कोलंबस भारत नहीं आ सका, लेकिन उसके चक्कर में आलू आ गया और उस आलू ने हमारी आबादी को जिस रफ़्तार से बढ़ाया कि दुनिया देखती रह गई। ईसाई पादरी ‘क्रिसमस नहीं मनाएँगे’, कहते रह गए मगर बाज़ार ने उसे दुनिया का त्योहार बना डाला। कभी हीर और रांझे की प्रेम कहानी ने बासमती को अमेरिका की संपत्ति बनने से बचा लिया, तो कहीं परंपरा के नाम पर महिलाओं का पोषण ही रोक दिया गया। कभी एक फ़ास्टफ़ूड कंपनी ने कहा कि फ़ेमिनिस्ट होने का मतलब है खाना न पकाना, तो कभी केलों के व्यापार ने सरकारों को तानाशाह बना दिया। अगर अब्राहम लिंकन की वजह से बंबई को उसकी पावभाजी मिली, तो कोला कंपनियों ने खेल को धर्म और खिलाड़ियों को भगवान बनाया। रोटियों से क्रांति करने और नमक से सत्ता गिराने वाले देश में इतिहास की थाली इन तमाम घटनाओं के साथ-साथ, बिरयानी से लेकर 1947 के बँटवारे तक को एक नई नज़र से देखने की क्षमता देती है। क्योंकि हमारे हर निवाले में स्वाद के साथ-साथ इतिहास, व्यापार, संस्कृति, पहचान और साज़िशों की पूरी दुनिया छिपी होती होती है।
Catagory: Nature
The Jungle Book
Enter a world where the jungle is alive with wonder, danger, and unforgettable friendships.
Little Mowgli shows up in tatters at the jungle, found by a wolf pack. Raised by the pack, he is no ordinary boy; he can climb trees like a monkey and even outrun a tiger. Adopted by the wolf-pack, he slowly grows up away from the world of humans. Along the way he makes lifelong friends: Baloo the brown bear and Bagheera the wise panther who help him learn the laws of the jungle. But the jungle can be a dangerous place. Together the trio face unforeseen dangers and find themselves caught up in exciting adventures; until Mowgli finally comes face-to-face with Shere Khan, the tiger, and the Bandar-Log. Mowgli’s world is full of joy and thrills, with fascinating creatures and the enchanting forest; a transportive and enjoyable read for everyone!
Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale is a transportive journey into a world of:
- Breathtaking adventure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats
- Timeless wisdom about courage, loyalty, and finding where you belong
- Unforgettable characters who feel like family
- A magical setting where every leaf whispers secrets and every creature has a story
Perfect for readers of all ages, The Jungle Book is more than a story—it’s an experience that stays with you long after the final page.
Discover why generations have fallen in love with the boy who ran with wolves.
India’s Forests
India’s Forests brings together essays by some of the country’s leading scholars with a fresh view of nature and history. These reappraisals of Indian forests and their many lives in past and present matter more than ever today.
Born of years of sustained reflection, the essays here view forests not as passive unchanging backdrops to the past but as living, contested spaces.
Forests were shaped and in turn deeply influenced by power, culture and society. They could mean very different things to different people who often were in contest over meaning as much as control of the space or the resource.
The volume spans from prehistory through ancient and early modern India into the present. It is also alive to the impact of the colonial era while tracing the changing fortunes of tribal and hill peoples.
They are ecological lifelines and sites of legend, memory, and scientific knowledge. Material remains and life cycles of animals and plants matter, so too do social and literary imaginations.
Forests have been continually redefined through conflict, negotiation, and care. Attentive to the changing meanings across time and place, the book asks us fundamental and unsettling questions: what are forests for?
India’s Forests will inform as well as stimulate thought for all who are concerned with the fate of forests now as much as about the country’s past.
Miniature Giants
Did you know that insects are at the forefront of research today? Scientists are looking to them to design heart valves, prosthetics, drones, noise-cancelling headphones and many other things. In fact, insects have done what humans are only beginning to learn to do.
However, despite occupying every nook and corner of the earth and sustaining several ecological systems, they continue to remain misunderstood and unappreciated beings. Considering the diversity of entomological studies happening across various parts of the globe, it will not be an exaggeration to say that the field is still at a nascent stage in India.
In Miniature Giants, biologist and naturalist Geetha Iyer attempts to set the record straight. She writes about several such marvellous insects and their strange and absorbing behaviours in an attempt to highlight the need for their conservation. In this book, she also dispels myths and misconceptions about them arising from nothing but sheer ignorance.
