Prof.
NIBIR GHOSH and RE-MARKINGS:
HUMANISM
WITHOUT BORDERS
by
Dr. Margarita R. Merino de Lindsay*
As Jonah Raskin, Tijan M. Sallah, E. Ethelbert Miller and Seema Sinha brightly point out about the wonders and aesthetics of Mirror from the Indus, so does the great HNN interview by Robin Lindley reflect in the cogent, eclectic last book by Prof. Ghosh, its pages lit so many lamps for its readers in an extraordinary guide and source of keen intellectual thinking through his essays, tributes and memoirs, I think of him as a torch of flames, a lighthouse for the world where death and desperation have taken a toll over already ten hard months of the year 2020.
As the “Tower of Hercules”–an ancient Roman lighthouse, a symbol of antiquity cast in stone modeled on the Pharos of Alexandria—that overlooks the Atlantic ocean from La Coruña, the Galician city were my mother was born in north-western Spain, I perceive that the mythical tower has a contemporary twin in flesh and blood in India: Nibir Ghosh, who raises his research with such mysterious grace to vindicate courage and dignity in a style of rare respect for diversity and universal understanding. It happens to be done in parallel care for words and ideas of his preferred world authors from India, Europe, Africa, and American, British and Post-colonial literature--and many others from different backgrounds--he studies the whole to sustain his beliefs. He looks in his analysis for some healing too of human problems, and their interpretations, such equality, environmental crisis, Christianity, Buddhism, war, hostile bureaucratic systems, hierarchy, honor, power, oppression, Untouchables-Dalits, the “American Dilemma,” “Black-Untouchables,” religious tensions, “return to nature,” affluence and poverty, universal fraternity, global crisis. He recalls Frost’s “Mending Wall” syndrome and points how “real communication takes place in a spirit of easy give and take.” Or he remembers Tagore’s premonitions: “the idea of multiculturalism that Tagore envisaged ages ago ought to serve as a valuable road map to the future of mankind.”
Both, tower and man, bring to us light, direction, conviction from their roots in countries they elevate far away from these lands with pride as a message from the legacy of ancestors who forged them in their own making: in its light enduring along centuries of navigation; or in his resilient way to enrich others with a mind like a stained-glass window. Nibir Ghosh brings cool wisdom to the air, shares and melts it with rushing winds in the wish to reach for rumbling stars to make these ideals stay among us for our fulfillment from the full spectrum of their rainbow colors—emotion, spirituality, tolerance, humanism, freedom, peace, truth, compassion, faith, sacrifice, kindness, harmony--. More than ever, we need to listen to the calm music of these abstractions to happen in a tough reality when still the blind madness of some politicians urges for greed and fast dollar in a sick world in which Nature is agonizing and cries out to slow down.
Nibir Ghosh from his wide knowledge crosses every boundary to inspire others with the models of figures of moral behavior and enduring ethics as Gandhi--referring his astute observation that “an eye for an eye would make the world blind” --and his followers—as Dr. Luther King has said: “Our life begins to lose meaning the day we become silent about things that matter.” Through deep readings of world authors, philosophers, thinkers, poets, activists or religious servants of community in the Sulaha Kul—“the essential oneness of all religion”--and--from understanding of universal literature and art, he reminds us--we have the capability to become better human beings—and we must extend beyond our privileged lives enriched by such exposure. Or how to increase our strength by joining forces and hands: we, united, can make the world a better place in a quiet but wild, non-violent revolution. Nibir Ghosh reflects how “Mindsets cannot be changed with speeches and slogans; they can be broken only through sterling acts of self-sacrifice.” In words by Camus or Milton he refreshes how the use of the power of our minds will decide our fates when unfortunately, too often we do not learn from history. Nibir Ghosh encourages learning as a tool of personal and social salvation and how inspire the young to be public servants: “it is necessary that leadership must spring from the youth who will be able to project and guard the interests and concerns of their respective communities without bothering about promoting their own vested self-interests”.
