Reviews (Books)
By Dineshchandra Sircar, Anukul Chandra Banerjee, Chintaharan Chakravarti, Narendra Krishna Sinha, Dasharatha Sharma
Summary
The review section offers critical assessments of recent scholarly books. A. C. Banerjee’s ‘The Eastern Frontier of British India’ is praised for its exhaustive study of British policy on the North‑Eastern frontier between 1792 and 1826 and its use of archival sources, Burmese chronicles and Assamese Buranjis; the reviewer commends its seven‑chapter structure and detailed maps and recommends it to students of Indian colonial history. Dr. Hirananda Sastri’s ‘Nalanda and its Epigraphic Material’ (Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India, no. 66) is recognised as an important addition to the literature on Indian epigraphy and archaeology. It is divided into an introductory section on the history of Nalanda and a catalogue of structural remains, seals, inscriptions and sculptures. While acknowledging its utility, the reviewer criticises numerous inaccuracies and hasty readings and points out that an anonymous editor has emended many of Dr. Sastri’s readings. Other reviews touch on the ‘Aitihāsika Jaina‑Kāvya‑Saṅgraha’, a collected edition of historical Jain poems, and on works dealing with colonial Burma and Assam. Collectively, the section highlights the need for rigorous scholarship and careful editing in historical studies and introduces readers to the latest research available in 1943.
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Conclusion
The review column summarises and critiques several new works on Indian history. By noting both strengths and shortcomings, it guides readers towards reliable scholarship and underscores the importance of critical engagement with sources.