Paper Boats by K. S. Venkataramani

THREE of these Essays were originally published in East and West in more or less the present form. “The Indian Beggar” appeared in September, 1913, “On Fishermen” in February, 1913, “The Hindu Temple” in February, 1914. I sent a reprint of “The Hindu Temple” to Mr. A. C. Benson, who promptly replied to me as follows, on March 2nd, 1914:
“I have received your paper on the Hindu Temple and have read it with very real and lively interest. It throws a perfectly new light upon the whole question, and I am very grateful to you for bringing it before me in so picturesque and impressive a form. I cannot help feeling that a number of similar sketches on Indian Life and Customs would be of great service to us here in England.”
This generous letter awakened in me the dream of authorship. I have...