The Problematic Usefulness of the Travel Guidebook

Postcards From Nowhere with Utsav Mamoria

I'm sure we've all owned, or seen a copy of a guidebook to a country or a tourist destination. While internet itineraries might have replaced the physical guidebooks today, the concept of 'tourist guides' are still very much around. Did you ever wonder why and when making these guides became a thing?

In today's episode, we travel back to a time when Rumi lived in Konya, Turkey, and uncover the enchanting story of an Indian fakir who disappeared without a trace one day. We discuss why guidebooks often leave out such stories, and trace their problematic origins in Eurocentricity.

If you liked this episode, do consider rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

You can reach out to me on Instagram: @‌postcards.pfn

My second podcast, Smartphone Nation, won the Hindustan Times Podmasters award for Best Documentary (Non-Fiction) earlier this year. If you want to understand how Indian startups in the Impact space are changing the lives of India’s Next Half Billion, please check it out: https://open.spotify.com/show/3rs9XhIkizxobxHhPfKVN9?si=9a36b9a609284db8