Discovering India

The Land of Dreams and Romance

India is one of the oldest civilisations in the world and has a patchwork of diverse regions with their own customs and eco-systems from the tropical heat of the south to the colder north. In the past, the country consisted of various kingdoms, often weakened by frequent conflicts which made them vulnerable to European influence and conquest.

The East India Company gained a foothold in 1600 and eventually took control of a number of provinces. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the East India Company was transferred to the Crown and Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876. India remained under British rule until it gained independence in 1947 but not before millions of lives were lost in the painful Partition which divided communities and led to the creation of Pakistan.

I have tried to find a selection of books from different genres, but it goes without saying that the books posted here are far from comprehensive.