards Equality report, providing a much-needed opportunity for reflection on what has been achieved as well as what remains to be done. As is obvious, the world today has changed substantially from what it was in 1975. As important, most of the changes we have witnessed were perhaps neither anticipated, nor predicted.
Aamaar doshawr jey jawn ogo taarey ke jaaney. Ektaaraa taar daey ki shaaraa aamaar gaaney ke jaan... more Aamaar doshawr jey jawn ogo taarey ke jaaney. Ektaaraa taar daey ki shaaraa aamaar gaaney ke jaaney. Aamaar nodir jey dheu ogo jaaney ki keu Jaay bohey jaay kaahaar paaaney. Ke jaaney. Jawkhon bokul jhorey Aamaar kaanon tawl jaay go bhorey Tawkhon ke aashey-jaay shei bono chhaayaay, Ke shaaji taar bhorey aaney. Ke jaaney. Does anyone know who is my friend? Do my songs resonate with her music? Who knows just how the waves speed on And towards whom my river flows? And when the earth of my garden is full With fragrant, fallen flowers, Who is it that comes through the shade, Bearing a basket that overflows?
Draft translation of Andher Sparsher Moto by Shankha Ghosh, Part 2, 2021
It is necessary to show such divisions for some accounts. But when we should be thinking in terms... more It is necessary to show such divisions for some accounts. But when we should be thinking in terms of embracing the entirety, then the use of 'we' as a divisive term may result in a permanent crisis and may lead to many errors in our understanding. For instance, if a government uses the word 'we', then it is certainly possible that some political opponents could be excluded from that 'we', but it is supposed to include all the ordinary people of the country. In other words, the speaker should understand that as the circumference of 'we' shrinks, so also will the country become more and more fragmented. It is not that 'they' should become 'we', but rather that 'they' should be 'we'. Without realizing that, instead of fulfilling our responsibility of erasing the divide between 'we' and 'they', we probably sharpen it by using such words.
Debabrata Biswas Purabi Mukherjee Sasha Ghoshal Baani tawbo dhaay awnonto gawgoney lokey lokey, T... more Debabrata Biswas Purabi Mukherjee Sasha Ghoshal Baani tawbo dhaay awnonto gawgoney lokey lokey, Tawbo baani groho chawndro deepto tawpon taaraa. Shukho dukho tawbo baani, jawnom mawron baani tomaar, Nibhrito gobheer tawbo baani bhawktohridawye shaantidhaaraa. Your message pervades the expanse of the sky, it pervades all the worlds, The planets, the moon, the sun, and the stars. In joy and sorrow, in birth and in death, A deep, peaceful stream flowing through the heart of those who worship you. [1306/1899, Puja] Suchitra Mitra Arghya Sen Jey chhilo aamaar shawponochaarinee Taarey bujhitey paari ni. Deen choley gechhey khoonjitey khoonjitey. Shubhokhawney kaachhey daakiley Lawjjaa aamaar dhaakiley go. Tomaarey shawhojey peyechhi bujhitey. Ke morey phiraabey awnaadawrey Ke morey daakibey kaachhey, Kaahaar premer bedonaay aamaar mulyo aachhey, E nirawntar shawngshawye haai paari ne jujhitey-Aami tomaarei shudhu perechhi bujhitey.
Draft Paper presented at the Indian History Congress , 2024
This anonymous composition is just one more reminder of the close and often fuzzy frontiers that ... more This anonymous composition is just one more reminder of the close and often fuzzy frontiers that separate us from bustling non-human worlds, teeming with activity, offering insights when we turn to see, smell, touch, listen, and even taste them. As is well-known, early Indian texts contain a wealth of didactic and narrative material on the relationships between and within these worlds. These work through similes, metaphors and analogies that are at once accessible and riveting. Here, I will focus on the second tantra or book of the Pañcatantra, arguably one of the most popular texts of all time. I will attempt to tease out the ways in which inter-species relationships are constructed, and explore how these may have been understood by those who read/ heard/ saw visual representations of these narratives. Patrick Olivelle, to whom we owe a recent edition and translation of the text, begins with an epigram quoting Franklin Edgerton: 2 No other work of Hindu literature has played so important a part in the literature of the world as the Sanskrit story-collection called Pañcatantra. Indeed, the statement has been made that no book except the Bible has enjoyed such an extensive circulation in the 1 Thanks to Aishwarya Kothare for sharing this delightful, anonymous poem circulating on Whatsapp.
