When Enlightenment Embraced the East: Voltaire’s Ode to India’s Ancient Wisdom

Imagine a pillar of the French Enlightenment—Voltaire—celebrated across Europe as a brilliant satirist, fearless critic of superstition, and tireless advocate for reason. Born François-Marie Arouet in 1694, he grew to challenge absolute monarchy, lampooning bishops and tyrants alike in works such as Candide and Letters on England. Voltaire’s pen sparked revolutions of thought, reshaping politics, […]