{"title":"India Club Staff Picks: November 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur November Staff Picks bring together five distinctive reads spanning literature, spirituality, history, art and everyday Indian culture. From the Himalayas and the world of Indian tea to an imaginative retelling of the Mahabharata, these are books we think are especially worth discovering this month.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"13990-udaipur-the-fabled-city-of-romance","title":"Udaipur - The Fabled City of Romance","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Archana Shankar\u003cbr\u003ePhotographer: Pankaj Rakesh\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Roli Books\u003cbr\u003eYear: 1997\u003cbr\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003ePages: 80\u003cbr\u003eISBN\/UPC (if available): 8174370722\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e Description\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet in the lush Girwa Valley, surrounded by the Aravallis and interspersed with translucent lakes, Udaipur (meaning city of sunrise) is more favored by nature than most of its desert neighbors. It is situated in southern Rajasthan, 430 kilometers from Jaipur, and is a land of lakeside pleasure palaces, rambling hilltop fortresses, luxuriant gardens with fountains and streams, where bards sing of beautiful princesses and epic warriors. Its annals abound with tales of romance, heroism, chivalry and great traditions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUdaipur, Chittor and Bhilwara formed Mewar, the largest erstwhile princely state in Rajasthan and a geographically secluded territory whose distinctive physical features played an important part in shaping its history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaharana Udai Singh II (1536-1572) laid the foundation of Udaipur as the capital of Mewar in 1567, after the final sack of Chittor by the Moghuls. He built Udaipur (named after himself) between the fortresses of Chittor and Kumbhalgarh. Nestling in an enchanting valley with abundant water and formidable natural defenses, Udaipur was a counterpoint to stark Chittor, 111 kilometres away.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The India Club","offers":[{"title":"Archana Shankar \/ Roli Books \/ Paperback","offer_id":40776325005481,"sku":"13990","price":29.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0582\/1048\/4393\/files\/udaipur.png?v=1779127706"},{"product_id":"15343-white-mughals-love-and-betrayal-in-eighteenth-century-india","title":"White Mughals  - Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth Century India","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthor: William Dalrymple\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Penguin\u003cbr\u003eYear: 2002-12-01\u003cbr\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003ePages: 580\u003cbr\u003eISBN\/UPC (if available): 0143030469\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e Description\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhite Mughals is the romantic and ultimately tragic tale of a passionate love affair that transcended all the cultural, religious and political boundaries of its time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJames Achilles Kirkpatrick landed on the shores of eighteenth-century India as an ambitious soldier of the East India Company. Although eager to make his name in the subjection of a nation, it was he who was conquered- not by an army but by an Indian Muslim princess. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKirkpatrick was the British resident at the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad when in 1798 he glimpsed Khair un-Nissa- Most Excellent among Women- the great niece of the Nizam’s Prime Minister. He fell in love with Khair, and overcame many obstacles to marry her – not least of which was the fact that she was locked away in purdah and engaged to a local nobleman. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEventually, while remaining Resident, Kirkpatrick converted to Islam, and according to Indian sources even became a double-agent working for the Hyderabadis against the East India Company.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePossessing all the sweep and resonance of a great nineteenth-century novel, White Mughals, the product of five years writing and research from a variety of previously unused Indian and British primary sources, is a remarkable tale of harem politics, secret assignations, court intrigue, religious disputes and espionage. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt brings to life a unique age almost entirely unexplored in recent times and will undoubtedly be regarded as Dalrymple’s masterpiece.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eREVIEWS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA brilliant and compulsively readable book.\u003cbr\u003e-Salman Rushdie\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmbitious in scope and rich in detail.\u003cbr\u003e-New Yorker\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMoving, wide-ranging and richly textured, Through massive research blessed with serendipity, and through imagination and empathy, Dalrymple has evoked the world of the British in late 18th century India as no one has before, a wonderful book.\u003cbr\u003e-Times Literary Supplement\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContents\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eList of illustrations\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMap: India in 1795\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMap: Hyderabad in 1805\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFamily Tree: The Shushtaris\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFamily Tree: The Kirkpatricks\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDramatis Personae\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgements\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhite Mughals\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGlossary\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNotes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBibliography\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The India Club","offers":[{"title":"William Dalrymple \/ Penguin \/ Paperback","offer_id":40776348860585,"sku":"15343","price":48.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0582\/1048\/4393\/files\/whitemughals.png?v=1779127662"},{"product_id":"29414-the-palace-of-illusions","title":"The Palace of Illusions","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Picador India\u003cbr\u003eYear: 2008\u003cbr\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003ePages: 361\u003cbr\u003eISBN\/UPC (if available): 9780330458535\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e Description\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA bestselling retelling of the Mahabharata through Draupadi's eyes. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni reimagines the epic as a deeply human story of love, power, loyalty and fate.