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[The Collected Essays of A.K.Ramanujan] (By: A. K. Ramanujan) [published: March, 2004]
Poet, translator, and folklorist, A.K. Ramanujan has been recognized as the world's most profound scholar of South Asian language and culture. This book brings together for the first time, thirty essays on literature and culture written by Ramanujan over a period of four decades. It is theproduct of the collaborative effort of a number of his colleagues and friends. Each section is prefaced by a brief critical introduction and the volume includes notes on each essay as well as a chronology of Ramanujan's books and essays.
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First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
A.K. Ramanujan
49 books101 followersRamanujan was an Indian poet, scholar and author, a philologist, folklorist, translator, poet and playwright. His academic research ranged across five languages: Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit, and English. He published works on both classical and modern variants of these literature and also argued strongly for giving local, non-standard dialects their due.
He was called "Indo-Anglian harbingers of literary modernism". Several disciplinary areas are enriched with A.K.Ramanujan`s aesthetic and theoretical contributions. His free thinking context and his individuality which he attributes to Euro-American culture gives rise to the "universal testaments of law". A classical kind of context-sensitive theme is also found in his cultural essays especially in his writings about Indian folklore and classic poetry. He worked for non-Sanskritic Indian literature and his popular work in sociolinguistics and literature unfolds his creativity in the most striking way. English Poetry most popularly knows him for his advance guard approach.
He was called "Indo-Anglian harbingers of literary modernism". Several disciplinary areas are enriched with A.K.Ramanujan`s aesthetic and theoretical contributions. His free thinking context and his individuality which he attributes to Euro-American culture gives rise to the "universal testaments of law". A classical kind of context-sensitive theme is also found in his cultural essays especially in his writings about Indian folklore and classic poetry. He worked for non-Sanskritic Indian literature and his popular work in sociolinguistics and literature unfolds his creativity in the most striking way. English Poetry most popularly knows him for his advance guard approach.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 16, 2015
The collected essays contain a variety of pieces on Indian culture, languages and folklore. It contains one of Ramanujan's most famous essays, Three Hundred Ramayanas, that got banned in Mumbai University by the actions of a certain Hindu nationalist. It also contains the best commentary on Mahabharata that I have read till date. This one essay surpasses "The Difficulty of Being Good" in depth and insight. The book is full of folktales and titbits from mythology.
Some essays though, which focus on the Tamil language and literature, might be too specific to interest a general readership. In addition, as Ramanujan wrote these as part of different compilations, there is much repetition. In all, this book is not for cover-to-cover reading. I recommend the following essays to anyone interested:-
1) Is There an Indian Way of Thinking? An informal essay
2) Three Hundred Ramayanas
3) Repetition in the Mahabharata
4) Men, Women, and Saints
5) Who needs Folklore?
Some essays though, which focus on the Tamil language and literature, might be too specific to interest a general readership. In addition, as Ramanujan wrote these as part of different compilations, there is much repetition. In all, this book is not for cover-to-cover reading. I recommend the following essays to anyone interested:-
1) Is There an Indian Way of Thinking? An informal essay
2) Three Hundred Ramayanas
3) Repetition in the Mahabharata
4) Men, Women, and Saints
5) Who needs Folklore?
February 20, 2023
About as clearsighted about the actuality behind the idea of a 'Hindu literary tradition' as someone could have been in his historical moment I think. There is a way of seeing beyond the more unthinking approaches of orientalism, nationalism, and total dismissal that he eases you into.
December 31, 2012
Read only the section that has essays analyzing the Indian folklores. Great read!
July 11, 2019
i loved it..go for it if you love folktales
April 13, 2025
Ramanujan's name had become rather well-known once the controversy around his essay on Ramayanas struck popular imagination. But this book proves that not only that essay, but his entire scholarship— nuanced, holistic, yet sharp in observations, deserves greater attention and study.
Alas, the book had been produced very cheaply, making the pages become rust-coloured and the writung, devoid of adequate number of illustrations, almost illegible.
Production: bad. Works: very good.
Recommended.
Alas, the book had been produced very cheaply, making the pages become rust-coloured and the writung, devoid of adequate number of illustrations, almost illegible.
Production: bad. Works: very good.
Recommended.
October 24, 2024
The essays in the book are marvelous. They contain insights on Indian literature, culture and folklores. On the way you will get to read so many new stories and poems. These essays also offer you an opportunity to connect the dots and consolidate your understanding of India.
February 14, 2023
A true masterpiece of Indian literature. In these essays, Ramanujan masterfully blends literature's science, art, and structure with the beliefs, mythology, beauty, and interpretations of Indian culture. His writing style is unique, constructing essays like poems that show more than they tell, suggest more than they reveal, and echo more than they acknowledge.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Ramanujan's writing is his deep study of Indian literature and culture. He balances the scientific and rational with the spiritual and mythical, bringing to life the complexities of Indian beliefs and traditions. He learns from his father who tells him, "The Gita is part of one's hygiene." and explains that the brain has two lobes, one for the scientific and rational, and one for the spiritual and mythical. This balance of both the material and the spiritual is evident throughout all of Ramanujan's work.
Ramanujan's interpretation of Indian literature is genuinely insightful and thought-provoking. He sees literature as refracting as much as it reflects, and his deep study of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, folk tales, and even common sayings and proverbs is deep and immaculate. He sees folk stories as a Matrix or Inception, where the reader or listener becomes a part of the story.
In one of the most memorable essays in the collection, he says, "Contrary to the notion that Indians are spiritual, they are really material-minded." In this essay, Ramanujan explores the constant flow of material and spiritual in Indian culture, explaining that while there is a physiology to Indian thought, there is no anatomy. This perspective on Indian culture is both unique and enlightening.
The collected essays of A.K. Ramanujan are a must-read for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Indian literature. With his unique blend of science, art, and spirituality, Ramanujan provides a captivating and insightful look into the complexities of Indian culture and tradition. And at the end, even the computer which on being asked whether it has become sentient, types out - "THAT REMINDS ME OF A STORY"
One of the most remarkable aspects of Ramanujan's writing is his deep study of Indian literature and culture. He balances the scientific and rational with the spiritual and mythical, bringing to life the complexities of Indian beliefs and traditions. He learns from his father who tells him, "The Gita is part of one's hygiene." and explains that the brain has two lobes, one for the scientific and rational, and one for the spiritual and mythical. This balance of both the material and the spiritual is evident throughout all of Ramanujan's work.
Ramanujan's interpretation of Indian literature is genuinely insightful and thought-provoking. He sees literature as refracting as much as it reflects, and his deep study of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, folk tales, and even common sayings and proverbs is deep and immaculate. He sees folk stories as a Matrix or Inception, where the reader or listener becomes a part of the story.
In one of the most memorable essays in the collection, he says, "Contrary to the notion that Indians are spiritual, they are really material-minded." In this essay, Ramanujan explores the constant flow of material and spiritual in Indian culture, explaining that while there is a physiology to Indian thought, there is no anatomy. This perspective on Indian culture is both unique and enlightening.
The collected essays of A.K. Ramanujan are a must-read for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Indian literature. With his unique blend of science, art, and spirituality, Ramanujan provides a captivating and insightful look into the complexities of Indian culture and tradition. And at the end, even the computer which on being asked whether it has become sentient, types out - "THAT REMINDS ME OF A STORY"
February 2, 2025
The essays in this collection are eternal gold. The essay ''Is there an Indian way of thinking'' answered two of my most profound unanswered questions and wonders of my adulthood in the space of barely twenty pages and with such distinction and rich articulation. One of my all time favorite books on philosophy, arts, and the classics.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews