Magnificent Motorcars of the Maharajas
Gautam Sen • Photographs by Makarand Baokar and Vrutika Doshi
automobile, heritage & culture
400 pages, 550 photographs 10 x 12” (254 x 305 mm), HC ISBN: 978-93-94501-09-6
5000 (TBC)
Fall 2026 |
The advent of the automobile, with the very first ones arriving on Indian shores by the 1890s triggered off a crazy love story—that between the rajas, the maharajas, the nawabs and a Nizam, and the horseless carriage. The arrival of the automobile changed the lifestyle of Indian royalty, and with it gave rise to an enthralling new passion that was to endure for decades. The choicest of cars with the most unusual of coachworks made their way to India to satisfy the varied tastes of the royalty. Some were ceremonial throne cars, others were hunting cars, then there were cars for wedding and state processions, even special automobiles for the “ladies of the house” to travel in “purdah”.
Outdoing each other in terms of pomp, glamour and splendour, Indian princes and the wealthy merchant class ordered for cars specially constructed for them. For instance, a Ford Model A, a relatively “middle class” car at the time, was custom-made for a wealthy landowner in Gujarat, with silver repoussé decorative work and lace curtains. There was also the famous Swan Car of Calcutta, a 1910 Brooke with the front of the car made to look like a swan that would hiss steam from the nostrils.
Although a few books have been written on the automobiles of the maharajas, none have been comprehensive enough to include the cars from yesteryears as well as the ones that are extant today, with either the descendants of the princely families or the enthusiastic collectors of historic vehicles today in India considered to be the newer set of “maharajas”. Packed with extraordinary photography, this book brings together the most fascinating automotive jewels of princely India.
Gautam Sen founded India’s first automobile magazine Indian Auto in 1986, followed by Auto India in 1993, and the Indian editions of the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport and BBC’s Top Gear magazines. Serial concours judge and a Vice President at FIVA, he has also authored several award-winning books. Makarand Baokar, based in Mumbai, is a globally acclaimed automotive photographer. He has established collaborations with leading automotive brands in India, including Volkswagen, Renault, Ford, Citroën, Chevrolet, Skoda, Hyundai, and Lamborghini. Baokar has also partnered with Gautam Sen on numerous book projects. Vrutika Doshi has more than eight years of dedicated experience in the Indian automotive world, capturing images of cars, motorcycles, and individuals. She has photographed some of India’s most exceptional historic vehicle collections and her photography has been part of several prestigious publications, including Auto India, deRivas & Ives, and Italy Magazine
photography
264 pages, 150 illustrations, 8.2 x 10.5” (208 x 267 mm)
ISBN: 978-93-94501-95-9 (SC) 1950 | $40 | £30
ISBN: 978-93-94501-49-2 (HC) 2500 2025 |
Published in association with The Alkazi Collection of Photography, New Delhi
Exhibition: ‘Disobedient Subjects: Bombay, 1930–1931’ at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, from 12 Oct. 2025 to 14 Apr. 2026
k l nursey ’ s old congress party album
Photographing Civil Disobedience
Bombay 1930–1931
Edited by Avrati Bhatnagar and Sumathi Ramaswamy
Photographing Civil Disobedience: Bombay, 1930–31 brings together an interdisciplinary conversation around a rare collection of documentary photographs compiled in a historical album titled Collections of Photographs of Old Congress Party—K.L. Nursey, held in the Alkazi Collection of Photography, New Delhi. The album features 245 black-and-white images that capture the extraordinary history of the Civil Disobedience Movement in Bombay (now Mumbai), when the city’s cosmopolitan streets came alive with anticolonial protests, processions, and propaganda. The essays in the volume engage with this remarkable visual archive to analyze and make visible the varied historical processes that animated and informed disobedient action and nationalist politics in colonial Bombay in the 1930s—from the leading role played by the desh sevikas, members of a nationalist women’s organization, to the violent crackdown of police lathis on non-violent demonstrators.
Photographing Civil Disobedience shows that anticolonial action in the city was deeply embedded in its urbanized social, cultural, and economic milieu, and dictated by the politics of gender. Moving the lens of analysis away from prominent leaders of the movement, the essays focus on the sea of ordinary people participating in public events and turning the streets of Bombay into sites of anticolonial and nationalist assertion as captured on camera. This remarkable visual history of radical collective disobedience, resistance and revolution centered on the power of the photograph will be of interest to scholars of gender and women’s studies, urban studies, screen and visual studies, consumer history, as well as the material history of colonial India.
With contributions by Preeti Chopra, Debashree Mukherjee, Dinyar Patel, Murali Ranganathan, Abigail McGowan and Kama Maclean
Avrati Bhatnagar is historian of modern India and the British Empire with a Ph.D. in History from Duke University. Sumathi Ramaswamy is James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of History at Duke University. Preeti Chopra is Professor of Modern Architecture, Urban History and Visual Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Debashree Mukherjee is Associate Professor, Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies and co-director of the Center for Comparative Media at Columbia University. Dinyar Patel is Associate Professor of History at the S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research in Mumbai. Murali Ranganathan is an unaffiliated scholar who researches 19th-century South Asia with a special focus on Mumbai and western India. Abigail McGowan is Professor of History at the University of Vermont. Kama Maclean holds the Chair of History in the South Asia Institute at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan
Edited by Meera Ali and Sathya Saran
cinema
240 pages, 130 photographs
9.5 x 13.5” (241 x 330 mm), HC-PLC, GILT EDGE, Limited edition
ISBN: 978-93-94501-78-2
10000 | $150 | £120 2025 |
Published in association with SK Jain & Sons and Kotwara Studios
“... a keepsake for those who love the film and wish to relive its soul. ... a tapestry of memories, rare images, and untold stories from its making along with reflections by writers immersed in cinema, culture and aesthetics.”
