Literary

Author interview: Subas Dutta Roy talks about his book titled Hinduism

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 31 Jan 2019, 12:15 pm

Congratulations on the release of 'Hinduism'. What is the feedback from your friends and readers who have already read your book.

The feedback from my first book 'Two World Religions' was good. Many people congratulated me for publishing this book.

What kind of books inspire you as a writer? Who are your favorite authors?

It varies, in which mood I am/was at a particular time. I have various interests and my theme of interest has changed many times, depending on my life's circumstances. At the moment I am interested to know more about my own religion, Hinduism's history.
As a child and as young man I had just followed my family in religious ceremonies, without thinking much about what I was practicing. This has changed now. Now books relating to Hinduism's controversial history have priority. Many books, published by European and Indian Indologists are of interest to me and I read them to expand my knowledge.

Why did you want to become a writer? Who inspired you to become a writer? What triggered you to come into writing?

I neither planned or nor ever wanted to become a writer. After retirement, I was looking for some intellectual engagement as hobby. The books I have published until now, resulted from this engagement. I published two professional books, one on 'Chemical Engineering' and another on 'Engineering Mathematics' in Germany in year 2001. Then I turned to themes, which interested me most - history of ancient civilizations. As religion influenced  ancient civilizations, as an instrument power, I turned to religion and came to study the origin of religions in ancient times.

This interested me and I picked up the theme, also for the simple reason that religious conflicts resulted from misuse of religion for individual gains of people in power. So illumination about  the original idea of a particular religion may help dissuade religious conflicts. I have no big plans for this, only a humble attempt to contribute something.

What are you doing to let readers know about your book?

I have not been able to do much about letting others know my book. My financial means are limited. I only hope, something, or some happening at some time, may help me to make my book better known.

Tell me something about your book. Some highlights.

This is given in my present book under discussion at the end. If you read the book, you will find it at the end.

Tell me something about yourself and your background.

I am now a ninety-year old man and my physical ability to be active is limited. Moreover most of my dear friends, my own brother, own sister, are all dead. I am left alone. As a lonely survivor, I am trying to make the best out of my present situation. I am glad that I can still read, write, talk and contribute something useful.

My own biography is given in the book under discussion at the end. I am an Indian by birth and India is my home country and  I have German citizenship now.

Throughout my life I have read voraciously  - as a student Bengali and English literature, as a professional engineer Engineering books. Now after retirement, mostly books on ancient religion.

I love vocal music, I sing Bengali songs even now, though my ability to sing in public now is not at its best. As an young man I had great pleasure in singing  in friendly gatherings (birthday party, death anniversary, marriage, puja festivals,etc.). I listen to Bengali music regularly at home even now. My daughter is a professional musician and she keeps me in touch with European music.