Table Of ContentKnowing Asia, Being Asian
This book studies the various representations of Asia in Bengali literary periodicals
between the 1860s and 1940s. It looks at how these periodicals tried to analyse the
political situation in Asia in the context of world politics and how Indian nationalistic
ideas and associations impacted their vision.
The volume highlights the influences of cosmopolitanism, universalism and national-
ism which contributed towards a common vision of a united and powerful Asia and
how these ideas were put into practice. It analyses travel accounts by men and women
and examines how women became the focus of the didactic efforts of all writers for a
horizontal dissemination of Asian consciousness. The author also provides a discus-
sion on Asian art and culture, past and present connections between Asian countries
and the resurgence of 19th-century Buddhism in the consciousness of the Bengalis.
Rich in archival material, Knowing Asia, Being Asian will be useful for scholars and
researchers of history, Asian studies, modern India, cultural studies, media studies,
journalism, publishing, post-colonial studies, travel writings, women and gender stud-
ies, political studies and social anthropology.
Sarvani Gooptu is Professor of Asian Literary and Cultural Studies at Netaji Institute
for Asian Studies, Kolkata, India. Previously she worked in the History Department at
Calcutta Girls’ College, Calcutta University, as Associate Professor and Head (1997–
2016). Her main areas of research are nationalism and culture in the colonial and
post-colonial periods. Among her publications are The Actress in the Public Theatres
of Calcutta (2015), The Music of Nationhood: Dwijendralal Roy of Bengal (2018)
and two co-edited volumes On Modern Indian Sensibilities: Culture, Politics, History
with Ishita Banerjee-Dube, (2018) and The Regional Great Game in the Indian Ocean
and India’s Evolving Maritime Strategy (2020) with Vivek Mishra. She has published
extensively in national and international journals on diverse topics like minority com-
munities of Calcutta; biographical works on leading Indian men and women; Asia in
Bengali journals and literature; India’s relations with China, Japan and Burma; wom-
en’s travel narratives; Buddhist pilgrimages in the past and present in Asia and Gandhi
and Bengal. She is Council Member for 21 years at Netaji Research Bureau and is also
Council member and Secretary of Indian Association of Asian and Pacific Studies.
Knowing Asia, Being Asian
Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism in Bengali
Periodicals, 1860–1940
Sarvani Gooptu
First published 2022
by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Sarvani Gooptu
The right of Sarvani Gooptu to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-0-367-63977-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-15363-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-24378-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003243786
Typeset in Sabon
by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
To
My father, Nirendra Nath Dutta (1928–2019), whom I miss a lot
And
Pradeep, Subhalakshmi and Siddhesh with love
Contents
Acknowledgements viii
Introduction x
1 Othering the self through Sahitya Patrikas 1
2 Travelling in Asian lands: A male gaze 19
3 A woman’s perspective: Writings for women, about women and
by women 51
4 Beyond the classroom: Teaching about Asia in children’s magazines 77
5 Cultural intimacies: The quest for an Asian art and culture 95
6 Buddhist ideas and pilgrimage as a means of connectivity 113
7 Nationalist discourse and locating the nation in the world 129
8 United Asia: Hope and disillusion 162
9 Institutionalising dreams: Tagore, Bose and Nehru 191
Bibliography 209
Index 232
Acknowledgements
This book is the result of a long journey that started when I went hunting in the old
Bengali periodicals for sources on Dwijendralal Roy, and then later on the actresses
of the Bengali theatre. A nebulous idea about Asian consciousness got concrete shape
when my friends Professors Rajasri Basu (whom we lost tragically), Suchandra Ghosh,
Lipi Ghosh and Anasua Basu Raychaudhuri requested me to present my ideas at a
conference. I thank them for their confidence in me. I owe a huge intellectual debt
to Professor Sugata Bose, whose lectures and writings on Asian Connections have
inspired me over the years. Thank you for always helping me in every way, especially
for reading the manuscript despite your busy schedule. This project was financed by
the Education Department, West Bengal Government, and I thank them for the grant
and Professor Suranjan Das, Director, NIAS, for supporting my proposal.
I owe more than I can ever repay to Professor Gautam Bhadra, who literally taught
me how to research and write, and his review of my article on Japan in the volume
On Modern Indian Sensibilities dedicated to him helped me immensely. The support
of my dear friends Professors R. Mahalakshmi and Rakesh Batabyal of Jawaharlal
Nehru University gave me the confidence to transform the articles I presented at con-
ferences there into a larger research. Also, the input that I received at conferences held
in Seoul National University, Hebrew University and Manipal University helped me
tremendously. I thank my friend Dr Susmita Mukherjee for correcting parts of the
draft, for listening patiently to my ramblings and for always offering academic and
friendly support.
