The National Museum
is one of India's
most prestigious
institutions





Weaving is done mainly
by women, in fact,
tradition has it that a
young girl has to know
how to weave before
she can be married.
Her skill in weaving
can determine her
popularity among
eligible bachelors






Indian handicrafts
provide a glimpse into
the highly enriched
cultural traditions of
these people






Indian art is
constantly challenged
as it rises to the
peak of achieving the
ideals of one philosophy
in a visual form,
then begins anew for
another







Miniature painting
developed in western
India from the 16th to
18th century. These
small paintings were
part of manuscripts
written at the time and
were illustrations to
the subject of the
manuscripts. They
are about 2 to 4
inches in size







There is a profusion
of exuberant colors
and fascinating forms
in the handicrafts
 of India






Beautiful pottery
and other ware
made of ceramic,
are great from
bringing back to
friends and family







Extreme softness,
vivid colors and
translucent
textures chracterize
silk weavings







Indian art used
rock-cut when
developing
monuments and
large buildings.
Their culture and
way of life is very
evident in their art.
The influences came
through their beliefs
and political views

Reading List



Here is a brief selection of favorite, new and hard-to-find books, prepared for your journey. For your convenience, you may call (800) 342-2164 to order these books directly from Longitude, a specialty mail-order book service.  You can also find them at local bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Essential India
by Stanley Wolpert, 2005
A wonderfully literate introduction to India by the acknowledged master. Author of 14 books and a professor of history since 1958, Wolpert distills a tremendous amount of information in this detailed overview, tackling the environment, religion and philosophy, the arts and sciences, domestic and foreign policy, and culture.

Eyewitness Travel Guide: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur
by Anuradha Chaturvedi, 2003
A compact, gorgeously illustrated guide to Delhi and environs featuring 900 color photographs, maps and site plans.

The Idea of India
by Sunil Khilnani, 1999
Khilnani confronts the complexities, paradoxes and challenges of the nation in this elegant book.

Malgudi Days
by R. K. Narayan, 1995
Wonderful tales about a fictional South Indian town by a beloved Indian writer. Malgudi is a composite of Narayan's two hometowns -- Mysore and Madras -- populated by quirky characters whose unique approaches to tradition and modernity are the stuff of great short stories.

City of Djinns, A Year in Delhi
by William Dalrymple, 2003
Dalrymple describes a year in Delhi with enormous humor, heart and understanding, skill-fully interweaving his own adventures with a solidly researched history of the city and the social forces that have shaped it. A must-read for any curious traveler to Delhi.

World Food India
by Martin Hughes, 2001
A compact guide to the history, culture and traditions of food and drink in India, including an excellent survey of common ingredients, a culinary dictionary, and guide to etiquette.

Western India Map
by Nelles
A detailed map including Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Rajasthan. Scaled at 1:1,500,000.

India Map
by ITMB, 2001
A shaded relief map of India at the excellent scale of 1:3,750,000. It shows major roads, rivers, and locations of national parks.

History, Culture, People

Hindi, Start Speaking Today!
by Educational Services Corporation
A 90-minute crash course in Hindi featured in two audio tapes and a phrasebook. The course follows the foreign service method, focusing on whole dialogues and sentences.

India, A Wounded Civilization
by V.S. Naipaul 
A vivid and unsentimental cultural portrait that draws together conversations with Indians, news reports, politics and literature, paying particular attention to the Hindu confrontation with the West.

India: Land of Dreams and Fantasy
by Doranne Jacobson
This large-format hardbound volume features 300 color photographs and informative essays on India's history, religions, architecture, rural wonders, urban glories, handicrafts, rituals, festivals, and daily life.

May You Be The Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of India
by Elisabeth Bumiller
A wonderfully-written, fascinating portrayal of Indian women from Indira Gandhi to movie stars and prostitutes. It's an insightful portrait of the country as seen through the eyes of its women.

The Idea of India
by Sunil Khilnani
Khilnani confronts the complexities, paradoxes and challenges of the nation in this short, elegant survey of India since independence.

India, A Mosaic
by Robert B. Silvers & Barbara Epstein
A collection of nine exemplary essays, all originally appearing in the New York Review of books, on culture, politics and society of contemporary India.

Indian Interiors
by Deidi Von Schaewen
Divided geographically, this handsome book presents color photographs of interiors throughout India, grand and everyday, including not only homes and palaces but also forts, castles, shacks, huts and riverboats. It's a wonderful glimpse into the diversity of Indian society, culture and history.

Taj Mahal
by M.C. Joshi, Jean-Louis Nou & Amina Okada
A gorgeous photo tribute to the great monument with essays on history, design and inscriptions. 158 full-color photographs, including four magnificent foldout pictures.

