Inspiration India
Check out our Indian Tours
Movies
-Have a look at a Bollywood movie or two- lots of hype and glam but you will also get some idea of the intricacy of family relationships. Two Bollywood Movies I enjoyed for the loose historical content and wonderful costuming are Padmavat and Jodha Akbar. So much colour to add via your imagination to some of the monuments, Forts and Palaces we visit.
– Gandhi– his presence is still very much an influence to life here
Doco– Michael Woods BBC “The Story of India”
Johanna Lumley’s visit to India. A personal memoir, along with keen observations of Indian life.
Books
There are available many wonderful novels written by Indians in English, these are some I have read and enjoyed. The Indian use of English is a joy in itself, along with a real flair for developing a rich imagery- I feel India’s long history of poetry shines through somehow.
History
A must read- An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India –Shashi Tharoor for historical background to present day India. Well written.
William Dalrymple– a British writer who lives in India, anything he writes is worth reading.
– City of the Djinns- a year in Delhi- great insight into the history of Delhi.
The White Mughals, The Age of Kali , The Anarchy
Guruchandran Das
– A Fine Family
– India Unbound – very readable works even this one which is on the economic changes India has been going through in the last 15 years that have set the stage for her to emerge on the International stage.
Kushwant Singh– Delhi- a novel that encompasses the history of Delhi- a bit out there but excellent, an insightful and well known journalist, look for his other works as well Loved this novel.
Bamber Gasgoigne.The Great Moghuls- Well written account of these fascinating rulers. Much of the wonderful architecture we will experience was built by them. History
Rama Mehta Inside the Haveli Insightful novel to understand traditional life inside a Haveli and purdah- compassionately
written.
Roy Moxham The Great Hedge of India as he writes, ” When I first started my research for the Customs Hedge, I had been looking for a harmless pieces of English eccentricity. It had been a shock to find the great hedge was in reality a monstrosity: a terrible instrument of British oppression.” Unbelievable the lengths and the toll it costs in human lives and suffering one group of people will go to fleece another group of people. Check out his other titles too.
Novels
Rupa Bajwa– The Sari Shop – poignant story of a young man’s journey to improve himself.
Vikram Chandra – Red Earth, Pouring Rain- this man can write! A good story, a bit of history and wonderful insights into Indian culture.
– Sacred Games
– A Suitable Boy
Gayatri Devi –A Princess Remembers- memoirs of the Maharani of Jaipur.
Amitav Ghosh– excellent stories and background to Bengal side. Anything he writes is worth reading.
Ashok Banker– accessible retelling of the classics
These are good to help imagine the world of the Taj Mahal. Novels by Indu Sundaresan
Clive James– Silver City- in India anything is possible but there are no safety nets. An evocative story of escaping the slums to luxury only to fall…
Sarah Macdonald – Holy Cow- Australian author’s experiences in India, entertaining
Gita Mehta– A River Sutra- highly recommend any of her work
-Raj
– Karma Cola
Reshma Rula– Something Black in the Lentil Soup- a story showcasing the Indian way events just seem to unfold.
Foodie
Madhyr Jaffrey– Climbing the Mango Trees- autobiography a of a well known food writer, excellent read and stories are better than the recipes Cooking
Charmaine O’Brien The Flavours of Delhi- a food lover’s guide. A great guide with good recipes of Delhi, and its history of influences- yum! Cooking
Lizzie Collingham Curry- A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Great read- history and how it impacted on the wonderful cuisine of India Cooking
Amulya Malladi Serving Crazy with Curry insightful novel about the human heart; cooking was one woman’s way to understanding it.
Vijayan Kannampilly The Essential Kerala Cookbook Cooking
Vir Sanghvi- Rude Food – Collected Food Writings of Vir Sanghvi – daytime insightful political columnist, evening gourmet, with amusing and insightful comments on the Indian culinary scene. Cooking
Monisha Bharadwaj The Indian Kitchen– excellent reference to the ingredients found in an Indian Kitchen and very tasty recipes to try the ingredients out. [quite possibly the “must have” reference for your shelves] Cooking
Kantha and Bengal
A Passage to India– EM Forster a classic
The Hungry Tide Amitav Ghosh. Definitely the source of my fascination with The Sundarbans. Excellent read.
Gitanjali – Rabindranath Tagore. First non-European to win a Nobel Prize for Literature
Lucknow
–Umroao Jan Ada:The Courtesan of Lucknow Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa. First published in 1899 and thought to be the first Urdu Novel. a classic and insightful of the Court of Awadh in its hayday.
Creative Arts Safaris offers craft, textile and travel sketching tours to exotic locations.
We offer fully escorted small group tours and travelling workshops with respected tutors.
On tour we like to get our hands dirty taking workshops, exploring locations and culture. We include lots of local experiences as well as visiting iconic sites.
Crafts, travel sketching and textiles are our passion.
Our friendly groups are inclusive. They are companionable and well organized allowing a relaxed adventure, great for solo travellers.
They include pickup & drop to airport, accommodation, group travel, sightseeing, workshops, and most meals. Almost everything EXCEPT the shopping – that is your job. Help the local economy.