383:
responsibilities: the
Executive Council (1970–71), Comparative Literature Committee (1972–1974), Asian Studies Committee (1974–75), Interdisciplinary Studies where he worked as a professor (1968–77) and Membership of C.G. Jung Club of Southern California, U.S.A. Ranchan's diaspora was full of joy, cheers and a learning experience for him. It was in California that his interest in comparative literature developed him as a writer. The experience of which, he claims: "shows in my writings." He became, as he quotes: "an Indo-American, mediating, relating across the board." More than anything, Ranchan's range in poetry displays a remarkable mind with both profound curiosity and a nature with the deepest desire to explore the spiritual. The range of his poetry and its multiple voices is likewise quite rare. His poetry displays mastery of both Indian esoteric traditions of Vedanta and Tantra and Western depth psychology and religious figures. More than anything, Ranchan perceives and reveals the myth that operates in everyone's lives.
348:(1960–1964). His first four years' stay in the USA (as a fellow for three years and an instructor for a year at California State University, Northridge) resulted in a prose book sojourn in America. Later on, at California State University, Fullerton, he gave courses in American and English literature in addition to Group Process, Dream Work, Basic Principles of Jungian Psychology and team-taught with a certified Jungian psychologist, Pan Coukoulis. He created many new courses in literature and interdisciplinary studies such as "Search for Self: East and West", "Yoga", "Graduate Seminar in Walt Whitman", "Senior Seminar in J. D. Salinger", and "Seminar in R. K. Narayan and Raja Rao," to name only a few. He was an immensely popular teacher whose classes where always packed and who was known for his care for and attention to students. During this period, he wrote much outstanding poetry, including "Me and Columbia" (later called "America with Love"), "Christ and I", "Mother Sarada and I" and many other brilliant poems.
379:. Thereafter, the passion for writing had taken a path never trod by anyone as the impact of Walt Whitman and his writings, somehow, prevails in a latent form. As Kirpal Singh describes it: "the libidinous nature of touch in Whitman…equally pronounced in Ranchan". The impact of such stylistics could be seen in his "America with Love." Ranchan's Ph.D. dissertation substantially advanced the understanding of Whitman as a pre-eminent poet of the soul. He brought to his work on Whitman an insight and understanding only an Indian steeped in Tantra could reveal. Ranchan defends these claims with a note of relative vitality: "I am not a clone of Walt Whitman but do use chant, catalogue style." However, it is a noteworthy feature of his poetry that it has a lyricism rarely felt in Whitman.
396:
poetry discourages the "common reader" but is essential to sustain a variety of "multi-culturism, mythical and archetypal reverberations and metaphysical experiences" (Kirpal Singh). Orrington Ramsay, Professor of
English, California State University (USA), opines: "Som P. Ranchan's lyrical tongue is the ultimate universal love of earth, of man, and of the gods…he incorporates the lush cadences of our own English verse and the mystic vision of India" ("Back Cover" Som P. Ranchan: A Poet of Many Voices, 1994). For the readers of Ranchan, a collection of papers by the most prominent scholars of India,
404:(1992) is an ever-illuminating endeavor. Usha Bande opines that: "Som P. Ranchan's 'Blind Beggar', sitting astride a Shimla road is perceptive enough to know the passers-by. He as the narrator, is quite intelligent and far from being a pathetic, stinking presence." Citing some rhetorical questions, Kirpal Singh opines: "Is Ranchan's poetry derivative or idiosyncratically original? Does it belong to any tradition?" Besides these, there is a long list of subsequent criticism and interviews:
121:
335:, 1980). The author however, feels that the above quote doesn't truly represent him as it is decontexualized. The critical consensus is that Ranchan's poetry is many-layered, it is personal, experiential of life and times and thus truly archetypal. The consensus further is that he is an epic poet and especially an inventor of dialogue epics on secular and spiritual Wisdom Figures.
