News from Jupiter
From My Notebooks In 1977: The Road to Delhi
June 29, 2025
After witnessing that horrific tragedy of the girls under the cartwheels, I go back to my hotel. April 10th, Agra At Shiraz Hotel the chickens hang by their necks like small people under a neon tube over a little stage decorated with pink tinsel. Fish, chops, sausages, all smeared in the same pinkish paste, laid out below chickens. Sikhs with rosebud mouths mix beer […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: To Agra and the Taj Mahal
June 22, 2025
I’ve left the East Coast and started my journey back to Delhi. It’s April and already very hot. At first I found it was only bearable to ride some parts by night, a risky enterprise. April, Jabalpur There was a sprinkling of rain last night. Now, after Seoni, a full scale thunderstorm at dusk. And with the dirt shoulders of road wet more […]
Les Voyages de Jupiter
(Scroll down for the English translation) Enfin, Les Voyages de Jupiter est de nouveau disponible en Francais, et vous pouvez l’acheter ici, sur mon site web. Cette traduction a été publiée pour la première fois par Albin Michel en 1980, avec un grand succès, en grande partie grâce à l’invitation de Bernard Pivot à son émission télévisée emblématique Apostrophe. Le soir suivant mon passage à […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: Calcutta and Konarak
June 14, 2025
Once in Calcutta I made my way to the Salvation Army Hostel, known as the Sally-Ann, by recommendation, where I made friends with Jacqueline LePrince from Paris and Eric Hansen, from San Francisco who had been helping at Mother Theresa’s home. [Eric wanted to take spices home, so we went to a spice firm and said we were thinking of importing spices. We were […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: Back to Bodhgaya via Benares
June 8, 2025
My impromptu train ride to Delhi from Gaya to listen to Amjad Alikhan play his sarod in concert was frustrated when the concert was cancelled. Trying to make something of all the effort I decided to first take the train to Benares, before returning to Bodghaya. Benares, also called Varanasi, is the holiest of Indian cities on the Ganges. Monday 14th (The Ides of […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: Bodhgaya and Delhi
June 1, 2025
I arrive in Bodhgaya looking for somewhere to rest and write. Bodhgaya, Monday February 21st Tent in grounds of Tourist Bungalow. Not a very peaceful place. Meet Jacques Martin and his girlfriend/wife. They tell me the Burmese Vihar might be better. After two nights I move across, so – Wednesday 23rd to Wednesday March 9th at Burmese Vihar [All the most important Buddhist national […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: A Wedding on the Way to Bodhgaya
May 25, 2025
From Patna I’m on my way to the religious heart of India but suffer a most felicitous interruption – dancing girls included. Sunday 20th February After a haircut (very short) and breakfast with Jha I leave for Bodhgaya anxious to settle down to my piece [I was planning an article on the election for the Sunday Times] and unsure whether this will be the […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: Predators in Patna
May 18, 2025
Still Saturday 19th, February [Following an afternoon spent gliding above Patna among birds of prey, I’m invited by my pilot, Jha Prakash, to join a different class of predator.] In the evening, Jha absorbs me into a party at his brother-in-law’s room at the DAK bungalow. A mild US couple also arrived previous night, and they too have been invited. I assume that virtually […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: From Assam to Patna by Mistake
May 11, 2025
I took Carol to the Bangladeshi border as we’d agreed and returned to Gauhati thinking I would need to renew my permit before leaving Assam. I called on Dr. Das, the academic, who invited me to dinner. Tuesday, February 15th Dinner with Das. Wife rather self-conscious about food and I’m sure she’s made it blander than usual. But it’s nice and we have […]
From My Notebooks In 1977: Monobarie Tea Estate in Assam
April 27, 2025
[We are guests at the Monobarie Tea Estate after crossing the Bramaputra.] Monday 7th February Lazy day, although I get all my addresses transcribed into a small book indexed by country. The evening is reserved for a cultural program in aid of local high school. Don’t give it much thought and don’t wear much clothing. Arrive to find a big tent like a […]