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Book Review: On Philosophising, Philosophers, Philosophy and New Vistas in Applied Philosophy, by Dr. Sharmila Jayant Virkar

A little bit of context before you begin reading this book review. I have recently enrolled for an MA in Philosophy at the University of Mumbai. Philosophy is something I have been getting interested in, over the past few years, as those of you who have been reading my blogs and Instagram posts would know. During the pandemic, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do next, and this is what I eventually came up with. It has been a challenge, getting back into academics as a student at this age, especially in a subject I have no academic background in. However, it has also been very exciting, especially thanks to my wonderful classmates (who, surprisingly, are of all age-groups, including some quite near my own) and my teachers, who have been very supportive and understanding. How well I will do is something that remains to be seen, but so far, I am enjoying this new journey and look forward to where it leads. Now that you know the background , you probably get an idea of how
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Do-Drul Chorten, Gangtok

It was evening, and the light was fading as we arrived at the Do-Drul Chorten (also sometimes spelled as Duddul Choedten) in Gangtok. Samhith was tired, and all he wanted was to get back to the resort, and to his games with his friends. Leaving him behind in the car, we walked up the short path to the Stupa, which was so recognizable from the photos we had seen.




A board at the entrance told us an interesting story… of the place being haunted by spirits. Apparently, the spirits caught hold of anyone who came here. Eventually, a Lama from Tibet came here, subdued the spirits and set up a monastery. His successor later built the Stupa to keep the spirits away even after the demise of the Lama.  It reminded me of the scores of temples built to ward away evil spirits!



As we walked around, I was astounded by the sight of these rows and rows of lamps lit inside an enclosure…



The lamps reminded me of temples, and I wanted to light one too. There was no board, no information, and no one I could ask, though the place was full of monks. They were busy with their evening meals, which were being served. We approached one of them, and he gestured to us to take a plate. We did, and shared it between ourselves. Then, reverting back to our question, started looking around for someone who could help us out. Language seemed to be a major barrier, but eventually, we found a visitor who was happy to help us.




She had come from Bhutan, on a pilgrimage, one she made every year. The lamps, she said, were lit in memory of ancestors, to show them the path in the world they were in. Could we light the lamps? Yes of course, but they had already been lit for the day. We would have to come again in the morning and arrange for one. That wasn’t possible, but the thought was a good one. As we walked back towards the car and Samhith, it wasn’t the evil spirits we thought of, but the souls which, somewhere were grateful for the light provided by the lamps! 


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Location: Gangtok, Sikkim, India

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