‘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.
Catagory: Children
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Puffin Lives: Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams’ story is one of having to settle for second choices. She grew up wishing to become a professional swimmer. Then she wanted to train as a vet. Instead she went on to join the Naval Academy and serve as a pilot. Before long, however, space was calling. A new dream had been born in Sunita. But it wasn’t all cakewalk. The path to becoming an astronaut called for resilience, patience and grit. Sunita had all this and more. As record holder for the longest spaceflight by a woman (195 days), Sunita’s story inspires and excites one to look anew at the world of space missions. And even more than inspiration, she makes life as an astronaut seem thrilling and fun.
Puffin Classics: Chandrakanta
The dashing Prince Virendra of Naugarh is madly in love with the breathtakingly beautiful Princess Chandrakanta of Vijaygarh. But there are obstacles galore in the paths of the lovers. There are evil ministers with sinister magicians at their beck and call; enemy kings only too happy to go into battle; masters of disguise who can fool the cleverest of spies; and magic all around.Then Chandrakanta gets trapped in a fantastic maze; from which only Virendra can rescue her. But will he be able to decipher the clues; follow the trail correctly and get to her before it is too late? And will their friends; Tej Singh; Chapla and the others; help them adequately with their deep knowledge of the art of divination and disguise?
Tooth And Nail, Fur And Scale
Displayed as found!
In the pages of history and in the dense undergrowth of human memory, we see glimpses of lurking fantastic beasts. Be honest-haven’t you felt them around you? Haven’t you been surprised by movement in the corner of your vision? By stirring shadows or a faint rustling in the dark?
The specimens in this exhibit of monsters from the Indian subcontinent have been hand-picked from musty old encyclopedias, murky urban legends, earthy folk tales and the white-hot bowels of mythology. Some have been stuffed to restore verisimilitude, but none were washed, painted or otherwise altered.
Lovetorn
Dear sixteen-year-olds of the world . . .
. . . I’m in a crisis right now and need your help. So, I was engaged to the love of my life. You know how it is in small towns: you meet a nice boy, especially if he’s from a known family, and get fixed for life. You are waiting to be together and . . . Bam!
Your father finds his dream job and you’re forced to move with your family to the US. No questions asked.
It was quite awkward at first, my clothes, my hair, my accent . . . even my scent. I stood out friendless, weird.
But things didn’t stay the same for very long. I was suddenly drawn into a charity organization and then to the cutest and sweetest boy in the entire school!
Tell me, can you possibly be in love and out of love at the same time? Especially when the guy you are engaged to; is certain you’re coming back.
Waiting for your response,
Yours, Lovetorn
Mindfulness with Moksha
The practice of mindfulness at any age can have profound effect on your life. So why not get your young one to start early? In this fast-paced world, with so many distractions, it is important to stay grounded and not lose sight of what’s important. Being mindful brings clarity, mental strength, focus and inner peace. It improves the concentration needed to ace exams, and do better in school and life. In the long run, it boosts happiness and creativity, and lowers stress and anxiety.
With this calming read-along book, parents and guardians can help their children work through fun exercises-a great way to spend quality family time!
Written by Ira Trivedi, a renowned yoga acharya, Mindfulness with Moksha helps your child (and you) explore the ultimate benefits of the discipline.
The Very, Extremely, Most Naughty Asura Tales for Kids
Aren’t we chubby, aren’t we cute?
Aren’t we lovely, as sweet as fruit?
Give us a bear hug, give us a kiss
Regret not later for giving it a miss.
Don’t go by these sweet words-for all little asura kids are naughty and troublesome and always up to something! Little will you know when you land in a muddy puddle or your long hair gets chopped off into a bob. They will prod, pull and tug you till you yell-just like the gods in the heavens, especially Vishnu and Shiva who are simply fed up!
Indulge in some very, extremely, most funny naughty tales of asura twins Kundakka and Mandakka, who hate going to school; clumsy Bhasma and pet pig Nakura, who create trouble in the village; brothers Atapi and Vatapi, who like to eat ninety-six cartfuls of fruits as dessert; the great Bana who claps with his thousand hands and so many more!
The Incredible History of the Indian Ocean
An adaptation of The Ocean of Churn for young readers
When did the first humans arrive in India and how did they get here?
What are Roman artefacts from hundreds of years ago doing in a town near Puducherry?
How did merchants from Arabia end up near Kochi?
From the east coast of Africa to Australia, one big blue body of water has connected diverse peoples and cultures for thousands of years: the incredible Indian Ocean. Read on to learn about the fearless travellers and sailors, pirates and conquerors who set out to cross the ocean in search of gold and glory, and discover how geography can shape the course of history.
Rebels with a Cause
Democratic societies take pride in the freedom of expression. Indeed, the right to dissent and tolerance of diverse viewpoints distinguish a democratic society from a dictatorship. In his new book, Prof. T.T. Ram Mohan profiles well-known dissenters Arundhati Roy, Oliver Stone, Kancha Ilaiah, David Irving, Yanis Varoufakis, U.G. Krishnamurti and John Pilger to illustrate how, in practice, dissent tends to be severely circumscribed. It is only the celebrity status of these dissenters that has kept them from being actively harmed. Through an exploration of the lives and ideas of these personalities, the author argues that, while one may not agree with their positions on various issues, their views merit discussion and debate. Engaging with them and responding to their analyses holds out the prospect for substantive reform within the system. Yet, the dominant elites prefer not to do so, instead marginalizing and even ostracizing dissenters precisely because they find change of any sort threatening.
Rebels with a Cause is a book that asks hard questions to challenge the way we view, and live in, the world-an important book for anyone who refuses to accept the status quo.
Unearthed: The Environmental History of Independent India
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.