—Anita Horam, Architectural Digest India
“... the volume unfurls like the film itself: layered, lyrical, and steeped in nazaakat. ... a reawakening of what was once framed in celluloid and now preserved in paper, image, ink, and memory. It is an ode to [the] craft and grace...”
—Sakshi Salil Chavan, Outlook
Since its debut on celluloid, Umrao Jaan has enchanted audiences and critics alike, winning hearts with its nuanced storytelling, haunting melodies, and unforgettable visuals. Over the decades, it has found new life across mediums—from theatres to television, from vinyl to cassette, from VHS to DVD—and now, in a landmark moment, it returns to the big screen in a newly restored 4K digital format by the National Film Archives of India.
Produced in conjunction with the film’s re-release, this volume is more than a tribute—it is a journey through the many lives of Umrao Jaan. Curated by the film’s director Muzaffar Ali, it is a richly illustrated narrative that captures his vision of poetic realism. The contributing essays take the readers through the historical and the imaginative breadth and depth of its making: exploring the film’s roots in 1850s Lucknow; its literary origins and the evolution of the screenplay; the restrained yet opulent cinematography capturing emotion and framing elegance; the aesthetic intricacies of the resplendent costumes and set design; and the soul of the film—its music and lyrics.
Including memoirs by Rekha who brought the character to life; recounting the quiet conviction of producer SK Jain helping make the ethereal dream of Umrao Jaan possible; and with reflections on its reception upon release, the reviews, awards and accolades, the book celebrates the creation of this cinematic masterpiece. With rare behind-the-scenes photographs, handwritten notes, costume sketches, calligraphic scripts, and reflective essays, it offers a window into a world where cinema met tehzeeb, and art became eternal.
Muzaffar Ali is an acclaimed Indian filmmaker, painter, designer and craft revivalist. Meera Ali is a multifaceted entrepreneur, architect, fashion designer and cultural curator. Subhashini Ali has been an activist in the trade union and women’s movements since 1970. Kaveree Bamzai is an author and a journalist. Berenice Ellena is a costume and dress designer and has worked as curator in France and India. Arpan Kumar is a writer in Hindi, known for his work in poetry, fiction, and literary criticism. Ira Mukhoty is a best-selling writer of narrative history. Manjula Padmanabhan is an author, playwright, illustrator and artist. Alka Pande is an art historian, independent curator and author. Rana Safvi is a historian, writer, scholar, and translator. Sathya Saran edited Femina for 12 years, and is the author of several critically acclaimed books. Suvir Saran is Culinary Director of One 8 Commune, Neuma, and Jolene, and an author and a columnist. Preeti Vyas is an artist, designer and entrepreneur and the Founder and Chairwoman of VGC, a leading design and brand consultancy firm. Anil Zankar is a writer, director, film teacher and a film historian.
art, heritage & culture
192 pages, 135 photographs and 33 illustrations
9 x 13” (228.6 x 330 mm), HC-PLC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-53-9 (English) 3950 | $70 | £50
ISBN: 978-93-94501-58-4 (French) 2025 |
Published in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai
tribal heritage of india Chola
Maati
Pardhan Gond Rituals from Birth to Death
Padmaja Srivastava, Mayank Singh Shyam and Komal Bedi Sohal
A land of diverse cultures and traditions, India is home to numerous indigenous communities, regarded as the first people of the land. Among these, the Gonds are one of the largest groups, primarily residing in central India. The Pardhan Gonds, a subsect of the Gonds, play a vital role in preserving the community’s collective memory through ballads. These ballads recount tales of valour, virtues and the folk traditions of Gond kings, accompanied by the Bana, a three-stringed musical instrument. In the past, Pardhans enjoyed patronage from Gond royalty and clergy. As British rule took hold, the Pardhans lost their traditional royal support and were forced to turn to farming.
This book explores the cycle of life, from birth to death, through the rituals and traditions observed by the Pardhan community. It is brought to life through the evocative paintings of Mayank Singh Shyam, the captivating photographs of Komal Bedi Sohal and the insightful narrative by Padmaja Srivastava. Deepening the reading experience, the volume also includes traditional songs—oral legacies passed down through generations— accessible through QR codes embedded throughout the book. Simply scan and listen as you read, allowing the music to infuse each chapter with its cultural and emotional resonance.
Padmaja Srivastava completed her Bachelor of Architecture at Pune University. After relocating to Bhopal in 1995, she established her architectural practice alongside her husband. While designing wilderness lodges near prominent tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh, Srivastava became interested in the cultural heritage of the Gond community and was inspired to explore their rich traditions and practices. Through careful study and storytelling, she aims to preserve and share the vibrant way of life of the Pardhan Gond.