Purba Dam Debabrata Biswas Gawhono raatey sraabonodhaaraa porichhey jhorey Keno go michhey jaagaa... more Purba Dam Debabrata Biswas Gawhono raatey sraabonodhaaraa porichhey jhorey Keno go michhey jaagaabey orey. Ekhono duti aankhir koney jaay jey dekhaa Jawler rekhaa. Naa-bawlaa baani royechhey jeno awdhor bhorey. Naahoy jeyo gunjoriyaa binaar taarey Moner kawthaa shawyondwaarey. Naahoy rekho maalotikoli shithil keshey Nirawbey eshey. Naahoy raakhi pawraayey jeyo phooler dorey Keno go micchey jaagaabey orey. Rain drops through the dense, dark night, Do not call her, let her rest. Even now there are traces of tears near her eyes, Unspoken words fill her lips. If you wish, leave the words of your heart on the threshold Resonating with the notes of the lute, And silently place the fragrant buds On her flowing hair, Or tie your bond of love to her flowers, But do not call her, let her rest.
Aakaash hotey aakaash-pawthey haajaar srotey Jhorchhey jawgot jhawrnaadhaaraar moto. Aamaar shore... more Aakaash hotey aakaash-pawthey haajaar srotey Jhorchhey jawgot jhawrnaadhaaraar moto. Aamaar shoreer moner awdheer dhaaraa shaathey shaathey boichhey awbirawto. Dui probaaher ghaatey ghaatey uthtechhey gaan diney raatey, Shei gaaney gaaney aamaar praaney dheu legechhey kawto. Aamaar hridawytawtey choorno shey gaan chhawraay shawto shawto. Oi aakaash-dobaa dhaaraar dolaay duli awbirawto. Ei nrityo-paagol byakulawtaa bishwopawraaney Nityo aamaay jaagiye raakhey shaanti naa maaney. Chirodiner kaannaahaashi uthchey bheshey raashi raashi --E shawb dekhtechhey kon nidraahaaraa nawyon awbonawto. Ogo, shei nawyoney nawyon aamaar hok-naa nimeshhawto -Oi aakaash-bhawraa dekhaar shaathey dekhbo awbirawto. From and through the skies. Flow ceaselessly with it. As the two streams collide, And that music raises countless waves Rising and falling within my soul. The waves of music crash against the banks of my heart And are scattered all around.
The challenges of communication: JP Naik Memorial Lecture 2025, 2025
Chairperson and friends, I am very grateful to friends and colleagues at the Centre for Women's D... more Chairperson and friends, I am very grateful to friends and colleagues at the Centre for Women's Development Studies for inviting me to deliver the J.P. Naik Memorial Lecture this year. 2025 marks the 50 th anniversary of the historic Towards Equality report, providing a much-needed opportunity for reflection on what has been achieved as well as what remains to be done. As is obvious, the world today has changed substantially from what it was in 1975. As important, most of the changes we have witnessed were perhaps neither anticipated, nor predicted.
Aamaar doshawr jey jawn ogo taarey ke jaaney. Ektaaraa taar daey ki shaaraa aamaar gaaney ke jaan... more Aamaar doshawr jey jawn ogo taarey ke jaaney. Ektaaraa taar daey ki shaaraa aamaar gaaney ke jaaney. Aamaar nodir jey dheu ogo jaaney ki keu Jaay bohey jaay kaahaar paaaney. Ke jaaney. Jawkhon bokul jhorey Aamaar kaanon tawl jaay go bhorey Tawkhon ke aashey-jaay shei bono chhaayaay, Ke shaaji taar bhorey aaney. Ke jaaney. Does anyone know who is my friend? Do my songs resonate with her music? Who knows just how the waves speed on And towards whom my river flows? And when the earth of my garden is full With fragrant, fallen flowers, Who is it that comes through the shade, Bearing a basket that overflows?
Draft translation of Andher Sparsher Moto by Shankha Ghosh, Part 2, 2021
It is necessary to show such divisions for some accounts. But when we should be thinking in terms... more It is necessary to show such divisions for some accounts. But when we should be thinking in terms of embracing the entirety, then the use of 'we' as a divisive term may result in a permanent crisis and may lead to many errors in our understanding. For instance, if a government uses the word 'we', then it is certainly possible that some political opponents could be excluded from that 'we', but it is supposed to include all the ordinary people of the country. In other words, the speaker should understand that as the circumference of 'we' shrinks, so also will the country become more and more fragmented. It is not that 'they' should become 'we', but rather that 'they' should be 'we'. Without realizing that, instead of fulfilling our responsibility of erasing the divide between 'we' and 'they', we probably sharpen it by using such words.