22:
63:
331:(although a very short-lived magazine). He himself describes the year 1951–1954 as the "Struggle Period" of his life. During the struggling years, Ranchan completed his MA (Eng) as a private candidate. If one has to know more about Ranchan one needs to read and understand his works better, as he proclaims: "All my poetry is autobiographical" (
236:
386:
His experience of teaching diverse courses, exposure to
American people from all walks of life, his pastoral counselling for the Church of Antioch, Order of Missionary Ministers, become the tap root of his creativity and inter-disciplinary ranging in subjects as diverse as political theory, folklore,
343:
In 1954, Ranchan started teaching and established himself as a teacher. One after the other, Ranchan taught in four different colleges (including Vaish
College, Bhiwani, Hisar and Malerkotla, Erstwhile Princely State, (PEPSU). Finally, he taught in Govt. Mahindra College, Patiala, from which he went
322:
in 1947. He had to migrate to India along with his mother, father, three brothers and a sister. This displacement ruined the family fortunes; the siblings had misgivings about career and education which made them anxious and restless. One of the brothers, Vijay
Ranchan, qualified in Civil Services
395:
Som
Ranchan is known for his elaborate style; mythical, mystical allusions, burrowing the deep layers of culture and personalities. His voice in his poetry is neither of an extrovert or an introvert but consists of the polyphonic echoes, predominantly of a centrovert. Ranchan claims that obscure
382:
He came back from
America and taught for three years as an Associate Professor of English at Punjabi University, Patiala (1964–66). Soon after, he went back to the United States and taught there for almost six years at California State University, Fullerton, where he held many administrative
354:
He guided the doctoral research of 25 students at HP University, India in addition to M.Phil. guidance to scores of students. After 1992, that is, post-retirement, he extended his research mentorship to another 26 students belonging to different universities.
246:(1 March 1932 – 2 August 2014) was an Indian poet writing in English, a scholar, a literary critic, a revisionist of Indian culture, literary and secular personalities, and a novelist born in
254:). He has often been described as a "Poet of Many Voices" with the note of mythical/mystical themes noticeable in his writings. His psycho-analytical studies have the influence of the
875:
351:
His most quoted poem, "Blind Beggar" is also a part of the curriculum in India as also more than one hundred research papers have been published centering on his works.
327:. Ranchan absented from college and worked in Delhi picking up some odd jobs like insurance agent, marketing and reporting for an English magazine,
367:
in Austin, Texas, (for almost a week) with whom he shared a lot of spiritual experiences, which he described in one of his lectures delivered at
73:
84:
711:
363:
Ranchan's interest in writing poetry started when he had just begun his college studies. During his sojourn in
America he stayed with
222:
204:
102:
49:
832:
775:
142:
750:
185:
157:
138:
35:
368:
865:
164:
131:
807:
171:
695:
689:
376:
765:
153:
77:
that states a
Knowledge (XXG) editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic.
870:
860:
683:
724:
319:
397:
314:. His father was an employee of the Accountant General's Office in Lahore which was shifted to
770:
760:
345:
812:
283:
255:
41:
776:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120723012402/http://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8126011963
735:
271:
178:
790:
751:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110721155838/http://himachalpr.gov.in/printEng.asp?id=712
854:
780:
745:
704:
Govt of India (HRD Award) for a project on the Hero
Folktale of Shimla district, 1993
311:
267:
740:
372:
295:
263:
438:
Sankaran Ravindran, "Magical-Religious Indian consciousness in America with Love"
816:
120:
808:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1083641/bonding_with_bond_a_book_on_ruskin_bond/
279:
275:
259:
795:
785:
364:
251:
766:
http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981208/34251874.html
729:
414:
A.K. Srivastava, "Iconography of Experience: Poetry of Som P. Ranchan."
324:
287:
315:
307:
291:
247:
235:
234:
725:
http://www.allbookstores.com/author/Som_P_Ranchan_2728787-1.html
426:
Ranjit S. Sra, "Som P. Ranchan's Lexical Journey to the Spirit"
755:
441:
R.S. Pathak, "Ranchan's Poetry: Some Preliminary Observations"
114:
56:
15:
408:
Special issue on the poetry of Som Ranchan, Ken (Autumn 1990)
771:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010812/spectrum/books.htm
761:
http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2001/fjul2001/f250720011.html
429:
Janesh Kapoor, "Relationships: A Note on Ranchan's Anteros"
74:
personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay
813:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/400748/graphite_squishytage/
435:
B.M. Sagar, "Som's Energy: Soul Making with Sri Aurobindo"
423:
Anil Wilson, "The Poetry of Som P. Ranchan: An Overview"
411:
Ved Sharma, "Representation of Self in Ranchan's Poetry"
736:
http://www.bookrags.com/criticism/j-d-salinger-crit4_2/
80:
432:
Lalit Mohan Sharma, "The Wounded Quester and Anteros"
791:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Som-P.-Ranchan/e/B001ICLAWG
707:
Himachal Academy Award for a folklore project, 1993
420:
Kirpal Singh, Som P. Ranchan: A Poet of Many Voices
145:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
781:http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050128/ldh1.htm
746:http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050128/ldh1.htm
641:Salinger's Glass Family: An Adventure with Vedanta
741:http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080114/chd.htm
417:Kirpal Singh, "Som P. Ranchan: The Poet of Eros."
