india’s required reading

November 2nd, 2010

Shakti 360 Leti Library

Craving a quiet night at home to relax with a glass of wine and curl up with a good book, but getting hung up on the good book part? Shakti’s and Banyan Tours and Travels’ founder, Mr. Jamshyd Sethna, (who, by the way, is also a photographer, book reviewer, psychoanalytical therapist, world traveler, art collector, and culinary savant, to name a few pastimes), gives a few titles that would make for a great read during holiday travels or a thoughtful gift for someone on your list.   

For the inquisitive mind…

The Book of Tea, by Anthony Burgess

The work is the most complete guide to the history and pleasures of one of the world’s most popular beverages. The beautifully written text is only surpassed by the well chosen photos, paintings and images.

For the outdoorsmen and women…

The Nanda Devi Affair, by Bill Aitken

The book chronicles Mr. Aitken’s love and appreciation for the Nanda Devi (India’s second tallest mountain) and the history the summit has played in India’s religions for millennia. The account provides cultural insight and testaments to native’s interaction with the peak – equally as interesting for mountain enthusiast as it is for those interested in Hinduism.

For the history buff…

Smash and Grab: Annexation of Sikkim, by Sunanda K.Datta-Ray

Learn the unique history of the least populated, second smallest, landlocked state of India. Sikkim has 11 official languages and is the only state with a Nepalese majority. Sikkim also has the only open border between India and China.

 

And while we may not be professional book reviewers, we thought we’d throw in a few of our favorites, too:

For spiritual enlightenment…

Nine Lives, by William Dalrymple

The book tells the story of nine of India’s many labourous paths to the divine and reveals nearly surreal juxtapositions between the old and the new. Dalrymple sets each vivid profile within an intricately drawn history of the ancient and now-endangered tradition each devotee is dedicated to preserving in the escalating battle between holiness and hustle that is transforming India.

For the classicist…

Passage to India, by E.M. Forester

The novel from 1924 recounts a portrait of India during the time of British Imperialism and the fate of two protagonists caught between the great political and cultural conflicts of the time. We can’t give away much more, but promise there’s a reason for being a classic!

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