Dancing to an Indian Tune

by Mary Searle-Chatterjee

Dancing to an Indian Tune; an Education in India tells the story of an English woman’s life-changing experiences as a student of Indian Religion and Philosophy at the Hindu University of Banaras (in Varanasi) between 1963 and 1965. Mary Searle’s decision to take a step into the unknown initially seems to have backfired when people in India express disapproval of her culture, and she struggles to adjust to her new life. The young innocent seeks relief from dry study by exploring the ancient city where she meets renowned holy men, predatory Romeos, a man who was tortured by the British and an eccentric Irish woman. She learns to spin wool, grind millet and watch over cattle in a Gandhian community. Later travels take her to tribal regions of central India, and to Nepal, where she treks with two Sherpas towards the Tibetan border over passes of 17,000 feet, sleeping rough under rock overhangs. Mary sees history being made when she is present at the ceremony for the scattering of Nehru’s ashes. By the time she returns to Britain, her values and habits have changed so much that everything appears alien, demonstrating that so much of what we know is influenced by our perception of our surroundings.

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2021

Reviews

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over half a century ago the English author arrived in India as a stranger in a strange land to study Indian philosophy. Her quest soon extended to trying to make sense of cultural diversity.
Avoiding English arrogance and narrow-mindedness she sought the Truth, encountering both an ocean of suffering and a compassionate and generous people.
This is a splendid book capturing a moment in time, and a way of life, long since swept away by the relentless tide of 'progress', with an illuminating imagination, integrity and evocative prose. Deliciously eye-opening and thought-provoking.

[Joelle Tamraz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating account in several respects: the historical period (India in the 60s), the author’s experience as a foreign woman studying in an Indian university, the specific well-written observations. I felt like I was reliving, with the author, a critical and life-changing period in her life. I am very pleased to have read it, and despite the passage of three decades, many of her experiences were familiar to me from the 90s. I would have liked to feel more of the emotional experience of the time, particularly on her final trip and the conclusion of her journey.

[Michael Prendergast · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and absorbing bio set in India during the 60's from a female perspective. Loved it.