Anuradha Kumar

A lot has been written about people who came to India at various times in history, but not enough about those who went from here to strange and surprising foreign lands. Way before trains and planes, speed and luxury, these intrepid globetrotters from India braved stormy seas and traversed hostile territories, documenting their travels and travails in detailed and often amusing accounts. Anuradha Kumar’s Across the Seven Seas brings together 14 dramatic accounts of Indian travellers from the 18th and 19th centuries, giving a vivid view of the world as it was then. These are stories of exploration and adventure, wonderment and acceptance. These are tales of great opportunities and tragic failures. These are chronicles of daring and discovery. You will marvel at the Mughal emperor’s emissary to the British king; the scientific genius who studied the power of steam; the army camp follower who became the master of ‘shampooing’; the legal eagle who was the first Indian woman to study law abroad; and the yogi who took the crowds by storm… These are the stories of travellers who traced pioneering routes to England, Italy, Turkey, Russia, America, China and more, all at a time of revolutionary technological advances, pervasive colonialism and amazing journeys...