Review Details

REVIEW BY SARBARTHA MUKHERJEE 

neel.rationalist@gmail.com

Title     : PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS ‘ ISMS’

Author : AVIK GANGOPADHYAY

Published by Shreya Publications, Distributed by Booksway

An Orchestrated Glossar, Philosophical and Religious ISMS

‘PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS ISMS’ by AVIK GANGOPADHYAY is beautified lure to the luminous dimension of philosophy and religious concepts. AVIK GANGOPADHYAY, the author of this glossar resides at the epitome of excellence of the genre of critical and creative writings, creating elegant canvases with the colours of pedantry reflecting his creativity, knowledge and consciousness.

AVIK GANGOPADHYAY professionally, a faculty of English language and literature, a post graduate from the JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY, Kolkata, a graduate from the DURGAPUR GOVERNMENT COLLEGE in English language and literature. He is the son of the respected Late MANAB GANGOPADHYAY, a writer and professor of Bengali language and literature, Head of the Department of Bengali language in the Govt. colleges of Bengal including the PRESIDENCY UNIVERSITY (previously known as HINDU COLLEGE and later as PRESIDENCY COLLEGE) and MRS. SRIPARNA GANGOPADHYAY, a classical dancer and singer of Tagore’s melodies. It is quite true to say that the author is glorifying his own family’s glorious tradition with his creations.

AVIK GANGOPADHYAY is the author of more than 25 books on literary theories, philosophy, archaeology, anthropology, aesthetics, like ‘vanishing voices’ i.e ‘BHASHAR MRITYU LUPTO O BIPONNO BHASHAR KHOJ’- a detailed and unique research work about the languages on the verge of extinction as well as the endangered languages, extinct scripts, culture and art which are imprisoned in the untrodden paths of history, trying to lure archaeologists through the corridors of history like the ‘PIED PIPER’ but this flute eventually fails to express its ancient melodies out to the ears of present being obstructed by the walls of the prison of past built by the omnipotent time. Thus only the ‘SOUND OF SILENCE’ prevails challenging the Shakespearean concept to some extent ‘Time can devour the artist not the art’. Some other titles by the author are, “DIASPORA , BETWEEN PHENOMENON AND REALITY , ROOTS OF TRAUMA LITERATURE”, “SARASWATI VEDIC PAURANIK, PRATNATATTWIK AND NANDANIK PREKHIT” (SARASWATI, VEDIC, MYTHOLOGICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND AESTHETIC PERSPECTIVE), “REALITY RIPS”, “EVERY MAN’S GLOSSAR TO LITERARY TERMS, CINEMATIC TERMS, SCIENCE FICTIONAL TERMS.” “SAHITYER SONGRUP : PASCHYATYA PREKSHIT”, a book on various genres of European and in a broader sense of Western Literature and many other impressive titles including the, “PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS ISMS”.

Initially from a superficial view the motive of the author seems to be to create a glossary of philosophical and religious terminologies but the foreword of the book can alter this impression of the readers. The foreword actually emphasizes on the origin of this book. The cradle of creating this glossar was rooted in the inspiration of his father PROF. MANAB GANGOPADHYAY, his entourism into various interdisciplinary subjects. According to the author it was on a holiday morning in the mid 1980s, which marks the advent of the creation of this glossar of philosophical and religious theories, in his diary where the newly read terms were to be noted with their meanings. It was an attempt just to fulfill his unending quest of knowledge and curiosity and also to satisfy his creative self as well as feel the exaltation of creation and creativity, knowledge enriching his critical bent of mind. The incident of publishing of this scholarly glossary connotes that time not only brags away everything creating plangent tones but also enriches human mind in due course, illumes the candle of knowledge and eventually pedantry.

The book is designed in two segments, the first segment in a dictionarised tone arranges philosophical terms  and meanings, the second segment discusses chapter wise and introduces one to the theories, concepts and terminology of the major religions- BUDDHISM, JAINISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM, HINDUISM, JUDIAISM, SIKHISM, ZORASTRIANISM.

The book is solely theoretical in its approach; the author has no intention to preach the supremacy of any religion. The book champions knowledge and quest of learning not any communal belief.

The book in an indirect tone interrelates many terms of different religions and also scholarly expresses   homologies between these mutual terms. As an example the term AIRAVAT is present in both Hinduism and Jainism but their meanings and expressions differ. The words having the same root are differently expressed through separate paths i.e. the terms exemplify homology. In the canvas of Hinduism the term AIRAVAT  is the mythological majestic elephant owned by the  king of paradise, the deity of thunder INDRA, but in the Jain tradition AIRAVAT is a kshetra  where human psyche transcends beyond earthly mundane to a cosmic canvas of spiritualism. Likewise the concept of KARMA is expressed in different colours in the canvases of Jainism and Hinduism.

Any reflective person with a critical bent of mind must have encountered queries within his self like “What philosophy and realism is?”, this book can answer to all these interrogations with a mark of perfection and elegance.

Philosophy being a subject with subtlety is often too complex to understand for commoners. The concepts of abstractionism, the beautiful brush strokes of the concepts of existentialism, Dadaism, surrealism may depict a labyrinth created amidst the canvas of this great subject, like the mesmerizing classical music to beginners, the book is really an easy way to pass through the corridors of realm of abstractionism- in this simplicity resides the excellence of this creation.

The book may also be considered as a corridor to the less discussed vanishing concept of philosophy like Taoism of China, an ancient strand of philosophy buried below the layers of time which had evolved in China, the colours of Wu-wei or “Non Activity” indeed creates a melody of uniqueness. The other concepts like theism, Thomism, utilitarianism, vitalism and more indeed lead human beings to a state of transcendentalism beyond biological vision to vision of mind.

The book is a unique creation glorified by its simplicity of complex ideas. It can mesmerize the interested people with the elegance of music of philosophy as well as introduce the beginners to the realm of abstractionism. This book can be an aid to both detailed and introductory studies.

In this competitive world where machinized people find it unnecessary to rethink even any moment of their life it is obvious that this great subject is questioned in a humiliating tone with his own words “WHY NOW WHY HERE?” amidst this lamenting canvas this book is an unique glorious creation intended to humanize the machinized humans to make them see through their mind once again, make them feel and hear the rhythm of this great subject. I am honoured to be a reader of this book. It is an immense elation on my part to be able to feel this knowledge-feast, to be able to feel and hear the orchestra (PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS ISMS) of this great subject created by the subject with his bard, the author.