Book Review: Age of Kali by William Darlymple

Title: Age of Kali:Indian Travels and encounters
Author: William Darlymple
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 408
Price: Rs 399
ISBN: 9780143031093
Genre: Travel / Non-fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Source: Borrowed



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I read this book just after my secondary final exams some 10 years back, though William Darlymple is one of my favorite authors, the book did not impress me a it did back then.Age of Kalyug is a post independent India's modern face.
The book is not a travelogue ,but it also includes his encounters with people from different walks and different circumstances..Travelling, he doesn't stop with India but extends his visit to adjoining countries like  Pakistan and Sri Lanka with all its social unrest..
The book was written in late 90's and 90,s were indeed historic for India in terms of economic liberalization, series of nuclear tests that put India in the forefront, IT boom with many job opportunities,yet like two sides of the coin, there were events in the country that was quite contradictory to the positive events and somehow the book captures more of the grayer dull part of the coin.

That being said, Age of Kali refers to the final era as per Hindu scriptures wherein the world age is divided into four,viz., Satya, Treta, Dvapara and finally Kali yuga. Yuga means era. Kaliyug is believed to be apocalyptic age. It is believed that during this period human race would go down the lane of degeneration in terms spiritual being, social confusion, with moral sensibility to nil.In short it is the dark age of the era. And it is this dark age that Darlymple has captured. Though the history part and his experience stays,  the current events described in the books are bit outdated hence I had an urge to browse fast than read.

Darlymple effortlessly paints the multifaces of India ( all negative side) through the lanes of old  Lucknow bringing alive the gone by Mughal era and the Nawabs who are still caught in the web of  gone by days, the palatial houses, colleges housed in old buildings that are on the verge of destruction all paints a dark state of affair of the beautiful history transformed into tattered present,moving through the northeast frontiers, to Bodhgaya where Lor Budha had his enlightenment  are now guarded by the protection force for the safety of tourists.Later through Gwalior's history and cultural improvishment to the land of Deorala famous for sati (wife killing herself upon husbands death) incident.. Rajputs ruling over the underprivileged in the name of caste are the major points he notes.. He also observes the  dawn of a powerful middlewho are financially independent and well educated on a middle class and their struggle to lead a better life..
I felt that chapter on Sri Lanka, Pakistan could have been made into another independent book that would have ..But when it comes down to India and history you can see the magic of Darlymple all through the book.
What sets Darlymple apart from the crowd of foreign travelers through India is in his keen observational skills which is entwined with his  research , he also tries to compare and contrasts the relevance to the present among which few are convincing few may not.. Many facts are outdated and might sound bit boring..

The main problem with the book is when Darlymple tries to generalize, for instance Bangalore is not about the MNC food outlets or Miss India contest agitations nor people like Shobha De or Baba Sehgal represent the mass of then Bombay..I was surprised when Vrindavan was given an image of a place filled with abandoned and outcast widows, though that is one part but not the major one...The book fails to give a comprehensive picture of a place.Though Darlymple has tried to go beyond the people who hit headline by interviewing the widows, LTTE female wing leader in Srilanka, still somwhow I felt at many places he has failed to feel the pulse of the place by giving more importance to the circumstances he was subject to rather than the what people of the place were subject to.. The X factor that that made him my favourite author is missing in this one..

Through his journey he also happens to meet Laloo Prasad  and getting him some politically correct questions and stays diplomatic through out out..His rendezvous with Rajmata to Benazir Bhutto when onto till Imran Khan in Pakistan.
Like I said before through cultural clashes, caste discrimination, illiteracy in-equality down the social hierarchy reader starts feeling bad about everything ..One good thing is his zeal for his work,he would go to any extend in the pursuit to find his subject and talk to any kind of people for the same..But then why Darlymple couldn't find any goodness around.. This is a stark contradiction from a man who has been able to  find the different edge ad midst all unconventional situations...
In final chapters of reunion Darlymple moves to Srilanka and Pakistan... Pakistan was a part of India but then Sri lanka has been independent way too early even through mythology of project save Sita in Ramayana so then why was it all brought together..I couldn't agree with the author's nod to the Mandal commission that according to me turned India upside down in the name of caste for the sake vote banks..darlymples's venture through drug showers of North-west frontier is totally commendable..
The only point that brought smile across my face was the section that had a description of a  festival in Madurai, you can feel Darlymple's signature through the portrayal, be it the crowd or the set up around.

