About CC

Sudhir K. Arora. Cultural and Philosophical Reflections in Indian Poetry in English: Journey (Volume V). New Delhi: Authorspress, 2016. Price 1700. Pages 400+xi. ISBN 978-93-5207-210-1

Reviewed by Prof. Sushma Sharma

Dr. Sudhir K. Arora’s Cultural and Philosophical Reflections in Indian Poetry in English: Journey V, which is an outcome of his major project on Indian Culture in Indian Poetry in English, is authentic and of abiding significance in the domain of Indian Poetry in English. He has traced the various angles of Indian culture in such a manner as would give insight into spiritual and philosophical reflections of Indian English poets. Their versatile geniuses and wonderfully complex personalities are displayed in so many different channels of culture, emotion and intellect and touched both individual and social life at so many angles that it is well-nigh impossible to do bare justice to them all in a single project. But, Dr. Sudhir K. Arora’s attempt is amazing and worth-appreciating. With great erudition and profundity he fathomed Indian culture in Indian Poetry in English.

The explorer points out that the beneficial and stable thoughts grow in open environment uncontaminated by mental, social, physical or thoughtful pollutions. In this book, he divulges an inner reservoir of divine inspiration of the poets to the readers and helps them experience God as conscious reality in their lives. He refers to the stalwart poets like Tagore and Aurobindo, and saint poets like Swami Vivkananda, Ram Tirtha and Paramhamsa Yogananda who voiced the truths engrossing their consciousness at that moment, pouring forth priceless wisdom in a steady stream from the abundance of their spiritual experience and intuitive perception. He has also thrown light on the intoxicating love and divine joy of the women poets (Toru Dutt, Sarojini Naidu, Kamala Das) apart from casting glance over modern poets like Nissim Ezekiel, Ramanujan, Daruwalla, Jayanta Mahapatra, Arun Koltakar, Shiv K. Kumar and the contemporary poets like Niranjan Mohanty, R. C. Shukla, Hoshang Merchant and Gopikrishnan Kottoor.

Dr. Sudhir K. Arora is quite objective and straightforward in evaluating these mentioned poets. His comprehensive vision scanned those phenomena which are wide spread but well-hidden and elucidated some of the most intriguing facets of the human soul. In fact, the book emanates that aroma which is well-acquainted to the votaries of ‘Muse’ and lovers / scholars of literature. An exhaustive bibliography reveals his hard labour that he put in writing of this book.

Cultural and Philosophical Reflections in Indian Poetry in English: Journey V, I am sure, will motivate the researchers and lovers of poetry for further explorations in Indian Poetry in English and, hence, contribute in the field of knowledge.

The Reviewer:

Dr. Sushma Sharma retired as Head, Department of English, KGK College, Moradabad-244001. She participated in various national and international seminars, wrote many papers and guided more than 30 Ph. D. scholars. She had been the first woman Dean, Faculty of Arts, MJP Rohilkhand University. E-mail: sushmasharma_45@yahoo.com