. .In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of Indian royalty. As the princess's official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of World War I. There, she meets young Donald Astbury—reluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estate—and his scheming mother.Ninety years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she's relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to a distant corner of the English countryside. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty . . .A multilayered, heartbreaking tale filled with unforgettable characters caught in the sweep of history, The Midnight Rose is Lucinda Riley at her most captivating and unforgettable.

    Gary J. Bass shows how Nixon and Kissinger supported Pakistan’s military dictatorship as it brutally quashed the results of a historic free election. The Pakistani army launched a crackdown on what was then East Pakistan (today an independent Bangladesh), killing hundreds of thousands of people and sending ten million refugees fleeing to India—one of the worst humanitarian crises of the twentieth century.Nixon and Kissinger, unswayed by detailed warnings of genocide from American diplomats witnessing the bloodshed, stood behind Pakistan’s military rulers. Driven not just by Cold War realpolitik but by a bitter personal dislike of India and its leader Indira Gandhi, Nixon and Kissinger actively helped the Pakistani government even as it careened toward a devastating war against India. They silenced American officials who dared to speak up, secretly encouraged China to mass troops on the Indian border, and illegally supplied weapons to the Pakistani military—an overlooked scandal that presages Watergate.Drawing on previously unheard White House tapes, recently declassified documents, and extensive interviews with White House staffers and Indian military leaders, The Blood Telegram tells this thrilling, shadowy story in full. Bringing us into the drama of a crisis exploding into war, Bass follows reporters, consuls, and guerrilla warriors on the ground—from the desperate refugee camps to the most secretive conversations in the Oval Office. Bass makes clear how the United States’ embrace of the military dictatorship in Islamabad would mold Asia’s destiny for decades, and confronts for the first time Nixon and Kissinger’s hidden role in a tragedy that was far bloodier than Bosnia. This is a revelatory, compulsively readable work of politics, personalities, military confrontation, and Cold War brinksmanship.

    The heartbreaking story of Kashmir has so far been told through the prism of the brutality of the Indian state, and the pro-independence demands of separatists. But there is another part of the story that has remained unrecorded and buried. Our Moon Has Blood Clots is the unspoken chapter in the story of Kashmir, in which it was purged of the Kashmiri Pandit community in a violent ethnic cleansing backed by Islamist militants. Hundreds of people were tortured and killed, and about 3,50,000 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homes and spend the rest of their lives in exile in their own country. Rahul Pandita has written a deeply personal, powerful and unforgettable story of history, home and loss.

    each has a story to tell and a dream to realise. Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar is about the aspirations of these people, with their cares and worries woven to the site life. The fury of nature and hardships of project life have no mercy for the weak and no time for the dead.Like an eternal spectator the Dhauladhar watches as men risk their lives and limb in the quest to fulfil their dreams.

    On the night of November 26, Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists attacked targets throughout the city, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, one of the world’s most exclusive luxury hotels. For sixty-eight hours, hundreds were held hostage as shots rang out and an enormous fire raged. When the smoke cleared, thirty-one people were dead and many more had been injured. Only the courageous actions of staff and guests—including Mallika Jagad, Bob Nichols, and Taj general manager Binny Kang—prevented a much higher death toll.With a deep understanding of the region and its politics and a narrative flair reminiscent of Midnight in Peking, journalists Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy vividly unfold the tragic events in a real-life thriller filled with suspense, tragedy, history, and heroism.

         Here is a revelatory work of biography that takes us from Gandhi's birth in 1869 through his upbringing in Gujarat, his 2 years as a student in London, and his 2 decades as a lawyer and community organizer in South Africa. Ramachandra Guha has uncovered a myriad of previously untapped documents, including: private papers of Gandhi's contemporaries and co-workers; contemporary newspapers and court documents; the writings of Gandhi's children; secret files kept by British Empire functionaries. Using this wealth of material in a brilliantly nuanced narrative, Guha describes the social, political and personal worlds in which Gandhi began his journey to become the modern era's most important and influential political actor. And Guha makes clear that Gandhi's work in South Africa--far from being a mere prelude to his accomplishments in India--was profoundly influential on his evolution as a political thinker, social reformer and beloved leader.

    After India gained independence in the year 1947, she decided to adopt a political system that was democratic in nature and involved the existence of several political parties and many political rights. The end of the colonial era saw the disappearance of the continual famines that were striking India. Instead of stagnation, India began to witness growth in her economy, making her eventually rank at number two in the list of fastest growing economies in the world. Even now, though India's economy has dipped slightly, it still has one of the highest growths in the world. An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions is a book that has the opinions of two of India's leading economists, Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen, who highlight the major problems that the country faces at present. These two experts stress on the need to have sound knowledge concerning the deprivations of humans in India.

    This seems a deliberate souring of an uplifting narrative. Rams refusal to remarry to produce a royal heir adds to the complexity. The intention seems to be to provoke thought on notions of fidelity, property and self-image.And so the mythologist and illustrator Devdutt Pattanaik retells the Ramayana, drawing attention to the many oral, visual and written retellings composed in different times, in different places, by different poets, each one trying to solve the puzzle in its own unique way. This book approaches Ram by speculating on Sita: her childhood with her father, Janaka, who hosted sages mentioned in the Upanishads; her stay in the forest with her husband, who had to be a celibate ascetic while she was in the prime of her youth; her interactions with the women of Lanka, recipes she exchanged, emotions they shared; her connection with the earth, her mother, and with the trees, her sisters; her role as the Goddess, the untamed Kali as well as the demure Gauri, in transforming the stoic prince of Ayodhya into God.

    IT IS NOT FOR LACK OF EFFORT. In 1930, a great ocean wave blots out a Bengali village, leaving only one survivor, a young girl. As a maidservant in a British boarding school, Pom is renamed Sarah and discovers her gift for languages. Her private dreams almost die when she arrives in Kharagpur and is recruited into a secretive, decadent world. Eventually, she lands in Calcutta, renames herself Kamala, and creates a new life rich in books and friends. But although success and even love seem within reach, she remains trapped by what she is . . . and is not. As India struggles to throw off imperial rule, Kamala uses her hard-won skills—for secrecy, languages, and reading the unspoken gestures of those around her—to fight for her country’s freedom and her own happiness.

    Jorasanko was right at the hub of the Bengal Renaissance, with the family at the forefront of the movement, and its women playing a pivotal role.In a sprawling novel that spans a unique phase in the history of Bengal and India, Aruna Chakravarti provides a fascinating account of how the Tagore women influenced and were int urn influenced by their illustrious male counterparts, the times they lived in and the family they belonged to. She paints memorable portraits of women like Digambari, Dwarkanath's strong-willed wife who refuses to accept her husband's dalliance with alcohol and Western ways; Sarada Sundari, the obese, indolent but devoted wife of Debendranath, who is appalled to see the old world order slipping by; the indomitable Jogmaya, who takes on Debendranath and splits the Tagore family in two. There are also the young daughters and daughters-in-law. The tough, resourceful Jnanadanandini who gave the women of Bengal a new way of wearing the sari and initiated the concept of 'nuclear family'; Swarnakumari, universally acknowledged as a pioneer of women's writing in India; and Rabindranath's muse the gentle, melancholic Kadambari.Jorasanko mirrors the hopes and fears, triumphs and defeats that the women of the Tagore household experienced in their intricate interpersonal relationships, as well as the adjustments they were continually called upon to makw as daughters and daughters-in-law of one of the most eminent families of the land.

    The thrill, the joy of winning, the successes. The Olympic bronze, my most prized possession. And boxing, the sport I gave myself to. All of it is real. I was the David who took on the Goliaths in the boxing ring – and I won, most of the time.’MANGTE CHUNGNEIJANG MARY KOM. Queen of the Indian boxing ring. The winner of give world championships and an Olympic medal.Born to parents who were landless agricultural labour in the state of Manipur in Northeast India, Mary’s story is one of relentless struggle and unflagging passion for the sport of boxing. A childhood of hard labour prepared her body for the sport just as well as any fitness training might have. Her own will and aggression carried her through the minefield of politics that any sport in India is. Nimble of foot and pulling no punches, the boxing ring was Mary’s dominion.M.C. Mary Kom is not yet ready to call it a day, but here she tells her story so far, no holds barred – her tough childhood, her rebellions, how long she waited for Onler to propose marriage, how she was willing to run away with him and , of course, how she held her won in the male world of boxing. It’s all packed into this inspiring, exhilarating tale of a woman who faced impossible odds in a man’s world – and won.

    After a hasty wedding, they arrive in Kumaresan’s village, harbouring the dangerous secret that their marriage is an inter-caste one, likely to anger the villagers should they learn of it. Kumaresan is confident that all will be well. He naively believes that after the initial round of curious questions, the inquiries will die down and the couple will be left alone. But nothing is further from the truth. The villagers strongly suspect that Saroja must belong to a different caste. It is only a matter of time before their suspicions harden into certainty and, outraged, they set about exacting their revenge.With spare, powerful prose, Murugan masterfully conjures a terrifying vision of intolerance in this devastating tale of innocent young love pitted against chilling savagery.

