The Himalaya has always been a land of folklore, carried across generations in the voices of its people. Villagers by a bonfire, grandmothers at the hearth with grandchildren at their knees, wandering bards, fakirs and mystics have all shaped a vast oral tradition. This is a world where rivers sing, animals speak, demons and tricksters lurk, and gods walk among mortals. In Voices in the Wind, celebrated authors Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal gather this living inheritance from across the length and breadth of the mountains—Kashmir and Ladakh, Himachal and Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Bhutan, and the sister states of the Northeast—into a single, enchanting volume.
This collection of folktales, fairytales, spirit stories, legends and fables encompasses generational wisdom and contains within it traditional beliefs, local knowledge systems and a deep understanding of the contradictions of human nature. The tales span the spectrum of human and non-human experience: stories of lovers separated by fate and reunited by magic; of crows who nurture abandoned children; of serpent kings and shape-shifting brides; of feisty heroines, tricksters, and goddesses who challenge injustice; of the everyday courage and wit of villagers negotiating harsh but enchanted landscapes. Rooted in ecological memory, these narratives are also reminders of the delicate Himalayan balance between humans, animals, rivers and forests.
Enriched with traditional woodcut illustrations, the volume has contributions from a vast repertoire of scholars, storytellers and folklorists. This collection preserves and resonates with voices that have travelled centuries and continents, and speak urgently to the present. At once an anthology of marvels and a cultural history, Voices in the Wind is a definitive treasury of myth and memory, as enduring and transformative as the mountains themselves.
1869. Tibet is closed to Europeans, an infuriating obstruction for the rapidly expanding British Empire. In response, Britain begins training Indians—permitted to cross borders that white men may not—to undertake illicit, dangerous surveying expeditions into Tibet.
Balram is one such surveyor-spy, an Indian schoolteacher who, for several years, has worked for the British, often alongside his dearest friend, Gyan. But Gyan went missing on his last expedition and is rumored to be imprisoned within Tibet. Desperate to rescue his friend, Balram agrees to guide an English captain on a foolhardy mission: After years of paying others to do the exploring, the captain, disguised as a monk, wants to personally chart a river that runs through southern Tibet. Their path will cross fatefully with that of another Westerner in disguise, fifty-year-old Katherine. Denied a fellowship in the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, she intends to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa.
As Balram and Katherine make their way into Tibet, they will face storms and bandits, snow leopards and soldiers, fevers and frostbite. What’s more, they will have to battle their own doubts, ambitions, grief, and pasts in order to survive the treacherous landscape.
A polyphonic novel about the various ways humans try to leave a mark on the world—from the enduring nature of family and friendship to the egomania and obsessions of the colonial enterprise—The Last of Earth confirms Deepa Anappara as one of our greatest and most ambitious storytellers.
The Alphabets of Africa is an ode to a continent that continues to define the human journey. Through time, space and memory, these poems map Africa, celebrating its vast and vibrant tapestry. From the splendour of its ancient civilization to the pulse of contemporary African cities, to inspiring icons and leaders, this book summons Africa in all its depth and glory. Drawn from Abhay K.’s travels across the continent, these poems are an invitation to shed the inherited stereotypes and see Africa afresh.
बाज़ारवादी युग में दरकते इन्सानी रिश्तों पर लिखी आलोक की ग़ज़लें उनके निजी अनुभवों का आईना हैं। ‘आमीन’ की कई रचनाओं में सामाजिक सरोकार के सबूत मिले जिसने आलोक को सहज ही बेदार और प्रगतिशील कवियों की क़तार में ला खड़ा किया—वह क़तार जो हिंदी ग़ज़ल और उर्दू ग़ज़ल की ख़ेमेबंदी से परे सिर्फ़ और सिर्फ़ ग़ज़ल की हिफ़ाज़त कर रही है।
‘आमीन’ के प्रथम संस्करण की भूमिका शीर्ष लेखक कमलेश्वर ने लिखी जो किसी पुस्तक पर उनकी अंतिम भूमिका के रूप में याद की जाती है और मशहूर शायर-फ़िल्मकार गुलज़ार के पेशलफ़्ज़ ने इस पर एक मुकम्मल संग्रह होने की मुहर लगाई। दो भाषाओं का पुल बनाने वाले एक नौजवान के पहले संग्रह पर हिंदी और उर्दू के दो शिखर क़लमकारों के शब्द इस बात की गवाही बने कि आलोक ने अपना अदबी इम्तेहान पूरी संजीदगी और तैयारी से दिया है जो बहुत हद तक सही साबित हुई; वहीं दूसरे संस्करण की भूमिका डॉ नामवर सिंह ने लिखी, इस शुभकामना के साथ कि ये रचनाएँ और दूर तक पहुँचे। आमीन!