Artist Mayank Singh Shyam is the son of the celebrated artist Jangarh Singh Shyam. Mayank has inherited from his father the belief that authentic art is the embodiment of one’s innermost feelings, thoughts and imaginings. Mayank’s work, rich with symbolism, reflects not only his deep connection to nature but also his respect and appreciation for his tribal heritage.
Komal Bedi Sohal is an internationally-acclaimed creative director, designer, and photographer. With over three decades of experience in advertising, she has won multiple Cannes Lions and served on the Cannes Lions Jury. Earning recognition on both national and international platforms, Komal’s photographs have been exhibited across New York, Paris, London, Nice, Venice, Victoria, and across major cities in India.
the amrapali collection Silver and Gold Visions of
Arcadia
Usha R. Balakrishnan
crafts, design & fashion
236 pages, 375 images
9.9 x 13.5” (252 x 343 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-93-85360-88-6
4500 | $75 | £55 2025 |
Published in association with Amrapali Museum, Jaipur
For as long as Indians have adorned themselves, they have sought to wear jewels that conveyed beauty, power and status. Jewels are believed to provide protection, hope, luck and well-being. More than 40 years ago, two friends, united by a passion for the decorative arts, embarked on an exploration of these unique jewels of India. They were motivated by the everyday jewels of the people in the villages—to discover the sources of their inspiration and to unravel the complex ritual of adornment that resulted in ornaments being fabricated for every part of the body, from the top of the head to the toes. What resulted were visions of Arcadia, leading to the creation of the Amrapali Collection of Indian Jewellery, one of the largest collections of pastoral silver jewellery in the world.
The manifold communities that this collection represents come from different religions, with linguistic differences and diverse cultural sensibilities, but the land that the jewels encompass is geographically contiguous. Beyond adornment, the Amrapali collection presents a vision of harmony with nature, with forms and motifs that draw upon nature and the cosmos, and materials such as shells, grass and bone. They exhibit the amazing technical expertise of simple gold- and silversmiths. This volume presents the jewels in all their glory, not as museum objects or as relics of the past but as a visual language communicating design, aesthetics, tradition and, above all, the artistic expression of adorning the body.
Dr. Usha R. Balakrishnan is the Chief Curator of the World Diamond Museum and a pre-eminent historian of Indian jewellery. She is the author of several publications, including Alamkara: The Beauty of Ornament, and has co-authored most recently Treasures of the Deccan: Jewels of the Nizams, one of the two-volume publication devoted to the fabulous jewels and seminal collection of paintings inherited by the Nizams of Hyderabad. Her curatorial projects include ‘India: Jewels that Enchanted the World’ at the Moscow Kremlin Museum, ‘Enduring Splendor: The Jewelry of India’s Thar Desert’ at the Fowler Museum, Los Angeles, and ‘Shringara: Adornment’ at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) Museum, Mumbai.
archaeology
280 pages, 206 photographs, 29 illustrations, 12 drawings and a map
9.5 x 11.5” (241 x 292 mm), HC-PLC
ISBN: 978-93-85360-80-0
4950 | $70 | £50 Spring 2026 |
Ellora Cross-Fertilization of Style in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain Cave Temples
Deepanjana Klein and Arno Klein
Ellora attempts the first systematic overview of the Ellora cave temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, excavated between 600 CE and 1000 CE and the only cave temple site that houses Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain caves. The volume looks at each of these three groups of rock-cut temples and the stylistic influences they drew from each other and from surrounding regions.
Essays and analyses by scholars bring a comprehensive understanding of the chronology and development of the 34 main caves and lesser caves of the site. Ellora also includes extensive photographic documentation, ground plans, and rarely seen early 19th-century etchings of the most significant caves—from Thomas Daniell’s hand-colored aquatints (based on James Wales’s drawings) to Raja Lala Deen Dayal’s pioneering photographs; M.F. Pithawalla’s detailed watercolors; and James Burgess’s plans done for the Archaeological Survey of India.
With contributions by Stanislaw J. Czuma, Nicolas Morrissey, Lisa N. Owen, Vidya Dehejia and Pia Brancaccio.
Deepanjana Klein is a Director (Acquisitions and Development) at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi. Stanislaw J. Czuma is the George P. Bickford Curator Emeritus of Indian and Southeast Asian Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Nicolas Morrissey is Assistant Professor of Asian Art and Religion in the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. Lisa N. Owen is an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas. Vidya Dehejia is the Barbara Stoler Miller Professor Emerita of Indian and South Asian Art at Columbia University. Pia Brancaccio is Professor of South Asian Art and Archaeology at the Università di Napoli ‘L’Orientale’, Italy. Arno Klein is the Director of Innovative Technologies at the Child Mind Institute in New York City.
Devotion and Splendour
A Story of the Caves at Ajanta
Rupika Chawla
art
292 pages, 250 illustrations 9.5 x 11.5” (241 x 292 mm), HC ISBN: 978-93-85360-79-4
4950 | $70 | £50 Fall 2026 |
Carved into the basalt cliffs of the Sahyadri mountains in western India more than two millennia ago, the Ajanta Caves embody India’s artistic brilliance and spiritual imagination. Their architectural precision and luminous murals—drawn from the Jataka tales—capture the interplay of religion, philosophy and power that shaped early Indian civilization.
