A Panorama of Indian Culture (Professor A. Sreedhara Menon Felicition Volume)

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Preface The recent trend in Indian historiography, as the majority of articles in this volume indicate, is to harp on micro and regional studies. Such studies, these authors hopefully expect, will provide effective tools for writing better national and general histories. The delay in the emergence of a comprehensive history of Kerala, despite much dedicated research works in this field, may perhaps be attributed to this attitude cultivated and way of approach followed in recent years by the teachers and students of Kerala history. In this context the historical writings of Prof. A. Sreedhara Menon stand apart luminous demanding attention and deserving study not because of their comprehensiveness but because of their blending together of local and national flavour of history.

Prof. Menon ranks above all recent historians of Kerala in two respects: in the number of works he produced and in the variety or aspects of history covered by him. His is the only work in Kerala history which, though a survey, as the little of the book frankly admits, deals with the history of the State from the ancient to the present day. This felicitation volume is a modest tribute to the rich lore of his historical contributions.

In bringing out this volume the Felicitation Committee has received ample encouragement and co-operation of historians and scholars from all over India. The number and variety of articles incorporated in the volume is an index of their response towards this venture. I must register my gratitude to all those scholars who have embellished this work with their valuable contributions.

While the idea of this volume was first mooted, it received every kind of help and support from Dr. T. K. Ravindran, Vice-Chancellor, University of Calicut, who was formerly Professor and Head of the Department of History, University of Kerala. In fact the work towards this end was initiated and partly begun while he was heading the Department of History in the University of Kerala. The need to felicitate a fellow- historian was properly understood by Dr. T. K. Ravindran who volunteered to be the convenor of the Felicitation Committee. His contacts with the University and the initiative taken by the then Vice-Chancellor Mr. Habeeb Mohammad resulted in the grant of Rs. 7500 towards meeting part of the publication cost of the volume. The Felicitation Committee owes its deep indebtedness to Mr. Habeeb Mohammad and the Syndicate of the University for this benevolent gesture.

In shaping this volume the silent and sincere efforts of many a person had been of immense assistance. Among them mention may be made of Dr. B. Sobhanan, Mr. J. Ramesh Chandra Das and Smt. Padmakumari. Mr. K. M. Mittal has evinced genuine interest in printing and publishing this volume.

**Contents and Sample