सेंट पीटर्सबर्ग की मोहक गलियों में रची-बसी यह कहानी एक ऐसे युवा ड्रीमर की है, जो गर्मियों की लंबी, उजली रातों में शहर की सुनसान सड़कों पर भटकता है। एक ऐसी ही रात में उसकी मुलाकात होती है नास्तेंका से— मासूमियत और सौंदर्य की प्रतीक उस लड़की से, जो अनजाने ही उसके हृदय में गहराई तक उतर जाती है।
चार रातों तक वे मिलते हैं—अपने विचारों, भावनाओं और सपनों को साझा करते हुए। लेकिन जैसे ही उसका दिल इस नए रिश्ते में सुकून पाने लगता है, उसे पता चलता है कि नास्तेंका किसी और से प्रेम करती है — उस व्यक्ति से जो उसे लौट आने का वादा कर गया है। फिर भी, दोनों के बीच एक अदृश्य आकर्षण है, एक अधूरी चाह जो उन्हें जोड़ती है।
व्हाइट नाइट्स यानी उजली रातें मानव संबंधों की सुंदरता और उनकी नाज़ुकता का एक कालातीत प्रमाण है। फ़्योदोर दोस्तोएव्स्की अपनी बेमिसाल लेखनी के माध्यम से अपने पात्रों की भावनात्मक गहराई को ऐसे चित्रित करते हैं कि पाठक दो अजनबियों की उस अंतरंग दुनिया में प्रवेश करता है, जिनकी ज़िंदगियाँ कुछ क्षणों के लिए एक-दूसरे से जुड़ती हैं।
व्हाइट नाइट्स फेस्टिवल रूस के सेंट पीटर्सबर्ग में गर्मियों के दौरान होने वाला एक अंतरराष्ट्रीय सांस्कृतिक उत्सव है, जब रातें भी दिन जैसी उजली रहती हैं। इसमें बैले, ओपेरा, संगीत कार्यक्रम, आतिशबाज़ी और नेवा नदी पर नाव परेड शामिल होती हैं। यह त्योहार कला, रोशनी और शहर की जीवंतता का अनोखा संगम है।
This exquisite box set brings together three internationally acclaimed works by Han Kang, one of Korea’s most celebrated contemporary writers. With profound psychological depth, poetic minimalism, and unflinching moral insight, Han Kang explores the limits of the human body, mind, and empathy.
Perfect for readers of literary fiction, world literature, and Booker Prize enthusiasts, this set offers a complete introduction to the author whose voice transcends language and culture.
The Vegetarian Winner of the Man Booker International Prize, 2016 Yeong-hye’s quiet decision to stop eating meat spirals into an act of shocking rebellion and self-destruction, revealing dark truths about desire, control, and the human psyche.
Human Acts Winner of the Manhae Literary Award (Korea), Korean Novel of the Year Set against the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, Human Acts tells the interconnected stories of victims and survivors of political violence, asking how humanity endures in the face of horror.
The White Book Shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize, 2018 A meditation on loss, memory, and rebirth, The White Book unfolds through reflections on the color white — mourning, purity, and transformation — inspired by the author’s lost sibling.
From one of India’s favorite poets comes his first romance novel—a story that will stay with you forever.
What if you were forced to say goodbye to the only person who ever loved you?
When Aashna loses everything and her parents refuse to love her, she is sent to boarding school.
Eventually, she realizes she had left her heart open, and someone decides to break into it—a tall, handsome (a bit too much), straight-out-of-the-movies guy who loves her with his whole heart.
But every time she goes back home, she meets an absence that will not let her sleep and a nightmare of a presence. Painfully tired of the hurt, she becomes what her mother could never be: a leaver.
With off-the-charts chemistry, witty conversations, and unexpected plot twists, I Cannot Say Goodbye to You is the story of Aashna and the people she loves (and loses).
P.S. Keep a tissue box nearby, since, you know, Rithvik wrote this novel.
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Come along with the Little Prince on a magical adventure through the stars! This sweet story follows a young prince as he travels to faraway planets and meets all kinds of funny, quirky characters. Each planet is like a little world with its own surprises, teaching the Little Prince about friendship, love, and caring for others.
With beautiful words and gentle pictures, The Little Prince is a fun and heartwarming tale that shows kids and grown-ups alike how to find joy in the things that matter most, like kindness and love, which you feel in your heart. Perfect for anyone who loves stories full of wonder and imagination!
This classic tale continues to enchant readers of all ages, and open their hearts to the beauty of the world around us. Beneath its whimsical surface lies a profound message about innocence, imagination, and the importance of caring for what you love.
Whether you’re rediscovering it as an adult or reading it for the first time with a child, The Little Prince remains a story of eternal truth and tenderness—a celebration of wonder that never fades.
Perfect for fans of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and timeless tales that speak to both heart and mind.
Two world-changing novels. One visionary author. The warnings that refuse to stay fiction.
In 1984, George Orwell’s chilling dystopian vision comes to life. Set in an imagined future, society is controlled by a totalitarian regime where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching.
While most people have surrendered to the new reality, Winston is struggling. Haunted by his fragmented memories, he remembers a world where the truth wasn’t doctored, and your thoughts were your own.
As Winston seeks pleasure through small acts of rebellion, the ever-looming threat of the Thought Police grows stronger. But everything changes when Winston comes across ‘The Brotherhood’, a revolutionary secret organization that is conspiring to overthrow the government…
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Animal Farm delivers Orwell’s searing political satire of the Russian Revolution. The oppressed animals of Manor Farm overthrow their cruel master, Mr Jones, in a bid to establish a just and equal society.
But as the days progress, the naïve animals find themselves in the throes of a treacherous conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything they’ve worked for.
George Orwell didn’t just write books—he wrote prophecies. Decades after publication, 1984 and Animal Farm remain startlingly, disturbingly relevant. Together, they form the most powerful indictment of totalitarianism ever written.
Chilling visions of surveillance, propaganda, and the death of objective truth.
“The elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one constrained shape long at a time.”
From tricking his friends into painting a fence (for fun!) to crashing his own funeral, Tom is never up to any good, much to Aunt Polly’s regret. He skips school to chase adventures and doesn’t like rules at all.
But a spooky night at a graveyard catapults him and his best friend Huck into a world a little more darker, a little less innocent.
Mark Twain transports us to a time of steamboats and straw hats, as Tom and his band of followers run past barefoot, plotting daring escapades and wrestling with pangs of conscience. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the enduring tale of learning to distinguish right from wrong in a fast-changing 19th century American town.
Suddenly, growing up isn’t just about pranks anymore.
