A history of maps to put people in place

A handsome new volume chronicles the complex evolution of India's geography through rare and priceless maps

- Somak Ghoshal

Shatrunjaya Pata (1870-1900), creator and place unknown.

(PHOTO © JOHN AND FAUSTA ESKENAZI)

Unless you are severely technologically challenged, it is near impossible to get lost these days. GPS (or Global Positioning System) is always following us, whether we are walking or driving, in our own cities or somewhere unknown. You can almost always rely on Google Maps to find the shortest, quickest and most hassle-free route to wherever you want to get to.

Yet, just a couple of decades ago, this wasn’t the case. People still relied on printed maps to find their way around. Tourist centres sold local maps folded into booklets to help sightseers reach their destinations. Explorers used compasses to orient themselves. Further back in time, travellers and sailors depended on the North Star to steer them on their course.

India Through Iconic Maps, a lavishly produced large-format new book written by heritage professional Deepti Anand and archivist and curator Sanghamitra Chatterjee, rekindles the magic of the days of yore by reproducing rare and priceless cartographic documents, sourced from public archives and private collections from around India and beyond.