Glimpses of Bengal is a delightful and must-read collection of letters written in the 1890s, by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, as he travelled across Bengal to manage his family’s far-flung agricultural estates.

Travelling in his houseboat, up and down the Padma River and its many tributaries, Tagore vividly captures the breathtaking imagery of the Bengali countryside and the reticent grace of the day-to-day village life. Sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, the settings in these letters formed the backdrop of many of his poems and plays (e.g. The Post Office). For a reader uninitiated in Tagore this is a starter book.

The letters, many of which were addressed to his niece Indira Devi, make for a lighthearted and captivating reading. Tagore is sure to charm you with his wondrous story-telling and powerful imagination. And as is the case with many of Tagore’s books, the intellectual crescendo builds towards the end leaving you feeling utterly exhilarated.