Contents

„„ From the Desk of the General Secretary 1 „„ The Alchemy of Well-Being 30 Suchintan Das „ „ Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy 2 UG Student, St. Stephen's College, Delhi „„ A Nail Hits on a Story: Dr. B.C. Roy Rediscovered 5 Satyabrata Chakrabarti „„ On Eco-configuring the Ongoing Pandemic and General Secretary, The Asiatic Society the Amphan 33 Dilip Kumar Sinha „„ One Hundred Not Out: The Existential Encounter Former Vice-Chancellor, Visva-Bharati of a Legendary Doctor through a Century 8 Amrita Bagchi „„ A Confusion of Words? Terms for ‘Great Storms’ in Assistant Professor of History, Bethune College. Bengal 36 Rila Mukherjee „„ Professor Gouripada Datta: A Man of Dedication Professor of History, University of Hyderabad and Service 11 Dr. Kajal Krishna Banik „„ Ruydād-e Tufān-e Āfat-neshān-e Dhāka: Past Hony Editor, JIMA & Past Hony State Secretary, A Persian poem, containing an eye-witness IMA Bengal State Branch account of the Dhaka tornado of 1888, by a Past Secretary, Bengal Obstetrics and Persian poet of Dhaka, Mahmud Azad (1842- Gynaecological Society 1907) — An Introduction 40 M. Firoze „„ Radhanath Sikdar and His Thoughts on the Public Joint Philological Secretary, The Asiatic Society Health 14 Dr. Sankar Kumar Nath „„ Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and The Midnapore Consultant Oncologist and Member of the Cyclone of 1942 41 Academic Committee of the Asiatic Society Nikhiles Guha Professor (Retd.), Department of History, Kalyani „„ Amalendu Bandyopadhyay: An Astronomer’s University and Life Member of The Asiatic Society Journey through Space and Time 16 Kaustuv Chaudhuri „„ ক�োভিড-১৯-এর শি嗍ষ 44 Secretary General, Astronomy Centre 嗁মার রাণা , ꧍솾বꇍ鶿ক ও গবেষক „„ Dr. Abdus Subhan (1936-2020) 19 „„ Two Academicians from New York and Oxford M. Firoze during Lockdown 46 Joint Philological Secretary, The Asiatic Society Arun Bandopadhyay Historical and Archaeological Secretary „„ Our Share of Bigotry 21 The Asiatic Society Pabitra Sarkar Former Vice-Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati University „„ Going Digital 48 „„ Black Lives Matter: Reflections from Baltimore 24 „„ দক্ণ ত솿পুরার মুরীপুরের অ�টদশভু জা চু ꇍদাদবীর মূর্醿 49 Suranjan Chakraborty প솿য়ং嗁 চক্রবর釀 Professor, Department of Computer and Informa- রাজেন্দ্রলাল মিত্ররি সার㖚 ফেল�ো, দি এশিয়াটিক স�োসাইটি tion Sciences, Towson University, Maryland, USA „„ New Books from Reader's Choice 54 „„ Protesting the Death of George Floyd: Arun Bandopadhyay Does Nonviolence Matter? 26 Historical and Archaeological Secretary Suhasini Das Gooptu The Asiatic Society UG Student, Miranda House, Delhi University „„ Books Accessioned during June 2020 57 From the Desk of the General Secretary

Dear Members and Well-wishers, We are still in the thick of a mixed feeling – panic, and anxiety on one side and a bit of taste of Unlock-1 on the other. Since the work for all can not wait for long, we have slowly entered into that spirit of socialization. You will kindly remember that the month of July Birthday Mark of the is replete with birthday mark remarkably of many luminaries worth mentioning. The first Luminaries in the of July is observed as the National Doctors' Day on account of celebrating the birthday Month of July of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. Absolutely dedicated to work (Karmabeer), who could say during the last days on bed that he rather felt comfortable being engaged in work than taking rest for recovery from illness. An all time brilliant physician cum politician, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy (1.07.1882) was the Chief Minister of between 1948 and 1962. He was also a member of the Asiatic Society. We also remember Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was born on sixth of July in 1901. Dr. Mookerjee was not only a high profile public figure being state and central minister between 1941and 42 and Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy 1947 and 50 respectively but also he was the youngest Vice-Chancellor of between 1934 and 38. This apart, he was the President of the Asiatic Society between 1942-44. Further, to mention among others, , the longest serving Chief Minister of West Bengal (1977-2000) was born on 08.07.1914, poet Pablo Neruda was born on 12.07.1904, poet Bhanubhakta Acharya was born on 13.07.1814, the leg- endary political figure of South Africa was born on 18.07.1918 and so Syama Prasad Mookerjee on and so forth. We take this opportunity to pay our respectful tribute to all of them. We are continuing with our academic and administrative activities mainly through modern tech-based mode under some limitations due to the prevailing situation in the country. We have been organising our Council meeting and other committee meet- ings for the last two three months in this way. The Monthly Bulletin of April, May and June and the latest quarterly Journal of the Asiatic Society (Vol. LXII, No.1) have been Jyoti Basu published online. These publications have received appreciations from academicians of our country and abroad. The observance of the World Environment Day (5th June) and Special Lecture programme on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and the Constitution of (22nd June) were organised through video conferencing. Brief reports of some Research Fellows engaged in various research projects are also being published regularly in our Monthly Bulletin. Some other important books are also in the final stage of printing. Pablo Neruda Friends, let me share with you that one of the foremost and pioneering scholar in the field of Positional Astronomy Professor Amalendu Bandyopadhyay expired on 22.06.2020 at the age of 90. The Asiatic Society nominated him for the Award of Durga Prasad Khaitan Memorial Gold Medal for the year 2019 for his notable contribution to science. The members and staff members of the Asiatic Society deeply mourn this sad Bhanubhakta Acharya demise and express sympathy to the members of the bereaved family. We also mourn the death of thousands of valuable lives in our country and in other parts of the world at large during this critical period. The dastardly killing of a black citizen in the United States of course stands out as an exceptional reference in the history of the affected humanity. Please keep well and stay safe.

Nelson Mandela Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

Tribute to Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy Born: 01.07.1882 Died: 01.07.1962

This painting of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy drawn by Dr. Sankar Kumar Nath is preserved in the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital.

Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy became the member of the Asiatic Society in 1940. His name was proposed by R N Chopra and seconded by B S Guha in the Monthly General Meeting of the Asiatic Society held on 5th February 1940. Dr. Roy was always very keen to the development of the academic activities of the Society. In the Foundation Day Lecture of the Society held on 15th January, 1961, Dr. Roy encouraged the efforts of the Asiatic Society to make provision for accommodation of foreign scholars in the new building when completed.

Monthly Bulletin 2 July 2020 Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy Condolence Resolution by The Asiatic Society after the Demise of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

OUR PUBLICATION ON DR. BIDHAN CHANDRA RAY

Monthly Bulletin 3 July 2020 Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

Courtesy: Anandabazar Patrika

Monthly Bulletin 4 July 2020 Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

A Nail Hits on a Story : Dr. B.C. Roy Rediscovered Satyabrata Chakrabarti General Secretary, The Asiatic Society

I have chosen to discuss about this nearly interesting anecdotes retrieved from his own forgotten small sized Bengali book on the memory and collated some others collected occasion of the 138th birth anniversary of from different source materials about the brief legendary physician cum politician Dr. Bidhan profile of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. This style of Chandra Roy (01.07.1882 - 01.07.1962). Many building up Dr. Roy’s characteristics – personal, readers might be curious to professional and political know, as I myself felt as to has been a unique method how this is related with the to make the book an absorb- contents of the strangely ti- ing reading without a bit tled book. The task becomes of monotony keeping the automatically hard for me canvas of funeral rites in the how to bring out the main backdrop. While opening subject out of an elaborate few pages describe how narrative, ultimately strewn the entire state was sunk in so skilfully into a web of grief and how Dr. Roy even portraiture of a giant and without being a mass leader, rare personality as was Dr. his corpse could pull such B. C. Roy. This long narrative a huge crowd beyond any was virtually a storytelling imaginable dimension etc., to the author by one of his simultaneously the author old acquaintance, almost in gets his readers stuck into one breath about a poor guy the snapshots revealing the who was personally known ready wits of Dr. Roy. For to the storyteller. This coin- example, once in a meeting cidental occasion happened where , on the day of Dr. Roy's fu- Ekti Pereker Kahini (in Bengali), Smt. , Dr. Roy neral procession just after Sagarmay Ghosh), Ananda Publishers were together, Smt. Naidu his demise a day before. The Pvt. Ltd., January 1971, Pages 78. jokingly hinted at Dr. Roy’s author got stuck on the way smiling face which still cre- to his newspaper office at the juncture of a ated some attractive landmark even though thickly attended funeral processionists and ac- Dr. Roy was nearing the age of fifty; pat came cidentally found his acquaintance mentioned the return from Dr. Roy reminding her that above and on his insistence returned at home even such romantic touch did not escape of the author. After initial trauma the storyteller Smt. Naidu’s attention when she had already became freshly charged with a cup of hot tea crossed her fifties. Gandhiji, who was other- supplied by the author and started revealing wise ever serious in his mood, started laughing. his experience of that poor guy, a fantastic Thus the author, in between the thick narrative, plot otherwise of a full-length novel. The au- smuggles in other such instances to project thor excellently punches informative and Dr. Roy’s stubborn rationality, sense of dignity

Monthly Bulletin 5 July 2020 Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

and self pride, and a touch of tender heart and bold as the tall and erect posture that he engulfed in a deep sense of humanity, trying maintained throughout his life. consciously to remain out of public or media Now the tale of a nail which the readers focus. Once Dr. Roy attended on Gandhiji’s must be anxiously waiting for. The narrator illness. Gandhiji first refused to accept any of the whole episode was Bishuda. In his treatment when forty crores of his followers boyhood days he used to accompany his were deprived from those facilities. Dr. Roy pre- father on tour to a place Chandpur by name vailed on Gandhiji arguing that lest the forty situated in erstwhile East Bengal. He picked crores do not feel depressed because the very up friendship with a boy more or less of his person whom they depend upon is inflicted age, Baidyanath by name. Both suffered for with illness, it is important that Gandhiji should loneliness during their early age. Deserted by accept the treatment of a doctor in order to husband Baidyanath’s mother took shelter in get well soon and to attend to their various her brother’s house along with the child and difficulties. Gandhiji, apparently convinced suffered lot of humiliation. This pained Baidy- further refused to accept allopathic medicine. anath very much and he vowed to himself to Dr. Roy reminded him that it is only Gandhiji come out one day from the clutches of such who always told his people that everything poverty stricken condition and to settle hon- on this earth is the creation of the God. In the ourably with his widow mother. Baidyanath event of that belief how could Gandhiji prove had somehow framed a utopia about the city that ingredients of allopathy medicines were of Calcutta from where Bishuda hailed. After a not the creation of the God. Gandhiji retorted gap of time having passed matriculation ex- that better Dr. Roy should have been a lawyer amination Baidyanath came to Calcutta and than a physician. Dr. Roy without wasting a took shelter at the house of Bishuda through second replied, perhaps your God knew that courtesy of Bishuda’s paternal aunt who had some day you would require the attention of written a letter to Bishuda’s parents in this re- a doctor like me. Therefore, He chose me to gard. Baidyanath was very shy but had a sense become a physician than to become a lawyer. of self dignity. He got a small job and started Gandhiji finally yielded to Dr. Roy’s wish. As a a modest living without bothering the host student of medicine Dr. Roy declined on the in anyway. While walking to office and back face of his teacher, an Englishman, to appear as a bulging out nail from his almost discarded a false witness for an incident where the latter chappal caused wound on Baidyanath's toe was involved. Dr. Roy paid the price for it, but and eventually developed septic. With the never repented. After returning from abroad help of a friend Bishuda got him admitted in with enviable higher degrees in medicine and erstwhile Carmichael Medical College where surgery, Dr. Roy used to draw less salary than Dr. Roy was a teacher and also a practising his boss who did not have a proper degree. doctor. Somehow with great efforts Bishuda Once that boss hinted at Dr. Roy as if he was was able to reach upto Dr. Roy and received being overpaid for his assignment. Dr. Roy his attention for treatment of Baidyanath. To immediately told on his face little satirically cut the long story short, under care of Dr. Roy that perhaps it was correct! Because a pass Baidyanath was fully cured. In the meantime out holding more than essential and desirable he lost his earlier job. No option further how qualifications for the post, as in the case of Dr. to make a living. Again at the insistence of Roy, should not have such a high pay packet some hospital staff Baidyanath could reach when a boss like that Englishman drew higher upto Dr. Roy and explained his helpless condi- pay even having failed in the qualifying ex- tion. On Dr. Roy’s recommendation he got a amination required for the post. Such was the temporary assignment in the same hospital personality structure of Dr. B. C. Roy as stout with a nominal pay. Baidyanath’s assignment

Monthly Bulletin 6 July 2020 Remembering Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy

was to fair out hospital slips for the patient’s with his family – mother, wife and daughter. records. One day Dr. Roy detected that it was But it was away from Calcutta in Asansol. But he Baidyanath’s handwriting, so clear, readable was left with little choice. At Dr. Roy's instruc- and systematic. Being attracted with his tion he joined there but made it a point ritually quality Dr. Roy, in addition to the hospital to pay a visit to Dr. Roy’s house on holidays to job of Baidyanath, employed him for his own assist him as usual in keeping his papers, books secretarial work for every morning. This is how etc. in order. It shows how Dr. Roy gradually Baidyanath became so close and a person of developed a soft corner for Baidyanath eventu- confidence of Dr. Roy and he further recom- ally and became dependent on him for some mended him in a private concern where Bai- secretarial work. dyanath got higher pay and eventually settled Now, to quickly come to the concluding in Calcutta with family members. This was his part of the narration. On the penultimate day ultimate goal when he dreamt of it during Baidyanath returned to Calcutta. Next day be- the days of distress. Baidyanath continued ing the 81st birthday of Dr. Roy, Baidyanath to attend Dr. Roy’s office work and personal went out from home to buy flower bouquet library on holidays regularly. etc. to reach Dr. Roy’s place and to pay his On the persuasion of his mother Baidy- respect to him on birthday. His little daughter anath got married eventually. In this case also also gave Baidyanath a garland which she it was possible for him with the direct help of herself made to offer it to her so far unseen Dr. Roy who gave him some hard cash to meet grandpa. But by this time the end had come, the expenses involved in marriage ceremony. Dr. Roy expired. Nobody knew where was Bai- Even Baidyanath was able to obtain Dr. Roy’s dyanath all this time. Bishuda (the narrator of word to make a visit to his new establishment, the story) came to Baidyanath's house, he was because it was his mother’s sincere desire not available. His mother, wife, daughter were also. However, things went on smoothly but wailing and requested Bishuda to take them it did not last long. One day Baidyanath in at the spot to pay their last tribute. Bishuda, in his work place got suddenly infuriated with order to escape this pathetic scene, told them his boss, who was an Englishman, for making to be ready and wait for his return. I think the some objectionable comment about Dr. Roy. readers could remember now that Bishuda And at the spar of excitement Baidyanath was found in the crowd of funeral procession chased him with a firearm which ultimately by the author and at his insistence the author turned out to be a police case and he was Sagarmay Ghosh returned to his house. For arrested. Dr. Roy got the message and Bai- sometime Bishuda was dumb founded. Then dyanath was released on his intervention. he felt somewhat fresh with a cup of tea and As usual Baidyanath went to see Dr. Roy to started exhausting his database about Bai- explain this incidence. But Dr. Roy would not dyanath’s emergence in the life of Dr. Bidhan see his face even and refused his entry in his Chandra Roy, beginning as his nail-pierced house. Suddenly Baidyanath fell from his hard patient in the hospital. The author on the built heaven and became isolated, helpless other hand did not forget to remind his read- and a man of the road. But his tenacity in at- ers about the emergence of Dr. Roy in the tempting to meet Dr. Roy just once to explain field of politics by his maiden election win what really excited him ultimately turned out defeating Rashtraguru Surendranath Baner- to be successful after so many days of waiting. jee on first December, 1923 from Barrackpur By that time he was slowly becoming penni- Constituency as an independent candidate less after selling out all valuable possessions. supported by the Swarajya Party. The book is Dr. Roy again took pity on him and got him worth reading even now and the cover design re-instated in a job which was pretty to live by Purnendu Patri is still memorable.

Monthly Bulletin 7 July 2020 Dr. Mani Kumar Chhetri

One Hundred Not Out: The Existential Encounter of a Legendary Doctor through a Century

Amrita Bagchi Assistant Professor of History, Bethune College

The autobiographical work titled ‘Doctor’ In the chapter ‘From the mountains to the by Dr. Mani Kumar Chhetri is a milestone work megacity’, the author has given the detailed where he has not only discussed the success description of the simplicity of his child- story of his life but hood days amidst the also explained the beauty of the hills in conditions of pub- Teesta Valley Tea Gar- lic health, gradual den and later in the development of the Toong Soong Busti medical science and DOCTOR where he finally grew medical care services up. The socio-polit- from multidimen- Mani Kumar Chhetri ical composition of sional aspects. In an the hills, the peace- exceptional lucid ful co-existence of manner, Dr. Chhetri, the Nepalis, Lepchas ex-Director of Health and the , as- Service and IPGMER, sociation with the Government of West Britishers (sahibs), Bengal, has been impact of the colo- able to unfold the nial culture and con- story of the transfor- tribution of some of mation of health care his great teachers in services with special schools were explic- focus on the expan- itly narrated by this sion of Seth Sukhlal living legend. After Karnani Memorial appearing ‘first’ in the Hospital (SSKM).The district and securing entire book is divid- a scholarship from ed into ten priceless the University of segments(chapters) Calcutta, Dr. Chhetri followed by a sec- Mani Kumar Chhetri, Doctor, (ed.), Subhamoy moved to the ‘bus- tion called ‘Reminis- Chatterjee and Nilanjan Dutta(Eds.), Critical Care and tling city of Calcutta cences and Conver- Medical Education Trust, Ajanta Offset and Packaging from the sleepy ham- Ltd, Haryana, 2019, vi +166, Rs 200. sations’ where other let of Darjeeling’. He notable physicians (many of whom were his took admission in Medical College in 1938 students) and his acquaintances including his after passing ‘Intermediate exam in science only son showered their respects and experi- with letters in physics and chemistry’ from St. ences with this legendary doctor. Paul’s College in 1936.

