Bahamaha-Kavyalamkara

[John Oliver Perry]

The Index of JNU Prof. (of English) Kapil Kapoor's new book, "Literary
Theory: Indian Conceptual Framework," in collaboration (Glossary) with Nalini
M. Ratnam [KK's daughter] Affiliated East-West Press, 104 Nirmal Tower, 26
Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110 001, 1998.  210 pages.  ISBN 81-85938-86-5
(Price: Rs 280)  {which I reviewed in the current issue of "World Literature
Today," Summer 1999, 73:3, 597-599} indicates 21 pages occur with the name
BhAmaha, and 17 (mostly overlapping) pages where KAvyAlamkAra.  However, the
volume deals with 26 or so Indian classical works on poetics from Bharata and
Dandin to Appaya Diksita and Pt. Jaganatha.  Prof. Kapoor gave a brief talk
that referenced his book at a conference on Indian Criticism at India
International Centre organized by IIC Librarian H.H. Kaul, the Sahitya
Akademi, myself and JNU/IIT-Delhi Prof. Makarand Paranjape on January 18,
1999, where he gifted me his book.

    Not being a Sanskritist, I appreciate highly the careful and useful
scholarship of his book, but do not think the "Indian Conceptual Framework"
appropriate for contemporary criticism. (See my review for the dozen reasons
I give there.)  Surely the comments of Prof. Kapoor would be of interest,
however, to someone about to do an essay on Sanskrit poetics, whether based
on Bahamaha or more generally.
ATB
John Oliver Perry