Letter from a historian
Amitav GhoshJuly 21 Dear Amitav, We met briefly when you were in Abu Dhabi for their book fair in 2009. At the time I was teaching at Zayed University there, but…
Accounts of China in Gujarati
A reader writes: Dear Amitav It would have slipped your mind but we spoke briefly during your sumptuous book launch in Mumbai last month. I had promised to…
‘Life on a plantation’
This 19th century cartoon is from Edward Jenkin’s, The Coolie: His Rights and Wrongs, (New York, 1871, pp.12-13). This is Jenkin’s explanation of it: The picture…
ART IT
Today I received a link to a compelling letter by the Chinese artist, Hou Hanrou, writing in ART IT, a Japanese web journal. The same issue also contains…
Book Tour Journals: Chennai (Madras), June 29-30, 2011
Within minutes of arriving in Chennai, I set off to visit Gopalkrishna and Tara Gandhi, who live in a flat on the outskirts of the city, just off the…
Fontainhas, Panjim, Goa
Vivek Menezes is passionate about Goa. Having lived in the US for many years, he now makes his home in Panjim and often leads his friends around Fontainhas,…
Opium sharbat
This picture of accessories used for serving a decoction of opium was taken by Aradhana Seth in Rajasthan in 2006. The sharbat is served with gur (jaggery) - bottom right.
Bonaccad waterfalls
Cherian Punnathara writes (re yesterday's post): 'I managed to dig out couple of those vintage photos of the Bonaccad waterfalls. The photos are like the Eastman colour films of those…
Book Tour Journals: Kochi/Cochin, June 23, 2011
Kochi (Cochin); June 23 Cochin is one of my favourite cities – not only because of its rich history wonderful food and magnificent harbour views – but also because…