Indian Institute of Astrophysics

This is a new research project for me, and it's taking me to new places, namely, Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. I'm here looking for items related to the Madras and Kodaikanal Observatories. I spend most of my day at the IIA Library and the IIA Archives. The staff has been friendly and helpful, and I'm gathering all sorts of useful bits. Access to the IIA didn't seem complicated compared to what I had to deal with even a few years ago, so I'm finding this a pretty low stress research trip. It's easy to order photocopies, it's easy to order books, and I've been allowed to transcribe some of Pogson's observing logs.

IIA Access Policy

List of Items Available in the IIA Archives

The library is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Wifi is available on campus.
 

The IIA is also in charge of the Kodaikanal Observatory. The librarian at IIA has been very generous with her time (she's in the midst of retiring) and has introduced me to a few of the research scientists and administrators here. One result of all this care is that arranging a research visit to Kodai has been a piece of cake. I was worried about accommodations, but it been determined that I qualify to stay at the observatory guest house. Exciting!

Nuts & Bolts

Accommodations:
This is getting easier by the month. I actually used airbnb to find a place this visit. It's not necessarily easy finding a place close to IIA this way, but public transportation is reliable and the library doesn't open until mid-morning, so you have time to travel to Koramanagala.

Getting there:
I'm staying in HSR Layout / Sector 6. It's not too difficult getting an autorickshaw when I need one, but I usually take the AC bus. KIA-7 is a bus that conveniently runs along Sarjapura Road by IIA on the way to the airport. If you need a landmark for an auto or taxi driver, St. John's Medical College Hospital on Sarjapura Road is your best best. The main gate to IAA is on 100 Feet Road, which is off Sarjapura. It's also not too far to walk from Hosur Road if you get off the auto somewhere near the Madiwalla underpass. The best landmark there is actually FabIndia, just up 100 Feet Road from Hosur Road. I've taken several more buses (non-AC) in Bangalore than I would have in Delhi -- it's easier and generally feels safer.

Dining: 
There's a decent canteen on the main campus, costs 30 r. or something like that for a meal. If you must get out for some air, go out to 100 Feet Rd., cross Sarjapura, and in about 3 blocks you will find a Cafe Coffee Day, around 7th Cross Road. There are some sweets shops down that way, too. On the weekend, there's this place called Brahmin's in Basavanagudi that has the world's best idli. Trust me on this one. Less than 100 r. for two lovely plates of food.

Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

[ETA: the website linked below was hacked last time I checked (April 2019). Try these: http://www.archaeology.mp.gov.in/Archives/default.aspx and http://archaeology.mp.gov.in/en-us/Archives/Archives-Overview]

The Archives division of the Madhya Pradesh Directorate for Archaeology, Archives and Museums can be found at Banaganga Marg (Banganga Road), at the base of Shyamla Hills, next to the Hindi Granth Academy.

If you are doing research on Holkar or Gwalior (Scindia) State, this is the place to start. The Archives hold material relating to the Central Provinces, Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Madhya Bharat, Maihar and Nagod States. I was looking into Gwalior State Records. Most of the material made available was English language, early 20th century, but here the official description of their holdings (including records in Nagpur, etc.):

• The record available at the Central Provinces and Berar, Madhya Pradesh Central Record room, Nagpur is from 1799 to 1920. The post 1920 series is maintained in the General Administration Department, Mantralaya, Vallabh Bhawan, Bhopal.
• The Holkar State Records - available in Bhopal and at Indore Repositories is from 1818 to 1950.
• The Scindia State(Gwalior) records are from 1802 to 1948. They are located in Bhopal repository.
• The records of Bhopal State are from 1914 to 1948. The series of pre 1914 records are with the National Archives of India, Bhopal Branch.
• The Madhya Bharat State Records are from 1948 to 1956 and are available in Bhopal.
• The Narsingarh State Records are available in Gwalior Repository and some of the records of Nagod and Maihar State is available in Rewa Repository.

The facilities are a little sketchy at the Bhopal repository, in that every time it rained, the reading room flooded. I spent a lot of time reading with my feet in the air. There did not seem to be any sort of catalogue available, but the Assistant Archivist, Mr. Meena, helped me sort through three cabinets of Gwalior material in search of relevant records. Although the official opening hours for Bhopal office start at 10 or 10:30, there's really no point in going before 11:00. Ask whomever you see to find Mr. Meena--his desk is in the corner office in the Holkar record room.

Photocopying is pretty pricey here, the most expensive I've encountered in India at 20Rs./page. Still, Mr. Meena helped me consolidate pages, so it worked out to about 10Rs.page. That's still higher than anywhere else in India.

Accommodations: I've been staying at Ivy Suites (they are working on a new website), which is at the very top of Shyamla Hills. It is about a 20 minute walk down the hill to the Directorate, and a 30 minute walk back up the hill. To avoid much of the hill, you could stay at Ranjit's Lakeview, but that would be a more anonymous hotel experience. Within one block of Ivy Suites are the luxury hotels Jehan Numa Palace Hotel and the Hotel Lakeview Ashok. These are both very nice, but I can't imagine any research budget stretching to include such luxury. You can find awesome french fries at the coffee shop at Jehan Numa, though.

Bikaner Accommodations.

Let's face it, Bikaner in the summer is a tough place to be. 115-120 degree F during the months of May and June, and it doesn't matter where you're living, because it is going to be hell. That being said, I can recommend looking into the Hotel Shri Ram. Yogendra Singh and Samar Rathore were great hosts, and looked after me very well during the hot season. It's only 1/2 block to a nice, quiet park for evening walks, 1 block to a cyber cafe (for recharging your phone and buying cold drinks) and about 4 blocks to the city's only ice cream parlor. If you are going to be traveling regularly to the Rajasthan State Archives, Yogendra Singh can arrive daily transport with a local autorickshawallah. I paid 20Rs. one way no matter where I went in the city.

There are at least two luxury hotels in town (Laxmi Niwas Palace and Lallgarh Palace), but they are a little removed from the city and a bit hard on the budget. Yogendra Singh can take you on a tour of Laxmi Niwas Palace, or maybe for a meal in the open air restaurant.

Delhi Accommodations

While working at NAI in Delhi, I stayed at Vandana's Bed and Breakfast (I had the Parkview room, nice for birdwatching). This was in a great location (Safdarjung Enclave), about a 50Rs. autorickshaw ride from the archives. The house was really comfortable, and Pradeep and Vandana and family were excellent hosts. It is just a short walk through Arjun Nagar to Deer Park, Hauz Khas Village, or Green Park, and about a 40-50Rs. autorickshaw ride to Defence Colony. Since it is in South Delhi, it is also convenient to the airport. I was so comfortable here that I went back instead of finding a new place when I had to return to Delhi to renew my research visa.