This book invites readers into that world of painted Bodhisattvas radiant with compassion, of the horse Kanthaka carrying the prince toward renunciation, of the falcon and dove testing the virtue of kings. These images are not mere ornament; they are visual meditations on the Buddhist path, enduring reminders of values that continue to inspire.
Placing Ajanta within its wider historical continuum, this volume traces its links with Vedic ritual, Mauryan polity, Satavahana and Vakataka patronage, and the Buddhist ideals that transformed ancient India’s cultural landscape. Drawing on archaeology, close visual analysis, and modern technological insights, the author reconsiders the painted masterpieces while admiring the anonymous artisans and patrons who gave them form.
At once analytical and empathetic, the publication reveals Ajanta not as an isolated marvel but as part of a living tradition of creativity, devotion, and thought. It will engage readers of history, art, religion, and all who seek a deeper understanding of India’s—and Asia’s—cultural heritage.
Rupika Chawla is a conservator of paintings who has restored several Ravi Varma artworks. She is also a curator, and imparts training in conservation. She has written extensively on contemporary Indian art and is the author of the seminal work Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial India (Mapin 2011, fourth reprint 2026).
Kamasutra
The Spiritual and the Erotic in Indian Art
Alka
Pande
art & literature
272 pages, 300 photographs
9.5 x 13.5” (241 x 330 mm), HC-PLC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-59-1
Fall 2026 |
The Kamasutra is an ancient Indian text that explores human desire and its role in life; intimacy and relationships; sexuality and pleasure, reflecting the spirit of Indian society and culture of its time. Written between the second and fourth centuries CE by the Indian philosopher Vatsyayana, the Kamasutra is the oldest extant, most influential and iconic Indian treatise on human sexuality and relationships. Exploring the nature of human desire, the Kamasutra posits three primary purposes in human life: dharma (duty), artha (wealth) and kama (pleasure), and advises on how to balance these objectives.
In this publication, author Alka Pande unravels the complexities of this historical text for a contemporary audience from a female perspective. From Vatsyayana to most of its modern-day translators, the male gaze has been at the centre of the Kamasutra’s discourse on intimate relationships, including marriage, love and friendship. Dr Pande’s renewed interpretation of the ‘aesthetics of pleasure’ in this volume covers the entire gamut of erotic Indian literary and art history. Exploring the sexual analogies in the Upanishads, Tantric practices, the god Krishna’s amorous adventures in the Bhagavata Purana, this volume also recounts from the writings that followed the Kamasutra.
From temples to palaces to caves, from miniature paintings to frescoes to temple sculptures, the spirituality and the aesthetics of the erotic is evidenced everywhere in India. Blending literature and art and using hitherto unpublished material on the subject, with an illustrated timeline of eroticism in India vis-à-vis the world from the pre-modern, medieval to modern times, Kamasutra: The Spiritual and the Erotic in Indian Art covers the full spectrum of the Indian concept of kama and its role in human life. The first to bring the female gaze into the study of the aesthetics of the erotic, this book will be of immense interest to lovers of art and literature, eroticism and spirituality, sensuality and transcendence.
Dr Alka Pande is currently the Consultant Art Advisor and Curator of the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. An art historian and curator, her major fields of interest are gender identity and sexuality and traditional arts. Dr Pande taught Indian arts and aesthetics at Panjab University for more than ten years. She has written extensively and edited books on Indian aesthetics, culture and photography. She curated the sculpture gallery at the City Palace Museum, Udaipur, and was the project director of the 1st Museum Biennale of Bihar Museum, Patna. Dr Pande is recipient of the Charles Wallace Award, Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government, and Australian-India Council Special Award.
Crafting Culture
The Amrapali Collection of Indian Decorative Arts
Pramod Kumar K.G.
crafts & lifestyle
236 pages, 200 images 9.9 x 13.5” (252 x 343 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-93-85360-89-3
2950 | $65 | £45
Fall 2026 |
Published in association with Amrapali Museum, Jaipur
Over millennia, as traditions were forged and materials harnessed, the human capacity for decorating everyday life resulted in myriad manifestations across objects. A vision to capture the subcontinent’s material culture resulted in the creation of the Amrapali Museum, Jaipur. It is testament to the skills of craftsmanship, materiality and aesthetics that have dictated the form, shape and functionality of our everyday art objects.
Amidst the tumultuous timeline of our past, what was saved and why was it saved are crucial questions that help us understand the changing nature of everyday objects. This volume shines a light on the place of objects in times of transition, examining the Amrapali Museum’s rare collection through filters of shape, typology, aesthetics, craftsmanship, materiality and use. Through its holdings, the author compares and contextualizes objects with other related examples across time periods and centres of production, helping us map crucial indicators such as the evolution of shape and design, advancement of crafts and changing aesthetics. Through this volume, the preservation of these fragments from the past now allows us a rare opportunity to celebrate India’s civilization and its crafts culture.
