A reader interest appetizer rather than a reference staple, this is a popular pictorial presentation of the highlights of Indian history up to independence and of daily life in diverse parts of India today; a more cursory look at Pakistan, Nepal, Ceylon and Burma concludes. Taya Zinkin has previously written a good life of Gandhi and she seems to be at home in India; Biman Mullick is a Bengali who works expressively and colorfully in whatever traditional or modern style is appropriate to the subject. Each topic--be it a period of history or a characteristic village or an important river--is covered in a brief (two-page), profusely illustrated chapter which makes no demands on the reader. Neither is there much insight into the fundamental problems of Indian today, and the government is ignored altogether: so are its leaders from Nehru on. But what's done is done agreeably--vis a vis British rule, too agreeably and youngsters who don't need solid data or an overview or anything resembling a standard text will probably like it.