His book is an effort of comparison and description of  the domestic, ethnic, imperial, social and cultural changes through ages.The book paints more of the dull grey picture of the country and in spite of all the short comings I would still recommend this book But do  not take this book way too seriously as it has not aged gracefully..So go for The last Mughal and The white Mughal by the same author.

Book Review: Cairo :The Mother of The Worldby Herbert L.Smith: Blog Tour

Title:Cairo-The Mother of the World
Author: Herbert L. Smith
Publisher:Wheatmark
Pages:132
ISBN:160494043
Price:$11.86
Genre: Travel Narrative
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Review copy @ RABT

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Summary
Herbert L Smith explores the city in a way different from the tourist with the 
Review:
For me Cairo or any part of Egypt is all about the pyramids,Spinx Museums and more about the historical monuments and less about the place and people..Though the recent internal problems brought the place into the attention of the world, still for the outsiders Cairo relates to the gone by era..Smith has taken a different track bringing us a place in all its bounty ,beauty and reality...For him old buildings appealed most be it a tailor shop housed in century old building or The Hussain mosque, he always makes it  point that appeal to his sense most..Amusingly he points out the Egyptian standard time according to which being late was acceptable in every walk of life and Egyptians are quite tolerant towards it...People of Cairo had two shifts of sleep which was quite interesting to me and their nights lasts beyond midnights ,the pumped up euphoria during their wedding celebrations lasting way past midnight speaks the way of life people lead...Describing The impossible city Smith has tried to be politically correct in every possible way..His phone being tapped and the peole's hostility towards Israelis were evident through the book...
With rich heritage the city has its modern wings like that of borg al quahira:known as Cairo tower a sixty-six story tall tower...City being divided into Cairo proper on east and Giza on the west had pretty interesting insights on the whole...Walking through the streets watching vendors and baking in unhygienic conditions stroked the hilarious part me ..My favourite chapters were Eternal Cairo and Street, sidewalks and stairs...It told the real life of Cairo and its people and their kinship...The book closes slowly with Physiognomy were he quotes
"So it is with my experience of Cairo. I love the entirety of the place, and find all kinds of enchantment within it. I do not, therefore, always want to see the city in hard, photographic dimensions, although I know they are there. I sometimes want to see the softer and gentler memories that I have assigned to the city from the recollection of my own encounters and adventures. The physiognomy of Cairo, its countenance or face, seems one of the best words I can find to describe this “picture” of Cairo, to bring it to the fore, and to find the beauty of the city beneath its rough exterior."(p-59)
I loved the simple and insightful everyday observations of Smith throughout the book , it was an enjoyable read with many instance of reflections and enjoyable reading...Though this book may not be updated for its recent development, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know Cairo till the dawn of millenium (2000)..

About the author

It has been my good fortune to live and work in schools and universities around the world. I
started teaching in the California State University system more than thirty years ago, after a time
working in secondary schools, went on to Egypt and the Middle East, and finally to Argentina. It
has been a fascinating series of events, from one adventure to another, and I loved nearly every
minute of it. (A few of the minutes were not quite so lovable for various reasons.)
Life as an expat lecturer and instructor led me into some unique and sometimes difficult
situations, but my appraisal of the whole was one of amazement that I was able to get to so
many wonderful places and enjoy the life of the people there. I taught English courses to
students who had already developed skills in the language and was always happy to tell them
about life in the U.S., as well as my appreciation of the life I led in their home countries. I would
gladly do it all again with only slight changes here and there.
A sustaining hobby throughout my life is music. I am a pianist, organist and composer with
many years of experience in church music. I found that wherever I went in the world, with the
exception of Argentina, I was almost immediately working with a church, playing the services
(usually on Fridays in the Middle East) regularly. Music is one of my fondest dreams as well as
a ‘forever’ joy.
I now live in Oregon with my wife of fifty years, Glenda, and we love the beauties that surround
us here. I will never tire of reliving the past, of course, either in writing or actually traveling, and
any time I have an opportunity to return to Cairo or Doha or La Rioja, I am excited to go again.