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Palace of Illusions\u003c\/strong\u003e is Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s acclaimed retelling of the Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi, one of the epic’s most compelling figures. From her extraordinary birth and complex bond with Krishna to marriage, motherhood, political intrigue and the devastating consequences of war, Draupadi’s story is reimagined with emotional depth and immediacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDivakaruni transforms the familiar epic into an intimate story of love, ambition, loyalty, jealousy and fate, giving Draupadi a powerful voice at the center of a world shaped largely by men. Richly imagined and deeply human, \u003cem\u003eThe Palace of Illusions\u003c\/em\u003e offers a fresh perspective on one of India’s most enduring stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for the book:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A mythic tale brimming with warriors, magic and treachery.” — \u003cem\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A radiant entree into an ancient mythology… charming and remarkable.” — \u003cem\u003eHouston Chronicle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The India Club","offers":[{"title":"Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni \/ Picador India \/ Paperback","offer_id":40776611233961,"sku":"29414","price":32.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0582\/1048\/4393\/files\/palacechitra.png?v=1780685001"},{"product_id":"25478-a-r-rahman-the-musical-storm","title":"A R Rahman  -  The Musical Storm","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor: Kamini Mathai\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Penguin\/Viking\u003cbr\u003eYear: 2009\u003cbr\u003eLanguage: English\u003cbr\u003ePages: 265\u003cbr\u003eISBN\/UPC (if available): 9780670083718\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e Description\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith his Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA wins for Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman has become an international celebrity: they-re calling him -the Mozart of the East’. In India, however, Rahman has been an iconic superstar for seventeen long years, ever since his first film Roja. Over the past two decades, he has produced unforgettable music for movies like Kadhalan, Bombay, Rangeela, Dil Se, Taal, Alaipayuthey, Zubeidaa, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Jodhaa Akbar, to name only a few, in addition to the stage musical Bombay Dreams and his acclaimed non-film album Vande Mataram.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis name is legend, but what is A.R. Rahman all about? Very few can claim to know the man behind the music. Rahman shies away from the public eye. He is fiercely protective of his privacy, and prefers to be known only through his music. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor the very first time, this book tells A.R. Rahman’s incredible story: the tragic death of his father R.K. Sekhar, a talented music arranger, when Rahman-then Dileep-was nine; Dileep’s desperate efforts as a teenager to keep the family afloat by playing sessions, missing school; his reasons for embracing Islam and turning to Sufism; his ‘discovery’ by Mani Ratnam and his subsequent ascent to fame; his abiding popularity in the new millennium and his constant endeavour to break new ground.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt also takes us straight into Rahman’s inimitable world: the composing and recording sessions that run through the night; his compulsive need to ‘get it right’, which can cause directors to wait months for a song; his continuing fascination whit electronic equipment; his relationship with his mother, his inspiration; and above all his religiosity, which is at the root of his being and his music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased on extensive interviews with Rahman, his family, and those who have worked with him and know him best, this marvelously readable, chatty and anecdotal biography will delight every fan of the man Chennai calls ‘isai puyal’ – the musical storm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContents\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcknowledgements\u003cbr\u003eAuthor’s Note\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOscars\u003cbr\u003eDileep\u003cbr\u003eRoja\u003cbr\u003eBreaking the Rules\u003cbr\u003eThe First Award\u003cbr\u003eBollywood Beginnings\u003cbr\u003eOpening Doors\u003cbr\u003eUnder the Spotlight\u003cbr\u003eFaith\u003cbr\u003eThe Wait\u003cbr\u003eAt Work\u003cbr\u003eAt Home\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiscography\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The India Club","offers":[{"title":"Kamini Mathai \/ Penguin\/Viking \/ Hardcover","offer_id":40789392851113,"sku":"25478","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0582\/1048\/4393\/products\/25478.jpg?v=1625570665"},{"product_id":"hot-tea-across-india","title":"Hot Tea Across India","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor: Rishad Saam Mehta\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher: Tranquebar Press\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear: 2011\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLanguage: English\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePages: 191\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN-13: 9789381626108\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Travel Writing\/Travelogue\/Non-Fiction\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eDescription\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat do a steaming cup of chai, a winding mountain road, a desert sunset, and a chance encounter with a stranger have in common? For travel writer Rishad Saam Mehta, they are all part of the unforgettable experience of exploring India.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eHot Tea Across India\u003c\/em\u003e, Mehta takes readers on a delightful journey across the length and  breadth of the country, from the Himalayas to Kerala, from Rajasthan's deserts to the bustling highways of North India. Along the way, a simple cup of tea becomes the thread that connects stories of adventure, friendship, local culture, unexpected challenges, and memorable characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten with warmth, humor, and a keen eye for detail, this engaging travelogue captures the spirit of India through its roads, landscapes, and people. Whether you are an avid traveler, a tea lover, or an armchair explorer, Hot Tea Across India offers a charming glimpse into the many flavors of India's journeys. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The India Club","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48350468538613,"sku":null,"price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0582\/1048\/4393\/files\/hottea.png?v=1783012205"}],"url":"https:\/\/indiaclub.com\/collections\/india-club-staff-picks-november-2026.oembed","provider":"India Club","version":"1.0","type":"link"}