India s Westernized elite, cut off from local traditions, want to write a full stop in a land where there are no full stops . From that striking insight Mark Tully has woven a superb series of stories which explore Calcutta, from the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (probably the biggest religious festival in the world) to the televising of a Hindu epic. Throughout, he combines analysis of major issues with a feel for the fine texture and human realities of Indian life. The result is a revelation.

'The ten essays, written with clarity, warmth of feeling and critical balance and understanding, provide as lively a view as one can hope for of the panorama of India. K. Natwar-Singh in the Financial Times