Pramod Kumar K.G., an independent scholar and researcher, is the co-founder of Eka Archiving Services, India’s first museum advisory firm. His primary area of interest is material culture from the Indian subcontinent and towards this he has curated several exhibitions in India and overseas, besides lecturing extensively on the subjects worldwide. He also helped curate and set up the Amrapali Museum, Jaipur, besides exhibitions at the National Museum of India, National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi, and multiple galleries at the City Palace Museums of Udaipur, Jaipur and Hyderabad. He is widely published and some of his books include Posing for Posterity: Royal Indian Portraits and Nemai Ghosh: Satayajit Ray and Beyond. He also instituted the Jaipur Literature Festival and was till recently the co-director of Mountain Echoes, the Bhutan Literature Festival.
Krishna as Shrinathji a poster book
Amit Ambalal
poster book, art
28 pages, 14 illustrations
12 x 16” (305 x 406 mm)
SC, produced on art card
ISBN: 978-93-94501-76-8
1500 | $35 | £ 25
2026 |
12 Detachable Posters
In the 15th century, perhaps as a reaction to the increasingly ascetic direction in which Hinduism was going, there was born in Vraj, in north India, a new offset of Krishna worship called Pushtimarg, the Path of Grace. The founder, Vallabhacharya, stressed worship through the joys of life and living and devotion to Krishna as the royal child Shrinathji through kirtan (devotional poem-songs), bhog (offerings of sumptuous food and beverages), shringara (offerings of adornment, through dressing and ornamentation) and painting.
The paintings constitute the Nathdwara school, so named because the image of Shrinathji is enshrined in a temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. Usually with Shrinathji as their focus, these paintings evolved from several traditional and indigenous styles, from murals and miniatures, and from classical, court and rural modes; yet, they developed their own particularly vivid and lively detailing, reflecting the joyful world of Shrinathji. Introducing the readers to the visual world of the Pushtimarg as well as the spirit of Nathdwara, the splendid artworks included in this poster book showcase the high degree of skill in draughtsmanship, portraiture and in composition of the Nathdwara artists.
Drawn from the collection of renowned artist and author Amit Ambalal, this lavishly-produced special publication will be of immense interest to lovers of art and the devoted alike.
Amit Ambalal is an eminent contemporary Indian artist whose work forms a part of prestigious collections in India and abroad, including the Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, and the Gujarat Lalit Kala Akademi, the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Recipient of both the Gujarat Lalit Kala Akademi and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation awards, he is the author of the landmark volume Krishna as Shrinathji: Rajasthani Paintings from Nathdvara (Mapin, 1987) on the subject of Pushtimarg and Nathdwara paintings and has written the Foreword to In the Service of Krishna (Mapin, 2019) and contributed to Gates of the Lord: The Tradition of Krishna Paintings (2015) and Shringara of Shrinathji: From the Collection of the Late Gokal Lal Mehta (Mapin, 2021).
Raja Ravi Varma a
poster book
Rupika Chawla
poster book, art
28 pages, 14 illustrations
12 x 16” (305 x 406 mm)
SC, produced on art card
ISBN: 978-93-94501-99-7
1500 | $35 | £ 25
2026 |
12 Detachable Posters
Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) was among the first Indian painters to successfully adapt academic realism to the visual interpretation of Indian mythology and adopt Western painting techniques of portraiture. His genre of paintings, which eventually led to chromolithographs (oleographs), has maintained a lasting effect on the Indian sensibility, making him the best-known classical painter of modern times.
Many royal families of India and several rich and powerful personalities were patrons of Ravi Varma, and whose portraits he painted in large numbers. His range of Puranic and religious paintings, reflecting his deep understanding of Sanskrit and Malayalam literature, have deeply influenced the forms of gods and goddesses in 20th-century visual culture of India. Ravi Varma’s fascination for feminine beauty and the ability to capture it masterfully is abundantly evident in his numerous portrayals of Shakuntala, Sita and Damayanti, and of the Indian woman. His lingering influence on the Indian mindset is also seen in the works of Indian contemporary painters and artists, who continue to be inspired by his art.
This lavishly-produced poster book brings together paintings from royal and private collections, and museums. It presents many works that have never been seen before, and will prove to be a delight for historians, collectors, curators and art aficionados.
Rupika Chawla is a conservator of paintings based in Delhi. She has restored several Ravi Varma paintings at her studio in Delhi and also gives training in conservation. Together with artist A. Ramachandran Chawla had organized the seminal exhibition on Raja Ravi Varma in 1993 at the National Museum, New Delhi, which brought about a strong revival of the artist and his work. She has written extensively on contemporary Indian art and is the author of Surface and Depth: Indian Artists at Work (Viking), A. Ramachandran: Art of the Muralist (Kala Yatra & Sistas) and Icons of the Raw Earth (Kala Yatra). She is currently working on her next volume on the ancient Indian art at the Ajanta Caves in western India (Mapin, 2026).
drawing architecture series
Select Colonial Buildings
Miki Desai
architecture
68 pages, 46 photographs and 30 drawings 12 x 16” (305 x 406 mm), SC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-22-5
2250 | $39.50 | £29.50 2026 |
Drawing and documenting have a long tradition in architectural culture. In architecture, the documentation process of historic buildings consists of sketching, photography, measuring and recording (in a rough format). The final drawings are accurately drafted on a proper scale, with writing about the evaluation of the conditions or status of the selected example. Drawing by hand is an essential skill for a student in architectural education, though its role is understated due to technological advances in today’s world. It allows students to look at every detail of the building design and initiate an objective understanding of its physicality, aesthetics, materiality, construction, details, when, how, purpose, function, context and even lifestyle or process of making it.
