Indian Readers discussion

Next year I want to make a full immersion in India (with books).
I wanted to read a book set in every Indian region (it is also part of a challenge in another group).

I have found this: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stati_fe...

You must tell me if this page is right, if there are all the right regions.
In the future I will surely use this topic to ask suggestions for books set in a specific region.

Besides India I want to do also a full immersion in China so it could be that I will ask also suggestions for books set in China.

Thank you!

This page is right, Dely, and good luck with your challenge. :-)

yes, its correct

Thanks to both ;)

hi dely!
the info seems correct.
i cannot think of any excellent translated work from tamil off the top of my head. will try to.
RK Narayan's Malgudi is basically an imaginary place in Tamil Nadu but set in the olden days. That India does not exist anymore but his books are a delight to read. He wrote in English.

Suchitra wrote: "hi dely!
the info seems correct.
i cannot think of any excellent translated work from tamil off the top of my head. will try to.
RK Narayan's Malgudi is basically an imaginary place in Tamil Nadu ..."

I thought Malgudi was supposed to be in Karnataka,to be precise somewhere near Mysore.Even the name is supposedly derived from Malleswaram &Basavanagudi,two areas in Bangalore.

The God of Small Things is set in Kerala.Even though it was an OK-ish book for me,most people found it awesome.

Sherin wrote: "The God of Small Things is set in Kerala.Even though it was an OK-ish book for me,most people found it awesome."

I have already read it (and liked) so I will not read it again for the challenge.

Thanks, Suchitra ;)

Ponniyin Selvan is translated in English. You can try this book Dely. A very interesting historical fiction based on Tamil Nadu in the period of the most famous tamil King 'Raja Raja Cholan'..

Anbu wrote: "Ponniyin Selvan is translated in English. You can try this book Dely. A very interesting historical fiction based on Tamil Nadu in the period of the most famous tamil King 'Raja Raja Cholan'.."

Thanks. I hope only that I will be able to find it somewhere; it is also because of this that I wanted an e-reader, so I can download the e-book also from here.

try something by M T Vasudevan Nair or Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer for Kerala

Can't imagine Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's books in anything other than Malayalam :)

Sherin wrote: "Suchitra wrote: "hi dely!
the info seems correct.
i cannot think of any excellent translated work from tamil off the top of my head. will try to.
RK Narayan's Malgudi is basically an imaginary plac..."

do not know. have always assumed it is set in tamil nadu. since to me it was so typical. will find out and let u know.

Sherin wrote: "Can't imagine Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's books in anything other than Malayalam :)"

I've read Basheer's books in Tamil.. :)

Read Rabindranath tagore Sharathchandra chatterjee Bibhutibhutibhushan bandopadhyay to get a glimpse of bengali society in pre independent india. Read translation of Premchand's books set mostly in north indian states and Manto for the theme of partition and ensuing riots in 1947

Anbu wrote: "Sherin wrote: "Can't imagine Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's books in anything other than Malayalam :)"

I've read Basheer's books in Tamil.. :)"

I meant because of the dialects and nuances he use.
I don't know how anyone can translate that :)

You can try Legends of Khasak by O.V.Viajayan, Govardhan's Travels by Anand and I think a couple of books of Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer have been translated to English.I've read a Tamil book translated to English and it was good, the book is Tomorrow is one more day by G.Nagarajan.Premchand's book will open the doors of North Indian villages.There are a lot Bengali books that have been translated to English. Legendary film maker Satyajit Ray's Feluda stories are good ( Indian Sherlock Holmes). Other good Bengali authors whose works have been translated to English are Tharashankar Bandhopadhyay, Mashaswetha Devi, Sunil Gangopadhyay,Bibutibhushan Bandhopadhyay and Shankar.Em and The Big Hoom is an Englisht novel set in Mumbai and is a very good one.

Thanks to everyone! A lot of good suggestions :D

As usual I have the problem of the shipping if the book isn't available in Italy (and rarely they are available).
I hope to be able to buy an e-reader next year and in this way I can download the e-books and finally read more Indian authors.

Sherin wrote: "Anbu wrote: "Sherin wrote: "Can't imagine Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's books in anything other than Malayalam :)"

I've read Basheer's books in Tamil.. :)"

I meant because of the dialects and nuance..."
Yes, I know. Its non-translatable (if such a word exists :D)

Satish wrote: "Read Rabindranath tagore Sharathchandra chatterjee Bibhutibhutibhushan bandopadhyay..."

Is this only one name or do you have forgotten the commas? I imagine already myself going in a bookshop and asking for this writer; they call an exorcist! :D

@Dely Bengalis do have a mouthful long names Englishtoo thought so hence they anglicized certain surnames.In my post each name starts with capital
letter and have 2 words comprising name & surname. My comma key seldom works.

