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A review by tbr_the_unconquered
Around India in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh
3.0
Travel could perhaps be labelled 'the most addictive activity' for me. But not the tried and worn down places and views for me, it always is a whiff of fresh air for me to be seeing life lived out at places that I haven't been to before. There have always been day dreams of travelling across Europe or the middle east but the most alluring place has always been India for me. On one particularly long wait at an airport, this book with such a curious title chanced upon me and I became friends with it.
The concept of the book is pretty fun to explore : An Indian born Brit - Monisha embarks on a trip across the country on 80 trains that covers the span from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (the northern and southernmost tips of India). Along with her is a 'militant-atheist' photographer who is called passepartout (I remember his real name being mentioned in the beginning but now that part is all foggy !). Their endurance and passion for life is what gives color to this whole travelogue. India's trains are notorious for their punctuality. A friend of mine once wondrously told me while on a visit to Germany that passengers of a train were exasperated when it was late by three minutes ! Trust me, I have known trains that have run three days late in India was what my friend remarked then. This would give you a real picture of how things would have been for our passengers. They however take things in the stride and have a load of fun across these trains. There aren't too many new things in the book for a travelogue. What it does bring forth is the element of fun that these folks get to have. The tone alternates between that of a dispassionate observer and an involved enthusiast and that gives the travelogue a human touch. In all, it is a fun filled package.
Coincidentally by the time I finished the last page of this book, I touched down on American soil ! :)
The concept of the book is pretty fun to explore : An Indian born Brit - Monisha embarks on a trip across the country on 80 trains that covers the span from Kashmir to Kanyakumari (the northern and southernmost tips of India). Along with her is a 'militant-atheist' photographer who is called passepartout (I remember his real name being mentioned in the beginning but now that part is all foggy !). Their endurance and passion for life is what gives color to this whole travelogue. India's trains are notorious for their punctuality. A friend of mine once wondrously told me while on a visit to Germany that passengers of a train were exasperated when it was late by three minutes ! Trust me, I have known trains that have run three days late in India was what my friend remarked then. This would give you a real picture of how things would have been for our passengers. They however take things in the stride and have a load of fun across these trains. There aren't too many new things in the book for a travelogue. What it does bring forth is the element of fun that these folks get to have. The tone alternates between that of a dispassionate observer and an involved enthusiast and that gives the travelogue a human touch. In all, it is a fun filled package.
Coincidentally by the time I finished the last page of this book, I touched down on American soil ! :)