Excerpt

“Cairo is a kaleidoscope of light and color.  From the air, as I arrived for the first time, the city looked wearily drab and very much like the desert it sits on, but Cairo is no desert.  Instead, a thriving, throbbing, turbulent city of tremendous contrasts and contradictions awaits on the shore of the Nile.  Called “The Mother of The World” by her citizenry, Cairo works, plays, lives, and plans the future as she recalls a former glory that is still vigorously present.”

            “Although Cairo isn’t the oldest city in the world, it is very old, and has risen from the past without sacrificing its oldest self.  The city goes on living in a kind of renewed incarnation with each succeeding era.  Cairo is both impossible and improbable, but it is as strong today as in the past, incorporating the very newest into the already existing mega-metropolis, and there is always a sense of the past clinging to the stones, wherever one goes in the city.

            Some of the newest suburbs sit on ancient grounds, where temples and palaces and long vanished houses once stood, and where apartment blocks filled with families and hope for the future are fixed to the land today.  The oldest parts hold streets and buildings that were much the same long ago, even as much as an entire millennium in the past.  The oldest mosques and churches still witness to their grandest days, and the oldest houses are filled with families, some directly descended from the original builders who lived there more than five or six centuries in the past.  This is indeed an old city, and although many things have changed, the spirit of Cairo, the collective memory of its ancient history, is palpable in the Cairo of today.”

            “The expression that a picture is worth a thousand words may indeed be true, especially for those who are visually oriented, but I often favor words – words have a way of insinuating themselves into the consciousness more subtly than most pictures I have seen.  There are many picture books, sometimes called photo essays, about Cairo, and there are online sites filled with pictures. These pictures can evoke strong memories, but written descriptions, filled with evocative phrases and ideas, create a world that is partly imaginary and partly experiential, whatever that experience may be.  We bring ourselves more truly into written expressions than we are able to bring ourselves into a photograph or other realistic representation of a scene or situation.

           

            So it is with my experience of Cairo.  I love the entirety of the place, and find all kinds of enchantment within it.  I do not, therefore, always want to see the city in hard, photographic dimensions, although I know they are there.  I sometimes want to see the softer and gentler memories that I have assigned to the city from a recollection of my own encounters and adventures.  The physiognomyof Cairo, its countenance or face, seems one of the best words I can find to describe this ‘picture’ of Cairo, to bring it to the fore, and to find the beauty of the city beneath its rough exterior.”

Book review: Tamarind City by Bishwanath Ghosh

Title: Tamarind city
Author: Bishwanath Ghosh
Publisher:Tranquebar
Pages:344
Price: Rs 295 ( I got it for Rs 189 from homeshop18.com)
ISBN:9381626337
Genre:Travelogue
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Personal


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Summary:
From the back cover

‘While in other big cities tradition stays mothballed in trunks, taken out only during festivals and weddings, tradition here is worn round the year.’

This is just one of the author’s many keen observations of Chennai. With mordant wit, this biography of a city spares neither half of its split-personality: from moody, magical Madras to bursting-at-the-seams, tech-savvy Chennai. And, a minute into the book, the reader knows they are inseparable-and Bishwanath Ghosh refuses to take sides.

And yet, he tells us, while Chennai is usually known as conservative and orthodox, almost every modern institution in India-from the army to the judiciary, from medicine to engineering-traces its roots to Madras’s Fort St George, which was built when Delhi had only just become the capital of the Mughal Empire, and Calcutta and Bombay weren’t even born. Today, the city once again figures prominently on the global map as ‘India’s Detroit’, a manufacturing giant, and a hub of medical tourism. There have been sweeping changes since pre-Independent India, but even as Chennai embraces change, its people hold its age-old customs and traditions close to their heart.

