Andha Ayna: Detailed , exclusive discussion of Emeritus Professor Chinmoy Guha in his Non-fiction.
Sonali Chanda

When we are passing through a turbulence, a tumult unexpressed, let’s look( read) back how this unexpressed situation is explained and how the way to fight back in the thoughts of Professor Chinmoy Guha, in his monumental non fiction Andha Ayna ( (The Blind Mirror) .

When do we fear ? To whom do we?
It ain’t legitimate that the state would choke my voice to say my equitable and lawful words. Still ,there’s a cold fear growing underneath the system to breathe free, to speak our reasonable words freely, even to protest against the illegal and unlawful acts of the state, to protect ourselves from the black clutches of the state . In Guha’s words-
” everywhere an unusual, uncanny fear is devouring us like a python, the people who are sensitive are in such fear that they’re simply paper baskets now.”

What kind of existential panic is more than this which is constantly choking our speech to say our own words freely by the state.
Repeatedly Guha elaborately oeuvre, explored and discussed in each of his non fictions and articles ,published in different journals the crisis of sensible human ‘s existence , oppression of the state over the community and common people, their struggle and encountering only for their legal rights .

Before discussion about the most classic and celebratory non fiction, “Andha Ayna ” ( The Blind Mirror) I’d like to quote Claude Monet , the founder of impressionism in art and painting, noteworthy painter , whose iconic paintings of Water lilies .
His insightful impression towards France clearly stated how he looked at his motherland and it’s obviously aesthetic – ” The Seine, I have painted it all my life, at all hours of the day ,at all times of the year, from Paris to the sea.. Argenteuil, Poissy, Vétheuill, Giverny, Rouen, Le Havre ”

During his stay in France, noted French scholar, Emeritus Professor of Calcutta University, Dr. Chinmoy Guha felt the same ,confronting river Seine, Notre Dame de Paris, studying deeply about French philosophers, poets and more .

In his own concept, France ain’t simply a country, rather an idea” Whoever visited there alike Dr. Guha, each one cherished this idea ,nonetheless.
Even in one of her interview I listened Olga Kurylenko, noted Ukrainian actress also spontaneously said-
” I just love France . I love French people, I love the French language, I love French food. I love their mentality. I just feel it’s like me. I’m very French ” .
The last two lines clearly manifests her live for France and French language, people of France, though being an Ukrainian.
Undoubtedly this country deserves this love not only for it’s treasure but also for it’s Poets, Thinkers, Philosophers and it’s rich heritage.
Guha’s research on Charles Baudelaire, Victor Hugo ,Paul Valéry and T. S Eliot elaborately discussed in his both English and Bengali non fictions, which I discussed previously.

In this discussion, ‘Fear’ , as I go on reading thoroughly, I tried to relate this word ‘Fear’ in the context of ongoing frightful ambience which is quite relatable. In Guha’s ‘Andha Ayna’ ,he examined the root causes of Fear, how it’s going to spread among the mass, different colours and shades of fears throughout the world. A void, an emptiness spread all over , in his words- ” It feels utterly cold in the midnight ” How expressive his words are to explain the ambience of Fear. Tremors of lifelessness created with the progression and emergence of 21st Century literally made quivering right from the ravine of the heart. He questions himself- ” is this merely fearfulness or cloudy illusion?” Or Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling which is the utmost fear and anxiety described in the story of Abraham whose willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac!
Fear has the potential to be rooted deeply ; though fearlessness is also an infectious disease, once spread, it has the potential to uproot the ‘Fear’
Guha’s elaborate research and vividly noted non-fiction raised questions one after another why do we fear? To whom do we? Are we decaying against the political assault repeatedly? Are we losing our limbs, our senses, our courage to confront the culture of Fear, created and spread over us?
Did we question ourselves standing in front of the mirror?
Guha clearly stated -” the flag bearer of the nation is that human, who himself is frightened to lose his power and hence turned horrifying ”
Yes, this is the unruly Truth which Guha repeatedly realized and to demonstrate his perception how much insightful his foresight is he made us remind Tagore’s words- ” রক্তবর্ণ শিখরশ্রেণিতে, রুষ্টরুদ্রের প্রলয়কুঞ্চনের মতো” ( “on the sanguine pinnacle of mountains, like the crinkled apocalypse “)
In his discussion, Guha emphasized that the fear culture can be as dark as black. Especially religious and political communalism, creating terror, ethnic/ racial conflict, everything can turn into suppressed anxiety.
Aren’t we indulging this oppression all over the world, and now in our country, in our own city ?

This non fiction is a milestone in our generation which sharply and vividly pointed out different issues , which discussed the relationship between the state and the Thinkers as well as common people.

Sonali Chanda is a Kolkata based Poet/Writer and Reviewer She pursued her Post graduation degree in English literature and language from Burdwan University. At present ,she is pursuing her Phd in Linguistics, on Indigenous Languages and Lesser Known Languages in EFLU, Hyderabad She is the writer of three books, including one Travelogue.
She won the Nissim International award in 2020 for ” the excellence in Writing” for her Debut Travelogue Ladakh- Enroute Tibetan Taboos ” Recently her collection of Bengali Poems ‘ ‘Chhaya Sharir ‘ ( Shadowy Figures) is publshed from Kolkata based Independent Publisher, Saptarshi Prakashan.