Monthly Bulletin 8 July 2020 Dr. Mani Kumar Chhetri

The sub-section titled ‘Medical College ahead’ he has discussed that in present day in those days’ throws light on the existing it is really ‘unthinkable’ as there was no no- medical education institutions under the tion of CTscan or MRI which only started to ‘British rule’. His reminiscence in Medical Col- dominate the medical investigation sector lege which was then mostly dominated by from 1970's and 80’s respectively. Dr. Chhetri’s the British doctors actually helps the readers reputation and dedication both as a physi- understand the medical education system cian and as a human being has immensely in the colonial era. Among many professors helped him get sanctioned huge grants from of Medical College, the name of Dr. Mani De ICMR and central governments to undertake is worth mentioning as his influence played the developments of different specialized a huge role in shaping the life of Dr. Chhetri departments in IPGMER. As a socially aware in later years. doctor, he was well exposed to the chang- In this magnificent work, he has brilliantly ing profile of lifestyle and the onslaught of interlinked the issues like the outbreak of the consumerist culture, both of which have an Second World War, famine of 1943 and Hindu adverse impact on public health giving rise to Muslim riots with the intensification of vari- certain noncommunicable like diabetes mel- ous health problems like kala-azar, malaria, litus, rheumatoid fever, and hypertension etc. tuberculosis, dengue, cholera and typhoid In this book, we come to know that Dr. that posed a direct threat to the poor infra- Chhetri had also taken great initiative with structure of the health care delivery systems the assistance of AIIMS to introduce modern and narrow medical knowledge. However, it dialysis units in different medical colleges of was during this period that the introduction Calcutta. Indeed the greatest achievement of of antibiotics as a ‘new effective weapon’ and Dr. Chhetri was the setting up of CCU (Coro- the discovery of the drug to cure kala-azar nary Care Unit) in SSKM for serious heart pa- by U.N. Brahmachari brought about a break- tients in 1965 to reduce mortality rates caused through in the domain of medical science. by cardiac problems. Dr.Chhetri described In this strait jacket narrative, Dr. Chhetri that few years later it was felt that patients has exposed the fact that after Independence, suffering from any fatal disease should be health received a proper attention of the placed in ITU (Intensive Treatment Unit) which welfare state and during Dr. Bidhan Roy’s re- was renamed as CCU (Critical Care Unit). He gime West Bengal witnessed multiple and far was also the brainchild behind the establish- reaching changes in the sphere of health care. ment of the trauma care unit for road accident The chapter titled ‘I become a doctor’, the cases. All these achievements reflect that author has penned down the contribution of as a dynamic and open minded doctor, he Dr. Bidhan Roy in the development of IPGMER was always adaptable to modernization and where he himself has also played a pivotal thus welcomed techno-centric approaches role. He taught the students and house staff to health care. At the same time he was also of the college to develop a cordial relation sensitive towards the perils of the over use of with the patients so that they can develop technologies especially in private hospitals. faith upon the doctors. Though associated with government While unfolding the story of the develop- service from the beginning of his career, Dr. ment of health care services for more than Chhetri however took initiative to establish seven decades, Dr. Chhetri has pointed out a private hospital in Calcutta and in this he how the doctors especially surgeons in did not express any hesitation to accept the 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s, had undertaken financial support from the Todis. This was the complicated brain surgeries only on the case of AMRI, which was actually founded basis of x-rays. In chapter ‘Calcutta moves by his batchmate Dr. Gunen Roy as Niramoy

Monthly Bulletin 9 July 2020 Dr. Mani Kumar Chhetri

Polyclinic. But later it was taken by the gov- cost of the treatments had become the com- ernment which was also unable to run it mon trend amongst the physicians. Finally successfully. This entire episode behind the Dr. Chhetri has focused on a very pertinent growth of AMRI is reflected in the chapter issue of patient agitation. It has been often ‘Our Own Hospital’. said that the doctor-patient relation has de- Throughout his life, he had tremendous teriorated presently. A centenarian believes longing for good quality research in medical that patients or the patient parties now sciences. But he felt that in contemporary became more aware about medical science days doctors are too keen to earn money and health issues. Moreover they are equally and practically nobody have any inclina- conscious about the question of ‘rights’. So tion towards undertaking serious research according to Dr. Chhetri, the queries and work. In the chapter ‘Random Thoughts’ ‘anxieties’ of the non-medical persons should the author has expressed his tremendous always be handled patiently by the doctors. concern that though there are presently He is also critical about the attitude and ego 23 (18 government and 5 private) medical of the doctors. He feels that the doctors have colleges in West Bengal, still the shortage acquired the habit of keeping the patients of doctors in public hospitals intensified wait for long hours outside their chambers. the crisis of poor infrastructure. In realty As a legendary doctor like Mani Chhetri can medical graduates are not joining govern- only understand that the fault actually lie ment service for various reasons. He has also with the doctors who fail to recognize the raised the issues that now a days treatments sufferings of the patients and patient parties are mostly investigation oriented. Doctors in the domain of medical ‘uncertainties’. This do not pay much attention on interacting masterpiece work is an exceptional ‘journey’ with the patients or taking the history of of a visionary who travelled the long path of the symptoms from them. Prescribing un- the medical world with immense sincerity, necessary investigations and increasing the dedication and commitment.

Centenarian Dr Chhetri examining the patient

Monthly Bulletin 10 July 2020 In Memoriam

Professor Gouripada Datta: A Man of Dedication and Service Dr. Kajal Krishna Banik Past Hony. Editor, JIMA & Past Hony. State Secretary, IMA Bengal State Branch Past Secretary, Bengal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society

Professor Gouripada Datta (GPD) is a of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Chittaranjan name in the socio medical movement of not Seva Sadan, Kolkata. Professor Datta was a only West Bengal but also the entire country. teacher of repute and published many articles He is considered to be a unique member of in different medical journals. He was a master the medical profession who dedicated his of "Mitra's operation", a special surgery for life for the overall development of health cervical cancer. Even after his retirement from care services in our country. He inherited service, he was invited by various institutes to this spirit from his late father, Dr. Jatindra teach this operation. Nath Dutta, who was a rural practitioner and socio-political leader in the Bankura district of West Bengal. His father influenced him to join the freedom movement at a tender age. Those days of struggle against the foreign rule implanted the seed of fight in his mind. Later, he joined the Communist Party of India in 1946. He even went underground when the party was declared illegal. Throughout his life, Dr. Datta remained active in the socio-medical field and is considered to be a stalwart in the political scene of West Bengal. Dr. Gouripada Datta was a colourful char- Being a doctor of modern medicine, acter known for his excellent organisational Dr. Datta became a member of the Indian capacity, tremendous patience and devotion. Medical Association (IMA). He made remark- He successfully guided the socio-medical able contributions as the Hony. Editor of the and education movement in our state by a Journal of Indian Medical Association (JIMA) unique combination of the qualities of head [1985 – 1988]. His editorials on various socio- and heart. political issues was highly appreciated by Interestingly, he initially began his career the scientific community across the country. as a teacher in an English high school before Although instrumental in bringing many pursuing medicine in Calcutta National Medi- young medical teachers and activists in IMA, cal College. Later, he was actively involved Dr. Datta never opted himself for any post. in the take over of this Institute by the Gov- Being a communist and freedom fighter, ernment. Subsequently, he obtained post Dr. Datta was aware of the real life scenario graduate degree in Obstetrics & Gynaecology of the rural communities and had intimate from University of Calcutta. He was professor information about the poor people of the

Monthly Bulletin 11 July 2020 In Memoriam

state. His practical experience as a Gynaecolo- thrice in 1987, 1991 and 1996. He became the gist gave him enough opportunity to explore chairman of the Subject Committee of Health the sufferings of the women. He was always and Family Welfare as well as the Committee at the forefront to protect female reproduc- of Estimates of WBLA. As a chairman of the as- tive health. sembly subject committee, he had submitted Dr. Datta sincerely wanted medical jour- several reports based on extensive field work nalism to be included as a speciality in the and practical experience. university curriculum. To realise the demand He was nominated as a member of the in a meaningful manner, he organised a na- State Planning Board, a member of the senate tional level assembly of the editors of medical and syndicate of the University of Calcutta. journals on 24 & 25 August 1985 in Kolkata. He was a member of the Mission Steering He was of the opinion that dialogue should Group of the National Rural Health Mission be opened to establish a link with the non under the chairmanship of the then Union medical journals and some sort of ethical health minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss. standards be formulated. He stood like a Professor Gouripada Datta utilized all solid rock beside me when I had organised these platforms to speak for affordable the second such assembly in November 2009. health care for the people of our country and Dr. Datta felt that health care under the highlighted the roles and responsibilities of prevailing situation was bound to become different stakeholders. predominantly curative, institution based, specialist oriented, dependent on sophisti- cated investigations and modern methods of remedy. But he firmly believed that the country needed primary health care. He wrote, "It is accepted that health is the final manifestation of the socio-economic and political situation of a country. The health department, as it is run has to bear the on- slaught of failures of all other departments. " Dr. Datta also stated that -"If the infrastruc- ture does not work, then it's the duty of the people to make it work. People's vigilance, Author with Professor Datta in His 93 Birthday if exercised with the proper perspective, it is bound to make the infrastructure functioning." He was of the firm belief that "…. nobody All these had made him a seasoned leader could deliver goods to the people. People of not only the medical professionals but also have to achieve it, achieve it through struggle the masses. It was almost unimaginable dur- and by paying price for it". ing those days in IMA for a doctor to come He was of the opinion that there is enough out like this. scope to improve the situation of health care GPD was the Founder President of the delivery within our limited resources through Kolkata Janaswasthya committee and was application of community based alternate instrumental in mobilising good number of approach. To implement this, one has to be left, democratic and health conscious people clear about the political aspects of the health under this banner. care delivery. He was elected as a member of the West Whenever he got an opportunity to speak Bengal Legislative Assembly (WBLA) from or write, he tried his best to explicitly expose Kotulpur constituency of Bankura district the politics behind the health and ill health.

Monthly Bulletin 12 July 2020 In Memoriam

He always motivated others and tried to only a few such centres in the country at involve more people in health movement. that time. In the 1st meeting of the mission steering In spite of being at the helm of affairs, group of the National Rural Health Mission he always listened to and valued opinions (NRHM) he stated- "It is important to inform, of others sincerely. This quality made him a educate and confide the rural beneficiaries genuine leader. about the services available to them. The He authored many books on important morbidity pattern of the people in the states socio-medical issues that received much needed to be mapped at all levels. " appreciation from the learned people of the Reorientation of medical education was country like- one of his most important agenda. It was his 1. Health care in India - An appraisal passion for rationalisation of medical educa- 2. Medical education in India tion. For this, he himself had taken personal 3. Health and medical care - A people's move- initiative to bring the university, government, ment etc. state planning board and the Medical Council of India (MCI) together Beside the medical to go ahead with certain front, Dr. Datta was also definitive changes in the interested in the literary existing undergraduate world. He wrote some medical course and cur- books in Bengali on riculum. His proposal of health and published five "Innovative Medical Edu- books of his poems. In his cation" was accepted by autobiographical writing, the MCI. Unfortunately, Kabe Ami Bahir Holam, he no state government or had described his march private medical college in the field of health and came forward to accept politics through the eyes the challenge. of his depicted character, He proposed total sys- Tirtha. tem of medical education During the last few to start from the rural months of his life, he was health centres to medical not physically fit enough colleges step by step. He to move freely and most- was of the firm belief that ly confined himself at his these changes could alter residence. He was men- the mindsets of young tally very upset when he medicos and solve the lost his wife in 2012. problem of shortage of He breathed his last doctors in the rural areas. on 8 June 2020 at the He introduced teach- age of 92 following brief ers training programme illness. simultaneously in 1998, well ahead of time GPD will be fondly remembered by his to create a sizeable number of human students, colleagues, comrades and the peo- resources for fulfilling the idea. There was ple with whom he came in contact.

Monthly Bulletin 13 July 2020 Tribute on Sesquicentenary Death Anniversary

Radhanath Sikdar and His Thoughts on the Public Health Dr. Sankar Kumar Nath Consultant Oncologist and Member of the Academic Committee of the Asiatic Society In 1852, Radhanath Sikdar, the great mathemati- cian of India for the first time calculated the height of the Peak No. XV (later on ) of the Artist: Sankar Kumar Nath Himalayan Range, as 29002 feet and thereby meas- But the story goes otherwise, the fact in ured the highest peak of the world. So concerning favour of Radhanath Sikdar came into light in papers of computation regarding the highest peak, an article entitled “Mount Everest : The Story were sent by Radhanath, the then Chief Compu- of a Long Controversy” by Sydney Gerald ter of the Survey office, from Calcutta to Andrew Burrard, (the then officer of the Survey office Waugh, the then Surveyor General of India, at in India, later on Surveyor General of India Dehradun. Waugh took four years to recalculate from 1911 to 1919), published in Nature on the same and found no anomaly. Thereafter at a 10 November 1904. monthly general meeting of the Asiatic Society of Radhanath Sikdar was born at Jorasanko, Bengal on 6 August 1856, Dr. G. G. Spilsbury being Calcutta in October, 1813 and died at Gondal- in the chair, it was declared as below : para, , on 17 May 1870. “The fact he ( Major Thuillier ) had it in his In the middle of 19th century, Bengal power through the kindness of his friend had to face a devastating smallpox epidemic Colonel Waugh to announce, was the killing lot of people. During that time both discovery of a mountain in the Himalayan Bangla Ticca ( Inoculation) and English Ticca Range, the measurement of which by the (Vaccination) were in vogue in Bengal. In Great Trigonometrical under spite of such precautionary measures taken Colonel Waugh, Surveyor General of India, as- by the Government, the death toll due to signed it a place above that of any previously Smallpox had been on the rise. So a Special ascertained height in this range, already Committee was appointed by the Govern- supposed to boast of the highest known ment on 12 March 1850 for the purpose of mountain in the world.” “enquiring by what means the extension of Smallpox can be prevented, or rendered less In that meeting the name of Rad- destructive”. hanath Sikdar was not mentioned perhaps intentionally. This Committee consisted of the following In the next year, in 1857, this highest peak persons : was named after , as “Mount 1. Senior Surgeon George Lamb : Physician General Everest” at two meetings on 11 and 25 May, 2. Senior Surgeon John Forsyth : Secretary, Medical Board Roderick Murchison being in the chair, held at 3. Surgeon Duncan Stewart, M.D., : Superintendent General of Royal Geographical Society, London, thereby Vaccine Inoculation depriving Radhanath Sikdar once again.

Monthly Bulletin 14 July 2020 Tribute on Sesquicentenary Death Anniversary

4. Baboo Russomoy Dutt : Judge of the Small Brahmin family in Barranagar, who, I have just Cause Court been told, introduced Vaccination into his family 5. Pundit Modoosoodun Goopto : Lecturer on Anatomy in the some forty-five years ago. I am not quite sure of Medical College this circumstance, but I could make enquiries, if 6. Baboo Ramgopaul Ghose : Merchant and Agent required to do so. 7. Mr. W. T. Law : Superintendent of Police. Question No. 3. —Name any respectable Hin- (Signed) J.P. Grant, doo families who still prefer the old practice of Secretary to the Government of Bengal” Inoculating, and who discourage Vaccination ? Answer No. 3.—I think that, barring a few Hin- The Committee sent four relevant ques- doo gentlemen, who are in intimate contact with tions on 19 March 1850, to some intellectu- the Europeans, and who know the advantages als and persons of repute in Bengal to know of Vaccination and encourage it partially, all the their views regarding Smallpox eradication. others of the Native community are in favour of Radhanath Sikdar got the questions. Now let Inoculation. us see the questions and the answers given by Radhanath thereof, from which we can well Question No. 4.— What do you think are the understand his thoughts on the Public Health. chief causes which tend to set up Smallpox among the Hindoos of ***** ; and to maintain Question No.1.—Do you know any instances and promulgate it in certain localities ? of the Smallpox being introduced into a family Answer No. 4.—The impression on my mind is by a Ticcadar, and the disease thereafter propa- that Smallpox spreads by contagion, and that gating itself, and producing death or deaths in unlike other epidemics, it is not much affected the family ? by the healthy or unhealthy condition of the Answer No. 1.—It is customary with the Hindoos localities. I think that the only way in which a in Calcutta, that when one person in a family just opinion, on this subject, may be formed is is inoculated, all the others who had not been by referring to the Register of Deaths kept in the inoculated or who had not had the Smallpox Magistrate’s Court, and ascertaining therefrom before, are likewise inoculated at the same time. whether in healthy or in unhealthy localities, or From this it would appear that the Hindoos are whether equally in all, the Smallpox has been aware of the fact that Smallpox, produced by most prevalent this season. Inoculation, is a propagating disease. I am not I have heard that the Register of Deaths, aware of any deaths occurring from Inoculation. above adverted to, is kept with care, which Question No. 2.— Name any number of respect- must, therefore, render it a trust-worthy able Hindoo families, from your own knowledge, document.” in * * * * who now adopt Vaccination, and dis- All the reports coming from the selected courage Inoculation, by precept and example ? respectable persons of the society including Answer No. 2.—Baboo Radhanauth Sen had his Radhanath’s, were submitted by the Commit- three children vaccinated in the first instance. tee to the Government on 1 July 1850. But this year he had them all inoculated from an impression that this was a safer procedure of References the two. For a similar reason Baboo Gopeenauth Radhanath Sikdar : Taththyer Aaloye (In Bengali) by Sen’s two daughters who had been vaccinated Dr. Sankar Kumar Nath, 2012. before, have been inoculated this year. Baboo Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1857, Hurro Chunder Ghose had a daughter of his pp. 419-438. vaccinated this year. Baboo Juggodishnauth Report of the Smallpox Commissioners, Calcutta, Roy had likewise his two children vaccinated 1850. about three months ago. There is a respectable

Monthly Bulletin 15 July 2020 In Memoriam

Amalendu Bandyopadhyay: An Astronomer’s Journey through Space and Time Kaustuv Chaudhuri Secretary General, Kolkata Astronomy Centre

Amalendu Bandyopadhyay, one of the his young mind. Under the auspices of Dr. valiant astronomers of modern India whose Narlikar, young Amalendu was drawn to the life was an untold epitome of fight against art of science communication and learned astrology, obscurantism and superstitions, how to disseminate astronomy among the was born on 11 January 1930 in a small vil- common people in a popular way using lage named Mugkalyan in district coloured slides. of West Bengal. But After his comple- during his admittance tion of M.Sc., Amal- to the school, his age endu got appointed fell short and his date as a Lecturer of Mathe- of birth was modified matics in DAV College, to 1st February 1930 Varanasi and contin- which later became his ued to work there for official date of birth. four years with a mea- Since childhood, un- gre salary of ₹192 per der the tutelage of his month. But being the father Late Sri Suren- eldest son, he had the dra Nath Bandyopad- burden of his entire hyay, who was also Photo Courtesy: Author family on his shoulders a school teacher, Amalendu developed a and finally under his mother’s advice, took sense of scientific temperament and rational a job with Government of India at the India attitude which later became the edifice of Meteorological Department. And the rest is his scientific career. After completion of ma- history. triculation, he got admitted to the celebrated Banaras Hindu University for pursuing his Development of Positional Astronomy career in science and passed out with a M.Sc. Centre degree on Applied Mathematics. It was in this In the year 1955, Professor Meghnad university that the light of distant stars fell Saha, the famed Indian scientist, founded upon him. During his post-graduate course, the Nautical Almanac Unit (NAU) at Calcutta he had chosen astronomy as his special paper (now Kolkata) under Meteorological Office and was privileged to have famous mathema- of Govt. of India for flourishment of Posi- tician Dr. Vishnu Vasudev Narlikar, father of tional Astronomy in the country. Amalendu the celebrated astrophysicist and cosmologist Bandyopadhyay joined this unit as a senior Professor Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, as his teacher scientific assistant in 1956 and subsequently and mentor. It was Dr. Narlikar who planted transferred to Dibrugarh airport for mete- the essence of astronomy popularisation in orological computations in the same year.