516:Eros, Satya-Asatya Alchemy, Enlightenment (2014)
450:D.N. Verma, "Ranchan's Psychedelia on Identity"
323:and retired as an Additional Chief Secretary,
8:
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
815:"In Conversation" an interview, on Delhi
223:Learn how and when to remove this message
205:Learn how and when to remove this message
103:Learn how and when to remove this message
531:rechristened as America with Love (1987)
294:, and the philosophical notions that of
824:
876:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
796:http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no24133.htm
786:http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no21573.htm
559:Criticism, religion, psychology, etc.
444:A.N. Dwivedi, "Ranchan's Short Verse"
344:to the United States of America on a
7:
730:https://openlibrary.org/a/OL3184550A
701:Hazen Foundation Fellowship, 1962–63
630:Sri Aurobindo as a Political Thinker
577:Sri Aurbindo, A Myriad-Minded Genius
486:Soul-Making with Sri Aurbindo (1986)
333:Journal of Indian Writing in English
143:adding citations to reliable sources
471:In the Labyrinth of the Self (1988)
712:Indian Institute of Advanced Study
14:
318:(Himachal Pradesh) following the
31:This article has multiple issues.
833:"oted educationist Ranchan dead"
595:Swami Vivekananda, Insan-e-Kamal
492:Manjushri: Tibetan Buddha (1993)
119:
61:
20:
653:Jawaharlal Nehru: Puer Aeternus
618:Durga Saptashati: Transcreation
387:myth, psychology, therapy etc.
130:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
671:Dalai Lama: A Talkathon Scroll
447:Jaidev, "She: An Appreciation"
270:; the mythological studies of
1:
274:; the spiritual endeavors of
647:Aurbindonion Yoga Revisioned
465:The Splintered Mirror (1960)
756:http://www.vrindaindia.com/
624:An Anatomy of Indian Psyche
489:To Krishna with Love (1986)
483:To Vivek Then I Came (1984)
369:Himachal Pradesh University
892:
513:Friendship Sahridya (1992)
375:, he did his PhD from the
320:India-Pakistan partition
696:University of Wisconsin
571:Salinger's Glass Family
402:A Profile in Creativity
377:University of Wisconsin
690:Smith-Mundt Fellowship
606:Folk Tales of Himachal
589:Dobe Kit: Self Therapy
501:Paramahansa Ramkrishan
240:
83:by rewriting it in an
819:with Rajiv Mehrotora.
238:
684:Fulbright Fellowship
636:New Insights on Gita
583:India that is Bharat
521:Epics and epic cycle
346:Fulbright Fellowship
306:Ranchan was born in
139:improve this article
507:The Man Said (1998)
480:Mother Sharda and I
477:Christ and i (1982)
474:Long Dialogue Poems
244:Som Prakash Ranchan
239:Som Prakash Ranchan
612:Sojourn in America
339:Career in teaching
241:
85:encyclopedic style
72:is written like a
866:Poets from Lahore
835:. Hindu StanTimes
659:Bonding with Bond
601:Passage to Punjab
468:Loose Ends (1986)
233:
232:
225:
215:
214:
207:
189:
113:
112:
105:
54:
883:
845:
844:
842:
840:
829:
698:Fellowship, 1962
256:depth psychology
228:
221:
210:
203:
199:
196:
190:
188:
147:
123:
115:
108:
101:
97:
94:
88:
65:
64:
57:
46:
24:
23:
16:
891:
890:
886:
885:
884:
882:
881:
880:
851:
850:
849:
848:
838:
836:
831:
830:
826:
804:
721:
680:
561:
530:
527:Me and Columbia
523:
462:
457:
393:
361:
341:
304:
272:Joseph Campbell
229:
218:
217:
216:
211:
200:
194:
191:
148:
146:
136:
124:
109:
98:
92:
89:
81:help improve it
78:
66:
62:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
889:
887:
879:
878:
873:
868:
863:
853:
852:
847:
846:
823:
822:
821:
820:
810:
803:
800:
799:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
727:
720:
719:External links