    Exploring vital themes such as custodial deaths, reservations and environmental jurisprudence, this book contextualises the judgements, explains key concepts and maps their impacts. Written by one of India's most respected lawyers, "Ten Judgements That Changed India" is an authoritative yet accessible read for anyone keen to understand India's legal system and the foundations of our democracy.

    Ghias Beg isn’t traveling light; he has with him a pregnant wife and three small children. When his family stops at Qandahar—which is today in modern-day Afghanistan, at that time was on the outer fringe of the Mughal Empire—his wife gives birth to a baby girl named Mehrunnisa. Thirty-four years later, this winter child will become an Emperor’s wife and the most powerful woman in that Mughal dynasty. Mehrunnisa is The Twentieth Wife of Emperor Jahangir, Akbar’s son, a woman so beloved of her husband that he grants her most of the powers of sovereignty. She signs on imperial documents called farmans and mints coins in her name and truly comes into power during the sixteen years of her marriage to Jahangir in The Feast of Roses . Mehrunnisa’s niece (her brother’s daughter and Ghias’ granddaughter) marries one of Jahangir’s sons, Prince Khurram who becomes Emperor Shah Jahan after his father’s death. When this niece dies in childbirth in June of 1631, Shah Jahan builds the Taj Mahal in her memory. But it is Mehrunnisa’s grand-niece (and Ghias’ great-granddaughter) Princess Jahanara who takes center stage in the third novel of the trilogy, Shadow Princess . She’s seventeen years old when her mother dies and her father, in his grief, leans upon her to the extent that she’s never allowed to marry. Throughout her life, Jahanara has to pacify warring brothers who each want the throne after their father, and engages in a rivalry with a sister, Roshanara—in supporting differing brothers politically, and in falling in love with the same noble at court, Najabat Khan. Powerful in her father’s harem, immensely rich with half her mother’s estate bestowed upon her and all of her mother’s yearly income, Jahanara still fails to turn the course of India’s history and has to find love with Najabat Khan in unconventional ways.

    The American demand for Oriental goods took these migrants on a curious path, from New Jersey's beach boardwalks into the heart of the segregated South. Two decades later, hundreds of Indian Muslim seamen began jumping ship in New York and Baltimore, escaping the engine rooms of British steamers to find less brutal work onshore. As factory owners sought their labor and anti-Asian immigration laws closed in around them, these men built clandestine networks that stretched from the northeastern waterfront across the industrial Midwest.The stories of these early working-class migrants vividly contrast with our typical understanding of immigration. Vivek Bald's meticulous reconstruction reveals a lost history of South Asian sojourning and life-making in the United States. At a time when Asian immigrants were vilified and criminalized, Bengali Muslims quietly became part of some of America's most iconic neighborhoods of color, from Treme in New Orleans to Detroit's Black Bottom, from West Baltimore to Harlem. Many started families with Creole, Puerto Rican, and African American women.As steel and auto workers in the Midwest, as traders in the South, and as halal hot dog vendors on 125th Street, these immigrants created lives as remarkable as they are unknown. Their stories of ingenuity and intermixture challenge assumptions about assimilation and reveal cross-racial affinities beneath the surface of early twentieth-century America.

    Pregnant and traveling alone, this woman, like so many coolies, disappeared into history. In Coolie Woman—shortlisted for the 2014 Orwell Prize—her great-granddaughter Gaiutra Bahadur embarks on a journey into the past to find her. Traversing three continents and trawling through countless colonial archives, Bahadur excavates not only her great-grandmother’s story but also the repressed history of some quarter of a million other coolie women, shining a light on their complex lives. Shunned by society, and sometimes in mortal danger, many coolie women were either runaways, widows, or outcasts. Many of them left husbands and families behind to migrate alone in epic sea voyages—traumatic “middle passages”—only to face a life of hard labor, dismal living conditions, and, especially, sexual exploitation. As Bahadur explains, however, it is precisely their sexuality that makes coolie women stand out as figures in history. Greatly outnumbered by men, they were able to use sex with their overseers to gain various advantages, an act that often incited fatal retaliations from coolie men and sometimes larger uprisings of laborers against their overlords. Complex and unpredictable, sex was nevertheless a powerful tool. Examining this and many other facets of these remarkable women’s lives, Coolie Woman is a meditation on survival, a gripping story of a double diaspora—from India to the West Indies in one century, Guyana to the United States in the next—that is at once a search for one’s roots and an exploration of gender and power, peril and opportunity.

    Waiting for him was not just his own destiny but that of thousands of small, marginalised farmers who, until then, had only known exploitation and deprivation. The story of Dr. Kurien is the story of Amul. It is the story of Operation Flood, the 'billion-liter idea' that set India on the top of the world map for milk production. A die-hard patriot, Kurien was committed to the co-operative cause. He put the milk industry in the hands of the farmers, believing firmly that with ownership would come responsibility and great success. And he was right. Amar Chitra Katha traces the story of the man who is known as the 'Father of the White Revolution'

    At one swoop, it led to the creation of Bangladesh, and it tilted the balance of power between India and Pakistan steeply in favor of India. The Line of Control in Kashmir, the nuclearization of India and Pakistan, the conflicts in Siachen Glacier and Kargil, the insurgency in Kashmir, the political travails of Bangladesh--all can be traced back to the intense nine months in 1971.Against the grain of received wisdom, Srinath Raghavan contends that far from being a predestined event, the creation of Bangladesh was the product of conjuncture and contingency, choice and chance. The breakup of Pakistan and the emergence of Bangladesh can be understood only in a wider international context of the period: decolonization, the Cold War, and incipient globalization. In a narrative populated by the likes of Nixon, Kissinger, Zhou Enlai, Indira Gandhi, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Tariq Ali, George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, and Bob Dylan, Raghavan vividly portrays the stellar international cast that shaped the origins and outcome of the Bangladesh crisis.This strikingly original history uses the example of 1971 to open a window to the nature of international humanitarian crises, their management, and their unintended outcomes.

    In this timely volume, the author highlights crucial issues that the legislature, the executive, judiciary, the bar and the common people have to deal with virtually on a day-to-day basis. His main focus is on corruption at various levels and in ‘hallowed’ institutions, including the judiciary.The author contends that the legislative and executive wings of the government – the elected representatives of the people – were (and are) expected to provide for the welfare of the people. He points out that they have failed miserably simply because making of laws is not enough; applying and enforcing laws – which are also the primary duties of the government – have left much to be desired. Consequently, it is the judiciary that tells the government when and how to distribute excess food, what crops to grow and what not to grow, which economic projects are good for the country and which are not, and what fuel should be used in our vehicles and whether 2G/3G licenses should be allotted only through auctions! The judiciary is hence accused of overreach!The contents also throw light on other important subjects such as: the implications of reservations for certain sections of the population (including minorities); the true purpose and significance of the Constitution; Centre–state relations; and whether the Constitution has benefited the common people over the years.This is a book that is absorbing as well as thought-provoking that will make the readers put on their thinking caps.

    She discovers a book written by Julian Winslett, a British war hero and writer, who was a young boy she cared for while working as a 16-year-old nanny in Bengal. His book is about those old days, and features the two of them as named characters. The 1920s British Raj was an era of expansive homes and gardens, elegant rail travel, and very strict divisions between Indians, Anglo-Indians and the British. For the rulers of India, it was a glorious period; but for Menakshi, it's a time she'd rather forget. She'd pushed away all her old feelings for Julian…but now they're back. As Menakshi reads Julian's book, she returns to a vanished world where luxury and deprivation co-exist in the same grand bungalow--and romance breaks all rules in the hills of Darjeeling and on the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. Menakshi's own recollections add suspense as his family heads toward rupture, and she is torn between loyalty toward the children and her own secret dreams. THE AYAH'S TALE is a 202-page novella by Sujata Massey, author of THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY, a longer novel set in British India that was published by Simon & Schuster in 2013. She is also the author of the contemporary Rei Shimura mystery novel series set in modern Japan, which starts with THE SALARYMAN'S WIFE.

    He left home for the sacred hill of Arunachala where he taught the purest form of Advaita Vedanta (non-duality) through the simple discipline of self-inquiry. His teaching, his principal instruction to all his devotes was always to meditate on the question “Who am I?”In this book Arthur Osborne gives an account of the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. It has a special relevance to our age with its outlines of a religion based on the Indian scriptures which is essentially spiritual, without ceasing to be rational and ethical.

