Indian Readers discussion

Traveling is a kind of learning, and the lessons are different for everyone. This thread aims to discuss various travelogues, other forms of travel-writing (poetry and articles and so on...) and their authors.

Please post your favorite travel pieces and authors.

From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet by Vikram Seth

In his travelogue, Seth describes his adventurous hitch-hiking from Nanjing University, China, where he was a post-graduate student, to Delhi via Tibet, in the harsh year of 1982, with just a couple months before his visa expired, at the risk of being imprisoned and finally deported (not a simple, pleasant experience for a foreigner in China in the 1980s who wanted to visit Tibet) by Chinese officials.

Seth encounters varied ordeals, some so impossible to comprehend and extremely dangerous, and on the way, forms memorable friendships with people he might not see again. The travelogue sheds light on the Chinese administration, the cold, capable machinery of it, and the warm, hard-working simple Chinese he met on the way. It is a record of a place that only exists in our imagination, fuelled by superficial reports acted out on the global stage.

This book is a peek into an unknown world from the inside, and a memorable one at that.

Smoke and Mirrors : An Experience of China by Pallavi Aiyar

Back to the future - Pallavi Aiyar spends 5 years in Beijing, with her Spanish boyfriend Julio (now her husband) from 2002 - 2007, at the height of Olympics frenzy in Beijing. Aiyar, an Indian journalist, explores local life, living in 'hutongs', narrow Chinese alleys, a traditional form of society, teaching her Chinese maid to make samosas, getting used to authentic 'Chinese' cuisine, her close family friends, the family of Mr. Wu, and her experience with college students of BBC (Beijing Broadcasting Corporation).

Through this daily routine, she explores what it means to be an Indian, a Chinese, and an Indian living in China. She analyses the much-debated differences between the two powerful yet antagonist countries of South Asia. Her deep intrusions of the Chinese psyche, the reasons behind the typical Chinese mentality, and the effects of Communism and strict monitoring of Govt. on the nation's youngsters make it not only an interesting read, but helps us understand better the Chinese nation. A truly insightful read.

Pico Iyer is a novelist of Indian origin, living in Japan with his Japanese wife Hiroko Takeuchi, and though I haven't read his books, I found his articles quite interesting.

He has traveled extensively, specifically to destinations not favored exactly by holidayers (apart from the usual ones). His excursions include Cuba, Ethiopia, North Korea, Easter Islands, Paraguay, the Far-East, Argentina, Iceland, Vietnam, Bhutan, Bolivia and Yemen.

http://www.salon.com/2000/03/18/why/s...

http://www.worldhum.com/features/trav...

I'd like to know if anyone has read his books and their subsequent opinions.

The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron

The book is a travelogue of Thubron's travels in the remote, unexplored Central Asia, just after the USSR broke up into multiple fragments. Starting with Turkmenistan, he lands at Ashkhabad, then Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, before moving on to his last stop, Kazakhstan. The legendary city of Samarkand, the center of Tamerlane's empire and before that a key stop on the Silk Road are marvelously explored. Thubrons sees beauty in the most unlikely places, in ruins and deserted regions.

But while Thubron talks of scenery somewhat, his real interest lies in people. He explores the lives of local, middle-class and lower-middle class people who dealt with a constantly under change political scenario as they grappled with the secession from USSR. Most of the times, he converses with local people, gets invited to their homes, and those are the conversations that instruct much of this book.

These, along with minute observations and pepperings of history clubbed with his perceptions and views prevents the book from becoming a travel guide to an unknown place. It becomes a peek into a hidden world filled with people and strife. Not just markets and antiques and mountains, but politics and beliefs and food and custom. Not just a geography, but an entire anthropology.

It brings to light the complexities of a nation torn away, of mixed loyalties, of uneasy national sentiments, of the modern seeping in the traditional.
Uzbekistan, that shows the most complexity of life and notions, is given the maximum space. Kazakhstan, with its relatively clear allegiances to Russia, hence less a site for conflict, is given less prominence.

Not just a description of wonderful sights and sounds, but a picture of daily life in this neglected and forgotten part of the world, the Central Asia, with all its bitter-sweet slices.

A bit difficult, a few dry, lengthy parts but definitely a must-read, for those willing to ignore a few boredoms for a great peek in a world they are unlikely to visit ever.

The Worst Desert On Earth: Crossing The Taklamakan by Charles Blackmore - 5/5

The Taklamakan is situated in the Tarim Basin in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Extending more than 1400 kilometers east to west and as much as 560 kilometers north to south, covering 320,000 square kilometers, this is the second largest desert on the planet.

