Europe Punardarshan

• Author: Tapan Raychaudhuri
• Publisher: Ananda Publisher
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9788172153694
• Pages: 312
• Format: Hardcover
• Weight: 433 g

Description

Europe Punardarshan is a scholarly exploration of the 19th-century perception of Europe by educated Bengalis, offering a deep dive into the intellectual and cultural responses to Western ideas. Written by renowned historian Tapan Raychaudhuri, this book offers an insightful perspective on the influence of European thought on Bengali intellectuals during the colonial period.

• Focus on Three Intellectuals: The book examines the European vision of three key intellectual figures of 19th-century Bengal: Bhudev Mukhopadhyay, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, and Swami Vivekananda. These figures, each contributing to the discourse on European thought, are central to understanding how Western ideas were received and interpreted in colonial India.

• Exploration of Western Ideas: Raychaudhuri delves into the ways in which these intellectuals grappled with Western culture, philosophy, and politics, showing how their experiences shaped their views on Europe and the West. The author brings out the diversity in their thought processes, revealing the complexity of their views on the West and its influence on Indian society.

• Historical Context: The author highlights the rapid changes in intellectual thought during the 19th century and how these changes led to generational divides among these thinkers, even though they were contemporaries. By examining the historical context, Raychaudhuri uncovers the forces that shaped their perceptions of Europe and its impact on their worldview.

• Critical Analysis: With a wealth of rare and valuable information, Europe Punardarshan presents a critical analysis of how the Indian intelligentsia viewed the West. The author’s objective and methodical approach makes this book an essential resource for understanding the complexities of colonial intellectual history.

• New Perspectives: Originally published in English as Europe Reconsidered, this work has now been translated into Bengali by Geetashree Bandopadhyay. The Bengali edition includes a new preface by the author, offering readers further insights into the historical and intellectual context of the original work.

• About the Author: Professor Tapan Raychaudhuri (born 1926) is a distinguished historian and academic. He has taught at Oxford University, where he was a fellow of St. Antony’s College, and has held prestigious positions at various institutions, including Delhi University and the Delhi School of Economics. Raychaudhuri is known for his expertise in Indian economic and social history and has written extensively on the history of Bengal and its economic development. His work Bengal under Akbar and Jahangir and Jan Company in Coromandel are highly regarded, and he was awarded the Rabindra Puraskar in 1987 for Europe Reconsidered. Raychaudhuri has received numerous accolades, including a D.Litt. from Oxford University