A BOVE ALL, I would like to thank Naveen Patnaik and Aditya Patankar, whose friendship, support and patience really made this all possible.
Foremost, for unending generosity with their time, knowledge and resources my sincerest gratitude is due to: Sri Bijoyananda Patnaik, Sri Martand Singh, Ajai Singh of Maksudpur, Maharaj Kumar Anang Udai Singh Deo and Maharaj Kumarani Vijay Lakshmi Devi of Patna, Maharaj Kumar Ranjit Singh of Wankaner, Sri Bal Manohar Jalan, Tavleen Singh and Pepita Seth.
I am deeply grateful to the following people, all of whom in many different ways contributed so much:
In India Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur, Maharani Vasundhara Raje of Dholpur, Maharaja Pradeep Chandra Bhanj Deo of Mayurbhanj, The Raja of Seraikella, Mahijit Singh Jhala, Rani Sunita Pitamber, Sri Bijoy Sorangi, Sri Brijendra Singh, Mrs June Lal, Sanjiv Lal, Rajkumar Braja Bhannu Singh Deo, Bheem and Reeta Dev Varma, Hershad Kumari of Jamnagar, Amita Beg, Sri H. S. Jassal, Bittu Saghal, Doctor Duke Chawla, the late Sri Babla Senapathy, Sri S. K. Patnaik, Sri Nand Kishore Singh, Sri Arun Pathak, Sri Ashok Singh, Sri Nilmandhab Mohanty, Sri N. K. Panda, Kumud Choudhury, Sri B. C. Verma, Peter Carter, Toby Sinclair, Gudu and Christina Patnaik, D. K. Lahiri Choudhury, Doctor Kumar Suresh Singh, Pramod Kasliwal, Kumar Ashok Singh Diggi, Deepak Rana, Sita Ram Singh, Bishwanath Singh, Ranjivoy Singh, S. P. Singh, U. P. Singh and the people of McCluskiegunge. For their generous hospitality and impeccable service I would like to acknowledge Mr P. R. S. Oberoi and the managers and staff of the Oberoi hotels in Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta.
In England Belinda Burton, Mariuska Chalmers, Mitchell Crites, Simon Elliot. H. E. The Deputy High Commissioner for India, Mr Salman Haidar, Sir Geoffrey Howe, Sir Owain Jenkins, Harry Marshall, Don Munson, Marjorie Naisbitt, Doctor John Price, Joan Phillips and the staff of Sussex Secretarial Services, John Hatt, Abner Stein and Beverley Sturdy. From my publishers Jonathan Cape: Georgina Capel, Jenny Cottom, Rachael Kerr, Hilary Turner, Sarah Wherry, and in particular my editor Tony Colwell whose care and erudition is legendary.
I can never begin to thank Gita Mehta for giving me so selflessly her guidance, knowledge, encouragement and time; my mother and father for their total support and allowing me to use their home to write this book; Don McCullin for being as always an indefatigable travelling companion and friend and Bob, Anne and Belinda Wright for giving Tara such a wonderful home at Kipling Camp where I know she will enjoy a long and very happy life.
Finally, I would like to thank the many unnamed people who I encountered in Orissa and Bihar, whose welcome, spontaneity and sense of humour made this journey so memorable for me. I shall never forget them.
M. S.
London
October, 1990