Ramblings of Madhavi

What does it mean to be ‘Indian’ -         S N Balagangadhara & Sarika Rao -         Review by Madhavi Kunte This book deals with what it means to be an Indian in a true sense. According to the author, what we see and experience today is far removed from the actual concept of a true Indian. This disparity or shift in focus and understanding is the result of the two colonisations (Islamic and British), that India as a country and a culture had to undergo. Hence, there has been a paradigm shift in ideologies due to the two colonisations and the gap between the real and perceived notions of being an Indian is vast. The author believes that there is a disconnect with experience and lack of self-realisation on the part of Indians as a culture. It is interesting to note when the author argues that Indians living in India too lack understanding of their own culture. Hence, they try to look at it from the point of view of westerners who have tried to study Indian culture and hence, t