Europe, Seen from India

 Galina Rousseva-Sokolova

Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

E-mail: sokol@techno-link.com

Abstract: The purpose of this essay is a very broad and general reflection on how Europe is perceived in Indian culture, both in manifest and in less obvious forms. The starting point is a general quest for the image of Europe in present day India, searching for clues in popular culture, language usage and mass-media. Since the limited data suggests lack of visibility rather than any defined representation, an explanation is offered based on ancient texts and traditions pertaining to the concept of dharma in Hinduism. Then less obvious impacts and influences are investigated, tracing some unacknowledged cultural border-crossings, which have been instrumental in shaping Hinduism as we know it today. Last, some very visible and acknowledged reactions and counter-reactions in the academic field are presented around the concept of post-colonial critique. As a conclusion, suggestions are made on how to reverse the mirror: how the Indian experience can be profitable to Europe and what Europe would be wise to look for when looking at India.

Keywords: India, Europe, Hinduism, post-colonialism.

Rhetoric and Communications E-journal, Issue 27, March 2017, rhetoric.bg/, journal.rhetoric.bg, ISSN 1314-4464

Read the original of the text (in English)