HT Picks; New Reads

On the reading list this week is a part travelogue, part food guide that spans over 40 Indian cities, a volume that examines the historical significance of five pivotal agreements signed by India since Independence, and a novel, translated from the original Marathi, that presents a stinging commentary on the moral decrepitude that ails India

A paean to India’s street-food hubs

This week’s pick of interesting reads includes a travelogue that’s also a street food guide, a volume that looks at the significance of five international agreements signed by India since 1947, and a novel that comments on the moral decrepitude of contemporary India. (Akash Shrivastav)

312pp, ₹395; Rupa (A part travelogue, part food guide that spans over 40 Indian cities)

Imagine the joy of tasting fried mussels on Kozhikode beach, of being awash in nostalgia as you eat a kachori in a 100-year-old Allahabad institution, eating singhara at a shop without a name and wondering how it became quite so famous, falling under the spell of the Dal Lake as you tuck into skewers of tujh, grilled over coals…

Bazaar Bites takes you on a journey through India’s most vibrant street-food hubs and their delicious and diverse offerings. Part travelogue, part food guide, this book, spanning over 40 Indian cities, also presents master vendors of street food, many of whom have been practising their craft over generations, and tells the captivating story of their passion, dedication and resilience.*

Strategic decisions that define Indian foreign policy

400pp, ₹999; Penguin (An examination of the historical significance of five pivotal agreements signed by India since Independence)

Negotiating India’s Landmark Agreements is a rigorous examination of the historical significance and diplomatic intricacies of five pivotal agreements signed by India since Independence. It walks readers through the India-China Agreement on Tibet (1954), the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation (1971), the Simla Agreement (1972), the India-Sri Lanka Accord (1987), and the India-United States Civil Nuclear Energy Agreement (2008).

By dissecting the prevailing political, economic, and social dimensions that underpinned these accords, it provides readers a profound understanding of the long-term impact of these crucial negotiations and documents often ignored in other histories. Through meticulous research and in-depth analysis, author AS Bhasin narrates the gripping story of how these treaties shaped India’s international relations and contributed to the broader contours of global diplomacy. His book not only illuminates India’s evolving role on the world stage but also offers a novel perspective on the complexities of international affairs and statecraft.

Negotiating India’s Landmark Agreements is an indispensable guide to deciphering the strategic decisions that have defined Indian foreign policy, while also serving as a valuable resource for academics, researchers, and practitioners in the field of international relations. It is a critical addition to the study of diplomacy, offering insights that are both compelling and essential for a deeper comprehension of global affairs.*

Part social satire, part fable

164pp, ₹399; Westland (A novel, translated from the original Marathi, that presents a stinging commentary on the moral decrepitude that ails India)

The ‘dalal’ or middleman acts as a catalyst. He rides pillion on the two-wheeler of a person who dreams of owning a four-wheeler. This institution of dalals has an ancient history, and Langdya is living proof of its continuity.

Young Pitambar is known in the village as ‘Langdya’ because one of his legs is shorter than the other. Each day, he reluctantly limps his way to a ramshackle school to please his unlettered father. While his heart is not in studies, his eyes are on the Maths teacher, Gengage’s wife. Langdya is looking for a formula to get rich by climbing the ranks in the school of life. Chancing upon the secret affair between the school principal and the music teacher, and using the magic wand of blackmail, he finds his way to the local politician’s office, landing a henchman’s job. Next step, he is on a fast-track to the Mantralaya in Mumbai. He is egged on and counselled by Latthya the tomcat, whose language he inexplicably understands. Latthya, no less a fixer than Langdya, comes from a community of cats that is a sucker for gossip and local politics.

Part social satire, part fable, Shrikant Bojewar’s One and Three Quarters is a stinging commentary on the moral decrepitude that ails India and the curious workings of its sociopolitical machinery.*

All copy from book flap.