Memories of Belonging: Images from the Colony and Beyond

Book Details:

• Publisher: Niyogi Books

• Author: Malavika Karlekar

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 228

• Release Date: 01-01-2014

• ISBN: 9789383098590

About the Book:

"Memories of Belonging" is a unique collection of musings on over a century and a half of India’s history, captured through the lens of visual media such as photographs, lithographs, paintings, and cartoons. The book integrates these visuals with intriguing narratives to offer a fresh perspective on India’s past. Rather than following the conventional narrative of political and economic dominance, the author focuses on vignettes that offer glimpses of the colonial state through institutions, people, and unusual choices.

The book is divided into three parts:

• The first section sets the stage for the colonial era, highlighting aspects that are often overlooked in traditional history.

• The second section takes readers on a whimsical journey across India, offering new insights into its history.

• The final section examines the modes of travel used by people over the years, from the Palki to the railways, providing a fascinating look at how travel has evolved throughout the colonial and post-colonial period.

With a writing style that is accessible and engaging, and accompanied by well-chosen visuals, this book invites readers to explore colonial India and its more recent past, offering interesting and often little-known facts.

About the Author:
Malavika Karlekar is a distinguished academic, researcher, and curator with expertise in archival photography. She has held positions as a university teacher, researcher, and editor and has curated numerous exhibitions, including Re-presenting Indian Women: 1875-1947: A Visual Documentary. Dr. Karlekar is the co-editor of the Indian Journal of Gender Studies and has written extensively on photography in Indian history. She lives in New Delhi and Ramgarh (Kumaon) with her husband and four dogs, and is an avid gardener.