Exploring the West

This omnibus presents a unique perspective of travel writing by Indians describing Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This completely unexplored theme provides the missing link in the east-west paradigm. Whereas the other aspect of the western perspective on Indian civilization has been studied for quite sometime, the descriptions of this omnibus invert this image and show Europe in the eyes of the Indian traveller during the arrival of modernity in the subcontinent.

It comprises:
Westward Bound: Travels of Mirza Abu Taleb: Describes of the Mirza who travelled to England during 1799-1803. Greatly impressed by late eighteenth century England, he also records his impressions of France, Genoa, Malta, Turkey, and Baghdad.

Seamless Boundaries: Lutfullah’s Narrative beyond East and West: Lutfullah’s narrative which includes his visit to England in 1844, provides an understanding of events, people, and their culture beyond mere east-west dichotomies.

Travels of Itisamuddin: An account of the travels of Itisamuddin to France and England in 1765. He describes Nantes in France, and London, Oxford and Scotland with details of everyday life of people.