Kabir, Kabir: The life and work of the early modern poet-philosopher

DETAILS : 

• Author : Purushottam Agrawal
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westland 
  
• Publication date :11 September 2023
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 939576757X
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9395767576
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 300 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Kabir, Kabir is a groundbreaking biographical and critical study that rescues the legendary 15th-century poet-philosopher from simplistic labels. Purushottam Agrawal challenges the popular colonial and nationalist "myths" that paint Kabir merely as a social reformer or a bridge between Hinduism and Islam. Instead, he presents Kabir as a sophisticated "early modern" intellectual who articulated a distinct, radical philosophy based on personal experience (Anubhava) and individual reason. The book meticulously explores the social and political milieu of medieval North India, analyzing Kabir’s intricate poetry and his "Akath Kahani" (the untold story) to reveal a thinker who was as deeply spiritual as he was fiercely independent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Purushottam Agrawal is a leading Indian scholar, critic, and former professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He is widely considered one of the foremost authorities on Bhakti literature and medieval Indian history. Agrawal is known for his sharp polemical style and his commitment to "decolonizing" the Indian mind by re-evaluating indigenous intellectual traditions. A former member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), his work extends beyond academia into public discourse, where he frequently discusses the relevance of Kabir’s "unyielding truth" in the context of modern Indian democracy and secularism.