    Written in a lucid style and documented with suitable maps and diagrams, the uniqueness of the book lies in the wide coverage of the subject. In the process the book will be of immense interest to acadmic students, teachers, researchers and those who have a secial interest in the subject. Contents: 1. Structure of India 2. Physiography 3. Drainage 4.Climate 5.Natural vegetation and National Parks 6.Soils 7.Resources 8. Energy Resources 9. Agriculture 10.Spatial Orgainisation of Agriculture 11.Industries 12.Transport, Communication and Trade 13.Cultural Setting 14.Settlement 15.Regional Development and planning 16.India- Political Assets 17.Contemporary Issues, About the Author: Majid Husain Majid Husain, Prof.(Retd.) Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, New Delhi

    Its main focus is the conflict at Ayodhya over the Ramjanmabhumi temple allegedly destroyed by the Mughal Emperor, Babar, in 1528. It examines the accounts of foreign travelers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and eighteenth centuries, and British administrator-scholars in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which testify to Ayodhya’s continuing importance as a pilgrimage centre associated with Rama’s birthplace. The extended litigation over the Ramajanmabhumi/ Babri Masjid in colonial times further attests to the persistence of the claims to the Janmabhumi.From the late 1980s, Left historians have been in the forefront of the campaign against the Rama temple. They have argued that Rama worship was an eighteenth nineteenth century phenomenon and the present day Ayodhya acquired its standing and identity only in the fifth century AD, during the rule of the imperial Guptas. According to Left academics, the identification of the Ramjanmabhumi in Ayodha was a matter of faith, not of historical evidence. They also rejected any possibility of the Babri Masjid being built on the site of the Janmabhumi temple.Excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) proved the inaccuracy of these assertions. And finally, the judgment of the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) marked adecisive moment in the dispute over the Janmabhumi. The writings of Life academics, the findings of the ASI, the extended arguments in the Allahabad High Court and its eventual verdict-all from the subject of this study.

    On a visit to this remote, majestic outpost of India, Vikram and Aditya camp out on the lofty Changtang plateau. Here they meet a young Tibetan boy named Tsering. But Tsering is unexpectedly abducted and Aditya pulls off a daring rescue. Suddenly Vikram and Aditya are on the run. On the frozen plateau, often referred to as the "roof of the world", the schoolboys play a dangerous game of hide-and-seek with a band of mysterious determined men. Traversing the barren wastes of Ladakh, the story moves to the mountain-city of Leh. Who is Tsering? Why is he being chased with such fierce resolve? Discover the fascinating secret of Tsering in this fast-moving adventure tale. "Ladakh Adventure" is another enthralling VikramAditya story, set in a wonderous land of startling contrasts and magnificent mountains.

    A delightful travel book!This entertaining travelogue around ten conducted tours contains myriad riches: of hanging on to a camel in the Thar; rediscovering music on the trail of Kabir; joining an ancient pilgrimage; and hunting for sex in Tashkent.

    Nandini Satpathy was elected to the state assembly after spending lakhs of rupees. Gandhian Jayaprakash Narayan raised the matter of corruption with the Prime Minister. Her defence was that the Congress had no money even to run the party office. When he found no response, he took the issue to the nation. One thing led to another until JP gave the call that the battle was between the people who wanted the government accountable and the government which was not willing to come clean. Acclaimed author Kuldip Nayar, says the true story behind Emergency, why it was declared and what it meant is relevant now since the driving force was corruption and corruption is the watch word again. With a new preface, the author reacquaints the current reader with the facts, lies and truths in an easy-to-understand, analytical style. He reveals the untold atrocities committed and the chief perpetrators and their modus operandi. A revelatory must-read on the 18 dark months of Democratic Indias history. About the Author: Kuldip Nayar A veteran journalist and former member of Parliament, Kuldip Nayar is India's most well-known and widely syndicated journalist. He was born in Sialkot in 1923 and educated at Lahore University before migrating to Delhi with his family at the time of Partition. He began his career in the Urdu newspaper, Anjam and after a spell in the USA worked as information officer of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Govind Ballabh Pant. He eventually became Resident Editor of the Statesman and managing editor of the Indian news agency, UNI. He corresponded for the Times for twenty five years and later served as Indian high commissioner to the UK during the V.P. Singh government. His stand for press freedom during the Emergency, when he was detained; his commitment to better relations between India and Pakistan, and his role as a human rights activist have won him respect and affection in both countries.

    Pash’s 81 poems edited and translated from Punjabi by Prof Chaman Lal with an introduction by Namvar Singh is published by Rajkamal Prakashan.

    V.R. PrabhuThe Two Incarnations of Lord DattatreyaThe Dattatreya Sampradaya has kept alive the eternal principles of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Divine Love and Non-Violence in Bharat for thousands of years. It extends back in time to the very beginning of the human race and over thousands of years this Sampradaya produced other Sampradayas like the Shaiva and Vishnu Sampradayas, to name only two. As the other Sampradyas kept increasing in number, the Dattatreya Sampradya was largely forgottren by the laity in virtually the whole of Northern Bharat.The revival of the Datta Sampradaya, in the last millenium was largely due to Sri Sripad Sri Vallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati. The GURU Charitra is the biography of these two incarnations of Lord Dattatreya. This text has been used for the last 300 years to revive our lost Vedic heritage. Besides many lost rituals were revived by Sri Narasimha Saraswati and are recounted in this text.

    The Naxalbari Movement is gathering strength in Bengal. Young men and women have left their homes, picked up arms to free land from the clutches of feudal landlords and the state, and return them to oppressed landless farmers. They are being arrested en masse and thrown into high-security jails. In one such jail, five Naxals are meticulously planning a jailbreak. They must free themselves if the revolution is to continue. But petty thief Bhagoban, much too happy to serve frequent terms for free food and shelter, has been planted by Jailor Bireshwar Mukherjee among them as a mole. Only, Bhagoban seems to be warming up to them. There’s Gunpowder in the Air is a searing investigation into what deprivation and isolation can do to human idealism. And Manoranjan Byapari is perhaps the most refreshing voice to emerge from Bengal in recent times.

    Defence, internal security and terrorism are important yet closely guarded issues. Even as outrage over safety of women and rising terror take centrestage, there continues to be limited access to information on the subjects of national defence and security - especially in a language that a layman can understand. Raghu Raman, an expert on security and terrorism, presents issues of defence, strategy and national security in an engaging narrative, with historical and contemporary examples. He recalibrates the great ‘India rising’ story with its real and present dangers and the role of a regular citizen in this everyman’s war.

    It had none of the fury, the passion of the monsoons. Instead, it was weak; half-hearted.” Exiled from her family in India for more than a decade, Shirin and her husband lead a comfortable but empty life in London.Memories of her childhood – exotic fragrances, colours, stifling heat and tropical storms – fill Shirin with a familiar and growing ache for the land and the people that she loves.With the recollections though, come dark clouds of scandal and secrets. Secrets that forced her to flee her old life and keep her from ever returning.Thousands of miles away, in Bangalore, the daughter of Shirin’s brother discovers a lost, forgotten photograph. One that has escaped the flames.Determined to solve the mystery of an aunt she never knew, Reena’s efforts will set in place a chain of events that expose the painful trauma of the past and irrevocably change the path of the future. An unforgettable journey through a mesmerizing, passionate land of contrasts – and a family whose story will touch your heart.

    The book describes the various events that led to the clash of arms between the two races who hardly had any contact 3-4 years before the battle.The book gives the detailed description of the armed strength of the two armies, the diplomatic moves made by the two parties, the political scenario and the various causes that led to the defeat .Various reasons have been proposed by various historians from time to time as to what led to the loss at Panipat and what actually the Marathas lost in Panipat. All these points have been studied upon and presented in a lucid manner in this book.The book also describes the actual battle fought on 14th January, 1761 as seen by various eye witnesses: one being Kashi raj. The description of eyewitnesses of both sides have been taken into account to make an unbiased report.

    The work is animated by a proposition: that violence, both personal and collective, produces continuing sonar, an echolocation that finds us, even when we choose to be unaware or indifferent. This collection breaks new ground in its approach to the saga that is Canada/Air India, an event and its aftermath that is both over-reported and under-represented in our national psyche. "329 deaths. 82 Children. Canada's worst mass murder. The accused acquitted. What does it mean to be Canadian and lose someone in Air India Flight 182?" Why does 9/11 resonate more strongly with Canadians than June 23, 1985? The poems in this book search out answers in the "everything/ness and nothing/ness" of an act and its aftermath, revealing a voice that re-defines and re-visions. Air India never happened. Air India always happens.

    Its birthing was among the most painful of any new nation: it had suffered a brutal genocide conducted by its former countrymen from West Pakistan, and a war for liberation fought between the indigenous Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army) and the Indian Armed Forces on one side, and the West Pakistani Armed Forces on the other. Open war broke out on the Western and Eastern fronts in December 1971. The war ended quickly, with the West Pakistani Army surrendering in Dacca two weeks later. A significant factor in facilitating the Indian Army's rapid progress to Dacca was the Indian Air Force (IAF) which proved itself to be a formidable fighting force. Eagles over Bangladesh: The Indian Air Force in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War recounts the IAF offensive over Bangladesh, commencing with the raids on Dacca on the first day of the war, and moving on to the final coup de grace delivered on the Governors House in Dacca. It aims to fill in the gaps regarding a military conflict that took place almost four decades ago.

