Customer Reviews

India: A Celebration of Independence, 1947 to 1997

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Through the ages human beings have strived to record moments for posterity. This book is one in that chain and records brilliantly the beauty of the fleeting moment. Enjoy it is worth every cent of its price.

In the United States, diversity is now loudly and emphatically promoted. It is an integral part of the educational, business and political landscapes, worn as a badge of achievement and regularly mentioned in press releases. At times, it seems that people in the United States are acting as if they invented the concept.

Which is no doubt surprising to people in the ancient state of India. Not only are there an enormous number of different ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, but they are also extremely intermingled. It is the point of origin of several major world religions and is the world's largest democracy. This diversity has not been all positive, when India gained her independence from Britain in 1947; the sectarian riots were ghastly. Millions were displaced and it is believed that hundreds of thousands of people were killed by their fellow Indians.

This book is largely a photographic record of the years since India's independence. You see the squalor, wealth, diversity and optimism that is the essence of the Indian people. Modernity coexists with the ancient ways; there are pictures of oxcarts and nuclear reactors. Mothers in traditional dress stand next to daughters dressed in modern Western attire in upscale apartments. People are performing physical work in deserts and there are slums that look so squalid you can almost smell the stench exuding from the pages.

The term economic miracle is one that can be applied to India. Despite all of the difficulties since independence: wars, famine and civil strife, India has risen to the status of strong economic power. In these images you can see how difficult that struggle has been and appreciate the size of the accomplishments of the Indian nation.