Abstract
Multifarious Nature of Indian Modernity
The concept of modernity is an alluring notion for the intellectuals of the contemporary times. Modernity is the product of a process called modernisation which attempts to bring a rapid and total transformation in the cognitive and technological spheres of the social system. The concept of modernity and the process of modernisation have been an academic challenge in the context of the Indian society. The myriad ideas of modernity have been there in Indian social thought since the ancient times, and the belief that the ideas of the current times are modern in contrast to the ideas of the earlier times further complicates matters. In the nineteenth-century India, a society where tradition and modernity attempted to co-exist, where notions emerging from ancient traditions were still considered modern and where there were instances of clashes between tradition and modernity; it becomes a herculean task to understand the nuanced layers of the advent of modernity in the context of cultural diffusion.
In this context, the book edited by Jaswandi Wamburkar attempts to understand the multi-layered concept of modernity in a distinctive manner. The focus of the volume is on how Indian modernity evolved and matured in the region of Maharashtra. This edited book titled Indian Modernity: Challenges and Responses is a felicitation volume in honour of Professor Raja Dixit (Shridhar Madhukar Dixit), Emeritus Professor at the Department of History at Savitribai Phule Pune University. The book presents the contribution of Professor Dixit to the field of academics, including his list of publications, to make the readers familiar with his multi-faceted personality. Jaswandi Wamburkar’s editorial succinctly explains the theme of the edited volume and is right in pointing out the ‘multiple modernities’ that exist in India. The contributors to the volume are eminent names in the academic circles, namely Aravind Ganachari, Varsha Shirgaonkar, Yashwant Sumant, Umesh Bagade and the Russian scholar Irina Glushkova.
Bengal and Maharashtra have had a history of cultural and intellectual interactions over the past many centuries. This echoes in the articles of this volume too. Varsha Shirgaonkar throws important light on the contributions of Bhudev Mukhopadhyay of Bengal and Vishwanath Mandlik of Maharashtra in the context of social reforms. She shares important insights into the similarities in the thought processes of these individuals and the path advocated. Chandrani Chatterjee in her lucidly written article brings us to understand ‘literature as history’. She makes a similar comparison between Bengal and Maharashtra, albeit in the field of sonnet, and tries to make a case for its evolution and the different patterns of reception by the reading public in their respective regions. Aravind Ganachari in his well-researched article reveals the influence of the Bengali reform movement of K. C. Sen on the reformers of Maharashtra, but he is careful in identifying the limits to the influence and challenges to the ‘Bengal Example’.
If Ganachari’s article deals with the ‘elitist’ social reform movement, then Umesh Bagade presents the voice of the oppressed subaltern in his article ‘Contesting Brahmanical Hegemony: Phule’s Search for Alternative Education’. He points out that it was Phule, much before Foucault, who spoke of the power–knowledge paradigm and how knowledge has played an instrumental role in the perpetuation of caste and gender discrimination in the Indian society. Phule’s alternative path to the mainstream education system, which was elitist in nature and aimed at maintaining the status quo, is thought-provoking. Chandrakant Abhang’s article on the way colonial state apparatus worked in the institutionalisation of manual scavenging in Maharashtra is an intriguing read. Chaitra Redkar’s article on the case study of Pandharpur Temple Entry Satyagraha wherein an assessment is made on the efficacy of ‘satyagraha’ as a means to attempt social change and the role of Sane Guruji in the movement is an engrossing read.
Irina Glushkova’s article ‘Visual Arguments for Regional Identity’ presents the Maharashtra-centric approach that developed in Raja Ravi Varma’s works and how his relations with contemporary leaders of the region had an influence on his art. It also comments on the changing depictions of Dynaneshwar and Tukaram in art forms and how the ‘Varkari tradition’ formed the basis of national unification in Maharashtra.
Meena Vaishampayan talks about the role of the ‘forgotten’ Orientalist and Indologist Shankar Pandurang Pandit, whereas Yashwant Sumant enlightens the readers on the philosophical moorings of Senapati Bapat’s political ideas. Abhida Dhumatkar sheds light on Dr Harold Mann and his role in introducing scientific and modern agriculture in Maharashtra. Jaswandi Wamburkar’s attempt to understand history through the lens of gender is a captivating read. Vibhavari Shirurkar’s writings expressed the inner feelings and yearnings of the women which were rarely seen in the contemporary literary scene of the region. The book also has chapters on themes such as the role of railways on the economic and social life of local communities (Madhumita Bandopadhyay), a brilliantly argued article on popular Marathi plays wherein a multi-disciplinary approach is evident (Shraddha Kumbhojkar) and the views of Tilak and Ambedkar on films (Rashmi Condra); all of these help us in understanding the multifarious nature of modernity in Western India.
Barring a few grammatical errors and cumbersome writing style in a couple of articles, the book is written in a very lucid manner. Thoroughly researched articles give the reader a nuanced glance into the understanding of the complexities of Indian modernity. The edited volume Indian Modernity: Challenges and Responses is a compelling read for all the researchers in the field of history, political science, literature and cultural studies.