    A look at the treatment of women in India as well as possible reasons why such treatment occurs.

    The patina of the ivy league campus is the perfect canvas for the exotic beauty from India. It is also an environment that Akshaya can safely navigate. A small world that she has minimized and made manageable. Dr. Jared Harrison, a journalist who has been based in the Middle East, has accepted a position as a guest lecturer at the college where Akshaya teaches. Arriving just in time to attend a faculty mixer, he catches a glimpse of Akshaya Bertrand. Immediately, he learns from those who have tried and failed, that the beautiful professor, compared to Lakshmi, Venus and Aphrodite, is an enigma, a seductive sculpture behind a wall of glass. While searching for a way to slip past her armor and into her life, Jared confronts the images and tragedies imprinted on his psyche by those left behind in the war torn world of the Middle East. Akshaya and Jared find themselves drawn to each other, hoping to find compassion, someone they can expose their inner demons to. Funding from the college provides an opportunity to combine Akshaya's love of art with Jared's resources as a war correspondent. Together, they travel to Afghanistan and India, where both finally face the past that has shaped them and the present that defines them. Amongst beauty and poverty as well as war and friendship they find the answers to their individual truths.

    Combining authoritative analysis, new ideas, and diverse perspectives, they discuss subjects which are topical yet enduring, as also emerging areas of study and debate.Affirmative action (AA) has been the topic of a highly polarized debate, in which it is either demonized as the root of all evil or valorized as the panacea for eliminating discrimination. This Short Introduction provides the rationale, details, and assessment of the AA programme in India. Itdiscusses the 'why' and 'how' of AA with glimpses into the history and dynamics of the programme, and offers a perspective on where India stands today, in terms of group disparities as well as the proposed remedies. Sketching out the larger context of and debates around this issue, the book assessesthe success of AA in providing socio-political and economic justice as well as its limitations. Drawing on the vast body of research on this subject, it provides leads for further reading to those interested in pursuing specific aspects of the issue.

    The battle of Saragarhi took place in September 1897 - but has remained largely forgotten in the mainstream.Drawing upon research and primary sources, this book tells the story of the significance of the battle when 21 Sikh soldiers stood firm to the last against thousands of Pathan tribesmen.

    So great was his stature as an Urdu poet that he never had to mould his poetry to suit the demands of film songwriting; instead, producers and composers adapted their requirements to his poetry. His songs in films like Pyaasa, Naya Daur and Phir Subah Hogi have attained the status of classics. This exhaustive biography traces the poet’s rich life, from his troubled childhood and his equally troubled love relationships, to his rise as one of the pre-eminent personalities of the Progressive Writers Movement and his journey as lyricist through the golden era of Hindi film music, the 1950s and 1960s.

    Prem Baba is a Brazilian master teacher of an ancient spiritual lineage in India who focuses on building a bridge between spirituality and psychology, East and West. In this book he offers a practical methodology called the Path of the Heart, which can help you learn to:-Overcome limiting psychological patterns by recognizing and working with your inner child-Take responsibility for and transform the negative conditioning that causes suffering to you and those around you-Awaken your higher consciousness through daily practices of meditation and prayer-Contribute to resolving global problems through changes in your lifeBy following the Path of the Heart, you will be able to move beyond the limitations of the ego and know the love and joy that are your essence.

    The interior, akam, and the exterior, puram, form their two overarching themes. The akam poems are concerned with love in all its varied situations: clandestine and illicit; conjugal happiness and infidelity; separation and union. The puram poems encompass all other aspects of worldly life: wars and battlefields, the munificence of kings and chieftains, and the wisdom of bards.With a comprehensive introduction by A.R. Venkatachalapathy, M.L. Thangappa’s translations delight the senses and bring alive a world long past.

    This does not include scavenging. Although human beings can be attacked by many kinds of animals, man-eaters are those that have incorporated human flesh into their usual diet. Most reported cases of man-eaters have involved tigers, leopards, lions and crocodiles. However, they are by no means the only predators that will attack humans if given the chance; a wide variety of species have also been known to take humans as prey. ATTACKED BY A KING COBRA.ALADDIN'S CAVE.THE TERROR OF HUNSUR.THE TERROR OF HUNSUR II.AN ADVENTURE WITH A BOA.THE ONE EYED MAN EATER.A MAN EATING WOLF BOY.SEEALL, THE WOLF BOY.THE WHITE TIGER.THE FATE OF THE AHNAY PAYEE.THE BANDYPORE MAN EATER.THE KODERMA MAN EATER.TRAPPING A MAN EATER.THE MAN EATER OF BELKHERA.A NOTORIOUS MAN EATER.TUG OF-WAR WITH A LEOPARD.MISSED BY AN INCH.A FIGHTING TIGER.A NIGHT FRIGHT.CARRIED OFF BY A TIGER.

    Whether writing about politics or culture, whether profiling individuals or analyzing a social trend, Ramachandra Guha displays a masterly touch, confirming his standing as India’s most admired historian and public intellectual.

    

    My journey has taken me to some of the darkest places on the face of the earth, and brought me into contact with the most depraved elements of humanity, as well as the most courageous and beautiful. Along the way, I’ve spent long hours sitting on the dirt floors of shelters and red light districts, I have feared for my life, scattered my wallets, keys and other belongings across South Asia, met heroes in the most unlikely places, re-envisioned my marriage, flirted with despair, and helped thousands of survivors rebuild their lives. I’ve learned you don’t have to be a saint or a special person to radically impact the world. You don’t need a lot of money, exceptional skills, or a particular degree. You just need a lot of hope, patience, and a strong stomach for disappointment, mishap, fear, and some truly awkward situations. The rewards for going ‘All In’ for people in need are enormous.My story began on the worst day of my life - my mother’s birthday five months after her sudden death from cancer. My profound grief, daily chats with dead loved ones, and one incident of outrageous fortune led me to the Tribeca film festival, where I learned about human trafficking through a documentary film. From that moment on, my life would never be the same. I traveled to Nepal where I learned of an urgent need: to provide high quality jobs and education for slavery survivors so they could rebuild their lives and rejoin society. Because trafficking and slavery thrive in places of desperate poverty, it was essential to provide economic opportunities, particularly for women.I launched Made by Survivors, an international charity, to address that need. Launching the charity cost me my house and life savings, and at times nearly my sanity. It strained my marriage and forced me and my husband to learn new ways of living and working together. I could not have imagined at the outset of this adventure how completely it would change our family’s life. In my darkest moments, I thought about giving up, but was bolstered time and again by the support of the community of love which has built up around this work. I’ve been blessed and supported most powerfully by the survivors themselves, who challenge me every day to match their energy and commitment. The joy that these girls – finally freed from slavery and given love and opportunity – are able to express is transcendent. In addition to my story, I share survivors’ stories– girls like Anita, living with AIDS, who works in a modern-day Underground Railroad, or Asha, an eleven-year old who thought a banana was a kind of potato, because she spent her whole life enslaved in a carpet factory.I write honestly about my struggles and flaws. I’m no Mother Teresa! I live with the conflicting demands of career and motherhood. I worry about the suffering of the world’s children and how to be as effective as possible. I fret about finances for my charity and my family, trying to live simply, despite my love of fine wine, jeans that flatter my butt, and gourmet food. I’m untidy, forgetful, opinionated and slightly overweight. I avoid conflict - with disastrous results. I anguish over decisions. I’m working on being less judgmental. Many people are looking for deeper meaning in their lives. This book is for anyone who has ever wondered ‘Is this all there is? Is this really the best I could be doing with my life?’ The hope and courage of my survivors keeps me going despite all the struggles and my own human failings, and I hope that readers will be equally inspired by these girls’ refusal to give up, even after surviving the worst that life can bring, and challenged to examine their own life mission and world-healing potential.

    Instead of despairing in his poverty, he turns to poetry. This makes the poet look at the benefits of sleeping on the streets of Bangalore: ‘The imagination of people who sleep under the star-studded sky takes wing. They become close to the moon.’ We hear Siddalingaiah’s fiercely political and poetic voice mature as he tastes success as an orator and legislator, but his mood for mischief never diminishes. He regards a chief minister and an idli vendor with the same degree of affectionate irreverence. A Word With You, World is a vivid evocation of everyday life and labour, of conviviality and courage, of poverty and loss. As the critic D.R. Nagaraj says in his afterword, Siddalingaiah offers us a bonsai-like compression of life. ‘This is writing that makes rage pleasant. Here, anger becomes sarcasm. Ire is translated into a mischief that grasps the subtleties of life.’

    Her mother, her father, her grandmother try hard to tame it. But her grandfather is unconcerned… The illustrations of this charming story give Minu’s hair a truly wild, tactile feel as it spills exuberantly through the pages.

    Transported to a dingy basement in Kolkata to identify the body of her murdered husband she has no explanation for his presence in India. As she searches for answers about who the man she married really was she finds his death surrounded by allegations of drug smuggling, child trafficking and murder. Unsure of what is true and who she can trust, Rachel has no idea of the danger her husband's hidden life has put her in.

