It was in 1896-97, that Mark Twain travelled to India, at the height of the British Raj, and wrote about what he saw here.One hundred twenty-five years have followed since Twain undertook the tour of India. Yet, it remains historically significant, courtesy of its unfiltered, firsthand experience-based account of the country. To commemorate 125 years of Twain’s travel to India, the present book has specifically excerpted his reminiscences of India from his work Following the Equator. Though, it becomes almost immediately apparent how dated the language is and how some observations may be totally inappropriate in today's times, but no attempt (barring some minor editing including providing chapter-headings) has been made here to alter Twain's words in any way, believing that it is important not to alter a written document that provides the interested reader with a fascinating account of those times. Twain doesn't always looks kindly on the country that fascinated him but also intrigued him so much and some scholars have questioned his objectivity. Some of the tales of his encounter with India and Hinduism are surely exaggerated and cynical. Yet, being an exceptionally gifted writer (with a keen eye for the non-obvious and a subtle if at times acerbic sense of humour), he makes India come alive in a way that few writers have done. He is also skilled at revealing the ordinary in the midst of all the gala and pageantry. Reading Twain one gets a deeper feeling for all the multi-layered contradictions of human life. In any case, the reader is surely in for a treat, even if he or she may not agree with all of Twain's descriptions and insights. As he admitted honestly that India - as unique and marvellous as she was - was a country that was simply “hard to understand”. Contents: Introduction — Vikas Arya Illustrations I. India: The Land of Dreams and Romance Steamer Rosetta to Bombay—Limes 14 cents a Barrel—Bombay, a Bewitching City—Descriptions of People and Dress—Woman as a Road Decoration—India: The Land of Dreams and Romance—Fourteen Porters to Carry Baggage—Correcting a Servant—Killing a Slave—Arranging a Bedroom—Three Hours’ Work and a Terrible Racket—The Bird of Birds, the Indian Crow II. Bombay as a Kaleidoscope God Vishnu, 108 Names—Change of Titles or Hunting for an Heir—Bombay as a Kaleidoscope—The Native’s Man Servant—Servants’ Recommendations—How Manuel got his Name and his English—Satan—A Visit from God III. The Towers of Silence The Government House at Malabar Point—Mansion of Kumar Shri Samatsin Hji Bahadur—The Indian Princess—A Difficult Game—Wardrobe and Jewels—Ceremonials—Decorations when Leaving—The Towers of Silence—A Funeral IV. Nautch Dancers A Jain Temple—Mr. Roychand’s Bungalow—A Decorated Six-Gun Prince—Human Fireworks—European Dress, Past and Present—Complexions—Advantages with the Zulu—Festivities at the Bungalow—Nautch Dancers—Entrance of the Prince—Address to the Prince V. A Hindoo Betrothal A Hindoo Betrothal, midnight, Sleepers on the ground, Home of the Bride of Twelve Years Dressed as a Boy—Illumination—Nautch Girls—Imitating Snakes—Later—Illuminated Porch Filled with Sleepers—The Plague VI. India First in Everything Murder Trial in Bombay—Confidence Swindlers—Some Specialities of India—The Plague, Juggernaut, Suttee, etc.—Everything on Gigantic Scale—India First in Everything—80 States, more Custom Houses than Cats—Rich Ground for Thug Society VII. Official Thug Book Official Thug Book—Supplies for Traveling, Bedding, and other Freight—Scene at Railway Station—Making Way for White Man—Waiting Passengers, High and Low Caste, Touch in the cars—Our Car—Beds made up—Dreaming of Thugs—Baroda—Meet Friends—Indian Well—The Old Town—Narrow Streets—A Mad Elephant VIII. Elephant Riding Elephant Riding—Howdahs—The New Palace—The Prince’s Excursion—Gold and Silver Artillery—A Vice-royal Visit—Remarkable Dog—The Bench Show—Augustin Daly’s Back Door—Fakeer IX. The Thugs The Thugs—Government Efforts to Exterminate them—Choking a Victim—A Fakeer Spared—Thief Strangled X. A Joy of Hunting Thugs, Continued—Record of Murders—A Joy of Hunting and Killing Men—Gordon Cumming—Killing an Elephant—Family Affection among Thugs—Burial Places XI. The Suttee Starting for Allahabad—Lower Berths in Sleepers—Elderly Ladies have Preference of Berths—An American Lady Takes One Anyhow—How Smythe Lost his Berth—How He Got Even—The Suttee XII. Pyjamas Pyjamas—Day Scene in India—Clothed in a Turban and a Pocket Handkerchief—Land Parceled Out— Established Village Servants—Witches in Families—Hereditary Midwifery—Destruction of Girl Babies—Wedding Display—Tiger-Persuader—Hailstorm Discouragers—The Tyranny of the Sweeper—Elephant Driver—Water Carrier—Curious Rivers—Arrival at Allahabad—English Quarter—Lecture Hall Like a Snowstorm—Private Carriages—A Milliner—Early Morning—The Squatting Servant—A Religious Fair XIII. On the Road to Benares On the Road to Benares—Dust and Waiting—The Bejeweled Crowd—A Native Prince and his Guard—Zenana Lady—The Extremes of Fashion—The Hotel at