num_pages: 528
description: Now appearing in its second, revised and enlarged edition, THE GRAND TRUNK ROAD FROM THE FRONT SEAT tackles, in an epic sweep, THE route of this ancient thoroughfare across the face of the Indian subcontinent.The Grand Trunk Road, the chief thoroughfare of the northern Indian Subcontinent, is the focus of this book. The author, after considering the Road’s relative obscurity, decides that first-hand experience is the best way to discover it.The GTR trek begins in Calcutta. While the huge metropolis is celebrated and mulled over, aspects of the journey are examined. The magnetism of the Road soon draws me (the author) across the Hooghly, and the journey begins at the Great Banyan Tree in the Botanical Gardens.After the intensity of Howrah, the Road enters the beautiful Bengali countryside. Encounters and conversations with fellow travellers, and people along the way, appear regularly throughout the book. At Burdwan, the Road’s bucolic nature is felt. A group of students, engaging in lively discussion, guide me through the university and the town. We witness a funeral for a recently slain political leader.On to Bihar - the much-maligned state which is often dismissed as a scenario for disaster. The compelling Bihari countryside observed, and its people contemplated. The crossing of the great river Son. At Sasaram, a windy rickshaw ride to the tomb of the Road’s ‘godfather’, Sher Shah. Hitchhiking is attempted, but soon abandoned in favour of an extremely crowded bus. Initial rigours give way to pleasant experience. The passengers are welcoming, and a sense of community forms.At Varanasi, the protean city is experienced as it is. Lanes, temples, mosques, and ghats. High noon in the hot season; the vast river scene is nearly deserted. Then, the great bridge which carries the railway and the GTR across the Ganga. In the moody evening, at the burning ghat, the author tries to sneak a photo of the scene, only to be caught and cross-examined by the crew on watch. A traumatic incident turns into an edifying experience when the author and his accuser have a deep discussion.On the Road again, aboard an express bus to Allahabad. The GTR’s rhythm felt. Allahabad, the ‘VIP’ city, reveals its river, streets and inhabitants with a contemplative air.From the front seat of a public bus, the wide-open Road leads to Kanpur in grand style. A most consummate stretch of the GTR. The absurdity of a Kanpur hotel. Half-forgotten sites of the crisis of 1857. An oafish taxi-driver.After a hot night, back on the Road, this time to Aligarh. A fine passage in an ultra-crowded bus. However, the bus breaks down. Hitchhiking. Picked up by a lorry from Assam. Stop at a dhaba, but return to bus transport after seeing the driver indulge in recreational drugs.Front seat ride to Delhi. In the capital, examine the wry humour of the streets, the opinions of friends, old and new, and the Delhi Durbars reconsidered.Heading north through Haryana. The poetics of the Road. Mahabharata country. Diversions to Patiala and Chandigarh. The state of the Punjab discussed. Where politics and personalities are compelling, fascinating.Crossing over to Pakistan. The Islamic Republic compared to India. Lahore at dawn. The characters at our lodgings at Cathedral Close. Wandering down Anarkali bazaar to the Mughal monuments, the third Red Fort, and the Old City.Onward to grand old Rawalpindi, the new capital of Islamabad, and the Raj-era hill station of Murree. The singularity of the upper Punjab, and an appreciation of its virtues.At Attock, an exciting crossing of the Indus. Peshawar’s treasures at the end of the Grand Trunk Road. Within sight of the Khyber Pass, another university, and more knowledgeable students. Farewell to the GTR.An overview of the whole Road ends the book, in the form of a poetic flight back over its entire length.
language: English
title: The Grand Trunk Road From The Front Seat
titlecomplete: The Grand Trunk Road From The Front Seat
ratings_count: 4
publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India