Mumbai 1863 A Contemporary Narrative

'As a record of Mumbai's nineteenth-century history, as a text of urban consciousness, Mumbaiche Varnan is superb... a striking feature of Govind Narayan's book is its unalloyed enthusiasm for the city. As he moves from topic to topic, now describing its urban form and then sketching its social architecture, a strong undercurrent of admiration for the city runs through the text.' Gyan Prakash, from his Foreword The expansion of Mumbai over the last four centuries has been documented in great detail by both contemporary writers and historians. The change of name from Bombay to Mumbai on the eve of the twenty-first century has produced a renewed interest in the city and its people. However, this publication offers an alternative, unique and authentic voice. Quite simply, it is a book about the city like no other. Govind Narayan's Mumbaiche Varnan was the first full account of Bombay in any language, written just before the explosive growth and renovation of the city. Guiding the reader on a tour of the sights and sounds of an emerging city struggling to shake off colonialism and wrestling with the formation of its own budding identity, Narayan's beguiling book offers descriptions of Mumbai's daily life, its people and its institutions: the parts of the whole that come together to create this diverse and vivacious place. In addition to a detailed structural overview, the author provides a ground level account of the street life and market places rife with gambling and criminal activity. In every sense, this valuable text is a rare and enthralling glimpse into a fascinating period and place otherwise lost to time. Govind Narayan's Mumbai, translated into English for the first time, is essential reading for anyone interested in the city. Fully illustrated and with a detailed glossary and biography of the author, this remarkable historical document will prove particularly valuable to students of South Asian and Indian history. Govind Narayan (18151865) was a native of Goa and came to Mumbai in 1824. He soon established himself as one of the leading authors of his age. Murali Ranganathan lives and works in Mumbai. After having worked in various jobs, Murali turned to research. Govind Narayan's Mumbai is his first publication. Gyan Prakash is Professor of History at Princeton University. Anthem South Asian Studies Anthem South Asian Studies provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the region, past and present.Ranganathan, Murali is the author of 'Mumbai 1863 A Contemporary Narrative', published 2007 under ISBN 9781843312772 and ISBN 1843312778.