Fascinated with architectural documentation through measured drawings and photography, the author spent many years methodologically recording non-monumental buildings, especially of the colonial genre. The eleven colonial-era buildings included in the portfolio are: the water tank in Varanasi (1880), the darbari kothar (royal granary) in Bhavnagar (c. 1880), the Music College in Vadodara (c. 1885), the panjra pol (animal shelter) in Ahmedabad (1936), the Solarium in Jamnagar (1939), the brick kiln in Morbi (1980, originally built 1858), The Banker bungalow (1924), the Shah bungalow (1930), the Shodhan bungalow (c. 1935), the Vora bungalow (c. 1935), and Bhadraben bungalow (1936).
The large-scale, meticulous drawings in this portfolio include plans, sections, isometric views, photographs and a compilation of architectural details. These are unique examples of either the use of new building materials, innovative technology, local craftsmanship, international collaboration, or a combination of these. A record of the overlooked architectural heritage of the everyday buildings of the colonial era, this portfolio comprises industrial and functional structures that are hidden architectural gems.
Prof. Miki Desai retired from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, in 2014 as the head of the Master’s Program in Sustainable Architecture. He has been the recipient of EARTHWATCH grant, the Senior Fulbright Fellowship, the Graham Grant, and the Getty Collaborative Grant. He is the author of Teaching Basic Design in Architecture: Exercises, Illustrations, Examples (DC Books and DC School of Architecture & Design, Kottayam, 2022), Wooden Architecture of Kerala (Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, 2018) and Architekture in Gujarat, Indien: Bauernhof, Stadthaus, Palast (translated in German), an exhibition catalogue by The Rietberg Museum, Zurich (1990). Desai was a visiting scholar in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California at Berkeley in 2014.
architecture
56 pages, 21 photographs, 25 drawings and a map 12 x 16” (305 x 406 mm), SC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-38-6
2250 | $39.50 | £29.50 2026 |
drawing architecture series
Wooden Buildings of Kerala
Miki Desai
Drawing and documenting have a long tradition in architectural culture. In architecture, the documentation process of historic buildings consists of sketching, photography, measuring and recording (in a rough format). The final drawings are accurately drafted on a proper scale, with writing about the evaluation of the conditions or status of the selected example. Drawing by hand is an essential skill for a student in architectural education, though its role is understated due to technological advances in today’s world. It allows students to look at every detail of the building design and initiate an objective understanding of its physicality, aesthetics, materiality, construction, details, when, how, purpose, function, context and even lifestyle or process of making it.
Exploring the socio-cultural and the tectonic aspects of Kerala’s wooden architecture, which is deeply rooted in religious and secular customs and shaped by geo-climatic forces, this portfolio documents the building styles of various ethnic groups residing in Kerala and the mutual adoption and adaptation of construction systems within migrant groups. Kerala’s land is immensely blessed with nature and local materials dominate its construction practices. This sustainable use of local resources and harmony with nature are key features of Kerala’s architectural style.
The large-scale, meticulous drawings in this portfolio include plans, sections, isometric views, photographs and a compilation of architectural details. Despite being a living tradition serving millions of people, vernacular architecture in India has not received the academic and analytical attention it deserves. This twin-publication to the author’s previous volume Wooden Architecture of Kerala (Mapin, 2018) attempts to fill this research gap—a need made more urgent by the fact that the traditional ways of building may get replaced by the modern much faster than we can imagine.
Prof. Miki Desai retired from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, in 2014 as the head of the Master’s Program in Sustainable Architecture. He has been the recipient of EARTHWATCH grant, the Senior Fulbright Fellowship, the Graham Grant, and the Getty Collaborative Grant. He is the author of Teaching Basic Design in Architecture: Exercises, Illustrations, Examples (DC Books and DC School of Architecture & Design, Kottayam, 2022), Wooden Architecture of Kerala (Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, 2018) and Architekture in Gujarat, Indien: Bauernhof, Stadthaus, Palast (translated in German), an exhibition catalogue by The Rietberg Museum, Zurich (1990). Desai was a visiting scholar in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California at Berkeley in 2014.
KERALA PORTFOLIO
BY MIKI DESAI
Raja Ravi Varma Painter of Colonial India
Rupika Chawla
art
384 pages, 460 colour illustrations, 9.5 x 11.5” (241 x 292 mm), HC (with two jacket options)
ISBN: 978-93-94501-30-0
4950 | $75 | £50 2026 |
Raja Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) was among the first Indian painters to successfully adapt academic realism to the visual interpretation of Indian mythology and adopt Western painting techniques of portraiture. His genre of paintings, which eventually led to chromolithographs (oleographs), has maintained a lasting effect on the Indian sensibility, making him the bestknown classical painter of modern times.
