Sir Jadunath Sarkar and his Calling: Historiography on a grand scale

The Calling of History: Sir Jadunath Sarkar and his Empire of Truth
Dipesh Chakrabarthy
Orient Blackswan and Ashoka University, 2015

Dipesh Chakrabarthy, the celebrated author of Provincializing Europe has published an outstanding volume on the life and intellectual climate in late nineteenth and early twentieth century India, even as the stirring of "Indian Nationalism" was gathering strength. Historiography in India has completely neglected the pioneers in the reconstruction of India's past. Labels come easy and handy as a shorthand for dismissing such illustrious pioneers" Imperialist Historian", "Cambridge-Namierist Historian", "Communal Historian","Reactionary Nationalist Historian" etc. In no other society can the serious study of Historiography be reduced to pamphleteering as  unfortunately is the case with India. Historians have become "public intellectuals" and therefore calibrating historical interpretations to the prevailing politcal climate became the order of the day. Consequently serious research into India's tangled and complex past has barely begun.

The book under review is an excellent study of the ideas, methods and contributions of Sir Jadunath Sarkar, the historian who spent the best part of his life collecting documents relating to the Mughal Empire and the Maharattas. Dr Chakrabarthy has documented in great detail the trials and tribulations of this pioneer and the difficulties he encountered. Unlike historians who work in Universities today, Sir Jadunath Sarkar was well equipped to handle the task at hand. He had studies Persian, Dutch, Sanskrit, and French and so was able to reach the materials in the original language rather than rely on the 8 volumes of Elliot and Dowson. The very idea of History was in its infancy during the time when Sir Jadunath Sarkar began his researches and the very idea of reseach as Professor Chakrabarthy points out meant the "quest for truth" and the "verification of facts" drawn from the primary sources. The protocol of Truth and Verification appears naive in the context of Indian historiography today when the inanities   of post colonialism has become enshrined in the University system. Dipesh Chakrabarthy has pointedly argued that the intellectual horizon of Sarkar's work included search for primary sources, drawing facts that can be independently verified, writing the narrative based on the facts and presenting the slice of time as a true and indeed, incontrovertible slice of time. These ideas may appear far fetched to practicing historians today who have inculcated a healthy skepticism drawn from a steady diet of Hayden White and Edward Said. However, Sir Jadunath Sarkar life was spent living up to these ideals and he found meaning for his rather tragic life in these ideals.

As India debates its past more vigorously and historical battles have spilled tonnes of ink and blood, hitorians may draw comfort and inspiration from a historian from a more genteel time, Sir Jadunath Sarkar. His work as I discovered after reading the book under review does not deserve the oblivion to which they have been relegated.