Travelogue Books: ROMERAJYA 1

BOOK REVIEW “Romerajya – 1 Amsterdam Te Rome”

Author: Meena Prabhu

Genre: Travelogue

Language: Marathi

Pages: 343

Cost: 300 Rs.

Publisher: Mauj Prakashan

First Published: 1^st May 2009

Meena Prabhu is my one of my most favorite authors. No one writes travelogues better than her at least in Marathi. Exploring new nations through her eyes, through her words is as entertaining and exciting as traveling by myself if not better. What I like about her writing style most is when she travels she covers all the aspects of the nation. She explains and explores the nation culturally, historically, artistically.

This book is about her traveling around Italy. Her exploration of Italy is divided in 2 parts ‘Romerajya 1’ and ‘Romerajya 2’. Romerajya 1 covers the area from Amsterdam to Rome itself. Italy today is heart of Christianity and it has been a case for centuries now. Italy is very rich Culturally, Historically, and Artistically. So after reading this book I think everyone must visit Italy at least once in their life time. But before visiting Italy you should read this book, it will open up new dimensions of travelling for you.

It is a Must Read Book. If I have to rate this book I will give it 10 out of 10.

For more such Must Read Books - http://swapnil-bookreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/must%20read%20books

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Travelogue Books: Bhatkanti Raigad Jillhyachi

BOOK REVIEW “Bhatkanti Raigad Jilhyachi”

Author: Pra. Ke. Ghanekar

Genre: Travel diary

Language: Marathi

Pages: 368

Cost: 300 /-

Publisher: Snehal Prakashan

First Published in India: 6 April 2007

“Bhatakanti Raigad Jilhyachi” is a book as name suggests is about travel directory of Raigad district in Maharashtra. As a travel junky I found this book very informative. Like all travel directories it has information of important places to visit, where to stay, where to eat, and historical background of a place, geographical importance, culture and daily life of the place. Out of the book I found following places in Raigad district must see places,

1. Fort of Alibag and Beautiful Beach.

2. Kanhoji Aangre Smarak – Chhatribag

3. Fort of Khanderi – where you can find stones who makes sound like metal.

4. Beautiful Beach of KIHIM

5. ‘PANBADEVI’ of Aawas

6. ‘Karmarkar Museum’ in Saswade

7. ‘Kanakeshwar Temple’ – Ashtagar

8. ‘Birla Ganesh Mandir’ – Salaw

9. ‘Shri Siddhivinayak Mandir’ - Nandgaon

10. ‘Shri Ballal Vinayak Mandir’ – Murud

11. Fort of Janjira

12. ‘Shri Datta Mandir’ – Murud

13. “Rupnarayan Temple” – DiveAagar

14. “Suvarnganesh Temple” – Diveaagar

15. ‘Laxminarayan Mandir’ and ‘Shri Jivaneshwar Mandir’ – Shriwardhan

16. Shri Harihareshwar

17. ‘Kashthshilp Sangrahalay’ – Kolad

18. ‘Mahaganapati’ – Uran-Chiraner

19. Karnala Abhayaranya

20. Matheran Hilstation

21. “Shri Varad Vinayak” – Mahad (one of the Ashtavinayak)

22. “Shri Ballaleshwar” – Pali (one of the Ashtavinayak)

23. “Shri Vireshwar” – Mahad

24. Raigad Fort

25. Jijabainche Smarak – Pachad

26. Shivtharghal

I found this book very interesting and informative, if I have to rate it I will give it 7 out of 10.

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Travelogue Books: TURKNAMA

Author: Meena Prabhu
Language: Marathi
Genre: Travel Diary
Pages: 278
Cost: 250/-
Publisher: Mauj Prakashan
First Published in India: 27 August 2006.

Traveling has been my passion over the years along with reading, but strangely I never read any books on traveling. May be because I don’t want to miss the adventure of experiencing it myself while traveling. But there are very minute chances of me traveling to ‘Turkey’ in near future and my friend highly regards this book so I decided to read this book. And now I am fan of Meena Prabhu’s writing. I am going to read all the books written by her.

As the book’s name suggests the book is about ‘Turkey’. Author Meena Prabhu actually travel to Greece and Turkey and wrote her experience as one book. But publisher made it into two different books ‘Greekanjali’ and ‘Turknama’. Meena Prabhu did tremendous job by describing almost every part of Turkey in the book. And I feel like I traveled with her all along. She not only describe the famous places in Turkey she included history, geography, culture in her book. She enlightened the beauty of the country historically, geographically and culturally. She described nature, beaches, sunsets such a way I felt I actually witnessing it. She talked about the rich history of Turkey right from Romans, Greeks days to current government. Turkey is blessed with very rich history. Many dynasties ruled the country and their history is fascinating. But most fascinating personality of Turkey was their national hero Kemal Pasha who literally created new country out of Turkey. Anybody who is interested in international history must learn life of Kemal Pasha.

Meena Prabhu is very much successful in portraying culture and lifestyle of Turkey nationals. But what I like most is how she compared their culture and lifestyle with Indian. She surprisingly found many similarities. I believe reason behind traveling not only discovering unseen world or people but also you want to compare your world with the people of other part of the work. And when you find some similarities you feel closer to that place irrespective of distance or language. But what Meena Prabhu did best through this book is showed way to travel and explore the unseen world.

After reading this book I decided two things. One whenever I’ll get chance I am going to Turkey. And second thing is I am going read all the books written by Meena Prabhu. I say this is ‘Must Read Book’ for everyone. If I have to rate this book I will give it 10 out of 10.

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