The Hill of Devi being Letters from Dewas State Senior

London: Edward Arnold & Co., 1953. First edition. Cloth. Near Fine/Fine. 9" by 5.5". Unnamed. First edition of The Hill of Devi, E.M. Forster's account of two of his visits to India in 1912 and 1921, complete with photographs. First edition of E.M Forster's memoirs of his travels to India, The Hill of Devi, including large frontispiece with a photograph of Sir Tukoji Rao III, whom the author worked for during his stay, and other pictures of his travels.In 1912, Forster visited the State of Dewas Senior in Central India, and in 1921 he went back to work as temporary secretary to the Maharajah and be part of his court. This book is based on his diaries and letters and gives an exciting insight to the author's extraordinary experiences, where the fantastic would keep breaking into the everyday life. For instance, Forster must be one of the few Europeans who attended the eight-day festival of Gokulashtami, celebrating the birth of Krishna. The author describes the Maharajah as "certainly a genius and possibly a saint, and he had to be a king." He eventually passed away in 1937 in destitution at Pondicherry after the bankruptcy of the State and the flight of the Ruler.Devi, which gives the title to the book, was the sacred hill overlooking the capital city. In the publisher's original grey cloth binding, with clipped dustwrapper. In the publisher's original grey cloth binding, with red titles to spine and author's signature stamped in red to front board. Externally, in excellent condition with minor shelfwear only. Dustwrapper is clipped and very smart, with a few scattered faint spotting internal to wraps, not affecting cover. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright , with minor faint spotting only to free endpapers and edges, not affecting pages. Including large frontispiece and five photographs. Near Fine