Good Travel Guide to India?

*jyoti*

I'm sure this has been asked a million times , but what do you guys recommend as a good travel guide to India? As I'm moving and planning on being there long term, gratuitous information regarding hotels and such isn't really what I'm looking for (such as the LP guide seems to have a LOT of ). I'm getting Culture Shock: India on high recommendation. What else? (And why?)

Merchant

All the guidebooks are really the same.

The best introductions to India that I know of are "Culture Shock: India" (which you know about), "India File" by Trevor Fishlock, and "In Light of India" by Octavio Paz.

All these books are short. "India File" is a collection of essays on cultural and historical matters, from the 1980s. Fishlock is a British journalist who has written extensively about India. This book is a classic, though a little hard to find. It will get you up to speed on basic Indian cultural literacy--the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Indira's Emergency, the appeal of Bollywood, how Indians learn about sex, Phoolan Devi (the Bandit Queen), etc.

Paz won a Nobel Prize for Literature and was also Mexico's ambassador to India. "In Light of India" reads like a quick cultural briefing for a diplomat who needs to know something about Indian art and culture, how religion fits into it, how it is unique in the world. Very short and highly engaging.

*jyoti*

Oooohh! The Fishlock sounds great! I'll have to try and find it. The other sounds good, but especially Fishlock. Not to mention he has a great/horrid name for an author! -J.

SHIMLA

This forum is as good as any, maybe better !!

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indiadreamn

Here here Shimla!

Merchant

Fishlock has a few longer books as well. You might like "Cobra Road," too, though it's not the little gem that "India File" is. I've read a lot of Western authors on India, and I trust Fishlock. When he's good, he's better than William Dalrymple (where do they get these names???).

*jyoti*

Honestly, I really just want a book so I can start making notes from here in it!

mexist

Thanks for the book suggestions there... the one by Octovio Paz sounds particularly interesting for me, being mexican... thanks.

*jyoti*

I don't know if anyone will care, but since I didn't get a lot of response, thought it might help someone to let you know what I got and how I like it.


First, I had LP guide but decided I didn't like it--too much touristy stuff like where to buy things and very little historical information or cultural stuff.

So, I went ahead and took that back and got Rough Guide to India instead. It has 400 more pages, and less hotel information although there are still some basic train schedules and hotel prices, just not as much as LP. My biggest beef is that the paper is thinner, which is nice b/c it's not so thick but I'm anal about being able to see writing through on the other side. I am also a bit annoyed that they refuse to include a chapter on Jammu and Kashmir as they consider it too dangerous to go to, anyway. There is a small section on Ladakh, though. They do have a lot of good historical information on each area as well as general and some good cultural "basics" at the beginning, including information for single women.

I also got Culture Shock India. It's a good overview for a long term stay, but i wasn't quite as impressed as I expected. First, the author is obviously *very* upper class as she deals a lot with hiring multiple live-in servants, social etiquette in Bombay when at parties with the Bollywood crowd, etc. My friend from India is reading it now, and he finds it a rather negative view of India.

So, that's my two cents. I haven't bought Fishlock yet, but if anyone cares, I'll tell ya' bout it when I read it.

--Jyoti
(11 WEEKS!!)

Rob_The_Pom

Lots of people swear by Footprints and the books seem okay.
Despite its weaknesses I still generally find LP the best of the bunch. Its format is accessible, the paper is robust and they update regularly. If you're not interested in the hotel info, just ignore it. I think they are as comprehensive on everything else as any of the other guides.
Rough Guide and Footprints have the same thin paper.
Let's Go guides are generally written by idiots.
Just remember the term 'travel guide' automatically implies information that will help tourists.

The rest of the books discussed on here aren't travel guides, but travel tales, specialist books and the like.

One thing I thought of trying (if you like history) was buying a history book, John Keay's survey of India being perfect; reading it and making notes of all the really interesting sounding places mentioned.

I think Shimla's suggestion is excellent (as usual ), if you have a question, ask here - there are lots of people who live, have travelled and are generally very enthusiastic about India.

Good luck in your search and I hope this helps.

RTP

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renedu

In addition to the guides, I also find it helpful to read some books, by Indian and foreign writers about India. There is that whole (spelling) Darywymple series, as well as lots of new literature - just finishing Bombay Maximum City -also read all the Rohinton Mistry books about the parsis in Mumbai. In addition, great book (forget title) by G. Das on Indian economic development - sounds dry but great perspective on India from dominion to independence to today...For me there is a lot more to it then the logistics in LP and Rough. Between the two I prefer the Rough Guide, I find LP a little thin. I do have both, and fotocopy the sections I need and leave them after they have been used.

Rob_The_Pom

I think you mean India Unbound by Gurcharan Das. I agree with you, an excellent book!



RTP

edwardseco

The best travel guide is...
scholarship. Take 2 or 3 and see how they play out against each. Lighten your load on the other junk and cut out the sections of the books you don't need. The guides have strikingly different opinions so you can involve your judgement with your focus and priorities. I take LP, Rough Guide and Footprints but also have the luxury of a base where I can leave off one if need be..

Jorge Reverter

I'm now reading the last book from the Nobel Prize of indian origin V.S.Naipaul
" Magic Seeds " (2004), really interesting . Most of the book happens in India inside a fictitious terrorist group (something like the naxalites).

ddevadatta

All you need is one guide book. You still need it if you have plans to stay awhile. Helps with sites etc.

In addittion to the other fine books already recommended, I suggest joining in with local groups for conversations, learning, and forging friendships. Expats you find can be a good resource providing you with the lessons they have learned in dealing with culture shock.

Talking about it (I also train in this area btw) you should expect it to happen to you, recognize it when it is taking place, and know that it is manageable and will pass in due time.

Happy trails...

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