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Romila Thapar's Memoir: Gardening Life and History
Romila Thapar's memoir is like a garden she tends to, filled with her memories, experiences, and thoughts.
She talks about her life growing up in different Indian cities, her time in London where she studied Indian history, and her interactions with many scholars.
She also shares her ideas about writing history and her dislike for the Hindutva ideology.
However, some important events and issues, like the Indo-China war and the Dalit question, are missing from her memoir.
The book gives us a look into the life and thoughts of an important Indian historian, but it also shows some gaps in her understanding of current social realities.
Romila Thapar's memoir is a personal and intellectual journey, filled with her experiences and critiques.
She discusses her upbringing in various Indian cities and her time in London studying Ancient India.
Thapar emphasizes the importance of reading and her interactions with scholars in shaping her ideas.
She critiques the Hindutva ideology, seeing it as rooted in colonial assumptions and promoting Hindu supremacism.
The memoir lacks discussion on several pivotal historical events and contemporary social issues.
- Who
- Romila Thapar, an Indian historian and author
- What
- A review of her memoir detailing her life, intellectual journey, and critiques of Hindutva
- Where
- Various locations including India, London, and other global destinations
- When
- The memoir covers her life experiences and historical events up to contemporary times
- Why
- To share her personal and intellectual journey, and to critique Hindutva ideology and other social and political issues
Key facts
- Author
- Romila Thapar
- Memoir Length
- Around 700 pages
- Key Focus
- Indian history, society, and personal experiences
- Critique Target
- Hindutva ideology
- Educational Background
- Research degree in Ancient India
- Influences
- Nehru, Black authors, Ismat Chugtai, Simone de Beauvoir, T. S. Eliot
- Institutional Affiliation
- Jawaharlal Nehru University
- Notable Absences
- Discussion on Indo-China war, Indo-Pak wars, Kashmir genocide, Dalit question