Ok. So it is:
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Sharathchandra Chatterjee
- Bibhutibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay

Is it right?

dely wrote: "Ok. So it is:
- Rabindranath Tagore
- Sharathchandra Chatterjee
- Bibhutibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay

Is it right?"

Indeed it is

Good, thanks ;)

And Salman Rushdie for mumbai and India at large and Ruskin bond for Gharwal himalayan region

Smitha wrote: "Sherin wrote: "Anbu wrote: "Sherin wrote: "Can't imagine Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's books in anything other than Malayalam :)"

I've read Basheer's books in Tamil.. :)"

I meant because of the dial..."

True.. There are certain authors whose books you can't enjoy fully in translations..

You could cheat and read this instead: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/97...

Jokes aside, I think it is a great challenge. You might have some trouble with Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I think I have an anthology of Nicobarese tales lying arond somewhere though.

Sudhang wrote: "You could cheat and read this instead: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/97...

Jokes aside, I think it is a great challenge. You might have some trouble with Andaman and Ni..."

I will not cheat! :D
But that book seems interesting.

I'm just about to start reading my copy. He's a very (in)famous anthropologist. He recently wrote an essay about the many versions of the epic Ramayana which got into controversy here in India.

Malgudi days has nothing to do Tamil nadu .malgudi days series which appeared on doordarshan was produced and directed by shankar nag was filmed in and around agumbe and thirthalli (karnataka) I was there at the time of shooting and few scenes were shot at my ancestoral home.

I recently saw the home where Malgudi days was shot, while in Thirthalli.

Girish wrote: "Malgudi days has nothing to do Tamil nadu .malgudi days series which appeared on doordarshan was produced and directed by shankar nag was filmed in and around agumbe and thirthalli (karnataka) I wa..."

Was the boy with black coat and topi you? ;)
By the way, Malgudi has the flavour of lot of south indian villages RK Narayan has been through, both TN and KA. Basically it is an Iyengar locality right.

There is a travel guide kind of book The Emerald Route, which was, honestly speaking, boring because it didn't have those signature humour or wonder touch. It is about the prominant sites along the green belt of Karnataka.

this is one book of R K Narayan which I havent read (or even known about). Will surely read it.

Boy with black topi was actually master manjunath who works for NICE now. As someone said name malgudi is supposedly derived from Malleshwaram and Basavangudi .k Narayan was simply brilliant his books were so easy to read.

Just go to tumblr, wordpress or blogger and create an account. Then you're good to go.

Prince wrote: "Thanks brother..these..are the sites of for creating blog...and i have to add people..to view my work or anyone can see it??"

In Tumblr and livejournal you can blog and add people..

Prince wrote: "Can anyone tell me how to make blog..i want to write it..plzz give me info abt blog writing"

Prince wrote: "Thanks brother..these..are the sites of for creating blog...and i have to add people..to view my work or anyone can see it??"

Wordpress is the most user friendly and has lot of options for creating stuff.. Blogger has become a little obsolete

Wordpress has the most features no doubt, but I think Tumblr is the simplest to use.

I suggest waiting for Mansee. I have made 2 blogs on Wordpress and Tumblr long time back, but never got around to blogging. Planning to start soon.

Prince wrote: "@Mansee & @Rahul thanks for info i made my acount on wordpress..to show my i havee to send link to the people??"

Wordpress is the best site for internet visibility, which means that if any person throughout the world 'searches' for something on google, etc, then there are more chances that your wordpress blog comes up in the search results. Try going to Dashboard-->Appearance-->Widgets and surf around. There are a lot of things you could do here. You could link your wordpress blog to your FB, Linkedin, goodreads, and twitter accounts as well. This way, whenever you have a new blog post, it will be simultaneously shared on all such sites wherever your friends are. Check out my goodreads profile to see the posts from my wordpress account and you'll get an idea of how it works.

You cannot miss out on RK Narayan AND Munshi Premchand. RKN is middle class, educated South India while Premchand is Rural North India. Narayan wrote in English but Premchand's works are translated from Hindi/Urdu. They are both very crude, rustic and beautiful.

Rosun wrote: "You cannot miss out on RK Narayan AND Munshi Premchand. RKN is middle class, educated South India while Premchand is Rural North India. Narayan wrote in English but Premchand's works are translated..."

Do you mean him Premchand or him Munshi Premchand? Or is it the same person known with two names?

It's the same person :D I don't know why there are two pages for him though.

Yes, thank you Rahul. Both are the same Dely. Start with their short stories first. People who read in Hindi swear by Premchand's stories. I swear by "Godan", his epic novel. The high intensity human drama depicted in this book is to die for.

Thanks! I will surely add his books to my "wishlist"!

Prince ...hey
if you havent read The God Of Small Things: Arundathi Roy...you might like it...The White Tiger Aravind Adiga...A suitable boy...Vikram Seth...let me know if you like them...Happy reading!