The Walking Brahmin

Book excerpt: In 1857, Vishnubhat Godse and his uncle Rambhat, unwittingly walked smack in the middle of The First War of Indian Independence. Having the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, the duo were caught in the crossfire between the loyalist Indian troops and the British. They witnessed the fall of Jhansi first hand, survived the aftermath of British savagery, were robbed of all their belongings multiple times, and even managed to avoid getting hanged. Twice. Being on the road for two years, they finally returned to Varsai village, near Pen, Maharashtra. Back home, Vishnubhat penned down his adventure for his descendants which was eventually published as a Marathi book in 1907. Maneesh Madhukar Godbole retells this story as The Walking Brahmin. Replete with maps and photographs, this book offers a unique insight on what really happened during the war of 1857.