For centuries, Rajasthan has been a gold mine of oral traditions and histories with Padma Shri Vijaydan Detha being one of the foremost storytellers of all time.
Timeless Tales from Marwar gives a new lease of life to his folk tales. It is a hand-picked compilation from the much-celebrated Batan ri Phulwari–‘Garden of Tales’–a fourteen-volume collection written over a span of nearly fifty years.
Retold in Detha’s magical narrative style complete with imagery, this selection offers some of the oldest and most popular fables from the Thar Desert region. Discover tales of handsome rajkanwars, evil witches, exploitative thakars, miserly seths, clever insects, benevolent snakes and more. Vishes Kothari’s vivid English translation introduces one of the most venerated figures in Rajasthani folk culture to a wider audience.
In The Room on the Roof, Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, decides he has had enough of the tiny, diminishing European community and his tyrannical guardian, and runs away. To his delight, Rusty finds that life on the open road is packed with excitement and high adventure…
In Vagrants in the Valley, which picks up from where the first book ends, Rusty is joined in his travels by Kishen, another ‘runaway’. As they venture further into the unknown, they discover new friends and participate in more escapades but also begin to understand the complexities of growing up and the boundaries that circumscribe even the freest spirits…
Sharply observed, witty and wise, haunted on every page by the sights, smells and sounds of India, this evocation of youth, innocence and friendship will be read for a long time to come with deep, lasting pleasure.
The Room on the Roof won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize.
An evergreen classic about friendship and growing up, by a master storyteller
This book catches up with our favourite Rusty as he plunges not just into the cold pools of Dehra but into an exciting new life, dipping his toes into adulthood.
Winding his way back to the city with Kishen, Rusty discovers that his beloved room is no longer his! Undaunted, however, and in his trademark style, he forges new homes and new friendships as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that spans the beautiful hillsides of India.
By turns thrilling and nostalgic, this heart-warming sequel is Rusty is at his best as he navigates the tightrope between dreams and reality, all the time maintaining a glorious sense of hope. Striking, evocative, witty and wise-this is an ode to youth and all its complexities, amidst the colours, sights and smells of Bond’s India.
Looking out of his carriage; the Dalai Lama saw people crying with joy. Their Kundun had returned.Born to a family of farmers in a remote corner of Tibet; Lhamo Dhondup; was recognized as the fourteenth reincarnation of the Dalai Lama at the age of two. He took charge of his country in 1950 when the Chinese invaded Tibet. The rest of his teens were spent in negotiations with the Chinese government. However; as Chinese violence against Tibetans increased; Kundun was forced to flee his native land. His escape over the Himalayas is the stuff of adventure novels.Exiled now in India for over five decades; the Dalai Lama constantly champions Tibet’s independence while remaining its greatest spiritual mentor. He received the Nobel Prize in 1989 for his non-violent efforts to gain freedom for his country. Rich in personal anecdotes; this engaging biography shows how Kundun blends spirituality with politics. To the Tibetans; the Dalai Lama is God incarnate. To the world; he is the face of Tibet. To young readers; he can be a living embodiment of the ideals of peace; democracy and freedom.
‘I, Chanakya, vow not to bind my hair until I have unseated you from the throne of Magadha.’
When learned Brahmin Vishnugupta is humiliated by arrogant king Dhana Nanda in a public gathering, he swears revenge. Anger is his weakness, but strategy, his strength. This formerly unknown Brahmin goes on to become the most well-known kingmaker in Indian history: Chanakya. Using a combination of cunning, ruthlessness and luck, Chanakya fulfils his vow and propels a boy of unknown origins, Chandragupta Maurya, to the throne of the most powerful kingdom of that time, an empire even Alexander the Great hesitated to confront.
This fascinating account shows how Chanakya went from being a penniless fugitive with the rebel prince of Pataliputra to the prime minister of Magadha, and finally the author of the groundbreaking Arthashastra. With fun snippets and lesser-known facts about this remarkable statesman and the Mauryan age, this book promises to be an exciting and gripping adventure story.
Protesting against dams, protecting tigers, hugging trees, saving seeds, making room for elephants, battling mountains of waste, fighting air pollution, coping with soaring temperatures-India and its people have shared a remarkable relationship with the environment.
From the Green Revolution to the National Action Plan on Climate Change, Unearthed: An Environmental History of Independent India chronicles the country’s historical movements and significant green missions since 1947. Interspersed with lots of trivia, tales of eco-heroes and humorous cartoons, this easy-to-read account uncovers the story of a past with the hope that we will rewrite India’s future.
This book tells the stories of ten Indian conservationists working in diverse ways to save the world from human destructiveness, often facing seemingly insurmountable odds.
Romulus Whitaker
Parineeta Dandekar
Rohan Arthur
Vidya Athreya
Aparajita Datta
Jay Mazoomdaar
Minal Pathak
Rohan Chakravarty
Kavitha Kuruganti
Lakshmi Kamble
Bijal Vachharajani and Radha Rangarajan write about the inspiring lives of people who are striving to solve the most pressing problems on this planet-from climate change to habitat degradation, and from food insecurity to species loss.
Close on the heels of his first two crazy adventures, the peskiest . . . sorry, super-est superkid in town falls plonk THUD c r a s h into a third. Everyone, including BigaByte, is in a lousy mood because someone’s stealing their laughs. Whaaa? Plus SuperZero’s mom has a scary surprise for him. Plus, plus, plus, there’s a cunning clone in school who’s turning himself into everyone else and creating full-on chaos. (Pssst, that’s your cue, SuperZero. Do your thing!) So much trouble can only be good news for SuperZero fans. Here come the hahas and high action once again.
Wisdom and inspiration from India’s best-loved president
My India: Ideas for the Future is a collection of excerpts from Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s speeches in his post presidency years. Drawn from Dr Kalam’s addresses to parliaments, universities, schools and other institutions in India and abroad, they include his ideas on science, nation-building, poverty, compassion and self-confidence.
Dr Kalam draws on the lives of stalwarts such as Marie Curie and Dr Vikram Sarabhai to encourage and inspire his young readers. Through these speeches, he shares many valuable lessons in humility, resilience and determination, and leads children to think, grow and evolve.
A project very close to his heart, Dr Kalam’s last book for children is a road map for every child to pursue their dreams, to be the best they can be, leading to the realization of a better India.
Timeless animal fables, now in a classic collector’s edition
Composed in Sanskrit around 300 CE, the Panchatantra is one of the oldest collections of fables in the world. Devised for the purposes of teaching the three dull-witted sons of a king, it conveys the principles of kingship, the codes of conduct and some essential life lessons.
This complete and vibrant translation brings to you the full breadth of the ancient work. While each story unravels into several more, a motley group of creatures amuse and enlighten in crisp rhymes and delightful prose. Relive the joy of this enduring classic that illuminates the wise, pithy and unexpectedly witty tales like never before.