Review:
Chennai , always Madras to me, is one of my favourite cities in the country..The city has various hues and colors..People might call it over crowded but don't you think ,we make the crowd?? Some may even call it too busy, but for me Madras ,Chennai whatever you call it goes by its own swing of time that sets it apart from other cities with all its charm and sensuous beauty...Predictably Ghosh starts with the history of the city but makes the reading different with his wit and humor that he adds on with the golden art of a story teller....He calls the city the charming old lady, with a string of jasmine tied around her hair who is too modest to talk about herself..
Chennai that hasn't changed and never will. Women still wake up at the crack of dawn and draw the Kolam- the rice -flour design- outside their doorstop.Men don't consider it old f ashioned to wear a dhoti, which is usually matched with a modest pair of Bata chappals.The day still begins with coffee and lunch ends with curd rice. Girls are sent to Carnatic music classes. The music festival continues to be held in the month of December. Tamarind rice is still a delicacy- its preparation still an art...
( p-xxvii)
It was in Chennai where the roots of modern India took ground, and Lord Robert Clive, Arthur Wellesly, Elihu Yale(yes the same person after whom the Yale University takes its name) all had their humble beginning here..Call it destiny or way of life they made their mark..The fort of St. George is the abode for most of the modern institutions of the country ..The first chapter is enriching with all details of great names linked to the city right from the pre-Independance era till day...
Ghosh has portrayed well how politics , religion, spirituality, personalities melts and are woven into everyday lives of the people..The famous rift between the Iyers and the Iyengars (two variation in the Brahmins), political set up of the state and the two dominant parties that rules the state today and their history and nuances are given with insights...Beaches ,Mylapore, Triplicane with the hot steaming Sambar and idly makes a wonderful combo to be savoured...Of course how can you miss people like Sankar who have immortalized the Vikram Betal comic series in Chandamama..In Tamilnadu politics and films go hand in hand ,even the present Chief minister used to be a top heroine of the 80's so no wonder you read a chapter exclusively on it....To me reading the chapter Sex and the city came as a surprise in an orthodox city and I will not spoil by giving away the details...From the online matrimony meet to lady entrepreneur to the historian you can find a unique blend of tales and information about the city and people that sets this book far ahead of its counterparts, and Ghosh has taken every effort to keep the reading light all through...What I liked about Ghosh's writing is that he takes the role of  a story teller giving no moral or his personal thoughts at the end...Being a journalist he has been able to step into the role of a complete outsider all through the book that has only helped the book immensely...Do not miss the Prologue before plunging into the book , it tells you the tale behind the title and the course of the book....There are eleven chapters that stand alone and can be enjoyed without really reading the others but you won't stop yourself from reading just one...For a person like me who loves the city the book was a real treat to relish and rekindle my special bond with the Madrasapattinam..

Book 26 for SAC

Book Review: Ramblings in Ireland by Kerry Dwyer

Title:Ramblings in Ireland
Author: Kerry Dwyer
Publisher: Create space Independent Publishing platform
Price:$ 9.9
Pages:178
ISBN:1478392762
Genre: Travelogue
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Source: Author

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Summary:
This is a book about rambling in Ireland with her French husband Bertrand, they get lost, find their way back..Along the way they reminiscence , reflect upon things they come along, following their spirit to lead the way...