Monthly Bulletin 16 July 2020 In Memoriam

He returned to NAU in 1968 as the scientific 2013 as the best personality for popularizing officer-in-charge and noticed utter negli- Astronomy in West Bengal. Till the onset of gence in the office. He understood that in lockdown period in late March 2020, he had order to fulfil the dream of Meghnad Saha, he conducted few thousand slide shows across had to convert this unit into a separate office the nation and abroad. and consequently could draw the attention Another important aspect of his life was of Smt. , the then Prime Minis- his interest in backyard astronomy. He always ter of India, with the help of Professor Hiren encouraged students to buy telescopes, look Mukherjee. Smt. Gandhi realized the problem up and ask what’s up. He patronised amateur and immediately planned a Commission astronomy and sky watching throughout his for development of Nautical Almanac Work life. He was life member and sometime Presi- in India under the chairmanship of Dr. Raja dent of Sky Watchers’ Association and advisor Ramanna, the then Chairman of Atomic En- to Kolkata Astronomy Centre. He was also the ergy Commission of India. On Dr. Ramanna’s visiting faculty in the yearly summer courses recommendations and due to the untiring conducted by the Kolkata Astronomy Centre. efforts of Amalendu Bandyopadhyay, the NAU was ultimately converted into Positional As- Popularization of Astronomy through tronomy Centre (PAC) in 1980 and Amalendu Mass Media Bandyopadhyay became its first Director. As Till death, Amalendu Bandyopadhyay of today, PAC is the only institute of its kind had to his credit, published more than 2500 in India and one of the six such centres in the articles on popular astronomy, eclipses, world. For this monumental work, Amalendu anti-superstitious practices and calendar Bandyopadhyay received the prestigious 'G. reforms in almost all front ranking journals P. Chatterjee Memorial Award' from Indian and newspapers of the country, conducted Science Congress Association in 2013. 536 radio and TV shows and authored five books in Bengali and three in English for the Life as an Astronomy Populariser common people. For this extensive mass In spite of holding a high office in the media coverage, Govt. of India conferred on NAU and PAC, Amalendu Bandyopadhyay him the 'National Award for best science and had never been far apart from astronomy technology coverage in the mass media' in popularization through conduction of slide 1995 and he was the first person to receive shows in the different corners of the country. such an award exclusively for popularization The main objective of these shows was to cre- of Astronomy in India. In recognition of his ate interest on astronomy and wipe out age outstanding contribution in astronomy writ- old superstitions involving astronomy from ten in , Calcutta University, the minds of the students and the common in 2012, honoured him with the prestigious people. His fame as an astronomy popularizer 'Jagattarini Gold Medal' which was first re- became so widespread that in 2009, he was ceived by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. He invited by the Principal of Indian School of also received revered 'Sibnarayan Roy Memo- Baharin, UAE for delivering seven lectures to rial Award' from the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad the students and the common people. For this in 2014 for the same cause. unique social contribution, he received 'Gopal Chandra Bhattacharya Memorial Award' from Glimpse of Scientific and Professional the Govt. of West Bengal in 2002 and D.Sc. Career Honoris Causa from Burdwan University Amalendu Bandyopadhyay was the in 2003. Bangiya Bijnan Parishad crowned elected member of the International Astro- him with Jaya'nta Bose Memorial Award' in nomical Union (IAU) and the only selected

Monthly Bulletin 17 July 2020 In Memoriam

member from India in the Ephemerides the paths of totality and precisely calculated Commission of the IAU. He was also a se- the contact timings. Unfortunately, he missed lected member in the History of Astronomy the great total eclipse of 2009 due to overcast Commission of the IAU. He was the elected sky over , but again came back to his life fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society own light in 2010 when he recorded and of London and the elected member of the calculated the timings of the greatest annular British Astronomical Association. Since 1992, solar eclipse of the millennium from Kolkata he was engaged as Senior Scientist at M P Astronomy Centre’s observation camp in Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, M P Dhanuskodi, Rameswaram. Birla Planetarium, Kolkata. He had also to his credit, authored and presented 30 research The Last Breath papers on astronomy in various national Even at the fragile age of 90, Amalendu and international seminars and journals. He Bandyopadhyay was as active as his youth, attended his last international conference of running here and there for astronomy popu- IAU at Taiwan in July 2017 almost at the age larization. He didn’t think twice to go to the of 88 years. In addition to this, he was the remotest corner of rural India on a short member and on chair of various institutions notice for the sake of anti-astrology lectures. of national repute. But the bolt struck suddenly, when on June As an expert of positional astronomy, 22, 2020 he passed away quietly at 8.30 pm Amalendu Bandyopadhyay was inclined while taking his last supper from the hands to the calculations of Besselian parameters of his eldest son. What is left is an epitome of involving solar eclipses. When two great astronomical success, a story of unforgiving eclipses crossed the Indian soil, one in 1980 fight against astrology and a phenomenal and the other in 1995, he, along with his staff regime of astronomy popularization that will and colleagues, set up observation-camps on inspire the generations through ages.

Solar Eclipse People of India got the oppor- tunity to behold one of the rare celestial event, i.e., annular solar eclipse on 21 June 2020. Inciden- tally that day was the Summer Solstice and longest day in the northern hemisphere of the globe. Of course, annularity could be seen only from the northern part of India and rest of the places of our country experienced the par- tial eclipse, likewise, Kolkata too had the chance to watch partial solar eclipse. Lot of astronomy lovers, enthusiasts clubs, institutes watched this eclipse across the country. Pictures show one of such solar eclipse camps, Sky Viewers' Club, at Kolkata, led by young amateur astronomer Souvik Nath.

Monthly Bulletin 18 July 2020 In Memoriam

Dr. Abdus Subhan (1936-2020) M. Firoze Joint Philological Secretary, The Asiatic Society

Dr. Abdus Subhan (1936-2020) will be re- that the Calcutta University awarded him the membered as a devoted teacher of Persian at degree of doctorate on his thesis Tā’rikh-i- the Maulana Azad College, Kolkata, and as a Bangāla-i-Mahābatjangi. It was in 1977 that celebrated scholar of Persian at a wider level; he was elected a Fellow of the famous learned but here, at the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, he will institute, the Asiatic Society of Bengal. After chiefly be remembered for the remarkable having devoted himself to promoting the contributions he had made cause of Persian language to Persian studies at the So- and literature for thirty-six ciety, which, in recognition years, he retired on the 31 of his scholarly achieve- December 1996.” ments, had honoured him To the above informa- by electing him the Fellow tion, which goes only up to of the Asiatic Society a few 2001, the following may be years back. added: Dr. Abdus Subhan Dr. Subhan’s former col- had been associated with league in the Persian De- the Department of Arabic partment of Maulana Azad and Persian, Calcutta Uni- College, Kolkata, Dr. Tanwir versity, as a Guest Lecturer Ahmed in an Urdu article, for some time; he had once published in 2001, given been the Library Secretary the following particulars of the Asiatic Society, Kolk- about him: ata; and he was awarded “Dr. Abdus Subhan’s the Certificate of Honour by ancestors had migrated from Panipat to Cal- the Hon’ble President of India, on the 21 May cutta and settled at Ismail Street in the well- 2007, for his contributions to Persian studies known Phoolbagan area of the city. It was in 2006. He died on the 21 May 2020 at his in this locality that he was born on the 2nd residence in Kolkata. December 1936. He passed his Matriculation Dr. Subhan’s publications include not Examination from the Islamia High School in only a good number of papers published in 1950 and B.A. Hons. (Persian) from the Central scholarly journals in India and abroad but also Calcutta College, in 1954. He then obtained several books of high research value, some of his M.A. degrees in three subjects, Persian, which are mentioned below. Arabic and Urdu, from the University of Cal- Tā’ríkh-i-Bangāla-i-Mahābatjangi (an eye- cutta, in 1956, 1958 and 1962 respectively. witness account of Nawāb ‘Alívardi Khān of He joined the Department of Persian in the Bengal and his times) of Yúsuf ‘Alí Khán, it is a Maulana Azad College as a Lecturer on the critical edition of the Persian text prepared 4th May 1961. It was during his service period by Dr. Abdus Subhan by collating six main

Monthly Bulletin 19 July 2020 In Memoriam

manuscripts, including the one which is pre- Dr. Abdus Subhan on the basis of a rare copy served in the library of the Asiatic Society. The of the manuscript preserved in the library of edited version carries an erudite introduction the Asiatic Society, Kolkata. It was published in English by Dr. Subhan and a foreword by by the Asiatic Society in the Bibliotheca Indica the renowned orientalist, A. J. Arberry. The series in 1986. book was published by the Asiatic Society in A Descriptive Catalogue of Central Asian the Bibliotheca Indica series in 1969. Documents, first of its kind in the field of Zamimayi Tazkirayi Yusufi (Hadiqat al-Safā) Central Asian Studies, the Catalogue was of Yusuf ‘Ali Khan, Persian Text edited with compiled by Dr. Abdus Subhan under the notes and introduction by Dr. Abdus Subhan. UNESCO-sponsored Central Asian Project, It deals with the literary life in Bengal during and published by Northern Book Centre, New the second-half of the 18th century. It was Delhi, in 1997. published by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, in Other works: Dr. Tanwir Ahmed, in his ar- the Bibliotheca Indica series in 1978. ticle, referred to above, has also credited Dr. Tā’ríkh-i-Bangāla-i-Mahābatjangi: English Abdus Subhan with the edition of two more translation by Dr. Abdus Subhan, published Persian manuscripts of literary value, namely: by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, in 1982. a biographical work, Montakhabot-tazkere; Khudnawisht Sawanih Hayat-i-Nassakh and a poetic collection, Divān-e Bahrām (Autobiography of Abdul Ghafur Nassakh), it is Saqqā. a critical edition of the Urdu text prepared by

Monthly Bulletin 20 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

Our Share of Bigotry Pabitra Sarkar Former Vice-Chancellor, Rabindra Bharati University

1 As is evident, three of the eight compo- What I have written below can be turned nents of meaning present a negative notion into a very philosophical paper on history of each. And the word ‘Dark’, almost a synonym, ideas, for which I have no inclination, nor am also carry similar negative implications, across I adequately equipped. These lines have been a few pages of any dictionary. And this is written on the spur of the moment, more not all. These single words are often used as an emotional, and less as an intellectual to make scores of compounds and phrases, reaction to George Floyd’s killing by a white that imply similar attitudes, unfavourable, policeman in the United States on 25 May avoidable, dreaded etc. For example—black this year, in Minneapolis, a city where I lived act, Black Death, black art, black book, black happily with my wife and my little daughter cat, black eye, blackguard, blacklist, black for two years during 1973-75, as a teacher at look, a black-letter day, black lie, black magic, the University of Minnesota. blackmail, black mark, black market, black The word ‘black’ has long been a problem- measles, black money (Indian English), black ridden term, even beyond human complex- out, black sheep (metaphor), black spot, black ion. And that not just for us Indians, but for vomit, the dress of mourning in the Christian the humankind at large. Just look at the list West, the future looks black, and the list can in the English lexicon. ‘Black’ in the Webster be further extended. Comprehensive Dictionary, the single word, So, ‘black’ has all along been a condemned has eight listed meanings. These are: notion, a notion and whose associations are to be avoided by nice people like us. In South 1. Having no power to reflect light; of the color Asia at least, I don’t know of other places. Here, of jet; the opposite of white. people who were black were thought to be 2. Belonging to a racial group, characterized somewhat inferior to the fair-complexioned by dark skin; especially Negroid. people, who were considered descendants 3. Of or relating to members of such. of the pure-bred Aryan race, with blue eyes, 4. Swarthy; somber; dark. aquiline nose and a tall, imposing physique. 5. Destitute of light; gloomy; dismal; forbid- The Aryans, as everyone knows, invaded India ding. and made it their homeland some four to five 6. Soiled; stained. thousand years ago. All other Indians with the 7. Evil; malignant; wicked; deadly; slanderous; (partial or more) race-features of the Dravid- malicious; threatening: A black-hearted ians, Mongoloids and Australoids are often wretch. 8. Wearing black garments: a black monk.

Black Lives Matter

looked down upon by the North Indians, as poetically, to the practical man in our society, they think they are the true inheritors of the the two domains are ever distant in our minds. Aryans. What is more, the Brahmins all over The logic of the hair cannot be extended to India, even in South India and Sri Lanka share that for the skin. It is only too well-known a fact this sense of superiority. So it does not need in the South Asian region that girls with dark a philosopher like Jacques Derrida to tell us skin are not preferred as brides for the sons of that although black/white are in sharp oppo- Indian parents, and may be accepted by some sitions, one is highly preferred and privileged for a cash price and/or some considerable over the other. amount of gold. The parents with dark-skinned girls ever live a life of guilt in our society, curs- 2 ing their fate for the calumny. It is not that in our garbled aesthetics, black And for the Afro-American, it is not the is always bad. We have slots where black is skin alone. Many of their physical features do desirable, even covetable. In the white West, not match our aesthetics about human body, a tan on the skin is often cherished. While in which has been formed in the Aryan mould, India and elsewhere in the East, black hair is prompted by the dominant aesthetics of the more desirable, than other hues of it, blond, White West. The lips of Black people are thick copper, auburn, silver etc. for example. But that (we prefer thin lips), their noses are broad (our is for that one slot only, it cannot be extended preference is for sharp ones), and their hair is to the body colour. The famous Indian author, not straight as ours. Further, having been op- Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, wrote a song for pressed by the White men for centuries, they his novel Kabi, which runs as kalo jodi mondo have now come to reject (How dare they?) the tobe kesh pakile kando kene, kalo keshe krish- aesthetics of whom they and some whites call nachura herechho ki nayane? ‘If black (for body WASPS (White Anglo-Saxon Pigs). They want complexion) is bad, then why do you lament to be different! How can we, the ‘nice people’, when your hair turns gray? Have you ever seen then accept them as part of us? They remain, (the beauty of) the gulmohar (‘Krishnachura’ in for us Indians, perpetually the ‘others’, to be Bengali) with your own eyes?’ Rabindranath despised, avoided, and when compelled, only Tagore also has a long poem, later turned into tolerated. They cannot be our friends or lovers, a song called Krishnakali, that eulogizes the let alone members of our family. rustic beauty of a black village girl who had Allow me to continue with the limited the black eyes of a doe. But, whatever the Mr theme of the ‘blacks’ of the world and us Bandyopadhyay, and poets like Tagore may say Indians. We do not consider the subtle point

Monthly Bulletin 22 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

that without black, white would not be such I will now come back to our typical atti- immaculate white, and without darkness, tude towards the American or African blacks, light would not have been as brilliant. Nor do to be even more specific. Everyone knows we think about the now acknowledged fact how the African students are socially treated that the human race evolved in black east in our Universities; as outcastes, to be frank. Africa some 2.5 million years ago, where from You know, we North Indians have created they moved out and spread all over the world, several ‘others’ for us, who we are happy to changing the pigmentation of their skin along look down upon and jeer at. The blacks figure the way. Of course in North India we have at very high in the list. It is also a fact that by least two gods (or thereabouts), Rama and us, the Indians from the North-East are often Krishna, who are not fair-complexioned, and called Chinese (the ‘chinkies’), simians, and one goddess, Kali, who is demonstrably so many such things. (among other things), but we keep them in our myth-belief system and do not let that 4 influence our mundane considerations. It The same happens when we go to the US is again a matter of ‘slots’ once again, as I for a job or higher studies. I know there are said above. The logic of one slot cannot be exceptions, but the ‘rule’ is that we try our best extended or transferred to another. not to mix with the blacks. North and East Indians call them ‘kalua’, ‘kallu’, or ‘blackies’ (I 3 don’t know if my south Indian friends have So, when on 25 May 2020, George Floyd, a a different term) and try to keep away from black person was dastardly killed by a US po- them. I was in the States some fifty years ago, liceman in Minneapolis, the whole world was, for more than six years, and I will let you know rightly, not only indignant, but furious, about it. what I found there in a very large section of The US police, the President, and the undercur- my own Indian community. I doubt if things rent of racism that still prevails in the country have changed drastically for the better even were being squarely condemned, rightly once though half-a-century has gone by. again, and we Indians also had, rightly for the Most of my professional friends lived third time, joined, this universal protest. in North Chicago, which was a white area, I have nothing to say in the defence of while, I, as a student, had to live in the South the US state machinery, as I also condemn Side, predominantly a black area. Many of my the crime and feel extremely sad about it. north-side friends raised their eyes when they But it is also an occasion to have a close look heard of this and asked in awe and surprise, at ourselves, the Indians, or the South Asians, ‘How do you live there? Isn’t it dangerous?’ I to be more even-handed. Do we have a right said, ‘We don’t find it so’, and did not empha- to feel so superior, so self-congratulatory, size the fact that I had no choice, as I had to claiming that we are above all this and such live close to the University. And another pro- hatred can never touch us? fessional, an engineer, who was coming from My personal opinion is, no, we do not have Ann Arbor, Michigan to Chicago, described the right, as everyone knows. The Hindu (so- his Greyhound bus journey within Chicago in called) ‘upper castes’ have committed even this manner— ‘Oh my God, it was ‘black, black, more dastardly crimes on the so-called ‘lower black’ all the way, and only when I crossed the castes’ in this continent, and I don’t find any downtown, aaah, it was WHITE!’ I put caps to semblance of grief or atonement for that, as reflect his deep sense and expression of relief. Dalits are still killed in Gujarat for watching the Yes, blacks in US have a long history of Garba dance of upper caste girls. I am not go- deprivation and discrimination, and some ing into the grim chronicle of communal riots. of them, out of simple poverty, resort to

Monthly Bulletin 23 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

mugging and such crimes. In Chicago, our his expectation, the black man didn’t go away friends advised us to keep a few two-dollar and held my friend for a chat, which made him notes with us when we were alone, walking even more scared. The man asked, what was on the south-side streets. If a black man ac- my friend doing in Chicago? Which country costed us and said, ‘Hey, Buddy, do you’ve a was he from? When my friend said that he dime!’ we were not to ask back anything, but was from India, the person said, ‘India, did should promptly hand him a two-dollar note, you say? Oh my God! Take it back (he handed and rush to my destination. We haven’t faced back the two-dollar currency to my friend), anything of this sort, but a friend did, near man!’ And he added, before parting, ‘We all Chicago’s Fifty-First Street. have our problems!’ He was doing his post-doc in Physics at My friend was dazed by the man’s strange the University of Chicago, and one day, while and mysterious conduct. After some research, coming to our place, a black man approached we found out that, on the Chicago Tribune him and politely asked the above question. of the same day, there was an item of news The friend was more than prompt to pull out about famine in India, and people dying of a two-dollar note from his breast pocket and hunger there. hand it to the big black man. But, contrary to

Black Lives Matter: Reflections from Baltimore Suranjan Chakraborty Professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Towson University, Maryland, USA

As I watched the protests unfold across the USA over the tragic and heartbreaking killing of George Floyd, I was afflicted by a sense of déjà vu about this police brutality against the less privileged that never seems to go away in this country. My thoughts turned to Freddie Gray, the young man who died at the hands of a brutal and callous police in Baltimore five years ago. Then as now there were protests across the country, particularly Baltimore, which was brought to a standstill. It had then felt momentous, as it does now. One felt hopeful that the entrance of these terrible deaths into the national conscience would shake the status quo, the indifference to the lot of black men, women, and children in this country. But this hope dies a premature death every single time. Sure enough within a few weeks a white policeman in Atlanta had shot dead Rayshard Brooks a 27-year-old father.

Artist: Rajkumar Mukherjee

Monthly Bulletin 24 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

This assumption of criminality on the part fortunate - he survived a brush with the law of the law-enforcers is a nightmarish reality enforcement. Scores of African-American for African-Americans in this country. The men and women do not, in America, even egregiousness of this systemic assumption in the 21st century. of criminality is horrifying, and regrettably it The causes behind this inequitable and is also depressingly wide-spread. Often when unjust policing system are numerous. It I think of this I am reminded of a student of ranges from the legacy of the Jim Crow laws mine. Ryan (name changed) was one of my of the deep south that continued to sub- undergraduate advisees, and an African- jugate and de-humanise black Americans American. I first met him on his birthday, an decades after emancipation, to an overly mil- eighteen-year-old, bubbling with excitement itarized police, improperly and inadequately about the astronomy general-education trained in aspects of conflict resolution and course he was going to take, and brimming community policing. There is an urgent need with confidence about his first programming for police reform. But such reforms will not course. We kept meeting every semester and address a deeper rot in the socio-economic I was struck by how his enthusiasm never conditions of African-Americans. The cor- wavered. So infectious was his enthusiasm, porate oligarchy that runs this country has that I started basking in the reflected pride of continued to exacerbate the depths of the this advisee, a first generation college-goer. misery of the have nots in America. Poverty Then suddenly Ryan stopped coming. He in inner cities across America is shocking. did not reply to my reminders about advis- The conditions in some of these neigh- ing meetings. I did not follow up to try and bourhoods should be an embarrassment find him. I assumed he must have decided to to this richest and most powerful country change his major or dropped out. I was dis- in the world, and a badge of shame for the appointed and saddened, but forgot about supposed American exceptionalism. This him, immersed as I was in my own personal socio-economic inequality (except for parts journey towards tenure. Then one day I got of rural America) is predominantly along an email from him. He had been suspended racial lines. In Baltimore where I live and by the University because of a police charge which is demographically predominantly against him. There had a been a robbery in a African-American, the poverty level is 23%. shop and Ryan and a few of his friends who Compare that to 9 % in the surrounding Bal- had been in the neighbourhood had been timore County that is predominantly white. picked up and charged. It turned out to be Median annual income in Baltimore city is a case of mistaken identity. He was exoner- $29,700, while that in Baltimore County is ated and back in the University and wanted $76,182. As an educator, I strongly feel that to meet again. But this was a changed young a well-developed public education infra- man, sullen, taciturn, the enthusiasm com- structure could be a way out of this inequity. pletely wiped out. I was no longer an ally But America has consistently and continu- but a hostile member of a society that had ously failed its most vulnerable population, assumed him guilty without due process. through decades of egregious budget cuts. Ryan did stay the course for his degree, but Recently Maryland (the state I live in), and his grades kept going down. Nothing I did to one of the more prosperous states in the motivate him when we met seemed to work. country, constituted the Kirwin commission I met him on graduation day, asked him to to improve the public school education sys- keep in touch. He never did. I hope he is well, tem. The commission made wide-ranging wherever he is. The tragedy is that despite recommendations for reforms that would the inherent injustice of this tale, Ryan was have significantly improved the conditions

Monthly Bulletin 25 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

of schools for students from poorer families. though. In the meantime, I see my nine-year- The laws enacting these reforms were, how- old daughter and keep thinking of another ever, vetoed by the Maryland Governor. six-year-old(George Floyd’s daughter), who Perhaps, George Floyd’s brutal and heart will perhaps never understand why she does rending death will finally impinge on the not have a father to tell her stories, play with governmental conscience. I remain skeptical her - and my heart breaks.

