19th Century Maharashtra: A Reassessment
Editor: Shraddha Kumbhojkar
Date Of Publication: Jun 2009
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-0603-9
Isbn: 1-4438-0603-X
Maharashtra in the nineteenth century exhibits all the characteristics of a society standing at the crossroads of civilization. Western education, press, industrialisation and material changes in production and consumption patterns resulted in fundamental changes in the thinking of the people. The first half of the nineteenth century witnessed the beginning of the Postal Service in 1837, rise and spread of the native press and rudimentary education. The second half witnessed more dramatic events such as the coming of the Railways and the establishment of the of Indian National Congress that changed the destiny of the subcontinent forever.

The book takes a fresh look at the various aspects of nineteenth century Maharashtra. It includes the critiques and reviews of literature, language, history writing and women’s reforms in this period. It argues that the elite attempts at social reform had their own inherent limitations. They could not reach the level of radicality reached by the subalterns whose lived experience of discrimination was the biggest stimulus for reform. Mahatma Phule stands out from among a range of thinkers in this period for his innovative understanding of the Indian reality. Phule was one of the rare thinkers who reconciled the Indian reality with its Universal counterpart.

Dr. Shraddha Kumbhojkar is Senior Lecturer and Head of the post-graduate department of History at the Tilak Maharashtra University, Pune, India. Her areas of research include Vedas, Western India, Historiography and caste and gender discriminatory practices in contemporary India. She has done a Masters degree in History and another Masters in Sanskrit. Her doctoral dissertation at the University of Pune dealt with the reconstruction of India’s past by the nationalist leaders of the anti-colonial struggle. She is presently engaged in a UGC Major Research Project that explores the interrelationship between the ideals of secularism and tolerance that the textbooks try to impart and the practices of communal discrimination and hatred that are evident even among the teen-age students.

Dr. Kumbhojkar has presented several research papers in Europe, Asia and Australia. Her latest book is “Nationalism, Literature and Creation of Memory” 2008.

Price Uk Gbp: 34.99
Price Us Usd: 52.99

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