Nine Lives
William Dalrymple
Starting off strong with probably my favorite book on this list, Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India by William Dalrymple. While it is not William’s typical history-heavy book (though I recommend all of his work), I loved the short stories of every person he interviewed. It gave me an introduction to different religions and ways of living, several of which I had never heard of before. Most of the stories have stayed with me long after reading, and I found myself genuinely excited to see who the next chapter was about.
Dalrymple lets real people speak about their daily choices, whether that is a Jain nun choosing ritual fasting or a prison guard who becomes a deity during festival season. It gives you a great basis for understanding the rituals you will see around temples and small towns.
The god of small things
Arundhati Roy
My next recommendation is Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, set in the backwaters of Kerala. The writing is incredibly rich, following a pair of twins as their family unravels under local political pressure and rigid social rules. It showed me how deeply the caste system and family expectations still run beneath ordinary conversations, making it an essential read not only if you are heading down south.
The White Tiger
Aravind Adiga
For a reality check on modern Indian city life, pick up Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger. The story is told through letters written by a village driver who claws his way into entrepreneurship across Delhi and Bangalore. It is sharp, dark, and cynical, showing the raw economic divide and ambition running through the country’s tech hubs.
Tomb of Sand
Geetanjali Shree
For something covering northern India and the legacy of Partition, Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand is incredible. It centers on an eighty-year-old grandmother who falls into a depression after losing her husband, but eventually decides to travel back to Pakistan to face her past. It deals with serious historical trauma, but the tone stays playful and surprisingly funny throughout.
Shantaram
Gregory David Roberts
Finally, Gregory David Roberts’s Shantaram is a classic backpacker recommendation for a reason. The novel follows an Australian fugitive who lands in 1980s Mumbai, moving between informal slum clinics and the city underworld. It definitely gets dramatic at times, but it captures the sheer energy, warmth, and resilience of Mumbai street life.