717:
716:
715:
710:Fellow of the
708:
705:
702:
699:
693:
687:
679:
676:
675:
674:
668:
662:
656:
650:
644:
638:
633:
627:
621:
615:
609:
603:
598:
592:
586:
580:
574:
568:
560:
557:
556:
555:
550:
544:
538:
532:
522:
519:
518:
517:
514:
511:
510:Anteros (1992)
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
495:Shirgul Parmar
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
461:
458:
456:
453:
452:
451:
448:
445:
442:
439:
436:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
412:
409:
392:
389:
360:
359:Writing career
357:
340:
337:
303:
300:
250:Cantt (now in
231:
230:
213:
212:
195:September 2021
127:
125:
118:
111:
110:
69:
67:
60:
55:
29:
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
888:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
858:
856:
834:
828:
825:
818:
814:
811:
809:
806:
805:
801:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
731:
728:
726:
723:
722:
718:
713:
709:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
681:
677:
672:
669:
666:
665:Mantra Manual
663:
660:
657:
654:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
637:
634:
631:
628:
625:
622:
619:
616:
613:
610:
607:
604:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
562:
558:
554:
551:
548:
545:
542:
539:
536:
533:
528:
525:
524:
520:
515:
512:
509:
506:
503:
500:
497:
494:
491:
488:
485:
482:
479:
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:
463:
459:
454:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
428:
425:
422:
419:
416:
413:
410:
407:
406:
405:
403:
399:
390:
388:
384:
380:
378:
374:
370:
366:
358:
356:
352:
349:
347:
338:
336:
334:
330:
326:
321:
317:
313:
312:British India
309:
301:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
268:Sigmund Freud
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
237:
227:
224:
209:
206:
198:
187:
184:
180:
177:
173:
170:
166:
163:
159:
156: –
155:
154:"Som Ranchan"
151:
150:Find sources:
144:
140:
134:
133:
128:This article
126:
122:
117:
116:
107:
104:
96:
86:
82:
76:
75:
70:This article
68:
59:
58:
53:
51:
44:
43:
38:
37:
32:
27:
18:
17:
839:21 September
837:. Retrieved
827:
670:
664:
658:
652:
646:
640:
635:
629:
623:
617:
611:
605:
600:
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
565:Walt Whitman
564:
552:
546:
540:
534:
526:
401:
394:
385:
381:
373:Walt Whitman
362:
353:
350:
342:
332:
329:Delhi Mirror
328:
305:
296:Schopenhauer
264:Alfred Adler
243:
242:
219:
201:
192:
182:
175:
168:
161:
149:
137:Please help
132:verification
129:
99:
90:
71:
47:
40:
34:
33:Please help
30:
871:1932 births
861:2014 deaths
817:Doordarshan
504:Kali (1998)
498:Dwarf Titan
460:Short verse
93:August 2021
855:Categories
553:Shirdi Sai
398:Ved Sharma
302:Background
165:newspapers
36:improve it
714:, 1995–98
391:Criticism
280:Otto Rank
276:Aurobindo
260:Carl Jung
42:talk page
365:Raja Rao
252:Pakistan
529:(1960)
325:Gujarat
288:Vedanta
284:Rudolfe
179:scholar
79:Please
692:, 1961
686:, 1960
678:Awards
673:(2008)
667:(2008)
661:(2007)
655:(1991)
649:(1992)
643:(1989)
632:(1998)
626:(1988)
620:(1986)
614:(1985)
608:(1982)
597:(1998)
591:(1998)
585:(1998)
579:(1989)
573:(1989)
567:(1967)
549:(1989)
547:Nigmas
543:(1988)
537:(1987)
316:Shimla
308:Lahore
292:Tantra
248:Lahore
181:
174:
167:
160:
152:
802:Media
732:- 11k
455:Works
371:. On
186:JSTOR
172:books
841:2015
541:Devi
290:and
266:and
158:news
535:She
400:'s
258:of
141:by
857::
310:,
298:.
286:,
282:,
278:,
262:,
45:.
843:.
226:)
220:(
208:)
202:(
197:)
193:(
183:·
176:·
169:·
162:·
135:.
106:)
100:(
95:)
91:(
87:.
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