Review:
If you are looking for a travelogue that will enlighten you on Ireland that would help you to travel,well then this book is not for you..It is a personal take or like a journal entry of Kerry Dwyer with her French husband Bertrand...To start with this trip didn't happen to Kerry as a dream come true , because her other plans never materialized..She wanted to travel to Egypt but a civil war stopped her and her alternative plan was Ireland..But now with much preparation they head to Ireland which hardly help her..Like she says nothing can prepare one to travel to Ireland , one has to experience it truly to feel it...Born in England and settled in France she was looking forward for all new experience from this trip but for her husband it was a way to discover another culture and the way of people...First chapter the pre-Ramble gives an idea about her family especially her  Mum and Dad, her mom who quotes
"Google is not a replacement for a good library or a good encyclopedia"
Her life in England with short family outings till they settle down in a calm Hamlet in France , her mom still amuses the family with her FB posts and comments, Now if your starting to think that the rambling is getting off the track well then get used to it, this is how things are going to be....Finally she gets on to her holiday destiny with her husband through various troubles of budget travel, setting her foot in Ireland ..Her hosts gets confused with her maiden name it was amusing to read the subsequent response and to learn about her married name "Renaudineau"...First day is foggy and they get lost..The walker's walk doesn't go well like they had planned yet they manage to have some fun along the way..Meeting fellow travelers getting some tips their conversations with them help them a lot...Their appetite grows wide and far yet they feel hungry all the time..There are pretty amusing moments along the pages where she gets herself an oversize bra from a street vendor, some might feel she went overboard with many passages dedicated to the description, yet it was fun read..Their clothing doesn't help them through the rain in Ireland they are also shocked to discover the heavy price tag on almost everything ...When it deals with travel and walk Kerry and her husband gets it all wrong, the descriptions are often short while her conversations with pub attenders, waiters and people she gets talking are elaborate...But her contemplation on people, their thoughts, the cultural difference are absorbing and had a psychological insight to it ..This is what I liked the book for...

To get a hang about the book do not skip the introduction ..This would give a fair idea on what to expect...The book is pleasingly written, for me there were moments that I absolutely loved and moments that put me off still I enjoyed the book for her wit and the spirit that is contagious..Had the book been able to deliver more details as a travelogue I could have appreciated it even more...Go for it if you like a free spirited read about a personal rambling...

City of Djinns by William Darymple

Book Title:City of Djinns

Author:William Darymple

Published By:Penguin books India

Date Published:  2004 

Price: Rs 250 (got it for 150 from homeshop18.com)

Pages: 350

Genre: Non-fiction, Travel

ISBN : 9780143417972

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Source: Personal copy

Summary:
This is Darymple's one year stay and experience in the Delhi with his wife.This book is a memoir and a travelogue.His everyday life through the city's alley, ride in taxi, his acquaintance with people such as survivors of British empire,anti Sikh riots, last of direct descendants of Mughal dynasty.His search takes him to some dead cities and current (say some nineteen years ago)  life.

Review
India with its great historic backdrop , cultural heritage is becoming every author's delight for a travelogue. How different and engaging the history and travel makes all difference...I am a great fan of Darymple reading his work starting from "Age of Kali"  this book was long pending ..I decided to give it a shot before my visit to  Delhi....

Djins(pronounced as gins) are genie that are believed to perform magical task, though its existence is still a myth.... In an effort to know the city better Darymple goes to the old city discovering the history long forgotten ..
The city once so splendid with its rich architecture lavish gardens, palaces, courtroom and bungalow many of them as I visited were in ruins, looted by many past kings, then British yet manages to stand tall with dignity...The book has a mix of history and myth...History when it comes to bygone days of city and its people, myth ,existence of of djinns.. That is the engaging part of the book.. The book was  published in 1993 and  many aspects of the city has changed drastically..His love for the city is quite apparent and unlike others he hasn't pulled up the grayer side of the city too much...Though this book offers nothing to rediscover the city it unveils all the past with its splendid glory...His experience starting with Mr and Mrs Puri their landlord  and landlady who are survivors of  anti Sikh riot ..Amusing tale of Mrs Puri who shuts off the water supply after counting their tenant's flushing, Mr Jeffery who is battling all alone for the likes of Presian and urdu poetry...With much ease Darymple takes us back in time showing us the majestic history of the city and in a blink shows us the current state with startling speed...At the age of 25 he was in a foreign land exploring the city's historic heritage, culture and people, I wonder  how many of us can do that this beautifully...Unlike other books of Darymple this hasn't aged well, in that aspect the book disappointed me..Otherwise the book is a great read even for a person who is less interested in a historic travelogue..Every corner right from the sultanate to mughals to partition post British era then onto the anti sigh riot is put in a breezy flow ..Chandini Chowk, the moonlight bazar is indeed its congested state through its a great place for shopping, I kept wondering how alluring it would have been in its good old days..His acquaintance in Karachi with Delhi exiles and with Ahmed Ali author of "Twilight in Delhi" who describes pre- partition city of Delhi (Iam looking forward to read it) with great passion are Darymple's trademark of work that sets him apart from other authors..Balvinder Singh his friendly taxi driver makes us flint a smile across our face more than once with his getting mixed up with words like Handicraft for handicap, smell for smile...