This book is an account of Ravi Varma’s traditional background and environment in the context of colonial India, and the relationship of this milieu with his profession as an aristocratic itinerant painter. Many royal families of India and several rich and powerful personalities were patrons of Ravi Varma, whose portraits he painted in large numbers. His range of Puranic and religious paintings have deeply influenced the forms of gods and goddesses in 20th-century visual culture of India. Ravi Varma’s masterful ability to capture feminine beauty is abundantly evident in his numerous portrayals of Shakuntala, Sita and Damayanti, and of the Indian woman.
The lavishly illustrated fourth reprint brings together paintings from royal and private collections, and museums. It presents many works that have never been seen before, along with previously undisclosed maps, letters, photographs and other archival material, much to the advantage and delight of historians, collectors, curators and art aficionados.
Rupika Chawla is a conservator of paintings who has restored several Ravi Varma artworks. She is also a curator, and imparts training in conservation. Together with artist A. Ramachandran she had organized the seminal exhibition on Raja Ravi Varma in 1993 at the National Museum, New Delhi. She has written extensively on contemporary Indian art and is the author of Surface and Depth: Indian Artists at Work, A. Ramachandran: Art of the Muralist and Icons of the Raw Earth She is currently working on her next volume on the ancient Indian art at the Ajanta Caves in western India (Mapin, 2026).
“In this sumptuous feast of a book, one of India’s finest art conservators, Rupika Chawla, takes out all her scholastic implements to bring us a sprawling investigation of the works of 19th century artist Raja Ravi Varma.” Hindustan Times
“Coming armed with awe-inspiring research and studded with gem-like details, Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial India is surely a long overdue opus …Rupika Chawla’s lavishly produced book is, in style and substance, hugely engaging, carrying its scholarship with a remarkable lightness of grace.” S. Kalidas, India Today
HIGHLIGHTS OF BACKLIST
Crafts of India Handmade in India
Aditi Ranjan and M.P. Ranjan
crafts
576 pages, 3500 colour photographs & 140 maps
9.5 x 13.5” (241 x 343 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-81-88204-57-1
4950 | $85 | £65
Third Reprint 2024 |
Published in association with COHANDS and National Institute of Design
“... takes on the monumental task of examining the eye-popping variety of handicrafts made across India’s vast landscape... The thousands of objects pictured here, and accompanied by detailed notes, include terracotta jewelry, leather puppets, wood carvings, bamboo baskets and silver ornaments. ... visually stunning display.”
The Wall Street Journal
Textiles from Bengal A Shared Legacy
Edited by Tirthankar Roy, Sonia Ashmore and Niaz Zaman • Foreword by Rosemary Crill
crafts, history
360 pages, 302 illustrations
10 x 11" (254 x 279 mm), HC-PLC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-26-3
4950 | $70 | £55 2025 |
Published in association with Weavers Studio Resource Centre, Kolkata
“… an extensive and strikingly beautiful book … carries a rich repository of stunning pictures … the premise, accompanied by the pictures, keeps you hooked.”
—Shubhangi Shah, The Week
“Textiles of Bengal mixes scholastic knowledge, sharp editing and carefully selected photos … It pulls you into its vastness. Its depth.”
—Shefalee Vasudev, The Voice of Fashion
josef wirsching archive
Bombay Talkies
An Unseen History of Indian Cinema
Edited by Debashree Mukherjee
cinema
192 pages, 165 photographs
9.65 x 11.5” (245 x 292 mm), SC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-70-6
2250 | $39.50 | £29.50
FORTHCOMING |
Published in association with The Alkazi Collection of Photography, New Delhi
“a stunning collection of photographs and film stills from the Josef Wirsching Archive and the Alkazi Collection of Photography along with insightful essays—presents a glimpse into the art of filmmaking in the early days of Indian cinema.”
—ON Stage
The Planetary King
Humayun
Padshah, Inventor
and
Visionary on the Mughal Throne
Ebba Koch
art & history
384 pages, 273 images
9.75 x 11.75” (247.6 x 298 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-93-85360-98-5
3950 | $70 | £49 2022 |
Co-published with Aga Khan Trust for Culture
“In this sumptuous book, studded with fine paintings and incisive commentary, Ebba Koch, the foremost historian of medieval Indian architecture, has unpacked Humayun’s complex personality...”
Shahid Amin , India Today
Ebba Koch
THE PLANETARY KING
Humayun Padshah Inventor and Visionary on Throne
Unmyth
Works and Worlds of Mithu Sen
Edited by Irina Aristarkhova
modern & contemporary art
364 pages, 146 photographs
8.25 x 10.25” (210 x 260 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-87-4
3500 | $70 | £49 2024 |
Published in association with Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai
“… compellingly urgent oeuvre of this magisterial artist of our times.”
—Ranjit Hoskote, poet, cultural theorist and curator
“lavishly produced ... judiciously edited and inventively designed compendium.”
