Two books in one with dozens of illustrations.  
Printed on heavyweight archival quality paper and presented in a protective shelf box case.

Book size 10-1/2” x 15-5/8” x 1-1/4” (26.5cm x 39.75 cm x  3.25 cm)
In protective shelf box case 10-5/8” x 16” x 1-1/2” (37 cm x 40.5 cm x 4 cm)

For more than 150 years, there was no reprint of this fascinating work. a reprint was brought out in 1996 by the Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan of Benares . Sadly, it was of a very poor quality. The illustrations in that reprint do
not give the reader even a faint idea of the beauty of the original prints.   Ten years passed before another
publisher from Benares , Rama Nand of Pilgrims Publishing, approached Dr. Kejariwal with a proposal of doing a
high quality reprint of the book and together they produced the present edition with several important additions.  

Of first importance is the fact that these illustrations bring out the magic, the depth and the beauty of the originals.
Then there are other features which make this edition unique:

There is newly collected or discovered material including the Benares Directory, reproduced here in full, which lists
all the important families of Benares in Prinsep’s time. Some of the present generation will probably be able to find
their ancestors included in this Directory.  

For this new edition, we revisited some important places in Benares where Prinsep worked and have included those photographs.  

Nine Appendices bring out the genius that James Prinsep was. His expertise is displayed in such articles as
“Description of a Pluviameter and Evaporometer Constructed at Benares ” and “Accurate Balances.”  The creative
and meticulous Prinsep invented devices so precise as to measure rainfall within .005 inches and the amount of
evaporation within .001 inches! He developed many such tools which were designed with such precision of accuracy
that they have yet to be improved upon.

One only hopes that we are able to recognize the worth of James Prinsep, who all this time has been an unsung and
an unrecognized genius.                      (edited from “About this Edition” by O.P. Kejariwal)    

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<---An example of the Brahmi script that
James Prinsep deciphered.

If ever there was an unsung genius, it is James
Prinsep. Born in 1799, he had a short life of
only forty years. Considering his wide variety
of interests and his seminal contributions in
several areas, it can be stated that he was one
of the greatest geniuses born in human history.
He was at the same time a physicist, chemist, anthropologist, geologist, architect and much
more.

Just one of his achievements, that of deciphering
the Brahmi script, through which India and the
world came to know of Emperor Ashoka, would
have entitled him to a place among the greats of intellectual history. When one considers that
James Prinsep deciphered not just one, but two
ancient scripts - Brahmi and Kharoshthi - through which was revealed the existence of a whole line of Indo-Bactrian
kings, one stands in awe of the man.

Among all his varied interests, it was Benares which was his passion. James Prinsep spent only ten years there but considering his work, one can say that no individual contributed more to that holy and ancient city. Consider: he was
the first to determine the city's latitude and longitude, the first to carry out an authentic census and the first to
construct a bridge over the river Karmanasa, a feat which had defied engineers and architects for nearly a century.
He also engineered and supervised the underground drainage system - one that still serves the city. As a 'family
memoir' says: "to extend the catalogue to a detail of the roads, bidges, drains and other works of every variety of
description (in Benares) which, if they were put in hand and completed, would fatigue the reader."

Amid all these activities, one can picture him sitting on a winter afternoon on one of the ghats, with the river which
he fondly calls "our Ganga" flowing quietly by, looking around and then conceiving this magnificent work Benares
Illustrated. As you turn these pages, you not only travel with him from ghat to ghat, but also participate in the life of
the city. One can only marvel at the three dimensional portraval of the various sites and the play of light and shade
in these marvelous sketches.

With this edition, one hopes that James Prinsep will also come to occupy a place among the greatest artists of his
age.

This volume is further enhanced by a write-up entitled James Prinsep and Benares by O.P. Kejariwal. Considered
an authority on James Prinsep, his write-up is based on material which has not been available previously. The
present volume also has nine Appendices comprising articles which Prinsep wrote while in Benares. Included among
these is the Benares Directory, reproduced here in full, which lists all the important families of Benares in Prinsep's
time. Some of the present generation will probably be able to find their ancestors included in this Directory.

Dr. O.P. Kejariwal has been among the first five Information Commissioners in India to be appointed under the Right
to Information Act-2005. Among the other positions he has held in his long and distinguished career are: Chief
Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati; Director General, All India Radio; and Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library, New Delhi.

Dr. Kejariwal is also a distinguished academic. His book The Asiatic Society of Bengal and the Discovery of India's
Past was published by the Oxford University Press in 1988 and carried a Foreward by the eminent Indologist, A.L.
Basham, in which he commended "the excellent study to discriminating readers throughout the world." He is a
recipient of the Nehru Fellowship and a Visiting Fellowship from the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain. Currently
he is working on a biography of James Prinsep and a history of the Prinsep family in India.
    
James Prinsep worked in the Mints in Calcutta and Benares and he had great personal interest in
numismatics.

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Address at book launch of Benares Illustrated
by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
8 September 2009 ~ New Delhi
"James Prinsep Genius"
Inspiring Life

"When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you."

I am happy to participate in the launch of the book Benares Illustrated by James Prinsep with James Prinsep by OP
Kejariwal. My greetings to all of you, particularly to Mr. Kejariwal, who brought this book for my study. Considereing
the work carried out by James Prinsep in just 40 years and his seminal contribution to the society in many areas, I
can confidently say that James Prinsep is one of the greatest geniuses ever born. He was at the same time, a
physicist, chemist, a numismatist, an anthropologist, a geologist, a meteorologist, a town planner, an architect and the
list can go on. His unique achievements include the deciphering of Brahmi and Kharoshthi scripts through which was
revealed the existence of a whole line of Indo-Scythian Kings.

