3 Review(s)

In a picturesque collection of 13 essays, Shubhadeep Roy describes his year-long tour of India, encompassing the idyllic villages of Nagaland to the innately Indian celebrations of Mahashivratri in Gokarna. The Country Within celebrates India in a congress of photographs and memoir-styled writing which takes readers on a colourful tour of the country. Summary of the Book India is known for several festivals, Diwali and Vijayadashami amongst the foremost of them. However the full flavour of India and all it means to be Indian is only brought out by experiencing the myriad other festivals in tow, experiencing them as they were meant to be experienced, in the places that know how to celebrate life, love, religion and culture. Photographs and essays are juxtaposed to bring a colourful description of India in all her glory in this book which details the photographer's twelve month tour. In a journey spanning over 45,000 km, Shubhadeep Roy describes his adventures in the blissful villages of Nagaland to the barren yet glorious expanse of the Himalayas, where communication with the outer world is still non-existent. He watches in awe as men parade as tigers albeit with a staunch pot-belly that toasts the Indian nature of eating well. His images put colour to his descriptions as he takes readers alongside him, into Kerala, Odisha, Karnataka and West Bengal, exploring what it means to be Indian. From experiencing Ramadan with those who know it best to Kangdali in Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, Roy's journey brings readers to a satisfying destination of their own. About Shubhadeep Roy Shubhadeep Roy is an Indian photographer. A graduate of IIT Kharagpur and IIM Calcutta, Roy worked for a few years as an analyst and consultant before entering the world of photography like he always wanted to. Mixing documentary and candid photography, his work has won international acclaim and several of his collections have been published by the UNESCO. Besides photography, he also enjoys theatre and cinema.