My mother Bijaya Dutta has been my role model in academics and music and
I must acknowledge her for teaching me to have faith in all circumstances. I look
forward to her delight on this offering though we will miss my father Nirendranath
Dutta’s presence sorely.
Krishnamashi, Smt. Krishna Bose, teacher, writer, parliamentarian and lifelong
researcher on Netaji, has been my favourite aunt and friend for a long time with
whom I shared all my jokes and new researches and who to my regret will not be
able to launch this book as she has the previous ones. I dedicate this book to her in
the memory of her love. I also acknowledge the kindness that Professor Sugata Bose,
Sumantra Bose and my friends at Netaji Research Bureau, specially Raka Sen and my
Rabindra Sangeet Guru Pramita Mullick, have always shown me. I thank the staff
there for their constant help, specially Monohar and Sujata.
Netaji Institute for Asian Studies is the most wonderful place to work in, thanks to
the best boss anyone can have, Professor Suranjan Das, and I thank him and my young
friends and colleagues, Anup Sekhar Chakraborty, Vivek Mishra, Sandip Halder and
Acknowledgements ix
the supportive staff there, specially Sraboni, Gourango, Nilotpal, Anuradha, Mita,
Arpita and Tarak. I must also thank research assistants, Paulomi Mallick and Priti
Singh for their help during my research work.
I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all my teachers, colleagues and
friends who have supported, guided and encouraged me in my research, specially
to my teachers, Professors Sekhar Bandopadhyay, Binay Bhushan Chaudhuri, Arun
Bandopadhyay, Bharati Ray and Hari Vasudevan (whose untimely passing saddened
me). I’m grateful to my friends, Professors Ishita Banerjee-Dube, Choi Chatterjee,
Samita Sen, Nandini Bhattacharya, Sipra Mukherjee, Nayeem Anis, Purna Chowdhury
(for help with a chapter title), Susmita Sinha, Dinky Dutt and Nandita Palchoudhuri
for always being there for me. I am grateful to Professors Tansen Sen and Seema Alavi
for their support and advice at various points in my career.
I’m very grateful to Kamalika Mukherjee of Centre for Studies in Social Sciences
(Archives) without whose help this work would have been impossible to achieve. I
thank all the staff at National Library, Nehru Memorial Library, British Library and
Calcutta Club Library for their help during my research.
My heartfelt thanks go to Shashank Sinha, Anvitaa Bajaj and Antara Ray Chaudhary
at Routledge for being so supportive these past years.
I thank my friends and family who have kept me motivated and cheerful with their
advice, messages and pictures during the dreadful pandemic while I completed the
book – Aindrila Bose, Nabanita Gooptu, Arun and Anupama Jhunjhunwala, Raja
and Rakhi Mookherjee, Udit and Sanjukta Mitra, Susmita Dasgupta, Chandrani
Chakraborty, Paramita Gupta, Sramana Chatterjee, Debisree Dutta, Ballari Bagchi,
Sounak Chattopadhyay, Maitreyee Bandopadhyay, Mahua Chakraborty, friends at
Rotary Clubs (Calcutta and Inner City), my very dear friends of Carmel Convent and
Lady Brabourne College, Bhowanipur Baikali Association, IAAPS and all my cousins
at Dutta Bari Worldwide.
My deepest appreciation and love go to my sisters Indrani Bose, Sakti Kunz, Raja
Duggumali Dutta and Sohini Gooptu and my brothers Suvendranath Dutta, Indranath
Bose, Brian Kunz and Adheep Gooptu who have always supported me in all my ven-
tures and demands.
My special thanks go to Abon Gooptu, for his immense help in typing parts of the
manuscript and bibliography, Subhalakshmi Gooptu, for hunting out books online
and keeping me aware of the latest academic trends, and Siddhesh Gooptu, for techni-
cal help at all times. My love and good wishes to the babies of the family – Aniruddha,
Frances, Neel and Tara Bose, Arunendro and Rajendro Dutta, Ahon Gooptu and my
respects to Ma and Baba, Arundhati and Ajit Gooptu.
And finally my children, Subhalakshmi and Siddhesh, whose achievements I’m very
proud of, and Pradeep, friend, husband and confidant – thank you for being mine.
