I bought this book with a very different concept from what the book actually is in mind. I thought it would be excerpts and essays from prominent British administrators who ruled this land and fell in love with it. Maybe some 19th century Governor-General or Pre-Curzon Viceroy or some Aide-de-camp who was enamoured of the people or the culture or the variegated terrain or the monumental architecture.
What it is however, is a series of rather dated articles for the now out-of-publication “Illustrated Weekly” written by an odd assemblage of full or part Indophiles, most friends of the then editor of the Illustrated Weekly the late Mr. Khushwant Singh. All the contributors came to India during the fag end of the “Raj”, some choosing to stay back, for various periods of time, after Independence.
I didn’t find the articles path-breaking or truly engrossing. There were the usual platitudes and standard statements of love, respect and brotherhood. However, there were a few little gems hidden here and there that warmed my heart or simply brought the period to life.
It’s a small book and while it isn’t “must read” literature, it is worth going through once if you get your hands on it.
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About hbhatnagar
I need to fill this up with much better content than I had populated it with earlier. Why I write a blog maybe? I started blogging in 2009 or thereabouts. I was a newly turned atheist and wanted to converse with others of the same persuasion. We're not exactly a big population group in India! It didn't go very well and I sort of lost interest, posting a few things now and then.
I got a lot more regular over the last few months and have been posting almost daily since February '15. There were many reasons why I gradually became more regular in posting, but one way or the other, here I am! So this blog has taken shape, being at different points in time my showcase, my comedy club, my art gallery, my book club, my therapist, my close friend, my innermost self....but always my little corner of the world. You are all welcome to visit and I hope you stay awhile!
A few points about me because I don't want to lead anyone on(and trust me this does become an issue more often than I'd care to admit).
I'm Indian, the brown-skinned variety; if race, ethnicity or skin colour is an issue, you don't have to get to know me any more than what you see on my blog.
I'm 40, so if age is an issue, please be informed accordingly.
I was a doctor, an ophthalmic surgeon for 10 years before I quit practice.
hbhatnagar 
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