When Birds Talked
Discover the enchanting bird legends of the Himalayas—stories that soar beyond time.
When Birds Talked by Neha Negi is a lyrical and beautifully illustrated collection of folklore that reimagines the myths of Himalayan birds. Drawing on Uttarakhand’s rich oral traditions, these tales trace the origins of birds such as the Himalayan Monal, Fire-capped Tit, Spotted Forktail and many others—bringing alive stories of transformation, longing and resilience.
Through dramatic storytelling and hand-painted illustrations, Negi creates an enchanting tapestry that connects mythology, ecology, and human imagination. At its heart, the book is an ode to the deep bonds between people and nature, a celebration of vanishing traditions, and a call to protect the fragile ecosystems of the Himalayas.
Blending myth, art and reflections on the environment, When Birds Talked is as much a preservation of cultural heritage as it is a modern eco-fable for readers of all ages.
Submerged Worlds and Other Amazing Stories of India’s Mighty Rivers | Ganga, Yamuna, Narmada, Brahmaputra and more | Melting Glaciers, Urban Flooding, Dams, River Rights, Destruction, Revival and more | Ages 13 +
The job of any river is to flow and as it flows, it nurtures everything around it, everything within it. But when human interference affects this natural flow, it brings floods and droughts, displacement and suffering in its wake.
From melting glaciers to urban flooding, sand mining to dammed rivers, river rights to river interlinking projects, dead rivers to river revival, this book is an attempt to understand India’s rivers through their stories and the narratives of those whose lives are interlaced with the life of rivers.
Deeply steeped in the historical, spiritual, cultural, political, ecological, and economic fabric of our society, these stories are highly relevant in today’s world where the climate crisis is a water crisis. Compelling readers to listen to the river’s gentle yet urgent voice, it’s a must read for all non-fiction lovers and students keen on understanding life in the subcontinent we call home.
Sacred
Sacred reminds us of the symbiotic relationship we have with plants, the need for forests and greenery, their medicinal benefits, and environmental advantages that improve soil and air quality. Deepen your knowledge of fifty-two different plant species, which includes majestic trees such as peepal, banyan, rudraksha and deodar. Elevate everyday rituals with aromatic woods such as frankincense, myrrh and miswak. Appreciate the benefits of native grasses and creepers including durva, paan and Aparajita. Learn the true value of various flowers, fruit and spices, including lotus, jasmine, pomegranate , saffron, cloves and jujube.
Reconnect with nature, understand its worth and view plants as a manifestation of the divine. This book outlines ancient mysticism and provides recipes and rituals to help calm your mind, beautify yourself from the inside out and uplift the quality of your life.
I am the Universe
Look around. We are surrounded by living organisms, stars, galaxies, dust clouds, light, and so much more—the Universe is present in everything. Yet its birth and evolution remain one of the greatest mysteries.
In this journey through space and time, the Universe itself becomes your guide and storyteller. Discover its origin, explore our solar system, learn about scientists from around the world, and immerse yourself in the wonder of the cosmos. Brimming with fascinating facts, this book is perfect for every curious mind!
The Turbulent Waters of Climate Action
In this timely and incisive book, Stephen Groff explores the intricate challenges facing political leaders in developed nations as they confront the global climate crisis. Through a deep analysis of media influence, political agendas, and societal priorities, the book uncovers the barriers that often stall meaningful climate action and slow the momentum toward real change.
Groff expertly examines how public trust, media narratives, and entrenched political structures shape policy decisions. An essential read for policymakers, environmental advocates, and citizens alike, The Turbulent Waters of Climate Action is both a call to action and a roadmap for creating more effective climate governance.
Human Nature
In Human Nature, Thomas Bell embarks on four walks through the Himalaya, each in a different season, to explore the interplay between the land and the people who call it home. This evocative history entwines travelogue with folklore, literature, art and anthropology, offering a nuanced portrait of life over the centuries in one of the world’s most enigmatic regions.
Bell’s decades of living in Nepal give him an unusual perspective that bridges the gap between insider and outsider. The stories told to him touch on themes from religion to ecology and political economy, and from pre-history to the present day. He also deftly examines the impact of British imperialism and the growing external pressures on the environment.
Accompanied by striking photographs, Human Nature is a magnificently written account that spans big ideas and real lives. Erudite, intimate and evocative, this is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the relationship between communities and their environment.