Protesting the Death of George Floyd: Does Nonviolence Matter? Suhasini Das Gooptu UG Student, Miranda House, Delhi University

The 'Black Lives Matter' protests raging protests today expose the historic oppression, across the United States in the aftermath discrimination and structural inequities that of George Floyd’s death have exposed the minorities face regularly. The great ‘American problem of institutional and structural racism dream’ of providing equal opportunities to present in American society and reignited all masks years of systemic racism, and a the debate over nonviolent modes of pro- skewed socio-economic structure. However, test. The viral video of a white police officer’s what differentiates the current uprising from knee choking Flyod’s neck for nine minutes previous protests, is the magnitude of public as he gasped ‘I can’t breathe’ has outraged support it enjoys and the pivot towards ad- American and international audiences, spark- dressing structural long-term issues of race ing solidarity movements across the globe. discrimination, economic disparity, construc- However, the core issue at stake is not new. tion of revisionist histories and a deeper The USA was built on the backs of black slaves, critique of the existing police system. and founded by their proud owners. The Protests against racial injustice in the USA

Monthly Bulletin 26 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

have taken many forms. Colin Kaepernick, an extremes. This leads to reinforcement of American football player, has been kneeling beliefs, villainization of the other, prevents during the national anthem since 2016 as he constructive dialogue and the perpetual is ‘not going to get up to show pride in a coun- evasion of addressing fundamental struc- try that oppresses black people and people of tural disparities. Echo-chambers' function color’. Kaepernick’s peaceful protest against through profit-driven media houses where police brutality and institutional racism saw news is treated as ‘info-tainment’, concerned him lose sponsorship deals, receive death with entertaining the viewers instead of threats and face immense backlash from informing them. The Trump supporter will citizens who found his move to be unpatri- thus follow Fox News, which exaggerates the otic. The ‘'Black Lives Matter'’ movement has anarchic tendency of the 'Black Lives Matter' been exploding since 2013, when it started movement, while the Democrat will stay as a social media hashtag in response to the tuned to CNN’s sensationalised version of acquittal of George Zimmerman who was ac- the other side. It is in this context of isolated cused of shooting to death African-American opinion building that Gandhian teen Trayvon Martin in 2012. The movement intervenes. As a transformative doctrine, the gained national visibility after massive street goal of a Gandhian struggle is not to defeat demonstrations were organised to protest or alienate the opponent, but to make one against the unfair death of two African- see the error of her/his ways, thus creating Americans, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, conditions for a transformative exercise not in the hands of white police officers. Notably, only for the satyagrahi, but also for the op- before George Floyd, it was Garner who died ponent. Therefore, nonviolence for Gandhi uttering the words ‘I can’t breathe’ as an officer and Dr. King was not just a protest method choked him. Thus, evidently, racial oppression but an organising principle of democracy. is a fatal fault-line of American society, and the The creation of a public sphere facilitating fundamental question that arises at this junc- deliberation to mobilise majority sentiments, ture is how to protest against this injustice. since numbers matter in a democracy, corre- The debate between violent and nonvio- sponds with Hannah Arendt’s vision of civic lent modes of struggle predates the current republicanism and good citizenship based on spate of protests, and had been deliberated cultural diversity and social responsibility. Res upon during the nonviolent civil rights move- publica (public affairs) for Arendt is the realm ment, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and during of political action and discourse. the Gandhian phase of the Indian national Another strength of nonviolence is its movement. Considering the increased rel- integrating capacity. Violence and radicalism evance of nonviolent protest mechanisms in accentuate political polarisation. They create the context of the 'Black Lives Matter' move- an environment of mutual suspicion–the ment, it is important to revisit the underlying breeding ground of demagoguery, misinfor- principles of nonviolent political agitation, mation and vicious propaganda. The use by although there may be multiple forms of the far-right media of the few violent 'Black such agitations. Lives Matter' protests to debunk the noble The undeniable political reality today is cause of the struggle demonstrates this one of extreme political polarisations. Every tendency. But the principle of nonviolence individual is deeply enmeshed in her/his own provides a space for dialogue and delibera- echo-chamber, where she/he only interacts tion that is absent in violent mass politics. The and communicates with politically like-mind- overwhelming participation of white Ameri- ed individuals, diminishing the propensity cans in current protest marches manifests the for across-the-aisle dialogue to negligible integrative power of nonviolent struggles.

Monthly Bulletin 27 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

Having allies is important for any movement the , Gandhi pursued constructive functioning in a democratic framework, as social work like sanitation programmes and numerical majorities form the bedrock of the promotion of basic education. Dr. King, democracy. nonviolent means, amplification too, concerned himself with social recon- of oppressed voices and peaceful protests struction projects such as the Poor People’s can change minds through deliberations in Campaign in 1967 to alleviate poverty among the public sphere. This is evident in the graph minorities. Nonviolence thus, lends sustain- published by the New York Times. ability to a movement. While the current protests are centered around police brutal- ity, as a sustained nonviolent project, 'Black Lives Matter' focuses on broader questions of economic, social, cultural and political discrimination against blacks. The appeal to individual consciousness through international public awareness is essential for nonviolent politics. Thus, the fourth pillar of democracy, the media, plays a pivotal role in a nonviolent struggle. The video of George Floyd being choked to death questioned the imagined notion of equality prevailing in America, thereby creating the While organizing a movement it is es- conditions for producing the ‘white con- sential to recognise the power of social sciousnesses’ for social change that Dr. King hierarchies—be it of class or gender, intra- had hoped for. Unfortunately, the calculus protest inequities may cause a movement to of expressing dissent through today’s corpo- dissipate. Therefore, a protest method that ratized mainstream media has significantly provides a space for all dissenters becomes diminished as market considerations take more effective as it recognises intersection- precedence over the ethics of journalism. The alities. The space created for black media is itself a victim of structural racism, within the larger ambit of the 'Black Lives evident in the allegations of racist comments Matter' movement is a case in point. made by ABC News executive Barbara Fedida, Violence creates unnecessary noise that who has now been placed on administrative detracts from the core issues at stake. Gandhi leave. Instead, social media is now the more and Dr. King recognised the power of social impactful platform for citizen journalism. The cleavages and the possible resurgence of heinous video depicting George Floyd’s death oppressive structures unless they were ad- first gained traction on a social media site, dressed head on. Nonviolent struggle allows when no other news channel was covering it structural fallacies to come to the fore. When and the 'Black Lives Matter' movement first you can’t complain about superficial matters emerged through social media. While the like looting and rioting you have to confront menace of fake news persists, social media what the protest truly stands for– institutional remains a relatively democratic platform fa- racism. This aids reconciliation and encour- cilitating public engagement that highlights ages the construction of solutions through issues neglected by corporate media houses. public policy changes, plans to reform and Nonviolence as a doctrine may be harder defund the police, funding black businesses, to enact than recourse to violence and war, affirmative action or petitioning the Congress but it has an inherent exclusive preceden- to enact appropriate laws. Even while fighting tial value. Hegelian idealism underlines the

Monthly Bulletin 28 July 2020 Black Lives Matter

dialectics of ideas through the cycle of massive nonviolence” be the most effective thesis-antithesis-synthesis till perfection is agent of change. reached. Transition from one stage of thesis Resort to violence is not a manifestation to another is inevitable as normative ideas, of the dissenter’s inherent violent, anarchic notions and visions of reality change. The nature. It is a reaction to the failure of demo- question at this juncture is, what is the best cratic institutions, a result of authoritarian- mode of transition: through a bloody war, ism that is unresponsive to the demands a Total Revolution or a gradual reshaping of the subalterns, an irresponsible media through nonviolent means? Violence creates and a civil society leadership that fails to a hostile transitory stage that breeds apathy champion the causes of the oppressed. If and erodes possibilities of synthesis. But the the pillars of democracy fail, nonviolence principle of nonviolence provides a unique fails, and if nonviolence fails, democracy is transitory doctrine that excludes bloodshed doomed. The unique integrative capacity of from the calculus of social change. nonviolent politics can revive the democratic However, if the collective society and state spirit by initiating public conversations and remains persistently negligent of oppressed civic engagement. The inherent interactive voices, a stage may come when violence quality of nonviolent methods, boost grass becomes inevitable, prompting Dr. King to root initiation into political life. This process is remark: “a riot is the language of the unheard.” evident in the civil society mobilisation for the Dr. King was not defending violence, but current protests and rising voter registration signalled that violence during a protest is among the disenchanted American youth. indicative of the society and state’s failure to The power to make people feel heard when provide spaces for dissent, deliberation and they are disenchanted and apathetic, to spur communication. The solution is not a violent them into action after years of atrophy and to overthrow of order but the sustenance of a impart a political purpose to their citizenship culture of perceiving, listening and respond- is the virtue of nonviolent politics. Through ing to those you disagree with and providing their advocacy of nonviolence Gandhi and a platform to the disadvantaged so that they Dr. King presented a mode of political action have the agency to voice their concerns in that laid the moral foundations of an inclusive a highly stratified society where systemic democratic culture. The current 'Black Lives oppression functions through discursive Matter' movement reflects this constructive channels. Only then can “militant, powerful, political legacy.

Monthly Bulletin 29 July 2020 Rethinking New Normal

The Alchemy of Well-Being Suchintan Das UG Student, St. Stephen's College, Delhi

to introspect and confront uncomfortable A pot of wine among the flowers. truths. Another reason behind this world view I drink alone, no friend with me. is the misguided and unfounded belief that the I raise my cup to invite the moon. problems are perpetually unfolding—this is He and my shadow and I make three. but a prelude to the storm that is yet to come. –––Li Bai, Drinking Alone with the Moon This belief has been informing our attitude (Translated by Vikram Seth) towards climate change ever since it emerged These lines, penned by the eighth century as a serious concern in academic and political Taoist poet Li Bai, evoke an unresolved mel- discourse. We find it too unnerving to accept ancholia—a desire to be in company. An en- that the disaster is here and now, not tucked forced solitude during this extended present away in some remote future. At this point, one has not been particularly helpful for people. would do well to pause and reflect what these On the contrary, this pandemic and the lock- old problems are. I will merely outline a few. I down which ensued from it have had serious do not intend to engage in an exhaustive dis- repercussions for the well-being of many. To cussion on any of these. I simply wish to stress reiterate the obvious, the sum-total of human why they should not be viewed in isolation and well-being—the elixir of life—can be said to be why it is necessary to look beyond comforting constituted by three components—material, but myopic explanations. physical and mental. Yet, this simplistic formu- The concept of material well-being has for lation paints a picture which is far from being long been conflated with the limiting idea of accurate. Moreover, it can be argued with economic well-being. Wealth continues to be some conviction that this extraordinary and viewed as the touchstone by which society truly unforeseen (not entirely unanticipated as vouches for individual material well-being. some studies have hinted, yet this adjective is Aggregates like GDP and GNP are cited as being used in a truer sense here than it is usu- the pre-eminent indicators of an untarnished ally done in most places) situation has merely national growth story. However, all welfare exposed and exacerbated fault-lines that have economists since the days of A. C. Pigou (1877- always already existed in our society. Although 1959), and is no exception, have it has grasped us by our collars and forced us to talked about standards of living not merely confront many problems, we must recognize determined by economic factors. Even then, that most of these are hardly new. equitable access to the commons and decent We had turned a blind eye to problems living conditions are left out of the discussion which jeopardize our well-being and we can- till the time when our sense of morality is not feign surprise now. This is because we have shocked by events transpiring all around. Our been complicit in sustaining a worldview that conscience only gets stirred when we witness puts the blame on events and individuals and the death march of migrant labourers from one does not acknowledge the underlying process- part of the country to another. We continue to es which produce them. It is very convenient look the other way when faced with the root to shrug all responsibilities. It is disconcerting causes of this phenomenon—dispossession of

Monthly Bulletin 30 July 2020 Rethinking New Normal

land, degeneration of employment, and rural continue to legislate on the bodies of people indebtedness, among others. Famines are no and it goes without saying that some bodies longer caused by droughts. They are caused are considered more equal than others. Di- by policy failures and catalysed by entrenched versity in sexual orientation is yet to be fully inequalities. Production, distribution, and acknowledged as natural in legal and peda- consumption are all social activities. Collective gogical domains. As a result, personal choices human efforts make these possible. Inequali- and freedoms remain restrained. One should ties distort them. As a consequence, we have not, however, mistake these for individual been observing a steady privatization of profits concerns. For example, only a delusional per- and socialization of costs. What economists son would not identify genital mutilation as a call externalities—the unaccounted impact socio-cultural problem. This holds true for fears of one’s actions on another or the society at regarding racial miscegenation as well. Physi- large—get ignored in this neat equation. cal well-being must necessarily encompass Some argue that we are living in the many apparently unrelated things. Freedom Anthropocene—a geological age in which from gender-based violence, freedom from human beings have emerged as a potent geo- norms proscribing what one wears and what logical force, capable of altering the environ- one eats, freedom from torture in custody, and ment around us beyond recognition. We are freedom from ethnic profiling should, inter facing the repercussions of past activities in the alia, be viewed as the integral components present. Our present actions are consistently of physical well-being. We express shock and annihilating the possibility of any future. This disgust when we hear that rates of domestic will not change unless we seriously begin to abuse in India have gone up sharply during view material well-being in relation to the con- this lockdown. We feel aghast at the unilateral ditions which make it possible. One of these dilution of labour laws. Yet we keep ignoring is an inhabitable environment. Our material the connections that exist between them. So well-being is also linked to our societal well- long as we continue to delegitimize domestic being. The latter is hindered by deep-seated work and sex-work as ‘not labour’ and refuse prejudices and injustice. Racism, sexism, to view the channelling of tribal labourers to casteism, and poverty are not functions of work in mines and plantations built on their individual disabilities. These are signs of social land as ‘disciplining of bodies’, we will not be failures—our inability to create conditions able to fathom the full implications of ‘physical which facilitate cooperation, enhance acces- well-being’. sibility, and acknowledge difference. A holistic To emphasise the relevance of mental understanding of material well-being cannot well-being during this pandemic is bound afford to be divorced from the political realities to be a redundant exercise. Two things will that have normalized exploitation. When the establish why this is so. On the one hand, the material well-being of one is underwritten by leading cause of death due to the nationwide the oppression of another, it deserves condem- lockdown in India has been suicide. On the nation, not celebration. So long as we continue other hand, Yale University’s ‘The Science of to overlook the ‘environmental’, the ‘social’, and Well-Being’, which deals with psychology and the ‘political’ constituents of the ‘material’, we the good life has become the most popular will not be able to speak of ‘well-being’ in any online course of all time. It is interesting to meaningful manner. note that this course has not been made avail- The present discourse on physical well- able to the people of Venezuela, as a crippling being is constrained by similar inadequacies. US embargo is placed on this oil-rich and Although the ‘physical’ is predicated on the socialist-run Latin American country. It seems ‘material’, it is detached from the ‘sexual’. States that Venezuelans are not supposed to learn

Monthly Bulletin 31 July 2020 Rethinking New Normal

the secret to the good life. This offers a good to realize the true value of mental well-being. scope for foregrounding the larger point that What then is to be done? There is no single I am trying to make. Mental health has been or simple answer. To start with, we must strive deliberately academized and depoliticized. All to get out of the mental straitjacket which mental health concerns have been reduced prevents us from making obvious connec- to the individual pursuit of happiness, devoid tions between observable phenomena and of any meaningful social ethics. As a conse- underlying processes. We must have the moral quence, the bountiful literature on or around courage to recognize and confront our old ‘mental well-being’ are mostly either scholarly problems. According to Walter Benjamin, the publications pathologically emphasizing clini- angel of history is akin to an angel depicted cal diagnosis of diseases and disorders or self- by Klee in a painting called Angelus Novus. help guides by self-proclaimed lifestyle-gurus. Benjamin had imagined that this angel, with One doesn’t need to cite Foucault to stress this his eyes wide open, mouth gaping and wings point further. outstretched, keeps staring at the sky-high pile ‘Depression’ is still a taboo in India. All sui- of past rubble as he is uncontrollably driven cides do not make headlines either. Most are into the future by the storm called progress. consigned to the banality of statistics. P. Sainath Discounting Benjamin’s pessimism, it is im- had uncovered from National Crime Records portant to accept that the rubble of the past Bureau data that over three lakh farmers had must be comprehended at present, or else committed suicide in India between 1995 and there will be no future. The task can no longer 2015 (following which the data ceased to be be postponed. The ability to rethink society published). Their economic insecurities have radically is a prerequisite for this. One must still not been addressed even today. One way remember that etymologically, the word ‘radi- in which this phenomenon was sought to be cal’ is derived from ‘radix’, which means root. invalidated by many was by arguing that these Radical rethinking involves addressing root farmers acted in such a manner because they causes and not their superficial symptoms. were individually depressed and that it was fu- In a recent essay, Arundhati Roy has argued tile to look for deeper causes. Walter Benjamin that this pandemic is a portal—we must not (1892-1940) had said that we are progressing go back to the ‘normal’. At the risk of pushing through a ‘homogenous and empty time’. It this metaphor too far, I would argue that this seems that he was right. We juxtapose ap- pandemic has offered us a unique opportunity parently unconnected, simultaneous actions to reassess and get out of ‘normal’ realities. The and experiences, without bothering to look machine is broken. It has always been so. We at their shared genealogies. If we look deep must free ourselves from the Sisyphean habit enough, we will find what Marx had identified of servicing it nonetheless. This will not be as ‘alienation from species-essence’ to be one an easy hatchet job. The possibility of a new of the prime reasons why mental well-being order can lie in disorder itself. This is a strange has been elusive. Human creative potential is harmony, almost poetic, often found in brico- unbounded, provided it is not otherwise sub- lage. The alchemy of well-being is a complex jugated to or restrained by a relentless pursuit process. In order to grasp the whole, we must of profit. A conflation of this pursuit of profit always strive to be capable of introspection with the pursuit of ‘happiness’ or of ‘the good and empathy, like the Taoist poetic desire of life’ is bound to be a political distortion. So long being in the company (‘alone with the Moon’). as we do not recognize this, we will remain Even when we become bricoleurs, we should ‘playthings of alien forces’ and will not be able never lose our essence.

