Theoretical approaches in the works of contemporary German authors namely Illija Trojanow and Andreas Altmann

Author : surya pratap singh

Abstract :Andreas Altmann in his Travelogue “Don't pull the emergency brake too early” considers India's current situation in the context of India's colonial history, whereas in Illija Trojanow travelogue "Along the Ganges" the romantic image emerges, connecting ancient traditions with uncertain modernity. The author emphasizes the sacredness of the Ganges. This romantic image is emphasized by the description of the landscapes of Gomukh in the Himalayas. In contrast to Altmann's travelogue, Trojanow attempts to avoid a Eurocentric perspective. In Trojanow's travelogue "Along the Ganges" the romantic perspective can be clearly seen. Trojanov's journey revolves around the Ganges. The first chapter deals with the origins of the mythical story of the Ganges River and the depiction of the mythical story of the Hindu gods. This depiction of nature and religion is influenced by the ideas of German Romanticism. Romanticism was an artistic, literary, and musical movement. This period emerged in Germany at the end of the 18th century and reached its peak between 1800 and 1850. This period is characterized by its emphasis on emotion, individualism, nature, universalism, the Middle Ages, the glorification of the past, and so on. This period was a counter movement to the Industrial Revolution, aristocratic and political norms, and modernity that had emerged during the Age of Enlightenment. The emphasis is on music, art, literature (especially poetry), and so on. Romanticism also influenced historiography, social science, and natural science. Romanticism had a profound impact on politics, society, and art. Romantic thinkers influenced liberalism, conservatism, and nationalism. The emphasis is on fantasy, unreality, and melancholy, and these legends can be found in folk poetry, fairy tales, sagas, songs, and folk myths. Therefore, Romanticism places value on emotions, feelings, warmth, and sensitivity, rather than reason, intellect, and scientific reasoning. To achieve this goal, the Romantics went back to the Middle Ages, where they discovered religion, superstition, and the authority of God over reason. Romantic authors explored themes from their own and foreign cultures and histories. Thus, it became their zealous concern to raise the rich treasure of old folk tales, folk poetry, and folk tales…. Romanticism places itself at the service of the mediator for the benefit of the great community of all who are devoted to beauty folk poetry receptive”. Romantic ideas are recurrent in Trojanov's travelogue. In many places, we learn that Trojanow is deeply involved with the religiosity of Hinduism, and this travelogue by Trojanow begins with the narration of the mythological birth of the Ganges River, also known in India as the goddess Ganga. He delves into the Indian mythical world. The sacredness of the Ganges is emphasized in the opening scenes. On the very first page of this travelogue, Trojanow tells a beautiful story about the Ganges and Shiva, which is interwoven with the beautiful natural landscape, including glaciers. "Ganga bursts from the glacier with a sustained crash, falls to the earth, and runs off, impetuous, headlong, flailing. Shiva has held out his head, Ganga has seized his head; hard on impact, soft on flowing, she cascades from his forehead, trickles down from his curls." Such religiously influenced mythical stories appear in many other places. In the first chapter, one gets the impression that the Ganges and the associated mystical stories and legends of gods are the author's subject in India. He describes the long and complicated stories of Shiva, Parvati, and Ganga, which not everyone in India knows. To understand such stories, one must read ancient Indian religious texts; only then can one explain the story with such clarity and understanding. This longing for India and the associated exotic stories was part of Romanticism. These mythical stories and the power of Indian gods such as Shiva, Vishnu, Kama, Parvati, as well as the sanctity of the Ganges, demonstrate the positive aspects of India. Trojanow tells the story of a demon created by Brahma. To kill the demon, Brahma suggests a way that only Shiva's son can kill him. But the problem was that Shiva had no son. “Shiva sat on the summit and meditated. While he turned away from the world, it was terrorized by Taraka. The demon sought to subjugate all living beings. Therefore, one could say that this is about research into Indian culture and the glorious aspects of Indian culture. Here, Trojanow uses Herder's idea of "cultural relativism." In his book "Ideas for a Philosophy of Human History," Herder speaks of the essentialist idea of a national soul. Herder believed that every culture has a special soul or special qualities, and this is consistent with his "cultural relativism." Therefore, he believed that every culture should be judged by its own values, not by European standards. He believed that every culture has something authentic and thus has a national soul that is lacking in other cultures. According to Herder, culture cannot be the same everywhere in the world, because culture changes according to temporal and spatial circumstances. “Herder's 1

Keywords :Eurocentrism, mythology, orientalism, romanticism.

Conference Name :International Conference on English Literature and Linguistics (ICELL-25)

Conference Place Hyderabad, India

Conference Date 26th Jul 2025