Debabrata Biswas Purabi Mukherjee Sasha Ghoshal Baani tawbo dhaay awnonto gawgoney lokey lokey, T... more Debabrata Biswas Purabi Mukherjee Sasha Ghoshal Baani tawbo dhaay awnonto gawgoney lokey lokey, Tawbo baani groho chawndro deepto tawpon taaraa. Shukho dukho tawbo baani, jawnom mawron baani tomaar, Nibhrito gobheer tawbo baani bhawktohridawye shaantidhaaraa. Your message pervades the expanse of the sky, it pervades all the worlds, The planets, the moon, the sun, and the stars. In joy and sorrow, in birth and in death, A deep, peaceful stream flowing through the heart of those who worship you. [1306/1899, Puja] Suchitra Mitra Arghya Sen Jey chhilo aamaar shawponochaarinee Taarey bujhitey paari ni. Deen choley gechhey khoonjitey khoonjitey. Shubhokhawney kaachhey daakiley Lawjjaa aamaar dhaakiley go. Tomaarey shawhojey peyechhi bujhitey. Ke morey phiraabey awnaadawrey Ke morey daakibey kaachhey, Kaahaar premer bedonaay aamaar mulyo aachhey, E nirawntar shawngshawye haai paari ne jujhitey-Aami tomaarei shudhu perechhi bujhitey.
Draft Paper presented at the Indian History Congress , 2024
This anonymous composition is just one more reminder of the close and often fuzzy frontiers that ... more This anonymous composition is just one more reminder of the close and often fuzzy frontiers that separate us from bustling non-human worlds, teeming with activity, offering insights when we turn to see, smell, touch, listen, and even taste them. As is well-known, early Indian texts contain a wealth of didactic and narrative material on the relationships between and within these worlds. These work through similes, metaphors and analogies that are at once accessible and riveting. Here, I will focus on the second tantra or book of the Pañcatantra, arguably one of the most popular texts of all time. I will attempt to tease out the ways in which inter-species relationships are constructed, and explore how these may have been understood by those who read/ heard/ saw visual representations of these narratives. Patrick Olivelle, to whom we owe a recent edition and translation of the text, begins with an epigram quoting Franklin Edgerton: 2 No other work of Hindu literature has played so important a part in the literature of the world as the Sanskrit story-collection called Pañcatantra. Indeed, the statement has been made that no book except the Bible has enjoyed such an extensive circulation in the 1 Thanks to Aishwarya Kothare for sharing this delightful, anonymous poem circulating on Whatsapp.
Purba Dam Debabrata Biswas Gawhono raatey sraabonodhaaraa porichhey jhorey Keno go michhey jaagaa... more Purba Dam Debabrata Biswas Gawhono raatey sraabonodhaaraa porichhey jhorey Keno go michhey jaagaabey orey. Ekhono duti aankhir koney jaay jey dekhaa Jawler rekhaa. Naa-bawlaa baani royechhey jeno awdhor bhorey. Naahoy jeyo gunjoriyaa binaar taarey Moner kawthaa shawyondwaarey. Naahoy rekho maalotikoli shithil keshey Nirawbey eshey. Naahoy raakhi pawraayey jeyo phooler dorey Keno go micchey jaagaabey orey. Rain drops through the dense, dark night, Do not call her, let her rest. Even now there are traces of tears near her eyes, Unspoken words fill her lips. If you wish, leave the words of your heart on the threshold Resonating with the notes of the lute, And silently place the fragrant buds On her flowing hair, Or tie your bond of love to her flowers, But do not call her, let her rest.
Aakaash hotey aakaash-pawthey haajaar srotey Jhorchhey jawgot jhawrnaadhaaraar moto. Aamaar shore... more Aakaash hotey aakaash-pawthey haajaar srotey Jhorchhey jawgot jhawrnaadhaaraar moto. Aamaar shoreer moner awdheer dhaaraa shaathey shaathey boichhey awbirawto. Dui probaaher ghaatey ghaatey uthtechhey gaan diney raatey, Shei gaaney gaaney aamaar praaney dheu legechhey kawto. Aamaar hridawytawtey choorno shey gaan chhawraay shawto shawto. Oi aakaash-dobaa dhaaraar dolaay duli awbirawto. Ei nrityo-paagol byakulawtaa bishwopawraaney Nityo aamaay jaagiye raakhey shaanti naa maaney. Chirodiner kaannaahaashi uthchey bheshey raashi raashi --E shawb dekhtechhey kon nidraahaaraa nawyon awbonawto. Ogo, shei nawyoney nawyon aamaar hok-naa nimeshhawto -Oi aakaash-bhawraa dekhaar shaathey dekhbo awbirawto. From and through the skies. Flow ceaselessly with it. As the two streams collide, And that music raises countless waves Rising and falling within my soul. The waves of music crash against the banks of my heart And are scattered all around.
