The Secret Language Of Maps

Each map is a treasure trove of stories, well-heeled sources of history and a reservoir of eras gone by. Anubhav Nath, Curatorial Director, Ojas Art, tells us how maps can speak to us through cartography.

- Vinay Agrawal

It’s interesting how maps define the borders of each country. The pre-Independent India included Pakistan and Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan). Post-Independence, they branched into three entities. This art of graphically representing a geographical area is referred to as cartography. As an art, it was at its zenith between the 17th and 19th centuries, as explorers discovered more places and were also able to mark their exact geographical locations with the help of longitudes and latitudes.

During that time, there was a vast commissioning of maps by the western powers. Cartography is also educational as it helps in understanding changing geographical boundaries and the possible reasons behind them. “The Europeans had great interest in India, and commissioned many cartographers to make maps of the terrain. Indian maps are considered to be among the best and are pursued by collectors all over the world,” shares Anubhav.