Monthly Bulletin 32 July 2020 Cyclones: Past and Present

On Eco-configuring the Ongoing Pandemic and the Amphan

Dilip Kumar Sinha Former Vice-Chancellor, Visva-Bharati

As the ‘lockdown’ began to be closely out the calamities. An in-depth analysis of within the heels on being curbed, the range Ghosh’s exercise may drive home the exist- of the cyclone Amphan made itself some- ence of a possible spectrum, with the climate what conspiringly virulent. Even though the crisis and the pandemic at the extrema. One ‘social distance’ per se has remained tacitly finds the strengths of the one, with a subdued enforceable, the cyclone, Amphan, looking vigour but posing an existential threat and back, might have sought for a camaraderie the other with a huge morass of debris, of with COVID-19. None in this cohortism could trees, stay-on places etc., as ravages of Am- hardly afford to have contiguous incubations, phan, often allowing the dirt to hang on, till spatially and temporally. Indeed, a kindred- the disposal of the latter. Officially speaking, ness seemed to be somehow emerging, after both the categories, come somewhat weirdly, the landfall of the cyclone, Amphan, sparing within the purview of the Disaster Act of 2005. to the roar over Odisha. Surely, a definitive Whether the amelioration could be vested warmth must have sprang up within the in the Ministry of Agriculture or Home, as of coastal arena of the Bay of Bengal. Any rudi- now, the sufferings and supremacy as well ment of atmospheric knowledge can hold can hardly be kept at bay. While pre-disaster brief for the substantive moisture content and exercises are often hustled though. The post- hence, the prolific rain throughout the Bay of disaster mitigation over the decades can ill Bengal. As the chronicles well-preserved in afford to gloss over unavoidable necessities of the citadels of The Asiatic Society of Bengal the times. Resilience being dimensionalised ought to point out, a Britisher Henry Pidding- in the corporate world as a verbiage, could ton, happening to be a Calcuttan at a certain remarkably have phases, when the distressed point of time, had floated the word ‘cyclone’ community could well embark upon, on their with a bid to fathom the upsurge of a storm. own, for redressal, the futurities being skill- Amitav Ghosh, the eminent litterateur, has fully and adroitly contained in by the sufferers. the portrayals on cyclones in his illuminat- The flavour of the historicity on such scores ing treatise The Hungry Tide. Amitav Ghosh, can be culled for meeting exigencies. in a recent communication, ventures to seek A relentless search for a pathogen in the something of a feeble linkage between the corona virus, be that old or new, can hardly be pandemic, widely captioned as COVID-19 avoided on several grounds, e.g. ‘the viruses and the cyclone Amphan. To him, The 'Great have a receptor binding site that finds ways Acceleration' pertaining to extremes, of forms to the cell that it is going to affect, which in of neo-liberal captitalism, involving both pro- COVID-19 is the lungs’. True, that all animals ductive and consumption must have brought carry viruses but in no way be transmitted. A

Monthly Bulletin 33 July 2020 Cyclones: Past and Present

misleading idea, almost going to take roots the house, trees, trunk and the branches be- is that there may be an environment that ing tormented by whirls with a dominantly facilitates zoonotic distance spread through torsional ilk. There is no point of espousal direct transmission or through a vector inter- of sentiments around trees. A collision with mediary. The diversity of pathogens has to be COVID-19 can hardly be brushed off, on reckoned with. Can there exist a risk of emer- grounds of ‘social disaster’ imperatives. Birds gence of new pathogens ? An interplay can and squirrels certainly chose to be occupiers occur because of high densities of humans of trembling trees. The cuckoo, without being and livestock. A high ecological deterioration, bogged down by the dictum on distance, rather a degradation keeps on surfacing and could quieten its melodious voice. The habi- so, runs the risk of increase of the pathogen tats and niches stand perturbed, with a slew spillover increase. The habitats labouring of alternative trajectories and without being under risks of emergence are situated in the choosy in any way. The emotive spells kept on close vicinities of the parts of Asia, specially simmering if there be a coupling, where the the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and pandemicity is well bent on seeking zoonotic South China. A natural ecosystem may thus entries and the Amphan playing fiddle for become fragile, even through the few servient ephemeral broadsides. stages. Such descriptions galore do flourish Somewhat painfully, the debilitating in the thought-canopy of the Asiatic Society, devastation could happen by the cyclone here or elsewhere. A valiant inclusivity, for Amphan which did invade on May 20, the the shattered species appears to have been 2373-acre spread containing 15,000 plants bolstered by the assertive Amphan. belonging to 1300 species, felling thereby One can have always a layout of the at- hundreds of trees. To a professional Botanist, a mospheric niceties on speed, temperature, tree stands as a dead body. The Great Banyan moisture, humidity etc. relating to Amphan, Tree in the Botanic Gardens must have ac- pouncing upon the trees that could stand the quired a capability to withstand the brutality test of times. The uprooted trees of mango, of the Amphan. Some of the valuable inmates jackfruit, woodapple, krishnachura, matong- there, particularly those brought from abroad iny and banyan could become painfully some centuries ago, have fallen prey to the visible on the roads, grounds, roofs etc. that Amphan. The area around the Botanic Gar- do rake up the memories with several align- dens happens to be a declared containment ments. Didn’t the trees provide the places of zone of COVID-19. Does it allow an intuitive shelter, saviour and succor to people ? Who is exercise on the coercive flare up on the in- not left forlorn while witnessing the highways mates of the Botanic Gardens, somewhat akin or the formal streets found strewn with the to a Netflix of COVID-19 ? elan vital of the trees ? Presumably, Alia, Phani Although the Nisarga in the western coast and Bulbul could somehow be condescend- hardly had the outbursts of massive destruc- ing but the Amphan has staringly ripped the tion, the pandemicity in Mumbai, continues canopies apart. The Kolkata Municipal Cor- to be a bugbear. Reportedly, the rehabilitation poration provides an estimate on uprooted due to a landful of Nisarga might have called trees. The concerns on impediments to path- for an accommodation of the quarantine ways seem to have edges over the sense of inmates. One is yet to be assured whether gloom and sorrow, over the beloved trees. As there could be the habitats, destroying which of now, one hardly dares to speak about the would facilitate the flourishing of the dis- migrant labour, seeking a shelter with trees eases. The concerns on viruses and diseases having a cohesion elsewhere. The COVID-19 continue unabated on such scores. The exis- lockdown must have enabled a viewer, in tential bedrocks of viruses need to be delved

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into, so that perturbations of the afflicted sites being so visibly atrocious, can well occur do not, in any way, reinforce the transmission to a mind with a pressing visibility during of the diseases. The Dharavi (Mumbai), an ex- a lockdown state. Several whirls did put in emplar of ecological milieus built up through efforts there and so, in the neighbourhoods, the decades may be in jeopardy. Here is an with destroyed trees and plants. Adjacently, arena where the diseases and the endangered the cloud-masses with colliding propensities populations seem to vie with each other, in compete with windspeeds, moisture-content the wake of settlement(s) somewhere. That disallowing the warmth to quit, for bringing shifting habitants can tell upon the ecosys- about scenarios. The delineation thereof can tems is not readily realized. The vagaries aspire for a responsibility so that a temporal of the resulting risks there, particularly in consolidation gets fairly assured. A niche has regard to corona virus, can hardly be meted to be sought for the upkeep of the stuff, often out. These become all the more dreadful, if intermingled with the warmth with residuals viruses keep on spilling over into humans. of psychological stresses. An eco-configuring Any foolhardiness of the humans may lead worth the words cannot but be looked for. to contacts with zoonic facies. A bravado on Which realm can provide the repository other the road stuff, may bring in contacts with than the Asiatic Society of Bengal having a evidentiary marks, e.g. the built bill marks. congenial built up through centuries ? The services of professional’s rehabilitators The whirlpools on the onset of Amphan need to be requisitioned so that the evils of in alleys and the corridors of Kolkata could contamination can be contained. become pesteringly discernible through The last few lines in the earlier are meant Amphan disarming the earthly stuff that could for gauging human frailties in respect of re- be pounced upon earlier. Indeed, one could sponses to environmental disturbances and envisage matrices on such encounters in disorders, set in by the pandemic COVID-19. appropriated directions. Also, these brought Social distancing is being continually harped in layouts of criticalities characterizing the on so as to take over, primarily the non- untrodden pathways of the Amphan. Not chalance of societal beings. The ‘lockdown’, an ilk of surmise can describe such trajec- followed by the ‘unlock’, is largely meant to tories to be linear. The whirling fervour, as take care of a dismal catalogue of social ills. it were, could be perceived as a yearning The depressions can hardly be precluded. for a stability. The configuration, seemingly Environmental dimensions are overridingly undeciphered but invaluably challenging, assuming significance. Often, a negativity forms the pre-requisite for shifts to citadels gets visibly manifested through loneliness, on historical resources. The portals of the monetary depression, unemployment, migra- Asiatic Society of Bengal, as an exemplar, tion etc. as also form the set of angsts follow- provide the succor and solace in such con- ing the lockdown. An isolation may provide texts. ‘Eco-development’ happened to be the a self-efficacy, of course, on a personal basis. prelude of deliberations some decades ago, Positively speaking, a host of inquisitions and in its premises and hence, ‘eco-configuring’ calibrations finds trajectories with invariably may well fit in, for reckoning with what may critical modes. A whirl disturbing the ground be designated as the whirligig, taken in its realities, seeking uproot a mango tree and entirety.

Monthly Bulletin 35 July 2020 Cyclones: Past and Present

A Confusion of Words? Terms for ‘Great Storms’ in Bengal Rila Mukherjee Professor of History, University of Hyderabad

We know that maritime passages bring in Town was both an Indian Ocean port and an their wake multiple mobilities which expose Atlantic port-town (Ward 2007; Worden 1998). people to new cultures and languages. As early So, as circulations increased, the new mobili- as 1700, when ships of unknown origin arrived ties saw different words entering the lexicon at Calcutta port, notices were issued in English, of diverse nations and peoples. Bengali, Portuguese, Persian, Armenian and Nagari (McPherson 1995). By the early nine- *** teenth century, boundaries between oceanic This short note argues that maritime worlds became blurred to a very great extent. history, usually seen within the restrictive Imperial transits created a cosmopolitan, confines of trade and economic history, can interconnected world by way of Asian fac- also offer the potential of new ways of doing tory towns which had morphed into colonial research. Maritime crossings can be studied port-cities. These port- through the tropes cities emerged as new of climate and lan- gateways with links to guage histories. While distant markets and maritime passages military, political, and are well known for economic bases for increased mobilities, penetrating and con- what is not so well trolling hinterlands. known is the imprint For example, the In- left by natural hazards dian Ocean world be- on languages. As a came linked to the At- century of ‘Free Trade’ lantic world through under colonialism an international cor- started, such disas- ridor that emerged Image 1 ters, recorded occur- along the southeast Africa coast. This corridor ring with increasing frequency, undermined saw American whalers, Gujarati merchants, the new regional connections. Cyclones, Nguni adventurers, Bengali agents, lascars, sometimes also accompanied by earthquakes and escaped slaves from the Seychelles, with and tsunamis, began to be recorded with facility in diverse languages: Arabic, French, rigour from Calcutta as such natural disasters Nguni dialects, Swahili, Gujarati, Bengali, affected intra-port shipping from Bengal Dutch, English, Portuguese, Hindustani, and and threatened the new regional maritime Malagasy (Hofmeyr, Dhupelia-Mesthrie & economies. Image 1 shows the intensity of Kaarsholm 2016). The Cape of Good Hope has cyclones in the Bay of Bengal as opposed to been called a ‘tavern of the seas’, because Cape the Arabian Sea.

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1737, there happened a furious hurricane at the mouth of the Ganges, which reached 60 leagues up the river. There was at the same time a violent earthquake, which threw down a great many houses along the river side; in Golgotta (Calcutta) alone, a port belonging to the English, two hun- dred houses were thrown down, and the high and magnificent steeple of the Eng- lish Church sunk into the ground without breaking. It is computed that 20,000 ships, barques, sloops, boats, canoes, &c., have been cast away. Additional details of the great storm are given in a letter dated 29 January 1739: ‘A Sad Effect of theHurricane was a famine that raged all round the Country best part of the Cyclones with death tolls reported for Year, were obliged to forbid the Exportation over 10,000 people are recorded for Calcutta of Rice…’ (Wilson 1906). in 1737, 1787, 1789, 1822, 1833, 1839, 1864, and 1876. Death tolls between 300,000 and *** 350,000 individuals were reported for the Climatic hazards had always impacted 11/12 October 1737 Calcutta cyclone alone. regional coherence and had hindered mobil- The cyclone reportedly caused a storm surge ity. In 1666, Glanius, shipwrecked in southeast 10-13 m (30-40 ft) in the Hughly River with a Bengal (now ) through a cyclone, reported 381 mm (15 in) of rain falling in a six- saw an inhospitable coast (Glanius 1682). A hour period. The storm tracked approximately century and a half later, in 1795, British major 330 km (200 mi) inland. The cyclone report- Michael Symes wrote: edly destroyed 20,000 water going vessels, ranging from ocean-worthy ships to canoes The entrance into the river of Bengal, and dinghies. The loss was incalculable. presents as intricate and dangerous a chan- However, the word ‘cyclone’, with which nel, as any that is known; and during three we are so familiar now, was not used for months of the year, a ship, in leaving the the 1737 storm. ‘Hurricane’ was the term of Ganges, incurs considerable hazard from preference since the English sailors were being obliged to beat against a foul wind, more familiar with that phenomenon in the in shoal water, among surrounding sands Caribbean. Any wind speed of over BEAU- (Symes 1800/2006). FORT force 12 was called ‘hurricane’ (from the Nautical vocabulary changed, becoming Carib furacan). The Spanish used ‘huracan’ or generally wider after 1750, but it was not ‘huracanado’, the French used ‘ouragan’, while always more precise. Alexander Dalrymple’s the Dutch used the terms ‘orcaan’, ‘orcaen’ or Practical Navigation of 1789 included his own ‘orkaan’ (CLIWOC 2003). ‘wind scale’, which is of particular importance as it predates Francis Beaufort’s scheme of The Gentleman’s Magazine for 1738/9 noted: 1806. He used the terms ‘storm’ and ‘gale’; he October 11 night 1737 CALCUTTA: In the did not use either of the terms ‘hurricane’ or night between the 11th and 12th October ‘cyclone’. But William Reid, in his An Attempt

Monthly Bulletin 37 July 2020 Cyclones: Past and Present

to Develop the Law of Storms by Means of Facts in such wise, that she was almost full with (1838), used the term ‘hurricane’ as he was water that came over the highest part of employed in Barbados where the term was, her and so went downe: and for the space and still is, current. Thus three words were of three dayes and three nights, sixtie men used to describe very strong winds in Bengal: did nothing but hale water out of her in this ‘storm’, ‘gale’ and ‘hurricane’. wise, twentie men in one place, and twentie It was only from 1848 that the term men in another place, and twentie in a third ‘cyclone’ was used in Bengal, in Henry Pid- place…(Federici 2004). dington’s The Sailor’s Horn Book (published at Calcutta). Still, usage of the word did not While French sailors and travellers used become universal. ‘Hurricane’ and ‘gale’ con- the term ‘ouragan’ for hurricane, like Federici tinued to be used. The Annual Report of the they also used the word ‘tifon’. And while the Administration of the for English usually stayed with the term ‘hur- 1864-65 noted of the cyclone of 5 October ricane’, they sometimes used ‘typhoon’ in- 1864: ‘On the 5th of October last Calcutta and terchangeably with hurricane and cyclone. the districts were visited by a disastrous hur- But, as the recording of climate data became ricane…the gale had its origin somewhere more precise, climatologists started apply- about the Andaman Islands’. But Gastrell and ing the three terms—hurricane, cyclone and Blandford’s Report on the Calcutta Cyclone of typhoon—to three distinct world regions. In the 5th October 1864 (written in 1866) used general, ‘hurricane’ is used to describe storms the term ‘cyclone’ definitively. in the Atlantic and Pacific worlds, ‘cyclone’ is used for the Indian Ocean realm and the term *** ‘typhoon’ is used for storms occurring in coun- To compound the confusion, another tries bordering the East and South China seas. term—typhoon—was also sometimes used More precisely, in the Atlantic and Northeast to describe storms in Bengal. This term was Pacific, the term ‘hurricane’ is used. The same derived from the Chinese ‘tai fung’ meaning type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific is ‘great wind’, and it was perhaps derived in its called a ‘typhoon’, while ‘cyclones’ occur in the turn from the Arabic ‘tufan’, or even from the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. They are all Greek ‘tuphon’ for whirlwind. the same weather phenomenon; just different names are used for storms in different world The Italian Cesare Federici, travelling from regions, and this short note shows that just Pegu to Bengal in 1567/9 wrote: as there was a permanent settlement on land, Unfortunate are they that are at Sea in that there was a ‘permanent settlement’ of climate yeere and time of the Touffon because terms in the world’s oceans. few there are that escape that danger. In this yeere it was our chance to bee at Sea Works cited with the like storme, but it happened well CLIWOC. 2003. Multilingual Meteorological Diction- unto us, for that our ship was newly over- ary: An English-Spanish-Dutch-French Dictionary plancked, and had not any thing in her of Wind Force Terms used by Mariners from 1750 save victuall and balasts…This Touffon or to 1850. Netherlands: KNMI. cruel storme endured three dayes and three FEDERICI, Cesare of Venice. 2004, ‘Account Of Pegu’, Translated from the Italian by Master Thomas nights: in which time it carried, away our Hickock. SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research, 2, 2: sayles, yards, and rudder; and because the 130-159. ship laboured in the Sea, wee cut our Mast GLANIUS. 1682. A Relation of an Unfortunate Voy- over-boord: which when we had done, shee age to the Kingdom of Bengala. London: Henry laboured a great deale more then before, Bonwick.

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Hofmeyr, Isabel, Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie & Preben by Michael Symes, Esq. Major in His Majesty’s Kaarsholm. 2016. ‘Durban and Cape Town as Port 76th regiment. London: W. Bulmer & Co., SOAS Cities: Reconsidering Southern African Studies Bulletin of Burma Research, 4, 1: 59-208. from the Indian Ocean’. Journal of Southern Afri- Ward, Kerry. 2007. ‘“Tavern of the Seas”? The Cape can Studies 42, 3: 375-387. of Good Hope as an Oceanic Crossroads during McPherson, Kenneth. 1995. ‘Enemies of Friends? the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries’. The Portuguese, the British and the Survival of in Jerry H. Bentley, Renate Bridenthal & Kären Portuguese Commerce in the Bay of Bengal and Wigen eds. Seascapes: Maritime Histories, Littoral Southeast Asia from the late seventeenth to the Cultures, and Transoceanic Exchanges, Honolulu: late nineteenth century’. in Francis A. Dutra & University of Hawaii Press: 137-52. Joao Camilo dos Santos eds. The Portuguese and Wilson, C.R. Ed. 1906. Old Fort William in Bengal: a the Pacific, Santa Barbara: Center for Portuguese selection of official documents dealing with its his- Studies: 211-37. tory (Indian Records Series). London: John Murray. SYMES, Michael. 1800/2006. ‘An Account of an Worden, Nigel E., Van Heyningen, Vivian Bickford- Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava, sent by the Smith. 1998. Cape Town: The Making of a City: An Governor-General of India, in the Year 1795’, Illustrated Social History. SA: Uitgeverij Verloren.

Monthly Bulletin 39 July 2020 Cyclones: Past and Present

Ruydād-e Tufān-e Āfat-neshān-e Dhāka: A Persian poem, containing an eye-witness account of the Dhaka tornado of 1888, by a Persian poet of Dhaka, Mahmud Azad (1842-1907) — An Introduction M. Firoze Joint Philological Secretary, The Asiatic Society

Though the Persian poem, Ruydād-e because as soon as the sky became clear, a Tufān-e Āfat-neshān-e Dhāka, which runs into huge black cloud emerged from the western 49 couplets,1 has been reproduced, along side of the sky and, taking the shape of a fun- with its summary in English, by me in my book nel, it started moving violently towards the on Mahmud Azad2, I would like to revisit the city, accompanied by thunder and lightening poem in the present context. (verses 8-19). As a background of the poem, referred The lightning accompanying the thun- to above, it may be said that in this tornado, derstorm burnt down houses and killed not which struck Dhaka in the evening of April 7, only human beings but also birds and beasts, 1888, a total of 3527 houses had completely turning many residential places into graves collapsed, 121 boats were destroyed, 130 (verses 20-22). persons were killed and 1500 injured.3 The tornado had brought destruction not The poem under discussion opens with only on the land causing houses to collapse the following two couplets, in which the but also on the sea making boats and ships poet, recording accurately the date of the to sink (verses 23-25). tragedy, says that “it was the seventh day of The storm razed to the ground many tall the month of April of eighteen eighty-eight buildings and mansions, including the palace that a disaster befell Dhaka and its people”: of Nawwab Abdul Ghani, of which little trace had been left (verses 26-31). But the poet thanks God that the Nawwab درین روزگار بال رسگزشت and all the members of the latter’s family که بر هیجده هست هشتاد و هشت .(escaped unhurt (verses 32-33 به تاریخ هفتم ز اپریل ماه After giving the above account, the poet .records his own observation to the tragedy شده ڈﮬﺎﮐﻪ و اهل ڈﮬﺎﮐﻪ تباه The poet starts by narrating how, on that He, addressing himself, says that the disaster fateful day, which was Saturday, the sky began has reminded him of the omnipotence of to be overcast with clouds in the evening and, the Almighty, who has all the power to bring after sometime, it started raining, which con- down the whole world in a moment (verses tinued till the sunset, when the rain stopped 34-42). and the sky became clear (verses 3-7). Continuing his observation, the poet But it was the lull before the storm, consoles himself that whatever God does, it is based on divine wisdom, which cannot be 1 Divān-e Āzād, Azimabad (Patna), 1307 A.H. (= questioned (verses 43-45). 1889 A.D.), pp. 76-79. The poet concludes his poem with the 2 M. Firoze, Mahmud Azad: A Persian Poet of following four couplets in which he asks the Nineteenth-Century Bengal, Iran Society people to take lessons from such happenings Publication, Kolkata, 2014, pp. 86-91. and pray to God that He saves them from such 3 B. C. Allen, ed., Gazetteer of Bengal and North- calamities in future (verses 46-49). East India, Delhi, reprint 1984, p. 313.

