Books on Delhi

When travelling, books can be great companions. Usually before going to a new place knowing its history and culture helps me enjoy the city even more as I can relate to its day to day life. If you are coming to Delhi for the first time, I recommend the following contemporary reading list for a book lover, all by authors who have lived and cherished the city for many years. A mix of fiction, facts, geography and poetry- find Delhi’s best stories in here.

City of Djinns : a beautiful and detailed travelogue by William Dalrymple written as a result of his six-year stay in Delhi! Drowning in wit, he uncovers the many layers of Delhi's centuries old history, revealing extraordinary characters -from eunuchs to descendants of great Moguls. Fascinating and every bit detailed, you really won't be able to put this book down!

Perpetual city: Delhi has been the capital to many empires and this once upon a time small settlement, founded in the lee of an ancient range of hills in eighth century has become one of the world’s great cities, home to nearly twenty million people, and has witnessed the rise and fall of empires and dynasties. Malvika Singh’s knowledge of the city where she has spent most of her life in, reveals the essence of Delhi through the memorable people who lived in it, its monumental buildings, its delicious food and timeless music.

Delhi : This book is Khushwant Singh's vast and erotic saga on the city of Delhi. The principal narrator of the story travels through time, space and history to 'discover' his beloved city. The narrator meets a myriad of people-poets and princes, saints and sultans, temptresses and traitors, emperors and eunuchs - who have shaped and endowed Delhi. On his epic journey we find the city of emperors transformed and immortalized in our minds for ever.

Land of the seven rivers : The history of any country begins with its geography. Witty and intelligent, the author sets off to explore India and looks at the country’s history to analyse what shaped its rivers, mountains and cities. Travelling through mountain passes, visiting ancient archaeological sites, crossing rivers and immersing himself in old records and manuscripts, he considers questions that we might have never risen about our own country.