He explores through the dead city and comes alive with the now Delhi (the dead city is well described the now part is bit out dated because the city has grown in plentitude for the past 15 years) ...Spirit of Delhi is so lively all through...New Delhi designed by Lutyen who hated the traditional Indian architecture created marvels like that of Rashtrapathi Bhavan (then Viceroy's house), the majestic Rajpath also known as the King's road , my favourite Janpath marg which connects Connaught place in the heart of the city, all of these are beautifully detailed with Darymple's scoop many often.....In Trilokpuri were the worst massacare of anti sikh riot killing many sikh families took place, the family of Sohan Singh Sandhu who lost his two sons leaving is only son with some mental instability are unable to live the place not only moves Darymple but moved me where his family feels their children still alive around....He gives a whiff of fresh air into the giant structure that we stand and marvel..In search of British survivors he travels to Simla I couldn't smile reading his experience with the sisters..Through all his experiences with many people Chaman Guru chief of Eunuchs, his words "we were called Khawah sarah and not Hijarah " was special ..Reading about Jahanara Begum sister of Aurungazeb made my utter ignorance in history..Though British built masterpiece in the city they also did their part in destroying heritage work such Mughal garden..

Reading this respect for the much neglected ASI(Archeaologucal survey of India) who have done a wonderful job in resurrecting everything destroyed, there by restoring many ruins to their level best..
Though this book is not my favourite of Darymple's work I loved the book especially as it helped me a lot in understanding the history and marvel at the wonder city called Dilli....
I have always admired the way he has been able blend in with the country to get the maximum out of it portraying it very beautifully..I must say Darymple has been able to paint a fine picture of city with its grand past ..How many of us know our city and  its history?? When I get to see so many people from north India coming to Tiruchirapally (or just Trichy for me) (this is the city , I still call home rather than Kerala) I  used to wonder what's big deal about it.. That's how i guess most of Dilli-wala feel about their city as well , at least thats what according to the few I met ..But if we take sometime to look beyond just the usual irritation of pollution, crowd, we would realise what great history one's city holds in its labyrinth ... I am glad I read it before I left for the city of Djinns..

Hot tea across India by Rishaad Saam Mehta

Price: Rs 195 (got it for 146 through Flipkart.com)

Travelogue

It was the title and an attractive cover that made me to lay my hands on the book....The cover picture tells you all about the book..I usually don't go by review as they take away the element of surprise from it..I have all crazy things that make me to buy a book...In short this book is 191 pages 20 chapter fully packed entertainer...Rishad Saam Mehta has put all his adventure carefully jotted down with such an ease with such an ease, that made me put aside the book only when I had finished reading it..

Its a travelogue in a different note, its about tea across India as the tittle suggests and thankfully its not the only focus of it but the linking points in a distorted puzzle picture...Until he pointed out I have never worked on the aspect of tea ..His passion turned obsession to travel through lonely terrain at night with nothing but darkness and his bullet (that he is in love with) is just as breath taking as much the snow covered himalayan submit that hes been to...At times though the description of his bike becomes cliched..

Author worked for Autocar writing about his experience , may be this experience gives an edge in his writing to be  short,crispy yet thoroughly engaging...I was laughing aloud when author runs with his bike from a local gunda  saving his bike and his embarrassing run clearing his tummy....Almost losing his bike which he had parcelled , his being mistaken as a terrorist...

There are no hard  strokes or word of complain all along, even on his not so good experiences with corrupt officials (Chai-pani moments) is all all  put in a gentle stroke that  the reader almost misses them..With his AMS (acute mountain sickness) its his sheer zeal for travel that took him all through high mountain terrain on and on....Through his buffalo's milk straight from source to LUXAREY bus to guides in khajuraho and Halebid ,Belur one  moves with the author experiencing the same anxiety and urgency through the travel...I wish there were pictures added on to it ..

All in all its a wonderful read that will not disappoint when you are not in a mood of serious reading...