Having been a student of ancient Indian history for several decades, one of the things that strik... more Having been a student of ancient Indian history for several decades, one of the things that strikes me about our present moment is the concerted effort to redefine learning and identifying the learned. In this process, models from the past are frequently invoked, for better or worse. This often takes the form of citing, somewhat mechanically, the names of learned men, and, occasionally, when there is an attempt to pay lip service to gender neutrality, learned women. So, I thought I would use this opportunity to revisit some of the better known and lesser-known women who find mention in early texts, and who were recognized as having attained the ultimate goal of self-realization. I will focus on four figures, Maitreyi and Gargi, whose names adorn colleges in Delhi University and who are known from the Upanisads, Mahapajapati Gotami, a remarkable figure who emerges from the early Buddhist tradition, and Sulabha, known from the Mahabharata.
The slim volume under review testifies, yet again, to Doniger's long-lasting and loving relations... more The slim volume under review testifies, yet again, to Doniger's long-lasting and loving relationship with the Kamasutra. The Sanskrit text, more often than not fantasized about than read, is divided into seven sections. Perhaps then, it is not sheer coincidence that Doniger provides us with seven essays-of varying length and depth, apart from an introduction highlighting her concerns. As in the case of the Kamasutra, moreover, Doniger's text is a composite work-so chapters 1,3, 4 and 7 are older, while chapters 2 and 6 are more recent additions (p.11).
Early medieval India, a notoriously slippery chronological and spatial category, has attracted co... more Early medieval India, a notoriously slippery chronological and spatial category, has attracted considerable scholarly attention for several decades. Some of the earliest of such attempts, in the post-colonial context, attempted to divest the medieval of its communal connotations, by suggesting instead a turn towards changes in modes of production. This generated what has been designated as the feudalism debate, which, at its best, produced painstaking and thoughtprovoking scholarship that repays careful re-reading. At its worst, it constituted a strait-jacket, within which other concerns, including those with culture and the wider socio-political domain, were either cut into shape and inserted, or simply dismissed as irrelevant. Singh's anthology marks a welcome attempt to at once address the feudalism debate and move beyond it.
The anthology under consideration consists of sixteen articles/ excerpts from books written over ... more The anthology under consideration consists of sixteen articles/ excerpts from books written over a period of nearly five decades, and organized around five themes-the first four being historiography, economy and society, changing political formations, religion, philosophy and society. The last is titled "Towards Further Change." The volume provides a representative sample of some of the major scholarly concerns and preoccupations of one of the best-known historians of our times, and serves as a useful introduction for the lay reader and the young student, who can then choose to delve more deeply into any or all of these themes. The not-so-young, or those more centrally engaged in studies of ancient Indian history will find enough to stimulate memories of debates and discussions that have been critical for decades, as well as fresh insights developed in more recent years encapsulated in this not-so-slim volume. Running through the volume is a concern with the many ways in which history can be understood, and the ways in which this understanding can be enriched. Expectedly, there is a focus on interdisciplinarity, and on problems of periodization. But more than this, and in spite of the thematic division of the volume, one is constantly made aware of the linkages between the social, economic, political, ritual/ religious, and cultural domains and the impossibility of visualizing any one of these as a watertight compartment.
Epic Undertakings consists of 16 papers that were presented nearly a decade ago, in 2003, at the ... more Epic Undertakings consists of 16 papers that were presented nearly a decade ago, in 2003, at the World Sanskrit Conference held in Helsinki. While at first sight they may appear diverse, if not disparate, the editors assure us that they shed: new light on some aspects of the genetic and/or receptive history of these popular and massively influential works, their relationship to each other and to other Indic texts, or the representation and analysis of specific characters and episodes of the poems (p. v). This assurance, we discover, is not misplaced; the essays are illuminating, often demand careful reading, and enrich our understanding of the texts in a variety of ways.