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Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and the Midnapore Cyclone of 1942 Nikhiles Guha Professor (retd.), Department of History, Kalyani University and Life Member of The Asiatic Society

Midnapore, which played a heroic role heavy rain. At places there were 12 inches in the freedom struggle of India, was struck of rainfall within 24 hours. All the rivers were by a natural calamity of exceeding propor- flooded. Tin roofs had been blown away and tions on 16 October 1942 when the Quit all mud houses had either collapsed or been India movement of which it was an im- destroyed. Seventy-five percent of the cattle portant part was still in had died. It emerged in its early phase. Being the course of the dis- adjacent to the Bay of cussions that 14,443 Bengal, the district now persons had died within divided into two parts a few weeks. Of these (East and West) is natu- 11,000 had died in the rally prone to cyclones Kanthi district alone. Ten and tidal waves. But the per cent of the bullocks misfortune that struck used for cultivation and on Saptami, while the cows that gave milk people were celebrating had drowned. About the Durga Puja, the most 7000 villages covering important festival of the an area of about 3300 Hindu population of sq. miles in Midnapore Bengal, had far-reaching and the neighbouring effects. areas of the 24 Parga- Pr a m a t h a N a t h nas had been either Banerjee, the Revenue partially damaged or Minister of the Progres- completely destroyed. sive Coalition Ministry 5,27,000 buildings had that was then in power been completely razed in Bengal, in his speech before the Bengal to the ground. Crops worth rupees eleven Legislative Assembly said that from about 7 crores had been destroyed. or 8 in the morning of the 16th a fierce gale The S.D.O. of Tamluk, Wazir Ali Sheikh, swept across the Bay of Bengal. It did not had been warned of the storm but he took subside till it had swept over many districts no action. Congress volunteers said, be- and ended only 24 hours later. Meantime, on cause the people’s sympathies were with the the afternoon of the 16th huge waves swept August movement. The Revenue Secretary over many areas of Midnapore and the 24 first received news of the disaster from the Parganas. The wind was accompanied by Collector of the 24 Parganas, who told him

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how Diamond Harbour had suffered, on the of which they claimed to be fighting the war. morning of the 19th. That same day a pilot of Syama Prasad asked in anguish : the Royal Air Force, who had flown over the "Could you not as Governor issue in time rail-line connecting Midnapore and Calcutta a public message of sympathy—the Viceroy brought news of the havoc the cyclone had could do it —for the unprecedented loss wrecked in Midnapore. The District Collector following the flood and cyclone, costing the of Midnapore confirmed his statement. Three lives of at least thirty thousand people and valuable days were thus wasted before relief colossal destruction of cattle and property, a work could be started. The Mahishadal Raj havoc which British troops describe as similar Estate at this time provided succour for a to the worst that may be caused by enemy week to the thousands who sought shelter bombing?" there, in spite of the fact that its cutcherry Syama Prasad repeated the same argu- had been burnt by the agitators during the ments in the Bengal Assembly, while tender- August movement. ing his resignation from the Ministry, which The government withheld the news. Un- did not last long after his departure (February der the Defence of India rules, no news could 12, 1943). The governor dismissed it at the be printed without being scrutinized by the end of the following month. government. When the Ananda Bazar Patrika The distress of the people of Midnapore published a news on 18 October to the effect was not removed. Availability of drinking that disturbing news was being received water remained a big problem for the next about Midnapore, it was reprimanded. But three months. Corpses lay on the road. Syama Prasad, who was the Finance Minister The garbage was not removed even after of the Progressive Coalition Ministry, learnt two-and-a-half months. The administration from private sources about the conditions attributed the delay to the disruption of in Midnapore and rushed with help to the communications and the fact that it was affected area on 28 October. Volunteers not possible to approach different areas from the Hindu Mahasabha, the party which without police escort in view of the prevail- he led, manned these service centers. They ing political unrest. Official neglect led to received full help from the Ramakrishna Mis- the outbreak of cholera and malaria, which sion and the Bharat Sevashram Sangha. Sir claimed no less lives than the storm itself. John Herbert, the Governor of Bengal, could Mass cremation had to be arranged for Satish find time to visit the affected areas only on Samanta, a nationalist leader of prominence November 13. Shocked by this indifference, and an active member of the Tamralipta Syama Prasad in a letter to Herbert dated Jatiya Sarkar which asserted independence 16 November 1942 expressed his desire to from British rule, complained that no non- be relieved of ministerial responsibility. He governmental agency was allowed to bring complained of the high-handedness with relief to the affected areas for a month after which the government was dealing with the storm. Later the Ramakrishna Mission, the people of Midnapore and the steps that the Bharat Sevashram Sangha and the were being taken to crush the Quit India Marwari Relief Society rendered yeoman movement. Even the collection of punitive service to the cause of the suffering people. taxes in the flood-affected area had not The Nababidhan Samaj also came stopped. The administration was behaving forward with relief. The Communist Party no better than the Nazis in the areas under of India organised a People’s Cyclone Relief their occupation. It was in blatant violation Committee with Abdullah Rasool as the Sec- of the principle of democracy on the basis retary. Newspaper editors of Calcutta formed

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an organisation to bring before the public helped to restore normalcy to the situation news of the effects of cyclone and flood in more than the piece-meal and inadequate Midnapore. It was headed by Ramananda efforts by the government. Chattopadhyay, the renowned editor of Pra- basi and the Modern Review. Large business References houses like Andrew Yule, Kilburn and Bird Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Leaves from A Diary. and Co. contributed liberally to the cyclone Tathagata Ray, Life and Times of Dr. Syama Prasad relief fund. All these efforts taken together Mookerjee : A Complete Biography

Whatever work you undertake, do it seriously, thoroughly and well; never leave it half-done or undone, never feel yourself satisfied unless and until you have given it your very best. Cultivate the habits of discipline and toleration. Surrender not the convictions you hold dear but learn to appreciate the points of view of your opponents.

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Speech delivered at , Kolkata on 7 December 1935

Monthly Bulletin 43 July 2020 Combating Corona

ক�োভিড-১৯-এর শি嗍ষ 嗁মার রাণা ꧍솾বꇍ鶿ক ও গবেষক

পনের�ো ঘ跍টয় আটটা হাসপাতাল ঘুরেও শেষ বন ছিল। এবার এই র�োগীদের চিকিৎসার কী র嗍ষ হল না। পূর্গর্ভ নীলম কু মারী গ�ৌতম, মাত্র বন্দবস্ত?ক “ িছু না, েফানে যতটু কু বলা যায় বলি। তিরিশ বছর বয়সে মারা গেলেন। ব�োধ হয় খুন অনেকের কেম�োর তারিখ ছিল, কার�ো অপারেশনের হলেন বলাটাই যুক醿সঙ্গত হবে। জুনের গ�োড়ার দরকার ছিল – কিচ্ করা যাচ淇 না।” দিকে তাঁর শরীরে কিছু জটিলতা দেখা দেয়, তাঁর চিকিৎসার সমস্যই �ধু নয়, েরাগ প্রতিরধী বাী বিজেন্দ্র সিং তাঁকে নিয়ে যান এক সরকারি কর্সূচি巁ল�োও ꧍솾য় দেড় মাস বন করে দেওয়া মডেল হাসপাতালে। বেড নেই, বলে তাঁকে হল। নানা র�োগের প্রতির�োর জন্ শি�দের যে ফেরত পাঠিয়ে দেওয়া হয়। তারপর একে একে সব টিকা দেওয়া হয়, অনত ৪৫ দিন সে巁ল�ো বন আর�ো সাতটা সরকারি ও বেসরকারি হাসপাতালে থাকা মানে, লক লক শি�র টিকাকরণ হল না - পত্যখ্যত হয়ে অ্য맍বুলেই ꧍솾ণ যায় নীলমের – ক�োন�ো একটা টিকার একটা ড�োজ না পাওয়া মানে গর্ভর সꇍতাও বাঁচে নি। ঘটনাটা ঘটেছে নয়ডায়, সেই টিকার পুর�োটাই না হওয়া। ভারতে এমনিতেই যা প্রসনিক মানচিত্রে উত্তরপ্রদে হলেও আসলে টিকাকরণের হার বেশ খারাপ, বাংলাদেশের মত�ো ভারতের রাজধানী দিল즿র মাথার মণি — কাচে দুর্ল অর্ব্বথর দেশের চেয়েও খারাপ, এবার ম�োড়া এই শহরে 'অত্যধুনিক' সব সরকারি- এই দেড় মাসের ফাঁক শি�দের সুর嗍ষর ব্যপারে বেসরকারি হাসপাতাল। আমাদের আর�ো অনেকটা পিছিয়ে দিল। নীলম একটি নমুনা মাত্র। সারা দেশের এই সঙ্গে য�োগ হল শি�দের পুষ綿জনিত অধিকাংশ প্রদেই সংকটাপন্ন নীলমের মত�ো অবহেলাতে বৃদ鶿। ভারতে অপুষ綿র হার নিম্ন সাহারা পসূতি বা অন্ পীড়ায় আ嗍솾ন র�োগী। তাঁদের অঞ্চলের দেশ巁লির চেয়েও খারাপ। লকডাউনের ডাক্র দেখান�োর উপায় নেই। 巍솾ম-গঞ燇র মানুষ কারণে ক ুল এবং আই সি ডি এস কেন্দ্রে শি�দের ত�ো ক즿নিক বা হাসপাতালে পৌঁছ�োতেই পারছেন না, যে খাবার দেওয়া হয়, তা অনেকাংশে ব্যহত কারণ যানবাহন নেই। যদিও বা তাঁরা ক�োন�োক্র হল। প্রয়�োের তু লনায় কম হলেও এই খাবার পৌঁছলেন, ক즿নিকে ডাক্রবাবু বসছেন না, শি�দের পুষ綿তে উল্খয�োগ্ অবদান রাখে। সেই হাসপাতাল巁ল�োতে ডাক্র ও বথকর্ম অপতু ল, খাবারটু কু ও না পাওয়ার ফলে অপুষ綿র ি솾ত্র솾য় বৃদ鶿 তাই বেশির ভাগ হাসপাতাল র�োগী ফিরিয়ে দিচ淇। ঘটতে বাধ্। বিশেষত লকডাউনের কারণে সারা কত র�োগী ক즿নিক বা হাসপাতালে আসতে পারলেন দেশ জুড়ে ল�োকজন কাজে য�োগ দিতে না পারায় না, বা কতজন এসেও পত্যখ্যত হলেন, েস হিসেব পরিবার巁ল�োতে অবাভাবক রকমের খাদ্ সংকট পাওয়া কঠিন। তবু নানা সূত্রথেকে আনুমানিক যে দেখা দিয়েছে। সরকারি ব্বথপনা অপতু ল, খবর পাওয়া যাচ淇 তাতেই যে ছবিটা উঠে আসছে নাগরিক সমাজের উদ্যোগ অত্য প্ংসনীয়, কিন্তু সেটা ভয়াবহ। কলকাতার এক পরিচিত ক্যানর যতটা দরকার ততটা আয়�োজন করা সম্ভব হয়নি। বিশেষজ্ঞ দিনে গড়ে পঁচিশ জন র�োগী দেখতেন, এই দুরবথ জনসমুদয়ের মধ্য পুষ綿র অভাবকে লকডাউনের সময় এক জনও দেখতে পারেননি, ভয়াবহ করে তু লবে। কারণ তিনি যে নার্সি হ�োমে ক즿নিক করেন সেটা এক কথায় বলতে গেলে ক�োভিড-১৯-এর

Monthly Bulletin 44 July 2020 Combating Corona

দুষ্প্রভাবটা যতখানি না সরাসরি পড়ল তার চেয়ে – আমেরিকার পথ ধরে - মুনাফাকামী বেসরকারি অনেক বেশি করে পড়ল মানুষের সাধারণ বাস্র বথব্বথর দিকে ঝু কঁ েছে। এবং, এটা কাকতালীয় ওপর – ক�োভিড-১৯ বহির্ ভত র�োগে চিকিৎসা না নয় যে, েকাভিড ম�োকাবিলায় ভারতের দুরবথ পাওয়া, টিকাকরণ বন থাকা, এবং পুষ綿পকল্প巁ল�ো আমেরিকা - এবং সম্প্রতি সেই পথের পথিক বাধা꧍솾প্ত হওয়া। 뇍솾জিলের মত�ো দেশ巁ল�োর মত�োই। সংক্র   অথচ, ঈষৎ বুদ鶿র চর্চ ও সামান্ বিবেকের করে বেড়েছে। ব মানুষের ꧍솾য় বিনা চিকিৎসায় সংয�োগ ঘটাতে পারলে ক�োভিডের ম�োকাবিলায় মৃত্ য ঘটেছে। আমাদের দেশে মৃতদের প্嗍ষপট যেমন ব্যরতার স맍মখীন হতে হত না, েতমনি জানান�ো হচ淇 না। আমেরিকাতে এটা জানা যাচ淇, দেশবাসীকে সামগ্ক বিপর্যয়র মুখে ঠেলে দিতে এবং দেখা যাচ淇, েকাভিডে মৃত্ যর বেশির ভাগটাই হত না। বস্তুত ক�োভিড-১৯-এর ম�োকাবিলার কৃ �ণঙ্গ আমেরিকান, বা অন্যান দরিদ্ররা, অন্যান ব্যপারে ভারত তু লনামূ লকভাবে অনেক অসুখেও যাঁরা বল সংখ্যয় বিনা চিকিৎসায় মারা সুবিধাজনক অবথাে ছিল। তখন কাজটা ছিল যান। তথ্ পেলে ভারতেও আমরা একই চিত্র সহজ: চিহꆿত করা এবং বিচ্ন্ন করা। সরকার দেখতে পাব। ꧍솾য় দু ’মাস কাল নিষ্রিয় থেকে, অকমৎ অথচ, ব দেশ, যারা বথ্য মুনাফাকামীদের লকডাউনের কু ম জারি করল। একটা জনবথ হাতে ছেড়ে দেয়নি, তারা অত্য সফলভাবে এই বিষয়ক সমস্যর সমাধানে সরকার একটা পুলিশী র�োগের ম�োকাবিলা করে চলেছে। ভিয়েতনাম, ব্বথ নিল। ফল যা হবার তাই হল: েরাগের লাওস, কিউবা, ভারতের অঙ্গরাজ্ কেরল ত�ো প্রকপ বাড়ল। এবং যেমনটা হয়ে থাকে, েরাগে ইতিহাস সৃষ綿 করেছে। ইউর�োপের বেশ কিছু পত্যক্বে যেমন, েতমনি র�োগের ম�োকাবিলায় দেশ দ্রুত পরিস্থি থেকে এবং অন্ দেশ থেকে করা পদক্ষের কারণে সব থেকে বেশি দণ্ডদ িতে শি嗍ষ নিয়ে বথ পরিচর্যয় সরকারি ভূ মিকাটাকে হচ淇 গরিব মানুষকে। পধান করে তু লে বেশ সাফল্ অর্জ করল। কিন্তু ভারতের জনবথ ব্বথর অবথ ভয়াবহ বললে আমেরিকা, 뇍솾জিল, রাশিয়ার মত�ো ভারত সেই কম বলা হবে। বথ্যন্দ্র, বথ পরিকাঠাম�ো, পথে হাঁটার ক�োন�ো লক্ই দেখায়নি। এখন�ো সে বথকর্ম—সব ব্যপারে বিপুল ঘাটতি। সেই সঙ্গে পথে হাঁটা যায়। সরকারি বথব্বথাক মজবুত জনবাস্র অন্ 巁쇁ত্বপূর্ উপাদান巁ল�ো—শি嗍ষ, করে ত�োলার জন্ প্ু র অর্থর চেয়েও যেটা পুষ綿, সাধারণ মানুষের য�োগদান, ইত্যাি বিষয়ে দরকার সেটা হল সদিচ্, অন্যেদর কাছ থেকে আমাদের অর্জ যৎসামান্। ১৯৭৮-এ আলমা শেখার ইচ্, এবং মানুষের কাছ থেকে �নবার আটাতে গৃহীত ‘সকলের জন্ বথ’ সম্লনে ইচ্। বথ �ধু ওষুধ, ডাক্র, হাসপাতালের ভারত ছিল অন্তম উদ্যোক্, অথচ সেই ব্যপার নয়, বথ হচ淇 বৃহত্তরম ানব নৈতিকতার ঘ�োষণাপত্রে ꧍솾থমিক বথ পরিচর্যর ওপর যে ব্যপার – ‘সর্ব সন্তু নিরাময়াঃ’ মন্রে স্ত হবার জ�োর দেওয়ার আবা রাখা হয়েছিল ভারত তার ব্যপার। ক�োভিড-১৯ আবার করে এটা চ�োখে প্র আদ�ৌ বিশ্বস্ত থাকেনি। যত দিন গেছে ভারত আঙু ল দিয়ে দেখিয়ে দিল।

Monthly Bulletin 45 July 2020 Communications in Lockdown

Two Academicians from New York and Oxford during Lockdown

The Covid-19 syndrome over the last six City but everyone is heavily involved in the months in the world today has created such effort to reduce the mortality, which gladly is an impact on the lives of people as to make on the decline and allowing the city to open it one of the worst experiences of our times. up somewhat in carefully calibrated phases, Its history is still full of mysteries with regard though the young people are not observant to its origin and spread, and its real end yet or careful when it comes to social distancing to be visible in definitive terms even by ex- and mask-wearing, which make the university perts on the field. But life cannot stop, and it faculty afraid to go back to in-person teach- must go on. In this connection, we have been ing in the fall, with fear that the students interested to know the personal experience will not take precautions. So there is a lot of of living and working of some renowned uncertainty and fear but politically the mood academicians during the lockdown period has improved with BLM movement and a at different parts of the world. Two academi- revival of the politics of protest in which all cians, Professor David Ludden and Professor my friends were engaged 50 years ago and David Washbrook, respectively responded we thought had just disappeared into the from New York and Oxford. Their responses swamp of Republicanism.' are very brief, but different and suggestive. We shall come to the meaning of them at the David Washbrook who had earlier retired end of this note. from a professorial position at St. Anthony’s College, Oxford, and later became Senior David Ludden who is a Professor of His- Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge, very tory, New York University, and is also associ- succinctly puts down also on 20 June, ated with the Centre for Global Asia Resources 'Many thanks for the invitation and at the University, writes on 20 June 2020, the idea sounds interesting. But I am 'I have been working from home -- that retired from Cambridge now and have been is, from my three-room apartment in Green- locked down in Oxford for the last twelve wich Village -- since March 15, going out to weeks -- so I don’t have much to add other the store periodically, washing my hands than to say that I am desperate to get out constantly, wearing masks, going for a jog in and about again !!! However, I am sure that the park at a safe distance from others five everybody else says that too.' days a week, and working on a laptop instead It appears from the brief responses of two of my full-sized computer in my office, from leading South Asian historians the similarity which we have been banned by the university and differences of seeing things also. Though until further notice. Now, we have Black Lives both confined at home during lockdown have Matter protests daily for the last two going on been engaged in academic studies, Ludden is three weeks which has brought helicopters still serving, and has therefore a concern for overhead making a racket every day. We do meeting students in near future, in the Fall, not live in the worst affected parts of New York and an apprehension over social distancing

Monthly Bulletin 46 July 2020 Communications in Lockdown as followed by the younger generation at that symbolically connected with the similar one time, while Washbrook’s retired life is also of the fairy-tale King of Hundi (with a cry of presumably hampered by enforced isolation. relief and freedom from long confinement) as In addition, the present movement of Black shown in ’s highly acclaimed film Life Matters (BLM) in the US brings in Ludden’s called Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen. The responses mind the old memories of his and his friends’ will remain as significant records of our time! younger days of participation in similar pro- test movement half a century ago. At the end, both wish to get out of this lockdown life Arun Bandopadhyay with an unceasing passion. In Washbrook’s Historical & Archaeological Secretary case, the intense desire of getting out is The Asiatic Society

Select Views on the Monthly Bulletins of the Asiatic Society since April 2020 Three issues of exclusive digital edition of the Monthly Bulletin of the Asiatic So- ciety Kolkata have been so far published under the unusual condition of lockdown nationwide and worldwide, respectively corresponding to April, May and June 2020. Professor Dipesh Chakrabarti specially appreciated the April Issue, as Corona and today’s environment was widely discussed, including his own specific views on it. Professor Robert Eric Frykenberg, a 90-year old American historian of South Asia, thought the Bulletin a ‘timely’ production, adding that in “these strange and troubled times, one can but hope and pray the various leaders able to make wise decisions that benefit the world”. As regards the May Issue, Dipesh Chakrabarti liked the contributions on Satyajit Ray on the eve of his centenary, and specially appreciated the analogy on Ray’s Ashani Sanket, carrying some environmental suggestions of our times also (“aamader samayer sambandheo ekta sanket aachhe”). David Curley, an American social historian of Bengal was highly appreciative of the issues, and later himself contributed an article on the June issue. Professor Mnjari Kamat, Associate Dean of Arts, University of Mumbai, was highly appre- ciative of the Asiatic venture of publishing digital editions in the lockdown period. Professor David Washbrook, Professor David Ludden and Dr Benjami Zachariah are specially moved with the contributions of the June Issue. Washbrook and Ludden even agreed to share some of their experiences as academicians during the lockdown period in the coming issues of the Bulletin. On the whole, it seems there has been a wide impact of the publications of the digital edition of the Monthly Bulletins of the Asiatic Society, Kalkata in the last three months, in the country and abroad.

