A Look into the  Half-Open Door. A Critical Journey through Sightlines:  Essays on Susheel Kumar Sharma

Zehara Jabeen; Asima Ranjan Parhi

doi:10.5565/rev/indialogs.320

A Look into the Half-Open Door. A Critical Journey through Sightlines: Essays on Susheel Kumar Sharma

Authors

Zehara Jabeen https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0613-0692
Asima Ranjan Parhi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3069-5590

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Abstract

Susheel Kumar Sharma’s poetic anthology, Sightlines: View Points on The Door is Half Open, curated by Danielle Hanson, strikes a resonant balance between critical inquiry and artistic reflection. This 2024 publication transforms Sharma’s work into a multi-faceted exploration, where Indian spirituality, cultural heritage, and contemporary critique converge into a meaningful dialogue. It shows how Sharma’s poetry, far from being merely decorative, enquires into the essence of India’s sacred symbols and ethical dilemmas, while questioning the excesses of modernity. His verses, infused with the symbolism of figures like Shiva and Ganga, transcend mere tribute. Instead, they offer an introspective lens into humanity’s vulnerabilities against the grandeur of time and divinity.

Keywords

Indian Spirituality, Susheel Kumar Sharma, Ethical Dilemmas, Introspection

References

DUBEY, Suresh Chandra. (2012). “Susheel Kumar Sharma’s The Door is Half Open”. The International Journal of Culture, Literature and Criticism, VI: 8184.

HANSON, Danielle. (2024). Ed. Sightlines: View Points on Susheel Kumar Sharma’s The Door is Half-Open. New Delhi: Paragon International Publishers.

Author Biographies

Zehara Jabeen

ZEHARA JABEEN, head of the English Department at Christ College, Cuttack (affiliated with Utkal University), is a translator and academic. Her scholarly work focuses on translating early 20th-century autobiographies that blend traditional and modern elements. Her translations from Odia include three works: "From Kharasuan to Kulabiri," "Finding My Place in Fifty Years of Odisha," and "Autobiography of Baisnaba Pani." She has also translated several short stories. Through her translations, Jabeen helps preserve and share literary works that capture the cultural transitions of early 20th-century Odisha.

Asima Ranjan Parhi

ASIMA RANJAN PARHI, Professor and Head of English at Utkal University, Odisha, is a renowned academic and poet. Formerly Dean at Rajiv Gandhi Central University, he authored Indian English through Newspapers and Of Sons and Fathers. Widely published in reputed journals, book chapters, and translations, his upcoming works focus on Gopinath Mohanty and Sarala Mahabharata.