Description

Banaras, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Lucknow ... cities all, sharing certain characteristics, and yet so unlike each other. Cities are like the people they hold—loved and unloved, likely to attract some and repel others. Each has a character of its own: some are laidback, others more vibrant; a few have witnessed and endured a lot, others appear to have had a relatively mundane existence. The city has a long history in India—from the urban civilization of the Indus Valley in 2500 BCE to the megalopolis found in contemporary India. Taking the reader through an alluring maze of streets, lanes, memories, and much more, the writings in this volume allow her to gaze at the mosaic and imaginary of the city, look back at the city in colonial India, and reflect on the city and its streets as a work of architecture.  Together with its companion volume, Making and Unmaking the City—Politics, Culture, and Life Forms, this collection pays tribute to the modern Indian city. A bouquet of writings from across the genres of poetry, short stories, essays, and social commentaries, The Oxford Anthology of the Modern Indian City will be an interesting addition to every booklover’s shelf.