Monthly Bulletin 47 July 2020 Going Digital

Our Online Publications during Lockdown

Monthly Bulletin 48 July 2020 Space for Research Fellows

দ ক্ণ ত솿পুরার মুরীপুরের অ�টদশভু জা চু ꇍদাদবীর মূর্醿 প솿য়ং嗁 চক্রবর釀 রাজেন্দ্রলাল মিত্র রিসার㖚 ফেল�ো, দি এশিয়াটিক স�োসাইটি

১. আমরা জ솾ꇍে যে, আদি-মধ্যুগে বর্তমা ত্রিপুরার আল�োকপাত করব। এই মূর্তিি সর্বথম সরস্ মক্ দক্ষ ভাগ বিভিন্ন সময়ে সমতট এবং হরিকেল আনেন দেবলা মিত্র। তাঁর পবন্ি এশিয়াটিক রাজ্যর অন্তত ছিল। উল즿খিত সময়ে অর্থৎ স�োসাইটি, কলকাতার জার্নাল (‘অ্যꇍ綿কু ইটিস অব খ솿টয় অষ্ থেকে 駍বাদ শতকে এইসব অঞ্চলে পিলাক এণ্ডজ�ো লাইবাড়ি, ত্রিপুরা’, ভল্যু ১৮, পৃ. মূলত ব�ৌদ ধর্ ও সংক ৃত বিকশিত হয়েছিল। ৬২-৬৩) ১৯৭৬-এ পকাশিত হয়। তবে সেসময় দেব, খড়্‌গ, চন্দ্র প্ৃ তি রাজবংশের আনুকূ ল্য স맍পর্ মূর্তিি অনাবৃত অবথয় তিনি দেখতে সমতট-হরিকেলে প্ু র ব�ৌদ মꇍদর ও বিহার পাননি। পরবর্তকালে অন্যান গবেষকরা মূলত তাঁর গড়ে উঠেছিল। বর্তমা দক্ষ ত্রিপুরার সীমানবর্ত বর্ণন অনুসরণ করেই মূর্তিির উল্খ করেছেন। আরাকান প্রদের রাজারাও খুব সম্ভবত ব�ৌদ তার ফলে তাঁদের বিবরণেও মূর্তিির কয়েকটি বিহার巁লির সঙ্গে জড়িত ছিলেন। ফলত বর্তমা উল্খয�োগ্ বৈশিষ্ বাদ পড়ে গেছে।বর্তমাে দক্ষ ত্রিপুরার বিরাট অংশ জুড়ে আদি-মধ্যুগে মুরীপুরের রাজরাজেশ্বরী মꇍদির রাজরাজেশ্বরী নির্মত ব মূর্ত এবং মꇍদিরর 鷍বসাবশেষ নামে আমাদের আল�োচ্যমা মূর্তিি পূজিত হচ淇ন পাওয়া গেছে। এখানে আমরা মূলত দক্ষ (চিত্র ১)। ত্রিপুরার মুরীপুর 巍솾মের চু ন্দাবীর বিগহ নিয়ে ২. আমরা জানি, চু ন্, েবŠদ মহাযান এবং

চিত্র ১। রাজরাজেশ্বরী মꇍদর, মুরীপুর, দক্ষ ত্রিপুরা। উৎসঃ 巁গল আর্।

Monthly Bulletin 49 July 2020 Space for Research Fellows

তন্তযান অনুসরণকারীদের আরাধ্য দেবী। ‘চু ন্’ এবং ১৩১— সংখ্ক সাধন巁লিতে চতু র্ ভুজ শব্দটি সংক ত চু দ্‌ধ াতু র সঙ্গে সম্পরত, যার অর্ চু ন্দাবীর বর্ণন রয়েছে। অভয়াকর巁প্তের প্রণা দেওয়া, উৎসাহ দেওয়া (এখানে বিখ্যত নিষ্পন্নয�োগাবলী-ে ্বিা ত ও দ ু জ , চতু র্ ভুজ, বৈদিক গায়ত্রী মন্রের “ধিয়�ো য�ো নঃ প্রচ�য়াৎ”— ষড়বিংশভু জা চু ন্দাবীর বিবরণ আছে। অংশটি সরণীয়। ‘প্রচ�য়াৎ’ মানে প্রেত করা।)। ২.২. অবশ্ উপরে উল즿খিত এইসব শাস্তবর্ণত সুতরাং যিনি বুদত্ব꧍솾প্তির জন্ সত্ত্ব বা ꧍솾ণীকে দ্বু জা, চতু র্ ভুজ, ষড়বিংশভু জা ত�ো বটেই, প্রণা দান করেন, তিনিই চু ন্। এ巁লি ছাড়াও ষড়ভু জা, অষ্ু জা, দশভু জা, ২.১. ৬৮৫ খ솿টাব্দ পণ্ডিত দিবাকর চিনা ভাষায় 駍বাদশু জা, েষাড়শভু জা, অষ্টাদু জা, চু ন্দাবী বিষয়ক মন্রের া (ধ রণী) অনুবাদ চতু র্বিংশতিু জা চু ন্দাবীর পস্তরনির্মত করেন। এটি চিনা ত্রিপিটক-এ “চু ন্-দেবী- মূর্ত, ধাতব মূর্ত এবং পুথিচিত্র (এবং ধারণী” হিসেবে অনর্ ভু হয়। সুতরাং তিব্বতি পট বা থাংকা) পাওয়া যায়। খ솿টয় সপ্তম শতকের আগেই চু ন্ দেবীর চু ন্দাবীর প্রতির এই বৈচিত্র¨ জনজীবনে আরাধনার প্লন ছিল। দিবাকর-কর্ তক তাঁর আরাধনার জনপ্য়তার সূচক। এই অনূদিত ধারণী ছাড়াও চিনা ত্রিপিটকে আরও তিনরকমের মূর্ত তথা অঙ喿ত চিত্রের নিদর্শ তিনটি চু ন্ (চু ন্)-ধারণী রয়েছে, েয巁লি পূর ্ ভারত (নালন্, বিহার; রত্নগিরি, ওড়িশা; অম�োঘবজ্র, বজ্রব�োধি এবং �ভাকরসিংহ নিয়মৎপুর, বাংলাদেশ; মুরীপুর, ত্রিপুরা যথাক্র খ솿টয় ৭২০, ৭২৩ এবং ৭২৫ ইত্যাি) থেকে পাওয়া গেছে, যে巁লির শতাব্দে চিনা ভাষায় অনুবাদ করেছেন। মূল সময়কাল খ솿টয় অষ্ থেকে 駍বাদ সংক তভাষায়, পাপকয়কারী হিসেবে চু ন্- শতক। খ솿টয় ১০১৫ শতকে অনুলিখিত ধারণী বা চু ন্দাবী বিষয়ক মন্ত পাওয়া একটি অকষসাহস솿 া-প্রজ্পারমিতা-র যায় শাꇍতিদবের (খ솿টয় অষ্ শতক) (পুথি নং. ১৬৪৩। কেম্রিজ ইউনিভার্সিি শি嗍ষসমুচ্চয়(১৭৩।৪) গ্闇ও। লাইব্রে) পুথিতে পট綿কেরাতে (বাংলাদেশের T’ien Hsi-tsai-র ক ারণ্ডব্যহ-র চরে솾 লালমাই-ময়নামতী অঞ্চলের অন্তত) অনুবাদে (খ솿টয় ৯৮৩) চু ন্দাবীর মন্ত চু ন্দাবীর মꇍদিরর কথা আছে –“পট綿কেরে উল즿খিত আছে, যথা –“ওঁ চলে-চু লে চু ন্ চু ন্বরভবনে চু ন্” (ফ�োলিও নং. ১৭৬ ভি বহা”। ভগবতী চু ন্র ধ্যানূর্তর বর্ণন ১)। তার সঙ্গে পদ্মপরি বজ্রপর্যাঙসনে ব�ৌদ্ধস্ত্রিতে রয়েছে। স াধনি솾লা-য় উপবিষ্ ষ�োড়শভু জা চু ন্দাবীর চিত্র (খ솿টয় একাদশ/駍বাদ শতক) ১২৯, ১৩০ রয়েছে (চিত্র ২)। ভ�ৌগ�োলিকভাবে ত্রিপুরার

চি ত্র ২। “পট綿ককবর চুন্বরভবনে চুন্”। অষসাহস솿কাপ্রজ্পারমিতা পুথি। চিত্রঋণঃ কেম্রিজ ইউনিভার্সিি লাইব্রে।

Monthly Bulletin 50 July 2020 Space for Research Fellows

দক্ষিংশ পট綿কেরা বা লালমাই-ময়নামতীর প্ৃ তি শনাক করা সম্ভব নয়। চু ন্র পধান সꇍন্নꇍহত অঞ্চল। অনুমান করা যায়, অষ্- হাত দু’টি বুকের কাছে ধর্মচকবর্তনুদ্র솾য় 駍বাদ শতকে চু ন্দাবীর উপাসনা এইসব ন্স্ত। ডানদিকে জানুদেশে রাখা হাতটিতে অঞ্চলে প্রচত ছিল। দক্ষ ত্রিপুরা থেকে বরদমুদ্র솾, এবং ডানদিকের একেবারে উপরের অনেক巁লি চু ন্ মূর্ত পাওয়া গেছে। যতদূর হাতটি ছেড়ে দিয়ে পরবর্ত ক�োন�ো এক হাতে জানা যায়, বাংলায় এযাবৎ পর্য পাথরে- দীর ্ তরবারি ধরা। বাদঁ িকের জানুদেশে রাখা তৈরি দু’টি অষ্টাদু জা চু ন্ পাওয়া হাতটিতে সম্ভবতম ক ণ্ডলু, তার পরেরটিতে গেছে। একটি বাংলাদেশের নওগাঁ জেলার ঘন্ বা দণ্ড(?)। বাদঁ িকের ক�োন�ো একটি হাতে নিয়ামৎপুর থেকে ꧍솾প্ত (বরেন্দ্র রিসার㖚 পদ্ৃণাল ধরা, বাদঁ িকে উপরে, প্রভণ্ডলের ম্যুজয়ম, রাজশাহীতে সংরক্ত), সময়কাল কাছে পদ্ি দৃশ্যমা। এছাড়া বাকি আয়ুধ巁লি খ솿টয় দশম শতক। অন্যি আমাদের এই শনাক করা যায়নি। মাথার মুকু টটি সম্ভবত আল�োচ্যমা মুরীপুরের মূর্তিি। জটামুকু ট। মাথার পেছনে পূর্ণচন্দ্রকৃ তি প্রভণ্ডল। তার চারপাশে পঞ্চবুদ। একেবারে উপরে পঞ্চবুদ্র একজনকে মাঝে রেখে দু-পাশে দুট�ো ছ�োট স্তূপ। মূল বেলেপাথরটি উপরের দিকে ꧍솾য় অর্ধচন্দ্রকৃ তি। বিশ্বপদ্র সামান্ নীচে দুপাশে উপবিষ অবথয় দু’টি অবয়ব। ডানদিকের অবয়বটির বাঁহাতে সম্ভবতম স ৃণাল পদ। বাদঁ িকের মূর্তিি অস্পষ। মূর্তিির পাদপীঠিকা পঞ্চরথ জস燍 যুক। তবে মূর্তিির নীচের অংশটি এতটাই ক্ষ গেছে যে, যেখানে অস্পষ্টবে কিছু অবয়ব বুঝা গেলেও তার শনাক醿করণ নিশ榿তভাবে করা সম্ভব নয় (চিত্র ৪)। শৈলীগত বিচারে মূর্তিি খ솿টয় নবম-দশম শতাব্দের বলে অনুমিত হয়। ২.৪. মুরীপুরের চু ন্দূর্ত থেকে দেবীর হাতের আয়ুধের পূর্ণঙ্গ পরিচয় না-েপলেও, পসঙ্গত, একটু আগে উল즿খিত কেম্রিজ পুথির চিত্রটি, বাংলাদেশের নিয়ামৎপুরের মূর্তিি ও নালন্র দু’টি অষ্টাদু জা চু ন্—এই মূর্ত巁লির আয়ুধের উল্খ এখানে করা যেতে পারে। চিত্র ৩। অষ্টাদু জা চু ন্, মুরীপুর, ত্রিপুরা। চিত্রঃ লেখক। বিষয়টি আমাদের চু ন্দাবীর আয়ুধ বিষয়ক অনুমানে সহায়ক হতে পারে : ২.৩. ে মুরীপুর র চু ন্ মূর্তিি কাল�ো রঙের বেলে ১। ষ�োড়শভু জা চু ন্ (অকষসাহস솿 া- পাথরে তৈরি করা (চিত্র ৩)। মূর্তিির উচ্চতা প্রজ্পারমিতা,ি পুথ নং. ১৬৪৩)। পধান ২০০ সেমি, প্ ৭৯ সেমি। দেবীর আঠার�োটি দু’টি হাতে ধর্মচকবর্তনুদ্র솾। ডান হাত। তিনি বজ্রপর্যাঙসনা বা পদ্সনে হাত巁লিতে (নীচ থেকে) যথাক্র বরদমুদ্র솾, বিশ্বপদ্র উপর উপবিষ্। বিশ্বপদ্ি ক্ষ বজ্র,চ ক, মুষল, খড়্গ,া ব ণ, অকসূত্র। বাম গেছে। বস্তুত,ে গাটা মূর্তিিই অত্য কয়꧍솾প্ত। হাত巁লিতে যথাক্র ঘট, অঙ্ ক, ত্রিশূল, তাই তার বেশিরভাগ বৈশিষ্ এবং আয়ুধ চাপ, পাশ (?), অশনাক, দণ্ড।

Monthly Bulletin 51 July 2020 Space for Research Fellows

চিত্র ৪। চু ন্ বিগ্রর নিম্নাংশ। তদেব। চিত্রঃ লেখক।

২।্টাদশ অষ ু জা চু ন্ (রাজশাহী, বাংলাদেশ)। পধান দু’টি হাতে ধর্মচকুদ্র솾। ডান হাত巁লিতে (নীচ থেকে) যথাক্র অভয়মুদ্র솾, ফল, খড়্গ, রত্নদাম, অঙ্ ক, পর�, বজ্র,ক্ষ অ লা। বাম হাত巁লিতে যথাক্র পুস্তক, টঘ跍 , পুষ্প অথবা শঙ্খ, চক, পাশ, ধ্, কমণ্ডলু, পদ। ৩। অষ্টাদু জা চু ন্ (নালন্, বিহার)। পধান দু’টি হাতে ধর্মচকুদ্র솾। ডান হাত巁লিতে (নীচ থেকে) যথাক্র বরমুদ্র솾, রত্নদাম, ঘ跍ট, অভয়মুদ্র솾, দণ্ড (?), খড়গ, বজ্র, বন্দনাভয়ী। বাম হাত巁লিতে যথাক্র কমণ্ডলু, পাশ, অশনাক, ধ্, চক, অশনাক, ফল (?), পুস্তক। এছাড়াও ব�োধগয়ায় ম�োহান পেলেসের কাছে ফল্গু নদীর ধারে বর্তমাে তৈরি একটি ছ�োট�ো মꇍদির অষ্টাদু জা চু ন্দাবীর একটি মূর্ত দেখা যায় (চিত্র ৫)। তাঁর পধানদু’ট�ো হাত যদিও চিত্র ৫। চু ন্, ব�োধগয়া, বিহার। চিত্রঃ লেখক। আধুনিককালে সংকর করা; হাতদুট�োতে একটা ঘট

Monthly Bulletin 52 July 2020 Space for Research Fellows

জুড়ে দেওয়া হয়েছে। এটি ছাড়া অন্যান হাতের ২। দেবলা মিত্র। (১৯৭৬)। “অ্যꇍ綿কু ইটিস অব আয়ুধ巁লি কম-েবশি উপরের বর্ণত আয়ুধ巁লির পিলাক এন্ডজ �োলাইবাড়ি, ত্রিপুরা”, জার্ন ল অব ꧍솾য় অনু쇂প। এই সমস্ত প্রতিরই নির্মাকাল দ্ এশিয়াটিক স�োসাইটি, কলকাতা, ভল্যু ১৮। খ솿টয় দশম-একাদশ শতক। কাজেই এই ৩। নলিনীকান ভট্টলী। (১৯১৯)। আই 솾ি কক솾বে솾巍 ফ মূর্ত巁লির আয়ুধ এবং সাজস燍জ ও বিন্যস দেখে অব বুদ鶿স অ্যন্ড 뇍솾হ্মনিকেল কল্পচার্ ইন দ্ ্ ্ আমরা মুরীপুরের কয়꧍솾প্ত চু ন্দাবীর মূর্তিি ঢাকা মযুজয়ম । ঢাকা মযুজয়ম কমিটি, ঢাকা (বাংলাদেশ)। কেমন ছিল, তা খানিকটা অনুমান করতে পারি। ৪। বিনয়ত�োষ ভট্টাচা । (১৯৫৮)। ইꇍন ন্ডয়া নির্বাচি গ্রন্থসূচি বুদ鶿স আইক�োন�ো巍솾ফি।ম ফার্ কে. এল. এম., ১। এনামুল হক এবং এ. েজ. েগইল। (২০০৮)। কলকাতা। ার্সই কল্পচ ন বল াং াবিি।ী বঙ্গ য় শিল্পকলা চর্চর ৫। সরসিকু মার সরসতী। (২০০৩) [১৯৭৭-এ আন্তর্জক কেন্দ্র, ঢাকা, বাংলাদেশ। পুনর্মদ্রণ]। তন্তযান আর্—এন অ্যলবাম। দি এশিয়াটিক স�োসাইটি, কলকাতা।

Monthly Bulletin 53 July 2020 New Books from Reader's Choice

Gandhi and the Polaks : A Book Review

Prabha Ravi journey. Three of his closest European asso- Shankar, The ciates here were Jews – Henry Polak was an Polaks and Englishman, Hermann Kallenbach was a Ger- M a h a t m a man of Lithuanian background, and Sonja Sch- G a n d h i : A lesin was a Russian. All of them had distanced Unique Re- themselves from Judaic doctrines and rituals, lationship, and they were willing to be associated with New Delhi Gandhi because of their immigrant experience and Chicago: and their Theosophist past which Gandhi also Promilla & shared. In many ways, Gandhi influenced them Co. Publish- in their life’s choices, as they also contributed ers, in asso- in Gandhi’s thought and activity. Indeed, the ciation with whole Gandhi – political and spiritual – can Bibliophile be comprehended through an analysis of the South Asia, people he was closely associated with. In this 2020, Rs. 900. sense, the Polaks deserve our special attention. Mahatma Gandhi was fortunate to have Prabha has dwelt on the a good number of associates in his long life, background, association and activity of the Po- persons who were distinguished by them- laks, and their relation with Gandhi in eleven selves and had developed reciprocal relations chapters, but three things figure prominently with the Mahatma in course of time. Historical in this book. The first of them is a biographi- works on some of them, such as C. F. Andrews, cal construction of the Polaks, their initial G. A. Natesan and Mahadev Desai, help us upbringing, their arrival and involvement in understand Gandhi better. Gandhi had three South Africa, and the beginning of their long important associates from his South African association with Gandhi. The second aspect days and thereafter, and they were all Jews: concerns the salient features of their unique Hermann Kallenbach, Sonja Schlesin and the relationship with Gandhi – the root of their Polaks, husband and wife. Though historical attraction, the moral influence in both direc- biographies are available for Kallenbach and tions, the personal association, and their grow- Schlesin, no detailed studies have been at- ing involvement with Gandhian programmes. tempted so far on the Polaks. Prabha Ravi Finally, an attempt has been made to focus Shankar fills this gap by writing on their unique on the differences that cropped up in their relationship with Gandhi, covering over dec- relations from time to time. But how these ades, on the basis of materials collected by her differences were conciliated in the long run, from different places in India and the United both for Gandhi and the Polaks, happen to be Kingdom. a subject of stimulating discussion in the book. It is well known that Gandhi’s stay in South Henry Polak (1882-1959) was born in a Africa proved virtually a laboratory for him learned Jewish family settled in England in the evolution of his political and spiritual for more than a century. He studied at the

