Former Attorney General K.K. Venugopal decided to digitize and share his vast collection of antiquarian books through his digital library. Some of them are:
Book 1: The Oldest Travelogue
"Travels In Hindustan: The History Of The Late Revolution Of The Dominions Of The Great Mogol" by Francois Bernier, dating back to 1676, is the oldest travelogue in the collection.
Book 2: Early Indian Travelogues
The collection includes "Varthamanappusthakam" by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar, published in 1790, the first account written in an Indian language. "The Travels of Dean Mahomet" by Dean Mahomed (1794) is the first English book published by an Indian.
Foreign visitors to India wrote accounts that offer intriguing glimpses into the country's culture and landscape. These accounts provide a unique blend of familiarity and exoticism, often influenced by the colonial lens.
Book 4: Descriptions of Indian Cities
Snippets from historical travelogues offer descriptions of various Indian cities, including:
• The Yamuna River and its significance.
• The architectural beauty and dreamlike quality of Amritsar's Golden Temple.
• The walled city of Delhi and its structured layout.
• The exquisite magnificence of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
• The stone architecture and narrow streets of Benaras (Varanasi).
• The steep climb and unique rock carvings of Gwalior.
• The charming beachside drive and notable landmarks of Madras (Chennai).