—Sudeep Sen, Hindustan Times
Raza
The Other Modern
Geeti Sen, Yashodhara Dalmia, Gayatri Sinha Foreword by Ashok Vajpeyi
modern & contemporary art
128 pages, 103 illustrations and 5 photographs
10 x 11” (254 x 279 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-93-94501-88-1
1950 | $40 | £26 2024 |
Published in association with Progressive Art Gallery and The Raza Foundation, New Delhi
“… a rich, layered and colourful glimpse into his life. … The book is as rich as the life SH Raza lived …”
The Tribune
Alchemy
Contemporary Indian Painting and Miniature Traditions
Geeti Sen
art
148 pages, 69 illustrations
8.25 x 10.25” (210 x 260 mm),
SC with gatefold
ISBN: 978-93-94501-63-8
1500 | $25 | £20 2024 |
“… a treat for art enthusiasts.”
—Soni Wadhwa, Asian Review of Books
“… an inspiration for students of art and those interested in the interplay between tradition and modernity … ”
—Giles Tillotson, art historian
Whose Ramayana Is It Anyway?
Natasha Sarkar
whose
art & culture
1500 | $25 | £20 2024 | ramayana is it anyway?
144 pages, 90 colour illustrations
8 x 10.25" (203 x 260 mm),
SC with gatefold
ISBN: 978-93-85360-54-1
“An all-weather read! … a tome that not only presents varying facets of the household epic, but also celebrates the accounts via 100 original paintings between its folds …”
Krishna Rao Jaisim, India Art n Design
Shringara of Shrinathji
From the Collection of the Late Gokal Lal Mehta
Amit Ambalal • Conceptualised by Vikram Goyal
SHRINGARA of SHRINATHJI
art
192 pages, 77 photographs and 5 drawings
11 x 14” (279 x 355 mm), boxed edition
ISBN: 978-93-85360-86-2, HC
9500 | $295 | £215 • 2021 |
“A captivating volume…”
—Sunday Herald (Deccan Herald)
“ What makes the collection of portraits remarkable is that it introduces the viewer to an entire universe of different aspects and moods of worship without diluting its impact.”
—Geeta Doctor, OPEN
Feet & Footwear in Indian Culture
Jutta Jain–Neubauer
crafts & museum collection
172 pages, 131 colour and 26 b&w illustrations, 9 x 11” (229 x 280 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-81-85822-69-3
2000 | $60 | £39.50 • 2000 |
“ The richness and variety of ancient and traditional footwear are lavishly illustrated, with outstanding examples of the typical toe-knob sandals worn by mendicants and holy men and the beautifully embroidered shoes of the wealthy.”
—The Asian Age
Wonder of the Age
Master
Painters
of India 1100–1900
John Guy and Jorrit Britschgi art
224 pages, 165 illustrations and 3 maps
9.25 x 10.25” (235 x 267 mm), HC
ISBN: 978-81-89995-60-7
2100 | $45 | £30 • 2011 |
“ The most important Indian painting exhibition for decades, ‘Wonder of the Age’ has much to engage, delight and educate specialists and is as inspiring an introduction as a neophyte could hope to find. If you cannot go in person to New York, be sure to buy the catalogue. It is an education and a treat.”
—The Economist
Water Treasures of the Himalayas
Serge Verliat and Jean Philippe photography
216 pages and 215 photographs, with 43 augmented reality videos 11 x 11” (280 x 280 mm), hc
ISBN: 978-81-89995-89-8, HC 2950 | $65 | £50 • 2017 |
“[The] book is a collectible... Each of the segments comprises a fascinating assemblage of photographs... with a supportive narrative encompassing ecological, political, and socio-cultural dimensions that define this landscape.”
—Divya Chopra, Journal of Landscape Architecture
Children’s Books
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES OF INDIA SERIES
Series Editor: Narayani Gupta
“…beautifully written... Launching this series is a good attempt at making information about historical sites accessible to children..”
Jaya Bhattacharji Rose
Qutb Minar
Head in the Clouds
Story by Narayani Gupta
Illustrations by Shashi Shetye
ISBN: 978-93-85360-50-3
Mahabalipuram
The Ganga Comes to Tamilnadu
Story by Nanditha Krishna
Illustrations by Y. Venkatesh
ISBN: 978-93-85360-49-7
Sanchi Where Tigers Fly and Lions Have Horns
Story by Sohail Hashmi
Illustrations by Pervez Rajan
ISBN: 978-93-85360-52-7
supported by
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Travelling through Time
Story by Subuhi Jiwani
Illustrations by Kishan Dev
ISBN: 978-93-85360-51-0
Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
The Kingdom of Birds
Story by Dr. Erach Bharucha
Illustrations by Maya Ramaswamy
ISBN: 978-93-85360-48-0
EACH TITLE IN THIS SERIES IS:
32 pages with illustrations, 11.69 x 8.26" (297 x 210 mm) Landscape, SC
Series ISBN: 978-93-85360-47-3
Available in Tamil, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati lauguages.
195 | $9.50 | £5.99 (Each)
895 | $35 | £19.50 (Set of 5 books)
Fall 2018 |
The Roshni World Heritage Sites of India series aims to introduce India’s young readers to the richness of our natural and cultural heritage through UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites. Produced in association with Tata Trusts and with the blessings of UNESCO, these books offer children five exciting stories, authored by renowned historians and conservationists and beautifully illustrated by accomplished artists.
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