The Goddess and the Nation provides a timely, if somewhat troubling reminder of one strand within... more The Goddess and the Nation provides a timely, if somewhat troubling reminder of one strand within the nationalist movement, tracing its development primarily through a study of visual representations of Bharat Mata, a deified mother India, and her children, especially her sons. Lavishly illustrated and annotated, it carries the reader through over a century of colonial and post-colonial history.
is one of the historians of our times who delights in compelling us to rethink received wisdom an... more is one of the historians of our times who delights in compelling us to rethink received wisdom and chart out fresh trajectories through the past, even as he constantly reminds us of our present locations. In reading his works, we anticipate challenges, irreverence and insights. This slim volume does, to some extent, live up to these expectations.
It will focus on the image of woman in Indian tradition, her achievements and struggles. The Jour... more It will focus on the image of woman in Indian tradition, her achievements and struggles. The Journal will carry studies of theoretical, analytical character. Priority will be given to articles based on Sanskrit texts and culture and heritage. It is an interdisciplinary, multilingual (Hindi, English & Sanskrit) journal focusing on broad themes like Women and Culture, Women and Education, Women's History and Women in Sanskrit Texts. Besides original articles, the Journal also includes book reviews on texts on women and women's issues (Vol. II, 2011, p. iv). Let us consider the very first statement and its implications. As documented by Sharmila Rege (2011), women's studies in India have had a close but complicated relationship with the women's movement, which gained a new momentum in the 1970s. One of the major insights of the women's movement, from which women's studies have derived inspiration in several instances, is the recognition that women in India are not a homogeneous category. While we may have shared experiences of sexual violence and oppression, these also vary according to the contexts in which we are located. The violence experienced by women in areas such as Kashmir, the north eastern states, and parts of central India, for instance, is very different from what we may encounter in the streets of Delhi. There are differences amongst women in terms of caste, class, community and region that we need to acknowledge. If our assumption is that there is a single category called the Indian woman, and a single, unitary tradition called the Indian tradition, we lose sight of the diversity of our locations. This diversity may appear problematic from the point of view of those who wish for a homogeneous or monolithic culture, erasing all traces of difference. And yet, we need to recognize that this diversity, while challenging in terms of a mechanical notion of uniformity, is in fact a source of strength, resilience, and richness. Women in the plural, and traditions in the plural cannot, and must not be wished awayinstead, ideally, we should be working towards a complex inclusiveness-an inclusiveness that is non-hierarchical, non-oppressive, and empowering in the true sense of the term. Does the name Sumangali allow us that space? Is it possible to redefine the term in any way? We may be aware that in Sanskrit, and in several Indian languages,
It is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to be part of a workshop dedicated to exploring the ideas... more It is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to be part of a workshop dedicated to exploring the ideas of one of the most challenging and demanding historians of our times, whose published work, spread over nearly six decades, is remarkable for its range as well as depth. Thapar's books and articles repay revisiting, and continue to be stimulating in a variety of ways. Given our present location, I thought it would be useful to examine a single anthology of her many writings. This is part of a four volume series titled The Historian and Her Craft, published in 2018 by the Oxford University Press. The volume that I propose to focus on is titled Religion and Society, both particularly pressing concerns at the moment, and likely to remain so in the foreseeable future. The anthology consists of a total of 16 essays, organized into five somewhat uneven sections/ themes. These essays were presented and written over nearly four decades, from 1975 to 2014. Also included is an introduction by Kunal Chakrabarti, and a concluding conversation between him and Thapar. I will attempt to read these essays and the frame within which they are enclosed chronologically, even while recognizing their thematic links and overlaps. I hope to highlight the continuities and changes that one can discern in terms of concerns and subjects that drew Thapar's attention during these decades, the questions she raises, the sources she draws on, her strategies of analysis, and the insights that these open up for us. Many of these essays have been anthologized in other collections as well, and the audience is likely to be familiar with them.
Histories and democracies-the potential of textbooks The 21 st century, which is now almost two d... more Histories and democracies-the potential of textbooks The 21 st century, which is now almost two decades old, has witnessed wide-ranging transformations. Located as we are in the midst of these rapid changes, it is often difficult to step back and assess their implications. As teachers of the social sciences in general and history in particular, we often lament that students are no longer interested in history, and the subject needs to be made more exciting. While there is an element of truth in this perception, it needs to be set in a larger context. First, in the world around us, the social sciences are, unfortunately, being rapidly marginalized, as learners, pushed by their aspirations as well as those of peers and parents, are expected to gravitate towards the STEM and CEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, and Commerce, Economics, especially Business Economics, and Management). So, no matter how hard we try, we may not be able to compete in an educational scenario that is increasingly market-driven and commercialized. Also, the formal education system is only one, and often not the most stimulating site of learning-young (and old) tend to seek instant, exciting information from social media in particular, and the internet in general, whenever they have access to the resources and technology involved.
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