A Critique of History, Religion and Social Issues in Nirad C. Chaudhuri’s The Continent of Circe
Keywords:
India, Social Issues, Hinduism, Buddhism, AryanAbstract
Nirad Chaudhuri has been a celebrated social commentator on issues related to Indian
history and social norms. A controversial figure for most of his life, he, in his unique sarcastic
and scholarly manner holds a mirror to the contemporary society. Present research paper aims
at tracing these debatable arguments made by him in select non-fiction works. Unlike writers
of his age, he is not sympathetic about the conditions and miseries of Indian society but rather
mockery and sarcasm are his favourite tools, of course, dipped in thorough researches available
to him in his times. The thorough inclination for a pro-Anglican life style and detestation for
Indian life can be observed in all of his works.
Downloads
References
Almond, Ian. The Thought of Nirad C. Chaudhuri: Islam, Empire and Loss. Cambridge
University Press, 2015.
Chaudhuri, Nirad. The Continent of Circe: Being an Essay on the Peoples of India. OUP,
Chaudhuri, Dhruva. Nirad C. Chaudhuri: Many Shades, Many Frames. Niyogi Books, 2022.
Fallis, L. S., and C. Paul Verghese. “Nirad C. Chaudhuri.” Books Abroad, vol. 48, no. 2,
Kakar, H. S., and Chetan Karnani. “Nirad C. Chaudhuri.” World Literature Today, vol. 55,
no. 4, 1981.
Sinha, Tara. Nirad C. Chaudhuri: A Sociological and Stylistic Study of His Writings During
the Period 1951-72. Janaki Prakashan, 1981.
Srinivasa Iyengar, K. Indian writing in English. Sterling Publications, 1999.
Tinker, Hugh. “Book Reviews: The Continent of Circe: An Essay on the Peoples of India. By
NIRAD C. CHAUDHURI (London, Chatto and Windus, 1965). Race, vol. 7, no. 4,
, pp. 414–16.
