India Treasures: A Novel of Rajasthan and Northern India Through the Ages [B1955]

2001 PB in nice clean condition, by OUUC member and author, Gary Worthington. India Treasures is a monumental work of fiction covering the sweep of Indian history. A search through palaces and a maze-like fortress for a Maharaja's legendary hidden treasure weaves together stories of danger and romance, and of spiritual and artistic triumphs. The book portrays key historical persons and events in the nation's religious, cultural, and political evolution. Readers will experience meeting the Buddha; being lost in the Great Indian Desert with a caravan merchant; riding an elephant into battle with the famous Emperor Ashoka; painting a celebrated mural masterpiece with a medieval artist; joining a lovely princess as she defies her powerful father for the enemy king whom she loves; transcending life's trials as a disciple of a great Sufi saint; sharing the perils of a noble Muslim family targeted by a hostile Sultan; and matching wits with the mighty Mughal Emperor Akbar.

India Treasures and its sequel India Fortures bring alive Inida's rich history and culture, from ancient times through Independence. The novellas are linked by the treasure hunt through the immense fortress of Mangarh by government tax raiders during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's suspension of civil liberties in the mid-1970s. Vijay Singh, the capable and conscientious leader of the searchers, battles a corrupt political boss who imprisons the Maharaja of Mangarh and preys on the lovely princess Kaushalya. Vijay fears that in Mangarh his secret may be exposed: he claims to be of the high Rajput caste, but in fact he is an Untouchable from a nearby village. The book includes a Reading Group Discussion Guide and an extensive Glossary.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "I ordered India Treasures and the sequel (Fortunes) just before departing for India, but only Treasures arrived in time. The book is set in the very area in which I had planned to visit; and combines short stories set in various eras beginning with 1500 BC, and intersperses them with a longer story set in 1975 while Indira Ghandi was in power. The short stories introduced me to the various civilizations, cultures, and religions that dominated at the time, and the longer story gave me more insights into today's politics and social life. Because the stories all had relevance to the places I visited during my post-work tour they greatly enriched my experience. As to quality of writing, I agree with all of the four and five star reviews - I was totally absorbed by the author's readable style. Shortly after boarding the return flight home I reached the end of Treasures and really regretted that I didn't have the sequel so I could keep on reading."; "I bought this book because I needed help in comprehending the history of northern India (especially Rajasthan) before making a trip there. This book filled the bill. It provided a humanized framework that helped me make sense of the region's long history, which I was reading in more scholarly sources. It is an enjoyable read, and it will help you understand both ancient and modern India."; "I bought this book to read while we were traveling in India. It was really fun - an interesting view of India's history. I learned a lot of interesting new things - that Buddhism and Jainnism rose from the same city, the corruption and fear that came from the Indira Gandhi reign and the personal stories of maharaja's decline from power and wealth. Great book and a great experience to read it in the country itself."