Benares—An Annex a Mile Away—Doors in India—The Peepul Tree—Warning against Cold Baths—A Strange Fruit—Description of Benares—The Beginning of Creation—Pilgrims to Benares—A Priest with a Good Business Stand—Protestant Missionary—The Trinity Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu—Religion the Business at Benares XIV. Benares: A Religious Temple Benares: A Religious Temple—A Guide for Pilgrims to Save Time in Securing Salvation XV. The Banks of the Ganges A Curious Way to Secure Salvation—The Banks of the Ganges—Architecture Represents Piety—A Trip on the River—Bathers and their Costumes—Drinking the Water— A Scientific Test of the Nasty Purifier— Hindoo Faith in the Ganges—A Cremation—Remembrances of the Suttee—All Life Sacred Except Human Life—The Goddess Bhowanee, and the Sacrificers—Sacred Monkeys—Ugly Idols Everywhere—Two White Minarets—A Great View with a Monkey in it—A Picture on the Water XVI. Dancing in a Sepulchre Still in Benares—Another Living God—Why Things are Wonderful—Sri 108 Utterly Perfect—How He Came so—Our Visit to Sri—A Friendly Deity Exchanging Autographs and Books—Sri’s Pupil—An Interesting Man—Reverence and Irreverence—Dancing in a Sepulchre XVII. The “City of Palaces” Rail to Calcutta—Population—The “City of Palaces”—A Fluted Candle-stick—Ochterlony—Newspaper Correspondence—Average Knowledge of Countries—A Wrong Idea of Chicago—Calcutta and the Black Hole—Description of the Horrors—Those Who Lived—The Botanical Gardens—The Afternoon Turnout— Grand Review—Military Tournament—Excursion on the Hoogly—The Museum—What Winter Means in Calcutta XVIII. The Plains of India On the Road Again—Flannels in Order—Across Country—From Greenland’s Icy Mountain—Swapping Civilization—No Field women in India—How it i in Other Countries—Canvas-covered Cars—The Tiger Country—My First Hunt—Some Wild Elephants Get Away—The Plains of India—The Ghurkas—Women for Pack-Horses—A Substitute for a Cab—Darjeeling—The Hotel—The Highest Thing in the Himalayas— The Club—Kinchinjunga and Mt. Everest—Thibetans—The Prayer Wheel—People Going to the Bazar XIX. Nightingales and Cue Owls On the Road Again—The Hand-Car—A Thirty-five-mile Slide—The Banyan Tree—A Dramatic Performance—The Railroad Loop—The Half-way House—The Brain Fever Bird—The Coppersmith Bird—Nightingales and Cue Owls XX. India: The Land of Wonders India the Most Extraordinary Country on Earth—Nothing Forgotten—The Land of Wonders—Annual Statistics Everywhere about Violence—Tiger vs. Man—A Handsome Fight—Annual Man Killing and Tiger Killing— Other Animals—Snakes—Insurance and Snake Tables—The Cobra Bite—Muzaffurpore—Dinapore—A Train that Stopped for Gossip—Six Hours for Thirty-five Miles—A Rupee to the Engineer—Ninety Miles an Hour—Again to Benares, the Piety Hive—To Lucknow XXI. The Great Mutiny The Great Mutiny—The Massacre in Cawnpore—Terrible Scenes in Lucknow—The Residency—The Siege XXII. The Taj Mahal A Visit to the Residency—Cawnpore—The Adjutant Bird and the Hindoo Corpse—The Taj Mahal—The True Conception—The Ice Storm—True Gems—Syrian Fountains—An Exaggerated Niagara XXIII. In Rajputana To Lahore—The Governor’s Elephant—Taking a Ride—No Danger from Collision—Rawal Pindi—Back to Delhi—An Orientalized Englishman—Monkeys and the Paint-pot—Monkey Crying over my Note-book— Arrival at Jeypore—In Rajputana—Watching Servants—The Jeypore Hotel—Our Old and New Satan—Satan as a Liar—The Museum—A Street Show—Blocks of Houses—A Religious Procession XXIV. A Little Book from Calcutta Methods in American Deaf and Dumb Asylums—Methods in the Public Schools—A Letter from a Youth in Punjab—Highly Educated Service—A Damage to the Country—A Little Book from Calcutta—Writing Poor English—Embarrassed by a Beggar Girl—A Specimen Letter—An Application for Employment—A Calcutta School Examination—Two Samples of Literature About the Author: Mark Twain, pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, is one of America’s best and most beloved writers. Born November 30, 1835 in Florida, Mark Twain “came in with the comet” and as he predicted 'went out with the comet” passing April 21, 1910, the day after Halley’s Comet. Twain will always be remembered first and foremost as a humorist, but he was a great deal more—a public moralist, popular entertainer, political philosopher, travel writer, and novelist. He acquired international fame for his travel narratives, especially The Innocents Abroad (1869), Roughing It (1872), and Life on the Mississippi (1883), and for his adventure stories of boyhood, especially The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). “A gifted raconteur, distinctive humorist, and irascible moralist”, he transcended the apparent limitations of his origins to become a popular public and literary figure. His popularity is not only due to the memorable characters he created and his witty insights into social life, but also because of the manner in which he used humour and satire to comment incisively on serious topics like race relations, the Civil War, religion, imperialism and public education.