    Maya, her brother, and two friends work for the owner of a Curio shop. The children have lost their fishermen fathers in a cyclone. They pick the beach for shells, drift wood, sea glass and anything of value the sea brings.Maya finds a bottle with a diamond ring and some papers. The children put together the clues. The bottle is a distress signal, sent by a woman who is held captive on a ship called King Neptune’s Delite.The dazzling find and the appearance of a muscled, tattooed man who is linked to the mystery sweeps the children into a dangerous adventure!Kindly Note: The Mystery of the Diamond Ring was previously published under the title King Neptune’s Delite.

    He commenced his military career through humble beginnings in the Bikaner State Forces with only a smattering knowledge of English. At the outbreak of World War 2 he was commissioned as an officer and served in the Middle East with his Battalion and on staff. By the time the War was over he was the only officer to have done two staff courses, including the prestigious course at Quetta. On being absorbed into the Indian Army after Independence, he was transferred to 3rd Gorkha Rifles, where he commanded two battalions. He was given command of the Para Brigade on promotion and led it in the Goa Operations with aplomb. He was primarily responsible for liberating this Portuguese Colony. Sagat's drive and energy stood out. On promotion as Major General, he commanded 17 Mountain Division in Sikkim, where in 1967, in a bloody skirmish which lasted several days, he gave the Chinese a bloody nose, proving that the Indian Army was no pushover. That year he was transferred to Shillong and tasked to curb the Mizo Insurgency. In two years he succeeded in doing so effectively. In 1970, he was promoted to Lt Gen and given command of 4 Corps. It seemed his whole life was geared to leading a Corps into battle. In 1971, in a major logistic achievement he moved and staged his Corps at Agartala. When operations commenced to liberate Bangladesh, his Corps relentlessly attacked and defeated Pakistan forces, crossed river lines and terrain considered impassable. His innovative use of helicopters has never been repeated. His is the only example in the Indian Army of a successful corps level campaign, which can stand out historically. His knowledge of the operational art was perhaps without parallel. He retired in Dec 1974 and settled down in Jaipur, where till his death in 2001, he tried to ameliorate the lives of ex-servicemen and his people. His achievements were recognised by the Government of Bangladesh, when the President, publicly and formally honoured his son and daughter-in-law in Mar 2013.

     The war he waged for independence in extremely adverse circumstances will be ever remembered. Despite being the king of mewar, most of his life was spent in forests and mountains, with his supreme willpower and incomparable warfare skills he was able to free mewar at the end. Sacrificing material happiness and gains, his unrelenting struggle for the freedom of his motherland is etched as a golden chapter in die annals of history. Personalities like him are models of inspiration for the whole country and all generations to come. As in today's reckoning when national consciousness seems to be diminishing, Maharana Pratap's character is all the more relevant.

    I had no idea what I'd do when I landed, but in the past my most rewarding experiences came when I let intuition be my guide. So, I traveled without an itinerary and found myself searching for an elusive monkey temple, teaching Tibetan monks to sing, "You Are My Sunshine," and holding the hand of a dying man at the Mother Theresa Homes for the Destitute and Dying. Throughout, I followed an inner sense of joy. I could not be sure it would lead me to the happy life I dreamt of, but it was the only choice I had.

    The powerful district committee of Mityala routinely dismisses the suicide and refuses compensation to his widow. Gangiri, his brother, makes it his life’s mission to bring justice to the dead by influencing the committee to validate similar farmer suicides.Keyur Kashinath of the Democratic Party - first-time member of Parliament from Mityala, and son of Vaishnav Kashinath, the party’s general secretary - is the heir to his father’s power in Delhi politics. He faces his first crisis every suicide in his constituency certified by the committee as debt-related is a blot on the party’s image, and his competence.The brilliant farmer battles his inheritance of despair, the arrogant politician fights for the power he has received as legacy. Their two worlds collide in a conflict that pushes both to the limits of morality from where there is no turning back. At stake is the truth about ‘inherited’ democratic power. And at the end, there can only be one winner. Passionate and startlingly insightful, Shoes of the Dead is a chilling parable of modern-day India.A book that will make you stroll through India’s corridors of power and politics with a perfect portrayal of how its consequences creep into the lives of the farmers forcing them to commit suicide. Get ready to read a gripping tale by Kota Neelima.

    Casting his fate to the wind he set out, with little money but a shaky confidence that he'd find ways and means of survival when his bankroll hit bottom - which didn't take long. Being carried by a strong desire and determination to see the world he persevered, melting obstacles with an ability to spot an opportunity or to to sink into, or to wait out, a situation. Choosing to find creative and artistic means over scamming, smuggling or fruit-picking, he kept some cash in his pocket - most of the time. And by endeavoring to do only what he enjoyed doing, and to keep company only with those of whom he had a high regard, he found in this an all-round viable formula that proved to work well for most everything in general. During lengthy stretches in villages, jungles and beaches of Central America, and with nomads of the Moroccan Sahara sand dunes, a family of wandering spiritual 'sadhus' on the banks of the Ganges in India, holding a position as cook and general manager in a charming backpacker hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan - after crossing that country by horseback. Thus, more than mere survival he thrived, refusing to regard his own lack of funds as 'poverty.' Throughout the journey his path would cross and intertwine with the people of his own leaning, the 'hippies' on the trail, which during this era were legion. Many mysterious interventions of destiny would arise, presenting ranges of circumstance from idyllic to agonizingly stressful, but all would impart valuable life-lessons and rich experience to this seeker of anything and everything that would add to his accumulation of knowledge - knowledge of being human, of being alive. He would add to his own involvements insightful observations of others whose existence differed greatly from his own, and would treasure absolutely all of it as spiritual experience.

    Their lives, work, thoughts, sacrifice, courage, commitment and achievements will act as a source of inspiration and motivation for children and help in building their personality.

    In a bid to erase her past and build the family she yearns for, Sophie Schofield accepts a wedding proposal from ambitious British diplomat, Lucien Grainger. When he is posted to New Delhi, into the glittering circle of ex-pat high society, old wounds begin to break open as she is confronted with the memory of her first, forbidden love and its devastating consequences. The suffocating conformity of diplomatic life soon closes in on her. This is not the India she fell in love with ten years before when her father was a maharaja’s physician, the India of tigers and scorpions and palaces afloat on shimmering lakes; the India that ripped out her heart as Partition tore the country in two, separating her from her one true love. The past haunts her still, the guilt of her actions, the destruction it wreaked upon her fragile parents, and the boy with the tourmaline eyes. Sophie had never meant to come back, yet the moment she stepped onto India’s burning soil as a newlywed wife, she realised her return was inevitable. And so begins the unravelling of an ill-fated marriage, setting in motion a devastating chain of events that will bring her face to face with a past she tried so desperately to forget, and a future she must fight for. A story of love, loss of innocence, and the aftermath of a terrible decision no one knew how to avoid.

    Ambedkar to Devanoora Mahadeva, Chentharassery to M.M. Vinodini. The editors argue that dalit literature is not merely a literary practice or a trend but a social movement invested in the battle against injustice; it is the exercise of freedom. This literature encompasses diverse forms of intellectual and creative work by those who, as untouchables, are victims of economic, social and cultural inequality. Dalits bring points of view, interests, insights and directions that grow out of their experience and their aspirations. Over the past few decades dalit literature has transformed the understanding of untouchability, caste and the nature of Indian society and politics.

    Manasa Bhajare Guru CharanamDustara Bhavasagara TharanamMillions of devotees from all over the world throng to Puttaparthi for just a darshan of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the living God of our times.In this book, a devotee and her family share the divine memories of their journey with Him in close proximity, since 1946.This book is written in an engaging style and vividly brings forth, to the spiritual aspirant, the effulgence of the divine glories, miracles, and events that the author was blessed with.Thus, the book subtly, but surely reveals the paths to realise God through the loving teachings given by the Avatar to the author's seeking questions and dilemmas, which are pertinent and down to Earth.The simplest of them all being Namasmarana is the sure and easy way to realise God in Kaliyuga.

