A River of Life, Book 2: A Tour of the South (A River of Life: Travels through Modern India)

Ferries, juggernauts, tailors, commode sellers, sonorous nagaswarams: like the subcontinent itself, this travelogue is chock-full of life and incident. The second leg of a complete overland tour of India, Book 2 traces a great V on the map of the country, beginning in Calcutta, dipping down to the southernmost tip of the Subcontinent, then sweeping up again to Bombay. The objective: to visit every state that lies between those two great cities, including the real heartland of the South, the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. The encounters with Indians of all walks of life are countered by historical observations and anecdotes, setting modern India side by side with its historical counterpart, creating a rich background for travels through this most beguiling and fascinating of countries.