This desert is known as the Desert of Death and literally translates as 'Go in and you won't come out' - and rightly so. Before Blackmore, no explorer who had ventured to cross the desert ever emerged back alive - unless he turned back too early.

There are many legends and dark secrets surrounding “ the worst and most dangerous desert in the world” as the young Swedish explorer, Sven Hedin, described it after his first venture into the Taklamakan in 1895 nearly cost him his life. Two of his Uyghur camel drivers and seven of his eight camels were less fortunate: they all perished from thirst amongst the unforgiving dunes.


Egg-shaped, not even its width had been crossed, when Blackmore sought to cross its entire length. With a small team, and a few Uighurs (a Chinese minority tribe) as guides and camel-handlers that would carry their provisions to be refilled at a very few strategic locations, Blackmore set out to conquer the notorious desert.

The journey took a daunting 60 days, but in this vast sea of sand, they stepped into the ruins of an ancient civilization that had not been discovered by any living man since at least the past 1700 years.

A compelling read of a team, whose leader Blackmore rightly said - it was "the true spirit of adventure that only touched a handful of people".

Recommended: 'One life to ride', Ajit Harisinghani

Lit Bug wrote: "The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron

The book is a travelogue of Thubron's travels in the remote, unexplored Central Asia, just after the USSR broke up into multiple fragments. Starting with Tu..."
"In Xanadu: A Quest by William Dalrymple" was my first(and only) book on Middle East and Central Asia. Guess i'll give this one a go.

Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals: The Journals of Fanny Parkes by William Dalrymple 5/5

Fanny Parkes was a gutsy Englishwoman who traveled through India between 1822 and 1846. Evidently curious, unabashed and a self-confessed Indophile, her relentless love for the Indian culture led her to places and people of India that shaped her remaining life.

She sank into oblivion for a very long time owing to her distaste for the English culture which earned her much contempt from fellow English people; not until Dalrymple dug out her journals and put them forth in book-form did the world know of her exciting adventures that could not have been achieved by someone who lacked the reckless spirit of travel combined with an overwhelming love for the place.

From gaining a rare entry into a royal zenana, to attempting farming, she undertakes her journey with a rare absence of typical colonial snobbishness that mars the works of many other travelers during the same era. Her fluency in Urdu and her passionate love for India resound in every chapter. Towards the end of her life, she had become more Indian in perhaps every sense than British.

The book is also available under the title 'Begums, Thugs and Englishmen : The Journals of Fanny Parkes'

Lit Bug wrote: "Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals: The Journals of Fanny Parkes by William Dalrymple 5/5

Fanny Parkes was a gutsy Englishwoman who traveled through India between 1822 and 1846. Evidently curious, u..."

I'll check this out too. But i have " The Age of Kali: Indian Travels & Encounters " and " City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi " lying around that need reading.

Anil wrote: "Lit Bug wrote: "Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals: The Journals of Fanny Parkes by William Dalrymple 5/5

Fanny Parkes was a gutsy Englishwoman who traveled through India between 1822 and 1846. Evid..."

Will check out your books... Please try to include links to the books you mention, it's easier to search them that way :)

Lit Bug wrote: "Anil wrote: "Lit Bug wrote: "Begums, Thugs, and White Mughals: The Journals of Fanny Parkes by William Dalrymple 5/5

Fanny Parkes was a gutsy Englishwoman who traveled through India between 1822 a..."

Now, thanks to youtube i finally know how to link books and authors. :)

In case there's still confusion, click on the link 'add book/author' just above the text-box in which you write your comment. The rest is pretty obvious.

Lit Bug wrote: "In case there's still confusion, click on the link 'add book/author' just above the text-box in which you write your comment. The rest is pretty obvious."

Can't believe i missed that.

Finished Chasing The Monsoon. It's about the author's journey from the tip of south India to Cherrapunji following the monsoon.

Anil wrote: "Finished Chasing The Monsoon. It's about the author's journey from the tip of south India to Cherrapunji following the monsoon."

Read the description! Looks very interesting... I wanna read this book this Monsoon!

Harsha wrote: "Anil wrote: "Finished Chasing The Monsoon. It's about the author's journey from the tip of south India to Cherrapunji following the monsoon."

Read the description! Looks very interesting... I wann..."

I finished it on a whim. Kinda regret it now. It's the perfect monsoon book.

The Way Of The World by Nicolas Bouvier

News From Tartary by Peter Fleming

A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

The Japanese Chronicles by Nicolas Bouvier

These sound interesting - anyone familiar with them?

Unread but interesting:

Who Needs a Road?: The Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World