    On Jawaharlal Nehru's 50th death anniversary, Ramachandra Guha assesses his place in history, and his contribution to the building of modern India and its democratic institutions

    Written by a TATA insider, TATAlog presents the hitherto untold stories about the strategic and operational challenges that TATA companies have faced, and the forward thinking and determination that have raised the brand to new heights.This is one of the eight riveting and inspiring stories from TATAlog that reveals the DNA of every TATA enterprise.Be sure to check out the other seven:*Tata Indica *Okhamandal *Tata Finance *Tanishq *Second Careers for Women *The EKA Supercomputer *Tata Tetley *Tata Steel

    In Avoiding Armageddon, Bruce Riedel clearly explains the challenge and the importance of successfully managing America's affairs with these two emerging powers and their toxic relationship.Born from the British Raj, the two nations share a common heritage, but they are different in many important ways. India is already the world's largest democracy and will soon become the planet's most populous nation. Pakistan, soon to be the fifth most populous country, has a troubled history of military coups, dictators, and harboring terrorists such as Osama bin Laden.The longtime rivals are nuclear powers, with tested weapons. They have fought four wars with each other and have gone to the brink of war several times. Meanwhile, U.S. presidents since Franklin Roosevelt have been increasingly involved in the region's affairs. In the past two decades alone, the White House has intervened several times to prevent nuclear confrontation on the subcontinent. South Asia clearly is critical to American national security, and the volatile relationship between India and Pakistan is the crucial factor determining whether the region can ever be safe and stable.Based on extensive research and Riedel's role in advising four U.S. presidents on the region, Avoiding Armageddon reviews the history of American diplomacy in South Asia, the crises that have flared in recent years, and the prospects for future crisis. Riedel provides an in-depth look at the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008, the worst terrorist outrage since 9/11, and he concludes with authoritative analysis on what the future is likely to hold for America and the South Asia puzzle as well as recommendations on how Washington should proceed.

    But they are determined to escape! This folk tale is charmingly retold by Manasi Subramaniam and painted with intricate detail by Ayswarya Sankaranarayanan.

    In 2005, Nitish Kumar first came to power in Bihar on the basis of a promise to its people that of Sushasan (good governance). And his first term as chief minister was nothing short of a miracle. He managed to pull the beleaguered state back from the brink of anarchy by establishing law and order and building infrastructure at breakneck speed. What were the specific innovations and changes that made this possible? Did Nitish's leadership style, governance methods and political management encourage and sustain these changes? How did Nitish Kumar convert the entire development thrust into a landslide re-election in a state famously known for its caste politics? Extensively researched and engagingly written, Bihar Breakthrough is the most detailed account ever of the revival of the poorest state in India, which had been betrayed, plundered and looted by the enemy within its politicians, bureaucrats, mafias and caste militias. This is a book that captures the drama of a unique turnaround journey and holds important lessons for governments, organizations and policy watchers worldwide.

    The short story is often viewed as an inferior relation to the Novel. But it is an art in itself. To take a story and distil its essence into fewer pages while keeping character and plot rounded and driven is not an easy task. Many try and many fail. In this series we look at short stories from many of our most accomplished writers. Miniature masterpieces with a lot to say. In this volume we examine some of the short stories of Rabindranath Tagore. And with him we venture to the East. To meet the poet and story teller who speaks a common language of love and mysticism which continues to convey valuable insights into universal themes in contemporary society. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) who was a gifted Bengali Renaissance man, distinguishing himself as a philosopher, social and political reformer and a popular author in all literary genres. He was instrumental in an increased freedom for the press and influenced Gandhi and the founders of modern India. He composed hundreds of songs which are still sung today as they include the Indian and Bangladesh’s national anthems. His prolific literary life has left a legacy of quality novels, essays and in this volume his shorter works. Gitanjali, one of his most famous works, earned him the distinction of being the first Asian writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Many of the poems are also available as an audiobook from our sister company Portable Poetry. Many samples are at our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PortableP... The full volume can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores. Among our readers are Shyama Perera and Ghizela Rowe.

    Deshmukh, A.D. Shroff, H.T. Parekh and R.K. Talwar who not only played a pioneering role in the growth of the institutions which they founded or were actively associated with but left an indelible mark on the banking industry as a whole. Through the narration of the history of five key institutions the Central Bank of India, the Reserve Bank of India, the State Bank of India the Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India Ltd and the Housing Development and Finance Corporation Ltd the author gives us a keen insight into the contributions of these luminaries to banking in India. Also included is a narration of the recommendations of important committees and commissions which influenced the course of Indian banking. Divided into four parts, the book uses hitherto unused archival material recently put in the public domain by the RBI. Of particular interest is a discussion of the acrimonious relationship between Sir James Grigg, the Finance Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council and Sir Osborne Smith, the first Governor of the RBI, which throws fresh light on a spat which remains unprecedented not only in the bank's history, but possibly in all of banking history. Meticulously researched and engagingly written, this book will be of interest to both the academic and general reader and, of course, to the professional banker interested in a selective peep into the history of his profession.

    Unlike the mature democracies of the west, India began as a true republic of equals with a complex architecture of citizenship rights that was sensitive to the many hierarchies of Indian society. In this provocative biography of the defining aspiration of modern India, Jayal shows how the progressive civic ideals embodied in the constitution have been challenged by exclusions based on social and economic inequality, and sometimes also, paradoxically, undermined by its own policies of inclusion.Citizenship and Its Discontents explores a century of contestations over citizenship from the colonial period to the present, analyzing evolving conceptions of citizenship as legal status, as rights, and as identity. The early optimism that a new India could be fashioned out of an unequal and diverse society led to a formally inclusive legal membership, an impulse to social and economic rights, and group-differentiated citizenship. Today, these policies to create a civic community of equals are losing support in a climate of social intolerance and weak solidarity. Once seen by Western political scientists as an anomaly, India today is a site where every major theoretical debate about citizenship is being enacted in practice, and one that no global discussion of the subject can afford to ignore.

    She, in turn, developed a severe case of anorexia that led to hospitalization. A year after she recovered, he died of lung cancer. Desperate to escape his ghost, Amanda fled San Diego to pursue acting and writing in Manhattan, where she eventually became so obsessed with and disturbed by the concept of language that she suffered a mental breakdown and moved back into her mother’s house. After a year of ineffective psychotherapy, she felt intuitively pulled to study massage therapy and, while massaging a cancer survivor, discovered that easing the pain of others was a powerful way to find reprieve. Amanda moved back to New York to resume creative pursuits but soon found herself lost again. Frantically searching for inner peace, she left to travel alone through ten cities in India and Nepal. As a tourist amidst extreme poverty, exotic beauty and charged spirituality, internal whirlwinds raged. After weeks of constant motion and changing scenery, Amanda landed in a quiet Indian ashram surrounded by green fields, mountains and endless sky. There, as she trained to become a yoga teacher, she reflected deeply on mortality and the workings of her mind, learning to let go and surrender to the present moment.

    In a gesture typical of the syncretic tendency in Esotericism, Yoga is by these Westerners often identified as an Eastern form of magic: the two disciplines were considered to share similar theoretical perspective, the difference in their methods notwithstanding. India and the Occult explores the reception of Indian spirituality among Western occultists through several case studies. Unlike existing works focusing on the activities of Theosophical Society, it looks at the 'hard-core' occultism, in particular the British twentieth century currents associated with Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, Kenneth Grant, and related individuals and groups. Without denying the specificity of its Western historical manifestation, it suggests that esotericism is a category that may be applied as a conceptual tool in order to interpret aspects of non-Western religious thought and practice.

    Taking German Indological scholarship on the Mahabharata and the Bhagavadgita as their example, Adluri and Bagchee develop a critique of the modern valorization of method over truth in thehumanities.The authors show how, from its origins in eighteenth-century Neo-Protestantism onwards, the critical method was used as a way of making theological claims against rival philosophical and/or religious traditions. Via discussions of German Romanticism, the pantheism controversy, scientific positivism, and empiricism, they show how theological concerns dominated German scholarship on the Indian texts. Indology functions as a test case for wider concerns: the rise of historicism, the displacement of philosophical concerns from thinking, and the belief in the ability of a technical method to producetruth.Based on the historical evidence of the first part of the book, Adluri and Bagchee make a case in the second part for going beyond both the critical pretensions of modern academic scholarship and the objections of its post-structuralist or post-Orientalist critics. By contrasting German Indologywith Plato's concern for virtue and Gandhi's focus on praxis, the authors argue for a conception of the humanities as a dialogue between the ancients and moderns and between eastern and western cultures.

    South Asia Studies. "Sharmistha Mohanty is remarkable above all for her determination to shift narrative away from the easy urgencies of Western fiction towards a text that hovers between the contemplative and the hypnotic, sculpting extended landscapes of feeling from the quiet friction between realism and myth. To read FIVE MOVEMENTS IN PRAISE is like coming across an animal of a new species, but one that immediately appears to be in tune with its environment."--Tim Parks

    Images of a despotic Mughal state, religious intolerance and a vulnerable Sikh minority would come to characterize the period's historiography. But, as Hardip Singh Syan argues, the development of Sikh militancy was neither natural nor inevitable. Drawing on a range of contemporary sources, this book focuses on the intellectual dialogues within the Sikh community and its relationship to the wider Islamic world. Identifying significant distinctions within the Sikh community, Syan questions the irredentist visions of Sikh and Mughal society, thereby challenging the grand narratives of Early Modern South-Asian History. An essential revisionist work for students and scholars of Mughal India and Political Sikhism.

    co-edited with Laurent Gayer, illustrates well his wide-ranging interests. The contributions are instructive and insightful and cover a much-neglected theme in contemporary South Asia' - Mushirul HasanNumbering more than 150 million, Muslims constitute the largest minority in India, yet suffer the most politically and socio-economically. Forced to contend with severe and persistent prejudice, India's Muslims are often targets of violence.In India's cities, these developments find contrasting expressions. While the quality of Muslim life may lag behind that of Hindus nationally, local and inclusive cultures have been resilient in the south and the east. In the Hindi belt and in the north, Muslims have known less peace, especially in the riot-prone areas of Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur and Aligarh, and in the capitals of former Muslim states - Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal and Lucknow. These cities are rife with Muslim ghettos and slums. However, self-segregation has also played a part in forming Muslim enclaves, such as in Delhi and Aligarh, where traditional elites and a new Muslim middle class have regrouped for physical and cultural protection.Combining first-hand testimony with sound critical analysis, this volume follows urban Muslim life in eleven Indian cities, providing uncommon insight into a litde-known subject of immense importance and consequence.