Nature & Field Guides

Wild India, The Wildlife of India and Nepal
by Guy Mountefort & Gerald Cubitt
An informative introduction to the natural history of the region in a handsome oversize volume. It presents hundreds of extraordinary photographs of the wildlife and landscapes of the Himalayas, the Indo-Ganges Plain and the Deccan.

Birds of India
by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp & Tim Inskipp
A field edition of the masterful five-pound handbook to 1,300 birds of the subcontinent, featuring the same stunning color plates, range maps and condensed descriptive information.

Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent
by K. K. Gurung  & Raj Singh
This compact guide to 106 species features color illustrations, tracks, range maps and information about habitats and conservation. With an overview of 23 parks and reserves, including location maps and species lists.

Art/Food

Curry, A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors
by Lizzie Collingham
Appetizingly organized as a menu (biryani, vindaloo, Chai, etc.), Curry explores the origins and spread of Indian food and the interplay between Muslim, Hindu, Portuguese and British traditions on the Subcontinent. This is cultural history with recipes.

Mangoes & Curry Leaves, Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent
by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid
In this latest book the roving, food-loving authors (Hot Sour Salty Sweet) travel the seven countries of the Indian Subcontinent: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, collecting not only 200 recipes but also engaging tales of the people, history and adventures. With color photographs os food and places throughout.

Hindu Art and Architecture
by George Michell
An excellent survey of Hindu art and architecture, explaining the meaning and construction of principal images and buildings, as well as the development of Hinduism and the corpus of myths that have influenced its artistic tradition.

Indian Art, A Concise History
by Roy C. Craven
This convenient volume in the acclaimed "World of Art" series is a concise, illustrated overview of the range of Indian art over the centuries.

Travelogues And Literature

Adventures With the Buddha, A Buddhism Reader
by Jeffery Paine
Buddhist books for Westerners abound, but almost all are edifying rather than entertaining. Determined to create a beguiling and pleasurable Buddhist collection, Paine, turned to the personal stories of nine Western pilgrims to Tibet, China, India, Japan, and Nepal to assemble a unique and eye-opening anthology of judiciously excerpted spiritual travel memoirs.

Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God 
by Jonah Blank
Blank's entertaining portrait of contemporary India and Sri Lanka mixes reporting, travel and myth as he travels, partly on the trail of India's great hero Rama.

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress
by J an Morris
A wonderful portrait of early (pre-1897) British colonial rule in India, Central Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Morris weaves historical accounts, character studies, and much imagination into this readable, compelling tale.

India Unveiled
by Robert Arnet
A celebration of the people, landscapes and traditional culture of India, organized regionally and featuring 268 beautiful color photographs. It's a revealing, insightful portrait of the country combining history, geography and travelogue.

The Royal Palaces of India
by George Michell & Antonio Martinelli
An architectural survey of Hindu and Muslim fortresses and royal residences from the 12th century to the days of British colonial rule -- well informed, comprehensive and handsomely illustrated with 250 color photographs.

Slowly Down the Ganges
by Eric Newby
In 1963, the author and his wife set out an a 1,200-mile voyage down the Ganges River. The title could apply as easily to the ruminative attitude Newby takes towards his journey as to the many mishaps which bedevil the quest.

The Siege of Krishnapur
by JG Farrell        
A harrowing and often humorous historical novel set during India’s 1857 Sepoy Rebellion, part of the terrific Empire Trilogy, just reissued.

The Twentieth Wife
by Indu Sundaresan
Sundaresan boldly re-imagines the life of the powerful 17th century Mughal ruler Jahanara in this lush, action-packed historical novel.

Travelers' Tales India
by James O'Reilly & Larry Habegger
A collection of 45 descriptive and thought-provoking short excerpts on Indian life and culture, including contributions from Rushdie, Naipaul and Dalrymple, plus some valuable excerpts from books long out of print.

Guide Books
There are thousands of guidebooks available to travelers. We recommend the following as the leaders in quality, content, and presentation, or for their specialized travel advice.

Insight Guides, Lonely Planet Guides & Moon Handbooks

Insight Guide India
by  Insight Guides, 2004
A volume in the award-winning Insight series, this guide is noted for its wonderful photography, full-color maps, superb production and informative short essays on contemporary topics such as India's movie industry, language, and cuisine. It includes introductions to the major temples, forts, and wildlife sites, as well as background on each region, and plenty of photos and maps. A well illustrated overview of the culture, history and attractions of the subcontinent for travelers.

Eyewitness Guide Delhi, Agra and Jaipur
by Anuradha Chaturvedi
A compact, gorgeously illustrated guide to Delhi and environs featuring 900 color photographs, maps and site plans. It includes chapters on the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort Palace, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Red Fort and dozens of other highlights.

Rough Guide India
by David Abram
Geared to the independent traveler, this Rough Guide combines an opinionated survey of culture and history with good information on sightseeing, food and accommodations.

Footprint Rajasthan Handbook
by Matt Barrett
A sturdy, practical guide.