The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian by Nirad C. Chaudhuri
History favours the winners, but a few spirits leave a legacy deeper than the conquerors who occupied the throne. Among them is Dara Shikoh, son of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, a prince whose dreams for India were based on tolerance, inquiry of the mind, and spiritual harmony. His untimely death at the hands of his younger brother, Aurangzeb, changed the history of the subcontinent. If fate had been more benevolent, India could have taken a different route—where the cultures merged instead of colliding and wisdom was honoured over dogma.
A Prince Unlike Any Other
Dara Shikoh was born in in Ajmer. He was not only the eldest son of Shah Jahan but also his beloved heir. Unlike his warrior brothers, Dara found himself interested in philosophy, art, and the quest for spiritual knowledge. He studied Persian poetry, Sufism, and Sanskrit scriptures to narrow the gulf between Islam and Hinduism. His most renowned work, Majma-ul-Bahrain (The Confluence of the Two Seas), tried to bring harmony between Sufi and Vedantic schools of thought.
His scholastic ventures took him to translate fifty Upanishads into Persian, which broug
Nirad C Chaudhuri’s The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian
The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian is the autobiography of a writer from India, Nirad C. Chaudhuri. Written when he was around 50, it documents his life in Kishoreganj, a small town in present-day Bangladesh, from his birth in The book relates his mental and intellectual growth, his life and development in Calcutta, his observations of vanishing landmarks, the connotation of this is dual-changing Indian situation and historical forces that were leaving an imminent affair with British from India. The book is divided into four books, each consisting of four chapters and a preface. The first book is entitled “Early Environment” and its four chapters are: 1) My Place of Birth, 2) My Ancestral Place, 3) The Place of My Mother and 4) England.
The autobiography has acquired many distinguished admirers over the years. It was thought by Winston Churchill to be one of the best books he had ever read. “No better account of the penetration of the Indian mind by the West – and by extension, of the penetration of one culture by another – will be or now can be written.” V. S. Naipaul said. It was included in The New Oxford Book
Modesty from a Non-Native English Speaker
Chaudhuri is quite modest as he sets sail. He announces very early on that he has no illusions about his mastery over the English language. &#;An author whose English was not learnt from Englishmen or in any English speaking country&#;, he describes himself, though it is clear that his writing does not have any reason to be shy. By the time Chaudhuri adds a bit later that he has never lived outside India, I am convinced that I am reading a master of the English language, possibly the best Indian English writing I&#;ve ever read, better than even Vikram Seth&#;s. Since Chaudhuri was around 50 when he published Autobiography of an Unknown Indian, the only other conclusion I can draw is that Chaudhuri did not come from a privileged backgrou
&#;The Autobiography of An Unknown Indian&#; is the most widely known work of famous thinker and writer Nirad C. Chaudhuri, an Indian English literary artist of the 20th century. He had written this autobiographical account when he was around Although he was born in in Kishoreganj, a small town of at present Bangladesh, yet his autobiographical description relates his mental and intellectual development, his life and growth connected to Indian atmosphere exclusive Calcutta. His observation of vanishing landmark the connotation of this dual-changing Indian situation and historical forces that were making the exit of British from Indian an imminent affair.
Although, this book is by nature an account of autobiography yet it is more concerned with the story of the struggle of a civilization with a hostile environment in which the destiny of the British rule become necessarily involved. It is about the maturity of a scholar&#;s mind in that environment. It seeks to show how the mind and character of a typical Indian were made, shaped and quickened by the same British rule.
This Autobiography has been divided into four different books in which each book has four ch
Biographies you may also like
Farah indian actress biography Farah Naaz was born in a Muslim family of Hyderabad. She got a big break to Bollywood, as she was casted by Yash Chopra for his movie ‘Faasla’ in The movie had Sunil Dutt and .
Lavoisier biography yahoo kids Antoine Lavoisier ( - May 8, ) was a French chemist. He stated the first version of the law of conservation of matter, recognized and named oxygen (), disproved phlogiston .
Henry and hester thrale biography Biography. Thrale was born at Bodvel Hall, Caernarvonshire, Wales. As a member of the powerful Salusbury Family, she belonged to one of the most illustrious Welsh land-owning dynasties of .
Saundra santiago net worth Saundra Santiago is an American actress with a net worth of $1 million. She is known for her roles in Miami Vice, Guiding Light, and Damages. She is married to Roger .
Jean philippe delhomme wiki Jean-Philippe Delhomme, né en , est un écrivain, dessinateur, artiste peintre et illustrateur français.
Lavinia fontana biography of donald Biography: Lavinia Fontana (–) was an Italian painter of the late Renaissance period, known for her significant contributions to the Mannerist movement. Born in Bologna, she was Missing: donald.