    In this painstakingly researched book, Chander Suta Dogra recreates how the couple eloped, breaking the taboo of same-caste marriage, and was seized and brutalized by the girls people, with their bodies being eventually dumped into a canal. Tacitly approving the deed, the village people did not attend the funeral; the tardiness of the local police and other agencies bordered on acquiescence. It was left to Manojs mother, Chandrapati, and sister Seema to fight for justice. The book powerfully describes how, with the support of the media and women activists, they stood up to intimidation, social ostracism and the fury of the khaps or Jat councils across North India, not just Haryana, when the five accused were sentenced to death in a landmark judgement. The family still has police protection. Chilling and unputdownable, Manoj and Babli is a brilliant expos of the face-off between those who abide by the law and the upholders of archaic traditions that clash with it.

    These are some of the terms that describe Tibet’s modern culture hero Gendun Chopel (1903–1951). The life and writings of this sage of the Himalayas mark a key turning point in Tibetan history, when twentieth-century modernity came crashing into Tibet from British India to the south and from Communist China to the east. For the first time, the astonishing breadth of his remarkable accomplishments is captured in a single, definitive volume.  Here is an exploration of Gendun Chopel’s life as a recognized tulku, or incarnation of a previous master, becoming a monk and soon surpassing the knowledge of his teachers, to his travels and discoveries throughout Tibet, India, and Sri Lanka. His exposure to the wider world brought together his philosophical training, artistic virtuosity, and meditative experience, inspiring an incredible corpus of poetry, prose, and painting. While Gendun Chopel was known by the Tibetan establishment for his vast learning and progressive ideas—which eventually landed him in a Lhasa prison—he was little appreciated in his lifetime. However, since his death in 1951 his legacy, fame, and relevance across the Tibetan cultural landscape and beyond have continued to grow.No American scholar knows Gendun Chopel better than Donald Lopez, who has written six books about him, culminating in this volume. Lopez intimately and eloquently carries the reader through the life of Gendun Chopel and sets the stage for his selected writings, which present the range and depth of Gendun Chopel’s thought. The most comprehensive and wide-ranging work available on this extraordinary figure, this inaugural book of the Lives of the Masters series is an instant classic.

    Expounding on The Nature Of Truth, the adverse effects of negative emotions, the benefits of Self-control And Detachment, and the differences between the three Vedic schools of Dvaita, Advaita, And Vishishtadvaita, Bhagawan teaches and enriches, enlightens and invigorates our lives. Conducted in the searing heat of the Indian Summer, the aptly and auspiciously named Summer Showers brings to the world the cooling showers of Swami's compassion and grace. His divine wisdom relieves devotees of the heat of their sufferings, lights the lamp of the Divine in their hearts, and brings them gently and ever steadily to the spiritual path, revealing the way to the Self. With the blessings of Bhagawan, we present Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1972.

    This is not Manipur! This was a refrain that I often heard and was something that I only gradually came to understand. It was clearly based on the unstated premise that Manipur belonged to a region that was quite different from the rest of India, where presumably even the laws were different (not true) and where the administration approached issues from a very different perspective (quite true). Using notes and diaries from his days as an IAS officer, C. Balagopal presents a collection of anecdotes from his brief sojourn in Manipur nearly three decades ago. A clear-eyed look at the nitty-gritty of governance in the remote north east of India, On a Clear Day, You Can See India is embellished with Balagopal's memories which were remarkably fresh despite the passage of time. With a narrative that tries to steer clear of commenting on the contentious issues and tensions that arose in the area after Balagopal's departure, we see how the administration working in distant district and sub-divisional headquarters contends with issues at the ground level, far from the legislatures and High Courts and get a glimpse into the inner processes of a typical small government office.

    Based on life of Kauṭalya meant for teenaged 10+ children.

    vajragiti; Tib. rdo rje'i glu), poetic works that play a central role in the Great Seal (mahamudra) tantric tradition of both India and Tibet. The tantric adept (siddha) Saraha was among the most notable figures from India's late first millennium, a time of rich religious and literary activity. His influence on Buddhist practice and poetry extended beyond the Indian subcontinent into Tibet, where his influence continues to impact every tradition that engages the practice and philosophy of the esoteric Great Seal.In these songs, Saraha's views on the nature of mind are presented as both evocative poetry and theoretical exegesis. These songs offer a new perspective on the religious life of Buddhist India and the figure of one of its most famous adepts.Braitstein opens the door to this important set of texts by Saraha through her elegant translation, critical edition of the Tibetan texts, and in-depth analysis of the three poems. She situates Saraha and his work both in the Tibetan Buddhist sphere and in a broader South Asian literary and religious context, closely treating the central themes in Saraha's poems, highlighting the specific siddha worldview espoused in his oeuvre, and at the same time unpacking the cryptic references contained in the songs' individual verses. With this book, Braitstein substantially increases the amount of Saraha's poetry available to an English-speaking audience, and contributes to the ever-increasing movement to explore the culture of the tantric adepts.Published by American Institute of Buddhist Studies (AIBS)

    They were bought and sold as slaves even up to the middle of the nineteenth century. Ayyankali (1863-1941), one of the foremost Dalit leaders, challenged these brutal caste codes.This book chronicles his organic protest in Travancore and provides a critical analysis of the social reform movements in Kerala under the colonial rule.

    

    Hinduism, which does not proselytize but advocates unity and respect for all religions, is an unusually diverse faith and quite difficult to fully grasp. This book offers an overview of the Hindu beliefs, the teachings, the deities, the colorful rituals, the pilgrimages, the multiple scriptures, and the various Yogas on the paths to enlightenment. Pandey explores how the faith synthesized a wide spectrum of spiritual realizations, philosophical discourses, local beliefs, and customs of the time, with the timeless wisdom and the metaphysical views of the ancient sages. This engaging and thought-provoking book also examines the compatibility of Hindu visions of reality with modern scientific advancements. It offers an illuminating insight into the use of symbols and Hindus’ ease with divergent spiritual outlooks and religious traditions. Pandey also explores the common thread that connects Hinduism with Buddhism and Christianity.

    Join Ram on his adventure to defeat darkness and despair. Journey through time in India to learn about why Diwali came to be and how we celebrate it today!

    This book is therefore the final word on numerology and a powerful key to the shaping of your destiny.Encyclopedia of Numerology explores how we can prosper in life by utilizing the power of our ruling number or by making a slight change in the spelling of our name. The author explains lucidly how a particular day or the month or the year is for us. Similarly the book assists us in selecting our life partner, as well as getting good luck in lottery or in horse racing and above all, how to find out things lost. The author has ably handled many such mysteries in this book.

    Ordinary people either regard Arunachala Hill with reverence out of popular belief or look upon it as one of numerous sacred places known to Hindus. Very few know the scriptural basis for the divinity of Arunachala Hill. Once a scholar approached Sri Ramana Maharshi and spoke about His high spiritual attainsment. However he coaxed Ramana Maharshi to accept a human Guru following the example set by great incarnations like Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Soon thereafter the original Sanskrit book on "the glory of Arunachala" was mysteriously brought by a strange visitor. Sri Ramana Maharshi opened the book out of curiosity and saw the verse where Lord Shiva promises salvation to those who reside near Arunachala Hill even in the absence of initiation. The sacred truths enshrined in this book became manifest in Sri Ramana Maharshi's wonderful presence.The Tamil translation of Arunachala Mahatmyam (Sanskrit) done by Sri Munagala S. Venkataramiah (later Sri Ramanananda Saraswati, compiler of Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi) is already published by Sri Ramanasramam. The English translation of this by Sri M. C. Subramanian was serialised in The Mountain Path. This has been reissued now and includes a few alterations and additions. A long-felt need of devotees has at last been realized with the publication of this in book form. Here we present the Lord's promise to devotees.Iswara Said:37 – I truly abide here on earth in the form of an effulgence named Arunachala for (bestowing) the attainment (of Liberation).38 – Since it (this Hill) removes the cruel heap of sins from all the worlds, and since bondage (runa) becomes non-existent when one sees it, it is (named) Arunachala.40 – In ancient days, when a fight arose between Brahma and Vishnu, who were both born from a part of me, I manifested myself in the form of an Effulgence in order to remove their delusion.43 – At their further request I, who was in the form an Effulgence, became the motionless linga named Arunachala.