Benares was the passion of James Prinsep for over ten years. Europe knew Benares as the principle seat of Hindu philosophy. James Prinsep made accurate drawings of the place as viewed from the river. There are disjointed views
about the various Ghats of Benares by different authors. Specimens presented in this book provide a cogent account
of the city and its beauty. Works also include the map of 1824. If one loves whatever work he or she is performing,
the best output emanates.

Benares Illustrated is indeed a masterpiece providing remarkable data in the drawings, views, people, religion and
statistics. Chapter after chapter when you read, the minarets, the morning concert, the eve of an eclipse of the moon,
the festival of the Ram Leela, Lal Shah's tomb and Durgah of Ghazimeea, every aspect of the drawing, architecture,
survey, painting, and people have been uniquely presented.

Work of Labour as work of pleasure

I was asking myself how an individual, in ten years time, could beautifully illustrate Kashi. What inspired James
Prinsep? In his own words to his father, "...I am now busy about a rather stupendous work of labour, just for my
amusement in this cold weather,  making an accurate map of this Holy City, a work never yet undertaken.... I had
vowed to do nothing until I had accomplished my never-ending map of Benares. And with a work of labour
undertaken as a work of pleasure, it is almost necessary to make a bond with yourself not to use your liberty of
giving it up as soon as it becomes a mere labour. In this way only have I brought it to a conclusion.."

His description on the eve of an eclipse of the moon is beautiful. As remarked by James Prinsep, "..on most
occasions of festive and multitudinous assemblage, the distinctions of religion give way, and the scene bears
more the character of a fair (mela) than of a religious meeting..." What an enlightened thinking. The festival of the
Ram Leela is very well portrayed. James Prinsep depicts Ramayana dramatically and takes us to the epic world.

The details of the surveying and information collection done by James Prinsep are illustrated in the creation of a
unique directory of all the important people in Benares in those times. He also created a comprehensive data on the meteorological phenomena in the area. Such a marvelous and accurate database creation of a city is, even today, an inspirational act which needs to be emulated.

Engineering Creations of James Prinsep

James Prinsep was far beyond just being an accurate documenter - he was also an innovative creator. He is credited
for having built a bridge over the river Karamanasa which was a remarkable engineering feat. he also created the underground drainage system in the city, something which has thrived through more than a century and a half, and is
in use even today!

When I think of James Prinsep, his diversity of work and his achievements at a young age, remind me of some well
known figures from history.

Leonardo Da Vinci

In many ways, the wide spectrum of work done by James Prinsep and his multi-faceted talent reminds me of one of the greatest figures in the history of mankind - Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo Da Vinci was born in Italy and today his work
of art is considered to be the best in all agees. He was also a scientist and inventor, who was the first one to think that
man could fly; he gave the world the idea of a submarine, helicopter, hydraulic pump and single-handed scissors. He
was the one who pioneered the study of anatomy to closely understand the working of the human body. Like James
Prinsep, Leonardo Da Vinci designed the canal system in the city of Milan, much of which is still in use.

John Keats

The contribution of James Prinsep at a young age also reminds me of two prominent figures from history. First, I recall
the great English poet John Keats, who ushered in a revolution in poetry. He lived only 'til an age of 25 years but even
in that short life span his works are remembered as some of the greatest in the literary world. After his death, his
tombstone aptly describes him as "Here lies one, whose name was writ in water." Of course, there is also Mahakavi Subramaniam Bharathiyar, who produced great classical poetic work. He lived just for 30 years. In that short period,
his literary work inspired the people and made them partners in the independence movement.

Ramanujan

James Prinsep also reminds me of the renowned Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, born and raised in
Erode, Tamil Nadu, who first encountered formal mathematics at the age of ten. He demonstrated a natural ability at mathematics, and was given books on advanced trigonometry by S.L.Loney. He mastered this book by age thirteen
and even discovered theorems of his own. By the age of seventeen, Ramanujan was conducting his own
mathematical research. Ramanujan lived only for 33 years and did not have formal higher education or means of
living. One of the tributes to Ramanujan says that, "every Integer is a personal friend of Ramanujan."

The more I read Benares Illustrated and the drawings and depictions, I feel, if a person is inspired, nothing can stop
him to perform. I am convinced: success in completing the mission is not the result of spontaneous combustion. One
must stay himself on fire of knowledge and commitment. This is what we see in the life of James Prinsep.

Pilgrimage business of Benares

This book also has the power to make us think of the rich cultural and religious value which lies in the city of Benares.
Religion is regarded as the paramount of source with which the Holy city flourishes and is enriched. This may not
decline as long as the pious in our country have faith in the efficiency of a pilgrimage to Kashi and the purifying virtues
of the Ganges there. It is believed that the sand from Rameswaram has to be carried by the pilgrim to Benares and
that sand is to be immersed in the Ganges. Also the water from Ganges must be carried and poured into the sea at Rameswaram. Many pilgrims follow this tradition even today. The breadth of Ganges in Kashi is around one-third of a
mile at low water and little more than half a mile in the rainy season. This splendid stream forms a way intending the
front of the town and displays its beauty. Can the lovers of Benares find a method by which the beautiful Ganges is
revived and rejuvenated? I would suggest the community assembled here can get in touch with Baba Balbir Singh
Seechewal who was the architect fo reviving the Kali Bein river of Punjab.

I congratulate the author Shri OP Kejariwal and the Pilgrims Publishing House for bringing out this beautiful volume
Benares Illustrated. I am sure Shri Kejariwal, James Prinsep and Pilgrims Publishing House will all be remembered for
this unique publication.

With these words, I launch the book Benares Illustrated. My best wishes to all of you.
May God Bless you.

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