Neilesh Bose, "Chips from a Calcutta Workshop: Comparative Religion in Nineteenth Century India" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

Debendranath Tagore's 'Brahmo-dharma' is a foundational text of the Brāhmo movement, compiling selections from the Upanishads and other sources to articulate a rational, non-idolatrous form of religion for modern Indians. Written and circulated in Bengali in the 1850s and later translated into English, the text was intended as a guide for spiritual and ethical life aligned with Debendranath's reformist convictions. The work reflects intensive Sanskrit study undertaken by Tagore as an adult and his project of curating authoritative ancient sources to support contemporary religious reforms. It served both as an instructional manual for followers and as a public statement countering critiques of Indian religion during the colonial era. The book is significant for demonstrating how indigenous actors used comparative reading of classical texts to construct modern religious identities.

David Chidester's scholarship on comparative religion in South Africa analyzes how colonial encounters and modernity shaped religious categories and practices, providing a theoretical and historical framework for comparative-religious studies. Bose cites Chidester's work to situate Indian comparative-religious developments within broader global scholarship that treats indigenous comparative impulses seriously. Chidester examines how religious difference was constructed and mobilized in colonial contexts, exploring intersections of politics, identity, and religious classification. His influential contributions have shaped debates about the origins and functions of comparative religion as an academic and social practice. Bose uses Chidester's work as a comparative methodological touchstone rather than discussing a specific single-volume title in detail.

Mahatma Gandhi's 'Hind Swaraj' outlines his vision for Indian self-rule and critiques modern civilization. Written as a dialogue, the book advocates for moral and spiritual regeneration as the foundation for political freedom. Gandhi rejects Western models of development, emphasizing the importance of traditional values, village industries, and non-violent resistance. He critiques the destructive impact of industrialization, materialism, and the legal profession. 'Hind Swaraj' calls for a return to simplicity, self-sufficiency, and ethical conduct in all aspects of life. The book remains a powerful and influential statement of Gandhi's philosophy.

Neilesh Bose examines the emergence and character of comparative religion in nineteenth-century India, arguing it grew from indigenous reform movements such as the Brāhmo Samaj and Arya Samaj rather than solely from European Christian influence. The book profiles major figures—Rammohan Roy, Debendranath Tagore, Keshab Chandra Sen, and Swami Vivekananda—re-evaluating well-known and lesser-known thinkers who engaged in translation, synthesis, and reform. Bose situates these intellectuals' comparative practices in a broader transregional context, showing how translations, compilations, institutional experiments, and pilgrimages shaped modern religious self-understanding. He also dialogues with Western contemporaries like Ralph Waldo Emerson to highlight convergent comparative impulses. The work contributes to intellectual and religious history by demonstrating that comparative religion was an actively produced and strategic category in modern India.