    How's it that we got so left behind? What is it that we did, or did not do, after independence, that everything is so abysmal and pathetic. While many nations who were much behind us have long since become part of the first-world, an overwhelming majority of millions of Indians continue to be condemned to a life of unmitigated misery. What are the foundations of this misery? Incidents, information and revelations that would shock you and make you exclaim: 'Oh God, was this so? I didn't know! How things have been kept under covers!!'

    Drama written for radio.Alia Khan, a young woman inspector in the Bandra Division of the Mumbai Police Force, attempts to solve a series of crimes, make sense of her troubled past and cope with being a woman in a male-dominated and chauvinistic police force.

    This book takes a fascinating journey, connecting dates and events to the evolution of costumes, textiles, colours, motifs and ornamentations from the eighteenth century up to present-day India.

    The architects of the sultanate introduced a new system of governance with novel social and cultural institutions and, Persian as an official language. These moves were significant as they served as catalysts for social change.Alongside, the emergence of new urban centres as well as the addition of colonies of foreign immigrants from lands of more advanced culture, to the old towns led to the transfiguration of culture in the sultanate. Thus, Composite Culture under the Sultanate of Delhi examines those aspects of culture that have hitherto not been paid adequate attention.

    The overview traces the forging and consolidation of India’s improbable democracy.Other essays examine themes ranging from Hindu nationalism, caste politics and ethnic conflict to the north–south economic divergence and politics of economic reforms.The book offers original insights on several key questions: how federalism has handled linguistic diversity thus far, and why governance and regional underdevelopment will drive the formation of new states now; how coalition making induces ideological moderation in the politics of the BJP; how the political empowerment of the Dalits has not ensured their economic transformation; how the social revolution in the south led to its overtaking the north; and how the 1991 economic reforms succeeded because they affected elite, not mass, politics.Lucid and erudite, Battles Half Won brilliantly portrays the successes and failures of India’s experience in a new, comparative perspective, enriching our understanding of the idea of democracy.

    Tiziana, a single woman in her mid-thirties, is at the end of an adventurous overland trip through the Himalayas, which she embarked on to search for her tantric soul mate. When the soul mate hasn t materialized after eight months of wandering through Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan and India, she decides to go home. Before her departure, she sets out on a final mountain trip. It is here that she meets Rudra, the man she has been waiting for all her life. But there is a catch: Rudra is a sannyasi, a celibate Hindu monk who lives in an austere ashram in the remote Himalayas. The two get drawn into an intense, romantic relationship that soon spirals out of control as Tiziana is drawn into a past long forgotten that ultimately leads her through pain and misery to healing and transformation.

    I have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing my instrument.’ - Gitanjali Born in 1861 in one of the foremost families of Bengal, Little Rabi grew up to become a great nationalist, a gifted writer, a talented artist, a brilliant visionary and a reformer of education. He was also Asia’s first Nobel Laureate. His contribution to India’s Freedom Movement is forever immortalized in Jana Gana Mana, a song he wrote to inspire the nation. This wonderfully insightful biography, rich in anecdotes and little-known facts, brings alive this legendary figure to contemporary readers. Monideepa Sahu vividly recounts Rabindranth’s experiences at school that helped to formulate his vision of Shantiniketan. She also traces the evolution of his poetry from schoolboy rhymes in dog-eared notebooks to universally loved poetry, prose, novels and short stories. Explore the life and times of this remarkable personality through this compelling biography.

    Combining authoritative analysis, new ideas, and diverse perspectives, they discuss subjects which are topical yet enduring, as also emerging areas of study and debate.This volume is a comprehensive account of Panchayati Raj institutions in India since the 73rd Constitutional Amendment mandated them in the year 1993. While local governance is not new to India, the present system of Panchayats was created and developed in the midst of the post-1991 reforms and'liberalization' of the state-centric political economy. Civil society and market were to acquire greater roles in the delivery of public services at the local level, and decentralization of governance institutions was initiated. This Short Introduction presents a balanced and complete picture ofthe philosophy, objectives, evolution, successes, and failures of these institutions in the last two decades. Contextualizing the Panchayats in their larger institutional, functional, and ideological framework, this book outlines the Gandhian legacy; the socio-political trajectory of theConstitutional mandate; the debates and realities of political and financial autonomy of Panchayats; and the workings of affirmative action through Panchayats. It also provides significant pointers to the critically important roles the Panchayats are to play in the future.

    It also examines some vital aspects of cultural transformation in modern India.Candidates of many competitive examinations, but especially those of the civil services, will find this book worth reading.

    Navaneeta means butter. Kaivalya or Kevala is the state in which the soul exists, isolated from all connection with the body, etc. From the vast ocean of milk (the Upanishads etc.) the great teachers have drawn the milk of wisdom and filled it in pots (ancient texts). Tandavaraya Swami, the author of the Kaivalya Navaneeta says that he has extracted the butter from the milk. Those who have obtained this (being fed on the butter of divine wisdom — Brahma jnana — and being eternally satisfied) will not roam about feeding on dust (non-real objects of sense). Verses 175 and 179 contain references to Narayana Desikar of Nannilam, as the preceptor of the author of this work. The author extols the greatness of his parents who had the prophetic insight to give him an appropriate name. Tandava is interpreted in the present context as one who was beckoned to leap across the sea of births as well as one who dances eternally in the delight resulting from divine wisdom. The two sections of this work are called ‘The exposition of the Truth’ (Tattva vilakkappadalam) and ‘Doubts cleared Away’ (Sandeham telitarppadalam). They explain the basic philosophical principles and clear doubts which are likely to arise in understanding these principles. In language easy to understand, the author gives a remarkably clear exposition of the tenets of advaita. Its English translation will serve to make it known to a larger circle of readers and thus extend its usefulness. In the absence of any mention in earlier literature on Vedanta in Tamil we can assume that ‘Kaivalya Navaneeta’ was probably written at least five hundred years ago. It was translated into German and English by Dr. Charles Graul DD of the Leipzig Lutheran Mission and we have in the Ramanasramam Library a book containing these German and English translations and published in 1855, both in Leipzig and London. We have not come across any other English translation so far. This was one of the works very frequently referred to by the Maharshi. We are confident that this great little book will prove to be of immense help to all seekers.

    Secret To Low Calorie Indian Takeaway Food At Home. The secret to cooking your favourite Indian takeaway meal isn't a secret anymore and even better you don't have to feel guilty about it ever again! So EASY even a BEGINNER can master in minutes the simple secret behind low calorie Madras, Tikka Masala, Korma, Rogan Josh, Vindaloo, Bhuna & many more. You’ll be doing it the 'skinny' way without the gut busting calories.This recipe book is packed full of the UK's best loved British Indian Restaurant Takeaway meals which we have turned into 'skinny' versions with our Secret Super Simple Skinny Curry Base Mix. This means you can still enjoy your Friday night takeaway without piling on the pounds or compromising on the takeaway flavour we all love so much. Just some of the Skinny Takeaway Recipes revealed in the book include:Skinny Curry Base MixJalfreziMadrasRogan JoshBhunaDhansakTikka MasalaKormaVindalooDopiazaPatiaPasandaTikkaBiryianiAnd lots more……….You may also enjoy some of CookNation's other recipe books:'The Skinny Slow Cooker Recipe Book: 40 Delicious Recipes Under 300, 400 And 500 Calories'.'The Skinny 5:2 Diet Slow Cooker Recipe Book: Skinny Slow Cooker Recipe And Menu Ideas Under 100, 200, 300 And 400 Calories For Your 5:2 Diet' (also available on paperback).'The Skinny Slow Cooker Vegetarian Recipe Book: 40 Meat Free Recipes Under 200, 300 And 400 Calories'.'The Healthy Kids Smoothie Book: 40 Goodness In A Glass Recipes for Happy Kids'. www.cooknationbooks.com www.bellmackenzie.com

    THE CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE (ABRIDGED)

    He is fascinated by the tension it calls to the room, the taboos it challenges, the vulnerabilities it exposes and how it sometimes empowers people. Nudity is not just about shedding clothes, he believes, but about letting down a shield that we think protects us. In a world where the bare body is something to be hidden, to protect our children against, to be banned as obscene, there is no freedom to strip. Not without infringing on the freedom of those who are clothed. Through his search to understand this, Mihir has created what he calls a private space for public nudity. Public nudity within closed doors. It is still public,because there is no context for this interaction in the raw. No relationship,no prospect of sexual intimacy. This is an artistic collaboration, or perhaps a social experiment, maybe both. Conversations in the Nude maps that experiment, presents those sketches, chronicles several remarkable sessions. These are the stories of one man's crazy dream, and of the very many who saw some sense in it.Mihir Srivastava is a journalist. He lives in Delhi.