Because the world becomes a more welcoming place when the ones who suffer caste, racism, disparity or discrimination by brutal exploitation or segregation, are able to rise as strong individuals to stand against the status quo and to fight those walls of rejection with weapons of education, steady work to conquer knowledge and its facts against the darkness of political corruption or divisions of class. Through reflecting and sharing the giants of “truth and non-violence”, the work of classic or contemporary authors,--Nibir Ghosh underlines:--“the voices of philosophers, poet-prophets, writers an intellectuals who have warned us time and again…”--as Rousseau or Wordsworth—“to refrain from entering the whirlpool of the endless cycle of getting and spending” one has learnt or learns from--bright and moving literature, philosophy, criticism--, or by spreading the beneficial news of the humanities to others less fortunate. There is a huge need for generous figures such as the unforgettable Mother Theresa who dedicated her life to love the most vulnerable in adversity urging us to surrender to kindness when “the language of caring is universal. Nibir Ghosh refers “the value of faith” in Auden moving him to a genuine spirituality. Many health workers and providers today are making big sacrifices to care for all of us.
So, this is a crucial time for teachers who are so needed, and for students to learn as much they can. The ones who have been blocked by materialism or by class arrogance stocked in situations without any social mobility, can become successful by challenging themselves with intellectual guides and education in the path of the humanities. By choosing to actively learn throughout life and by creating works of art--no matter if they get recognition or not—individual consolation and growth are guaranteed. Nibir Ghosh points out: “Immortality of an artist can be never be judged by contemporary appraisal of arts but must await until the continuous assessment or time beyond the immediate moment of history.” There is hope, satisfaction, a move for the best in the act of self-construction without focus in the obstacles involved to pursue it or the lack of support. If in addition the lessons of great masters spread across Orient and Occident surpassing atony, rage, habits of costumes, inbreeding, nepotism; the prison of prejudices, labels, casts or barriers, race, gender, religion or nationality, political bias or interests; we will survive the pandemics—beyond Covid-19--of ignorance, violence, stereotypes, fanatism, propaganda, temptation and fear by reaching a new era of brotherhood-sisterhood.
With compassion, creativity, perseverance for truth and tolerance we will also survive the culture of cancelation which sometimes calls to replace the old monsters for new ones. Struggling with dangerous surroundings of new prejudices we should always keep our minds lucid and away from the forbidding waves which limit us from reading the whole work of masterpieces in which stories and lines are multifaced jewels that can empower and light all of their readers no matter the shades that may be contained in some of them only because these notable pieces of art just were created in different epochs of history. No work of authentic art is hurting young students with the accurate approach and understanding of the context with proper critical thinking. Nibir Ghosh underlines how “masterpieces are eternal contemporaries of mankind and have value and significance beyond the immediate confines of a particular moment in history.” He analyzes Kipling’s “Ballad of East and West.”
Many writers—including myself--ask themselves often why “universal literature” is defined by the books written by men, when the ones written by woman are classified in “feminine literature.”? Now, for some writers who are women, it seems that women should read just literature written by women authors—to stay in their genre range to avenge and binge from the unfair forgetfulness and violent repressions that others have suffered. Nothing against preferences. But if we change a boundary for others still we will be caged and haunted. Putrid patriarchal ways work as self-punishment to the men chained in those confinements when, as persons, they are so minimized in their possibilities to become human beings in plenitude.
Deep
understanding helps the reader come to terms with big topics when timeless
values are brought to them, as open minds will be the engine of change just applying
the subtle example, respectful insights and patterns that Professor Ghosh
follows combining his “vocation and advocation.”
Nibir Ghosh’s sensitive parents would be very proud of him and his deserved success in how his son is improving the lives of others. We learn that his nurturing childhood home was Hindi and Bengali, his wife—Dr. Sunita Rani Ghosh, a dedicated professor as well, to whom Mirror from the Indus is dedicated--is a Punjabi, but his travels, experience, studies, attitude, have made him a citizen of the world. No matter the huge achievements Nibir Ghosh has reached in his careers and dedications, he always addresses other people with the humility he learned from his high models and ideals, and when his choices have been made from his kind mind and his warm heart: for the areas that brought peace and pleasure to him and he wanted to share in his teaching profession the Chemistry of English Literature.
Nibir Ghosh has at home, very close in Agra, another legendary twin cast in stone: As the Taj-Mahal is a remainder of love and he in his spirit and flesh is too.
I
am truly grateful to meet his spirit and to celebrate it in Re-Markings
with great joy when so many circumstances around are so uncertain and sad. Many
congratulations: --Happy 20th Birthday! --and many thanks to Sandeep K. Arora,
Executive Editor and to A. Karunaker for their support and edition to Re-Markings.
This essay appeared in a slightly abridged form in the celebratory 20th Anniversary issue of Re-Markings. Vol. 20 No.1, March 2021.
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