On how the best travel writing refuses the aerial view — and why the cup of tea, the beer glass, the man with two names, and the ginger cat do what no landscape description can
I went down some of the rabbit holes and came up with this.
"Come for the other India. The one that despite the best efforts of the bigoted, lives on with a welcoming smile. In the proffer of a cup of tea that will warm you inside and out. "
Thanks for exposing us to a variety of travel writers.Reading your articles on writing, it feels lke we are attending a writing course free of cost and learning much.
I was reminded of the Malayalam writer SK Pottekkat, one of the earliest travel writers in India,whose African sojourns were well read.His writings were rich with the geography and history of the places he visited and how he arrived at them. It was information and travel experience woven together.
However in the digital age we live in, travel writing has to have a different sensibility, that which cannot be had at the click of a button, less of information and more of human interaction.
Pottekat was, and remains, a favorite. His travel pieces, and also the sense of place he brings to Oru Theruvinte Katha and Oru Deshathinte Kadha. So many examples to learn from in Malayalam literature actually -- Mukundettan with his Mayyazhipuzha and Delhi chronicles is another name that comes to mind, for the same reasons as Pottekat.
Thank you for such a thoughtful response, Prem! Excellent insights. I have bookmarked all the essays you referenced - I am sure reading them now, with your notes, will be an education.
I have that site permanently bookmarked -- either to check for what is new, or to just re-read earlier dispatches because I keep finding new ideas, lessons, in those. Happy reading.
Morning well spent sipping a cup of Sri Lankan Earl Grey tea and reading your essay on Travel writing. I wish I had read it earlier. Or, known the craft of looking at a place through an object, a person or a cuisine. Though this trait comes to me subconsciously, after reading your piece - I am aware, now!
Prem, every piece that you write contains within a reading list that is enough to consume two weekends. I learnt so much from just one of your writing workshops and this series is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge and learnings on the subject. I keep trying in my own small way to learn and incorporate what I learn into my writing. Thank you for sharing your craft with all of us. We are all better off for it.
That is how you learn, no? At least, that is how I do: read a piece and if it appeals beyond the content itself, try to break it down and see what it is about the piece that makes it work. I scribble those thoughts down, and save the link, for when I want to refresh my memory. Glad it is helping. As for learning in small ways -- that is the whole point, to learn 0.1% today, which is that much more than we knew yesterday, no? Cheers, enjoy writing. And reading.
I set out, long long ago, to be a travel writer. I thought I would escape, because I sought escape from my then circumstances, and get paid for it too. But I ended up learning things and did not want to escape so much at all. This is a lovely piece, again.
:-) You don't have to be a "travel writer" -- you can still write of your travels, as and when, because each one of us has our own perspective on lands that we, and others, have travelled. Thanks for reading, Nadika
I went down some of the rabbit holes and came up with this.
"Come for the other India. The one that despite the best efforts of the bigoted, lives on with a welcoming smile. In the proffer of a cup of tea that will warm you inside and out. "
Thank you.
Thanks, Rakhi -- that one, written in the moment, somehow came out the way I wanted it to, the point I wanted to make, in that particular time.
Thanks for exposing us to a variety of travel writers.Reading your articles on writing, it feels lke we are attending a writing course free of cost and learning much.
I was reminded of the Malayalam writer SK Pottekkat, one of the earliest travel writers in India,whose African sojourns were well read.His writings were rich with the geography and history of the places he visited and how he arrived at them. It was information and travel experience woven together.
However in the digital age we live in, travel writing has to have a different sensibility, that which cannot be had at the click of a button, less of information and more of human interaction.
Pottekat was, and remains, a favorite. His travel pieces, and also the sense of place he brings to Oru Theruvinte Katha and Oru Deshathinte Kadha. So many examples to learn from in Malayalam literature actually -- Mukundettan with his Mayyazhipuzha and Delhi chronicles is another name that comes to mind, for the same reasons as Pottekat.
Thank you for such a thoughtful response, Prem! Excellent insights. I have bookmarked all the essays you referenced - I am sure reading them now, with your notes, will be an education.
Big fan of Arati's book, too. :)
Glad it landed, Rohan, and thanks for the prompt. :-)
I had read some of the pieces when Salopek was walking across India. It's going to be a pleasure to delve into them again. Thanks for sharing.
I have that site permanently bookmarked -- either to check for what is new, or to just re-read earlier dispatches because I keep finding new ideas, lessons, in those. Happy reading.
Morning well spent sipping a cup of Sri Lankan Earl Grey tea and reading your essay on Travel writing. I wish I had read it earlier. Or, known the craft of looking at a place through an object, a person or a cuisine. Though this trait comes to me subconsciously, after reading your piece - I am aware, now!
:-) Will come in handy the next trip you take, boss. Also, nice post on your Kerala trip.
https://substack.com/home/post/p-192516102
Next time, you can enter through just one of the many things you have written about, here, and go deep.
Prem, every piece that you write contains within a reading list that is enough to consume two weekends. I learnt so much from just one of your writing workshops and this series is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge and learnings on the subject. I keep trying in my own small way to learn and incorporate what I learn into my writing. Thank you for sharing your craft with all of us. We are all better off for it.
That is how you learn, no? At least, that is how I do: read a piece and if it appeals beyond the content itself, try to break it down and see what it is about the piece that makes it work. I scribble those thoughts down, and save the link, for when I want to refresh my memory. Glad it is helping. As for learning in small ways -- that is the whole point, to learn 0.1% today, which is that much more than we knew yesterday, no? Cheers, enjoy writing. And reading.
I set out, long long ago, to be a travel writer. I thought I would escape, because I sought escape from my then circumstances, and get paid for it too. But I ended up learning things and did not want to escape so much at all. This is a lovely piece, again.
:-) You don't have to be a "travel writer" -- you can still write of your travels, as and when, because each one of us has our own perspective on lands that we, and others, have travelled. Thanks for reading, Nadika