The arrival of Vasco da Gama on the western coast of India; near Calicut; on 27 May 1498; heralded the restoration of Europe’s links with the subcontinent after an interval of almost eight centuries. With his landing; India became accessible to Portuguese conquistadors; traders; travellers; scholars and clergymen. The sixteenth century could; in a sense; be termed the Portuguese century; for no European power could challenge its mastery of the sea route to India. The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 by Holland and England; however; signaled the end of this monopoly and in 1595; the first Dutch fleet entered the Indian Ocean. In the seventeenth century; the Dutch; with their British camp followers; seriously undermined the Portuguese. The French also entered the Indian trade in the second half of this century. While several Portuguese accounts of India in the sixteenth century are available; for the seventeenth century; we also have the writings of travellers; scholars and missionaries from the latter three countries. Additionally; Jesuits of various nationalities wrote regular letters to home; providing valuable information on facets of Indian life; albeit tempered by their religious bias. This volume confines itself to European writings of sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It does not claim to be exhaustive but presents glimpses of the Indian reality as recorded by contemporary European visitors. Only English translations have been used. A sizeable number of accounts in European languages still await translation. Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac by Honoré de Balzac: In this collection, Honoré de Balzac presents a selection of his acclaimed short stories, showcasing his incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. With its rich language and engaging narratives, this book is a must-read for fans of classical literature. Key Aspects of the Book "Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac": Collection of Short Stories: The book features a collection of acclaimed short stories by Honoré de Balzac. Vivid Storytelling and Character Development: The stories showcase Balzac's incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. Useful for Literature Enthusiasts: The book is useful for fans of classical literature and those interested in the works of Balzac. Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of Western literature. His book, Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac, is highly regarded for its captivating storytelling and rich language.

An account of the grandeur of ancient India as perceived by her foreign visitors from hoary times; and their wonder at her rich philosophical efflorescence and material abundance. The foreigners marvelled at the deep spiritual convictions that allowed yogis and widows to ascend a burning pyre without murmur; the social harmony of myriad tribes and castes; and above all; the common culture and love of justice permeating and binding all in seamless unity. Beginning with the Greeks and especially those who accompanied Alexander; these accounts comprise our first records into the social; moral; legal; and economic life of the Indian people; and the early development of the civilisational paradigm of dharma; artha; kama and moksa. The rise of Christianity pushed Europe into a cocoon. Thereafter; Buddhist pilgrims from China traversed the land between the fourth and the eighth centuries; visiting the major monasteries and sites associated with the Buddha; and left interesting memoirs behind. This uninhibited intellectual and spiritual exploration of India’s Sanskritic or Indic culture ended abruptly with the rise of Islam in Arabia in the seventh century; and its outward thrust into Europe; north Africa; Central Asia and the Indian sub-continent; where it fought to establish political and religious supremacy. Possibly the last Buddhist monk to take the land route to India was the Korean pilgrim Hye Ch’O; who arrived as the armies of Islam began cutting through Central Asia… Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac by Honoré de Balzac: In this collection, Honoré de Balzac presents a selection of his acclaimed short stories, showcasing his incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. With its rich language and engaging narratives, this book is a must-read for fans of classical literature. Key Aspects of the Book "Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac": Collection of Short Stories: The book features a collection of acclaimed short stories by Honoré de Balzac. Vivid Storytelling and Character Development: The stories showcase Balzac's incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. Useful for Literature Enthusiasts: The book is useful for fans of classical literature and those interested in the works of Balzac. Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of Western literature. His book, Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac, is highly regarded for its captivating storytelling and rich language.

The classical accounts of Greek and Roman writers; and subsequently; the works of Chinese pilgrims portrayed the splendour of civilization in ancient India. By the seventh century; the world scenario had altered significantly with the advent of Islam and the attendant era of Arab expansion. The age of Arab travellers; geographers; merchants and historians commenced with the Islamic ascendancy. India was then at a high point in her intellectual and cultural attainments. The Arabs transmitted knowledge of Indian numerals; mathematics; philosophy and logic; mysticism; ethics; statecraft; military science; medicine; astronomy and astrology to the outside world. Arab travellers described the grandeur and wealth of the kings of India; singling out for special mention the Palas; the Gurjara Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas. Politically; while north India was being subjected to Arab and Turkish invasions which culminated in the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate in A.D. 1206; the south moved on a different trajectory. In the last quarter of the tenth century; the mighty Cholas on the Coromandel Coast replaced the Rashtrakutas as the paramount kings of India. By A.D. 1200; the Chola kingdom had withered away. In A.D. 1336; was established the Vijayanagar kingdom; which stood as a bulwark against Muslim attacks from the north for over two centuries. Meanwhile; several European missions and missionaries undertook the journey to China; visiting India en route; or on their return journey. European merchants took advantage of the land routes opened by the Mongol conquests and some of them managed to visit India. Besides the works of European travellers; traders and merchants; several Chinese accounts of India are also available from the twelfth century. Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac by Honoré de Balzac: In this collection, Honoré de Balzac presents a selection of his acclaimed short stories, showcasing his incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. With its rich language and engaging narratives, this book is a must-read for fans of classical literature. Key Aspects of the Book "Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac": Collection of Short Stories: The book features a collection of acclaimed short stories by Honoré de Balzac. Vivid Storytelling and Character Development: The stories showcase Balzac's incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. Useful for Literature Enthusiasts: The book is useful for fans of classical literature and those interested in the works of Balzac. Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of Western literature. His book, Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac, is highly regarded for its captivating storytelling and rich language.

Today, the majority of the world's population lives in a country with falling marriage rates, a phenomenon with profound impacts on women, gender, and sexuality. In this exceptionally crafted ethnography, Sarah Lamb probes the gendered trend of single women in India, examining what makes living outside of marriage for women increasingly possible and yet incredibly challenging. Featuring the stories of never-married women as young as 35 and as old as 92, this book offers a remarkable portrait of a way of life experienced by women across class and caste divides. For women in India, complex social-cultural and political-economic contexts are foundational to their lives and decisions, and remaining unmarried is often an unintended consequence of other pressing life priorities. Arguing that never-married women are able to illuminate their society's broader social-cultural values, Lamb offers a new and startling look at prevailing systems in India today. "This pathbreaking book offers a vital analysis of the rising but unrecognized category of single women in a marriage-minded society such as India. Through beautifully rendered and diverse stories, Sarah Lamb challenges conventional wisdom." -MARCIA C. INHORN, William K. Lanman, Jr. Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, Yale University "For fans of Lamb's evocative narratives on Bengali widows, her new book provides another rich look at the negative space of marriage: the rare demographic of single women in Bengal across class and caste." -SRIMATI BASU, author of The Trouble with Marriage: Feminists Confront Law and Violence in India "This lively ethnographic account makes several key contributions to feminist anthropological appraisals of marriage as an institution. Lamb renders a compelling, detailed, and sensitive portrait of compulsory heterosexuality and patriliny as seen from the margins." -LUCINDA RAMBERG, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Cornell University.