Monthly Bulletin 54 July 2020 New Books from Reader's Choice

Highbury New Park College, Dalston, and Gandhi was the chief witness. For Gandhi, their completed his secondary education by pass- common religion was the religion of ethics. ing the University of London Matriculation When the Polaks began to live with Gan- Examination in 1900 in the first division. dhi as married couple, the second phase of Though admitted to the London School of their unique relation began. Millie became Economics, he was forced to forgo it because increasingly familiar with Gandhi family while of financial constraints, and took up commer- maintaining her differences as well. She con- cial jobs. Polak met Amelia, better known as sidered Polak as an equal partner, and often Millie Graham Downs (1881-1962), his future had fierce arguments with Gandhi, especially wife, in England. Millie was a social reformer on the patriarchal treatment of women in also. Henry was from a Jewish family, and Indian society. Gandhi believed that India Millie from Christian one, but they found com- had given women ‘a position of worship’. mon ground in ethics. Millie and Polak jointly As Kasturba did not speak much English, attended lectures at the South Place Ethical Millie tried her best to improve it. However, Society in London where they were exposed despite her differences with Gandhi, Millie to Christian Socialist and Pacifist doctrines. maintained her admiration and respect for Polak went to South Africa in 1904, and Prabha him. Gandhi also looked at this relationship Ravi Shankar thinks that “probably” Gandhi very uniquely, as expressed from her letter became first acquainted with Ethical Societies to her on 14 November 1909: “Though we through his meeting with Polak in the same differ somewhat as to the view of life, there year. The Theosophical Society provided a is still a subtle sameness…The inner voice base for the oppressed and suppressed Jews tell you one thing, the outer life shows a without losing their identity. Gandhi had contradiction…And if you are true, and I am asked Polak to join Theosophical Lodge at less so, then pray that I may have the light. Johannesburg, though he himself did not Meanwhile, both of us are mad after truth.” join because of his disapproval of occultism. The root of this unique relation probably lay Polak studied Bhagavad Gita with Gandhi in in Gandhi’s manifold attention both in the 1905 while staying with his family in Johan- smaller and larger aspects of life. Gandhi had nesburg. It was in South Africa that Polak came an intimate relation to two sons of Polaks, to the conclusion that all religious and spiritual Waldo and Leon by name. As regards Waldo, guides all over the world had given credence he was even instrumental in weaning him to the belief that ‘mankind is one and indivis- away in his infancy. Much later, when Polaks ible’. In association with Gandhi, he found his visited India in the summer of 1917, Gandhi life’s work in fighting against racism in South was all out in his search for a suitable accom- Africa and at the global level. His relationship modation for them at Coonoor, an Indian hill with Gandhi gave him an international reputa- station, with all comforts. But their stay at tion both as a lawyer and activist. Coonoor became unpleasant because of the Henry and Millie had been engaged in Eng- break out of the influenza epidemic. While re- land even before the former set out for South turning home in 1918, a sentimental thought Africa, but their marriage was being delayed. occurred in Millie’s mind regarding Gandhi: Gandhi who had invited Henry to stay with “Shall we ever meet again in the flesh?” Later, him, intervened by speaking against the post- she wrote a full book called Gandhi, the Man ponement of marriage for financial reasons: “If (London, 1931) where she explained her poverty is a bar, poor men can never marry.” important role in organizing the Transvaal Millie arrived in Johannesburg in December Indian Women’s Association under Gandhi’s 1905, and soon after her arrival, Henry and Mil- influence. Gandhi at that time admitted to her lie tied their knot in a civil marriage in which that women would play a bigger role in the

Monthly Bulletin 55 July 2020 New Books from Reader's Choice

movement, and that he himself had learnt a with increasing attacks on them, Gandhi ac- lot from his wife Kasturba. cused the Jews of having never tried to work As regards Henry Polak, we should remem- along the lines of satyagraha. This created ber that he was a principal fellow-seeker after such a controversy as to compel Gandhi to truth during Gandhi’s time in South Africa. withdraw the statement ‘without any reserva- He was the author of the first monograph tion’, hoping that it had ‘not harmed a single on Gandhi before he became Mahatma (Mr. Jew’. However, after Gandhi’s assassination Gandhi: A Sketch of his Life and Work, Madras in 1948, Henry had no hesitation to accept 1910). He was even arrested during Gandhi’s his martyr-doom, and he even linked it to movement in South Africa, at the end of which murderous assault on him forty years earlier Gandhi-Smuts Agreement of 1914 was signed. in Johannesburg, saying that from that time It is important to note that Polaks extended he “had an inner feeling that he would not die their stay in South Africa by two more years a natural death”. only on Gandhi’s request. It is also notable On a closer reading of Prabha Ravi Shankar’s that Henry Polak, with his wife and two sons, book, several critical questions crop up. How returned to London via India in 1916. By that do individual relations develop among per- time, he had been recognized as an associated sons, and how do they work over long time? instrumental to end the practice of indentured How do the changing socio-political situa- labour migration in South Africa. In 1919, Po- tions contribute to it? Intimate relations are lak founded the Indian Overseas Association formed with collaboration on small as well in London to defend the rights of Indians in as larger issues, but when they conflict, how the British Empire. does the larger vision of life work? How can Gandhi’s relations with the Polaks under- mutual respects function even in disagree- went significant changes over the years, and ments? Gandhi-Polaks relationship deserves one of Prabha Ravi Shankar’s important find- our full attention because it tries to answer ings are those differences. From the 1920s, some of these questions both historically, i.e., Gandhi-Polak correspondences show increas- in the context of socio-political movements in ing differences of opinion, particularly over South Africa and British India under conditions the , and Gandhian of Gandhian leadership in the making and in politics in India. During the anti- its full form, and beyond history in the realm of Satyagraha, Polak believed that Gandhi was ethical and spiritual ideas once formed under ‘too extravagant in his views’ and ‘too religious mutual influences, and then differing on oc- in his principles’. The Polaks also did not sup- casions over time. Prabha Ravi Shankar does port the Non-Cooperation Movement. They not provide all the answers to these questions were instrumental in bringing an unwilling and responses to the impressions, particularly Gandhi to attend the Round Table Conference the intellectual and personal background of in London in 1931, but Henry was personally the agreements and disagreements of a life- unhappy with Gandhi’s fast on the issue of the long relationship as found in between Gandhi Communal Award in 1932. Gandhi also recog- and the Polaks. But her detailed narrative of nized these differences as he wrote to Polak ‘a unique relationship’ has the potentiality to on 17 October 1932: “I see though our mutual lead one to ponder over some of these ques- love remains the same, our viewpoints have tions and impressions, and many more. become different, our way of approaching things have also become different. We have Arun Bandopadhyay therefore to agree to differ.” Most important Historical & Archaeological Secretary of all, when the Jewish question became The Asiatic Society most important in Germany in the 1930s

Monthly Bulletin 56 July 2020 Books Accessioned during June 2020

EUROPEAN SECTION

954.51 the Mahabharata / edited 362.88 A 658 s by Simon Brod Beck and Brin V 642 Araic Classical acco- Black. – rep. ed. – Lonon : ed.2 nts Routledge, 2017. Victrims, Crime [and] of India and China / traslat- xix, 326p.; 23 cm.– society : an inroduction / ed from original Arabic with (Routledge Hindu studies se- edited by Pamela Davies, Peter commentaries by S. Maqbul ries). (77662) (8.1.2019) Francis and Chris Green. – 2nd Ahmad. Shimla : Indian Insti- Bibliography: p, 291 –317. ed. – Los Angeles : SAGE, tution of Advanced Study in ISBN : 978–1–138–89616– 2017. association with Rddhi–India, 1 : Rs. 995.00. xii, 288p. ; 24 cm. (77653) Calcutta, 1989. (7.1.2019) XV, 87p : 23 cm. (76613) References : p. 265-270. (10.3.2017) ISBN : 978-1044625-590-2 Contens : Book I. Almasa- 379.208 : £29.99. lik wa’l–Mamalik : roads and P 766 p kingdom by Ibn Khurdadhbin. Policy and inequality in NO LENDING –Book II. : an account of China education editors: Stephen 595.733544 and India by Sulayman al Parker, Kalervo N. Gulson, S 531 p Tajir et al. Trevor Gate.– Singapore: Sharma, Gaurav. Bibliography : [82]-84. Springer Nature, c2017. Pictorial handbookof dam- vi, 207 p. ; 24 cm.– (Educa- selflies and dragon flies (Odo- tion policy & social inequality; hata : insecta) of Rajasthan / 294.5514211 v. 1).(77628) (4.1.2019) Gaurav Sharma ; edited by the M 953 g References : p. 206–207. Director Zoological Survey of Mukhopadhyay, Anway. ISBN : 978-981-10-4037-5 India.– The Goddess in Hindu : £109.99. Kolkata : Zoological Sur- tantric traditions : Devias vey, 2015 corpse / Anway Mukhopad- 266p. : ill., table ; 23 cm. hyay. – Abingdon, 305.420954 (B14505) (3.1.2017) Oxon : Routledge, c 2018, x, M 605 p Bibliography : p. 208 - 266. 153p. ; 22cm. (Routledge stud- v.1-2 ISBN : 978-81-8171-409-1 : ies in Asian religion and phi- Mitter, Dwarka Nath. Rs. 2350.00. losophy; 7). (77643) (7.1.2019) The position of women in Bibliography : p. [140]-146. Hindu law / by Dwarka Nath NO LENDING ISBN : 978–1–138–480– Mitter. –New Delhi : Cosmo, 737.49540257 18–6 (hbk) : £115.00 2006 L 712 d 2v ; 23 cm. (77686-77687) Liddle, Andrew V. 294.5923048 (1.2.2019) Coins of Shah-Jahan : crea- M 214 b ISBN : 81-307-0416-1 : Rs. tions of an architect / Andrew rep.ed 895.00 V. Liddle.– Gender and narrative in New Delhi : Manohar, 2017.

Monthly Bulletin 57 July 2020 Books Accessioned during June 2020

262p.ii : i . (col.) ; 25 cm. Hindu sociology / by Benoy Ku- 241.66090511 (77665) (8.1.2019). mar Sarkar with appendices by G 577 j Bibliography : p. [259] Dr. Brajendranath Seal.– New God, science, sex, ISBN : 978-93-5098-144-3 : Delhi : Cosmo, 2008. gender. : an intersdiscipli- Rs. 3750.00. 2v. in 3 pts. ; 22 cm. –(The nary approach to Christian eth- Sacred books of the Hindus). ics / edited by Patricia Beattie (77682) (v.1) (77683) (v.2, pt.2) Jung and Aana Marie Vigen, 501.54 (77684) (v.2, pt.1) (1.2.2019) with John Anderson. – L 287 c Contents : v.1. Non-politi- Urbana, Chicago : Univer- Language, logic and cal. – v.2. Political : introduc- sity of Illikois Press. c 2010. science in India : some con- tion to Hindu positivism. vii, 387p. ; 23 cm. (77645) ceptural and historical perspec- ISBN : 81-307-0558-3 (set): (7.1.2019) tives / Debiprasad Chattopad- Rs. 2500.00. Bibliography : p [259]-275. hyaya ... [et.al.]. – New Delhi: ISBN : 978-0-252-03537-1. Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and 551.419897 363.700721 Culture, 2010. K 45 a K 16 r v, 91 p. ; 23 cm.– (PHISPC Khadilkar, Jagadish P. Kanazawa, Mark. monograph series on history of Antarctica : the frozen con- Research methods for en- philosophy, science and culture tinent’s environment, changing vironmental studies : a so- in India ; 4) (75845) (4.2.2015) logistics and relevance to India cial science approach / Mark Notes and references at the / Dr. Jagadish P. Khadilkar. – Kanazawa.– Abingdon, Oxon : end of chapters. London : Bloomsbury, 2017. Routledge, c 2018. ISBN : 81-215-0689-1 : Rs. xxxvi, 380p. : photo, map, xiii. 379p. ; 24 cm. (77641) 80.00. table; 25 cm. (7.1.2019) Reference : p. [357]-365. References at the end of Select bibliography : p. chapters. 261.835 [366] – 368. ISBN : 978-1-138-68-016-6 C 555 w ISBN : 978-93-86432-00-1 : (hbk). : £37.99. Christianity and family Rs. 999.00. law : an introduction / ed- 909.09821 ited by John Witte, Jr. [and] D 411 i Gary S. Hauk. – Cambridge : 320.954 Dennis, David B., 1961 – Cambridge University Press, K 21 m Inhumanities : Nazi inter- c2017. rep.ed pretations of western culture / xvii, 467p. : ill. ; 23 cm.– Mital, Surendra Nath. David B. Dennis. – Cambridge (Cam-bridge studies in law and Kautiliya Arthasastra re- : Cambridge : University Press. Christianity (77652) (7.1.2019) visited / Surendra Nath Mital. – 2012. Bibliography : p. 429-453. rep. ed. – New Delhi : Centre for xvi. 539 p: ill ; 24 cm. ISBN : 978-1-108-41534-7 Studies in civilizations, 2004. (77666) (8.1.2019) (hbk) : £ 31.90. xii, 147p. : table ; 22 cm. – Notes : p.[464]–532. (History of science, philosophy ISBN : 978-1-107-02049-8: and culture in Indian civiliza- £ 20.99. 294,5171 tion). (77616) (3.1.2019) S 245 p 1st published in 2000. 722.44 v.1-2 References : p. 138-141. G 942 s Sarkar, Benoy Kumar. ISBN : 81-87586-0-3-6 : Rs. Guha, Jayanta The positive backgound of 225.00. Stones : silent witness

Monthly Bulletin 58 July 2020 Books Accessioned during June 2020 to the cultural diversity of plural societies / edited by Mau- group, conflict and change / India / Jayanta Guha and rits S. Hassankhan, Goolam Joseph F. Healey, Andi Step- Ganpat Roonwal.– New Delhi Vahed, Lomarsh. Roopnarine.– nick, Eileen O’Brien.–8th ed.– : Kavery Books, 2014. New Delhi : Manohar, 2016. Los Angeles : vii. 107p. : photo ; 25 cm. vi. 342p. ; 23 cm. (77401) SAGE, C 2019. (76205) (3.6.2015) (26.10.2019) xxvii, 498p. : pic, table, ISBN : 978-81-7479-143-6 : References at the end of graph, fig, map. ; 28 cm. Rs. 1250.00. chapters. (77651) (7.1.2019) ISBN : 978-93-5098-131-3 : References at the end. Rs. 1295.00. ISBN : 978-1506-3469-46 972.52 (pbk) : $109.00. S 947 h Sugiyama, Saburo. 320 Human sacrifice, milita- S 129 o 954.01 rism and rulership : materi- v.1-2 D 979 h alization of state ideology at The SAGE handbook of rev.ed the Feathered Serpent Pyra- political sociology / edited v. 1-2 mid, Teotihuacan / by Saburo by William Outhwaite and Dutt, Romesh Chander. Sugiyama. – Cambridge : Cam- Stephen P. Turner. – Los An- A history of civilisation in bridge University Press, c 2005, geles SAGE, 2017. ancient India : based on San- xvii, 280p. : ill., table, map; 2 v . ; 2 5 c m . ( 7 7 6 5 8 ) skrit literature / by Romesh 25 cm. (77664) (8.1.2019) – (8.1.2019) Chander Dutt. - rev.ed. – (New studies in archaeology). References at the end of v.2. New Delhi, : Cosmo Publi- References: p253-271 ISBN : 978-1-4739-1946-4. cations, 2000 ISBN : 0-521-7805-6-x: 2v. ; 23 cm. (77678) £76.00. (1.2.2019) 394.12 Contents : v. 1. B. C. 2000 to F 686 c.v. 320. – v.2.B.C.320 to A.D. 1000. 792.02809254 ed.3 ISBN : 81-7020-964-1 (set): B 575 p Food and culture : Rs. 975.00 (set). Bhattacharya, Rimli. a reader / edited by Carole Public women in British In- Counihan and Penny Van dia : icons and the urban stage Esterik.– 3rd ed. – New York : / Rimli Bhattacharya. –1st Routledge, c 2013. 820.9954 South Asian ed. – Abingdon, x, 613p. : ill., table ; 26 cm. I 39 d. b Oxon : Routledge, 2018. (77667) (8.1.2019) Indian writing in English : xx, 349p. : photo, facsim ; 22 References at the end of an anthology of prose and cm. Select bibliography : p.336- chapters. poetry selections / editors : An- 338. (77587) (1.1.2019) ISBN : 978-0-415-52103-1 jana Neira Dev, Amrita Bhalla. ISBN : 978-1-138-3636-3-2 (hbk) : £51.79. – New Dehi : Dept. of English, (hbk). University of Delhi, 2013 ix, 179p ; 22 cm.– (Dicipline 305.800973 Course I ; paper. 2). (76029) 331.62540729 H 434 r (27.5.2019) I 38 m ed.8 References : p. 167-168. Indentured Muslims in Healey, Joseph F. ISBN : 978-93-806-07-97. : the diaspora : identity and Race ethnicity, gender, Rs. 98.00. belonging of minority groups in [and] class : the sociology of

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294.3923 Laurie.– Los Angeles : SAGE, References : p [469] – 505. S 671 b 2016. ISBN : 978-1-5264-1354-3 ed.3 xxiii, 374p. ; 25 cm. (77027) : £28.99. Snellgrove, David L. (1.6.2019) Buddhist Himalaya : travel References at the end of and studies in quest of the chapters. 910.45 origins and nature of Tibetan ISBN : 978-1-4462-7387-6 O 15 a religion / David L. Snellgrove. : £27.99. Oceanio histories / edited –3rd ed. – Bangkok : Orchid by David Armitage, Press, 2011. Alison Bashford, Sujit xvi, 351p., 40p. of plates : 294.59212 Sivasundaram. – Cambridge : map.; 22 cm. (77663) (8.1.2019) R 144 V Cambridge University Press, 1st edition: Bruno Cassirer, ed.2 2018. London in 1957. Ragozin, Zenaide A., 1835- x, 328p. : map. ; 23 cm. Bibliography : p. 323-325. 1924. (Cambridge oceanic histories). ISBN : 978-974-524-141-1: Vedic India as embodied (77644) (7.1.2019) $35.00 . pricipally in the Rig-veda / by Bibliographical references Zenaaide A. Ragozin. –2nd ed. at the end of chapters. 210 – New Delhi : Cosmo Publica- ISBN : 978-1-108-423-18-2 B 967 W tion, 2005. (hbk) : £19.99. Burns, Elizabeth. xii, 457p. ; ill. ; 23 cm. What is this thing called (77685) (1.2.2019) philosophy of religion / Eliza- Published in 1895 under the 891.4414 beth Burns.– title : The story of Vedic India. T 128 t. d London : Routledge, c2018. Bibliography : p.441-444 A difficult friendship : vii, 232p. ; 25 cm. (77659) ISBN : 81-307-0085-9 : Rs. letters of Edward Thomp- (8.1.2019) 650.00. son and Rabindranath Tagore, ISBN : 978-1-138-81-777-7 1913-1940 / edited by Uma Das (hbk) : £ 29.99. 370.15 Gupta. – C 353 p New Delhi. : Oxford Univer- ed.2 sity Press c 2003 300.72 Castle, Paul. viii, 243p. ; 23 cm. (77462) J54d Psychology for teachers / (23.8.2018) Jensen, Eric Allen. Paul Caste, Scott Buckler.– 2nd Bibliography : p [225]-231. Doing real research : a prac- ed.– Los Amgeles : SAGE, 2018 ISBN-13 : 978-0-19-566312- tical guide to social research/ xxi, 513 p. ; 23 cm. (77669) 9. : 445.00. Eric Allen Jensen, Charles (8.1.2019)

Monthly Bulletin 60 July 2020