• ISBN13: 9788126901456
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: Religion and Philosophy
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: N/A
• Publication Date: May 22, 2009
• Pages: 224
• Original Price: INR 495.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 420 grams

This study offers a fresh critical perspective on mystical poetry across cultures and faiths from a point of view that balances the Eastern and Western approaches. It specifically examines, in some depth and range, select verses of a fairly large number of poets in order to highlight the universal features of mysticism as it finds expression in their works. The poets chosen include (i) Kashmiri poets : Lal Ded, Nunda Rishi, Shams Faqir, Zinda Kaul, Swami Govind Kaul and Bhavani Bhagyavaan Pandit, (ii) British poets : Coventry Patmore and T.S. Eliot and (iii) 16th century Spanish poet, St John of the Cross. In a refreshingly novel way, the author discusses mysticism and its relationship with poetry, seeking to show how the latter, through apt images and symbols, serves to convey man’s experience of the Divine. His competent English translation of Kashmiri verses, well-matched by his fine critical analysis of the whole textual material, enhances further the charm and value of this scholarly work. The perceptive reader will notice that the author’s approach to the subject and the critical method he employs reflect a classical mind at work equipped with sound scholarship and a thorough grasp of the essentials of Hindu, Christian and Islamic mysticism.

Prof. A.N. Dhar holds a doctorate in English Literature and a Diploma in English Studies from the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad. He is a distinguished scholar of English and a seasoned teacher, having taught at the University of Kashmir and earlier at the M.A.M. College, Jammu cumulatively for about three decades. A former Head of the Department of English and Director, ELT Centre, University of Kashmir, on his retirement from service Prof. Dhar was awarded a 2-year u.g.c. Emeritus Fellowship in English which he held at the University of Jammu from October 1990 to September 1992. Later, he was awarded a Senior Fellowship in Literature by the Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India for another two years (October 1997 to September 1999). Based at Jammu for the past twelve years or so, he remains actively engaged in literary and socio-cultural pursuits. He has to his credit several books besides many research articles published in prestigious journals in the country. Prof. Dhar has his research interests in the areas of 19th century British poetry, mystical and comparative literature, stylistics and literary translation. In 1984 he was awarded a Visitorship by the British Council for academic visit to several British Universities. Since 1995, he has remained closely associated with the Bhagavaan Gopinathji Trust, Jammu as the Honorary Editor of the trilingual religio-cultural journal, now registered under the title Shuddha Vidya, published biannually by the Trust.