Catagory: Non Fiction

Long regarded as the Forbidden Land, Bhutan-or DrukYul, the Land of the Thunder Dragon-is often described as the Last Shangri La. It is still a country of pristine forests, alpine valleys and glacial lakes, rich in rare flora and fauna such as the blue poppy, the golden langur and the red panda. As spectacular as its natural beauty are the architecture of its towering dzongs (fortresses) and the art treasures that fill its monasteries and temples.
Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck shares with us her delight in some of the hidden treasures of her country, which she discovered during her journeys on foot to every corner of Bhutan-from highland villages in the shadow of the great Himalayan peaks to serene monasteries wreathed in myth and legend to the rainforests in the south and centre of the country, which are among the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots. This book, with its specially commissioned illustrations by young Bhutanese artists and photographs from the author’s family album, is essential reading both for those who plan to visit the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon and for armchair travellers who yearn to experience the magic of Bhutan through their imaginations.

Mount Kailash is a holy mountain on the western edge of the Tibetan Plateau in China. Over recent decades, this eerily symmetrical mountain, holy to Bonpos, Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, animists and New Age seekers, has emerged as a globally important site for pilgrimage and tourism. This mountain lies close to the point where the borders of north India and western Nepal meet China. What has been relatively little known to the general audience is the central role that transborder interdependence has played in shaping the lives, livelihoods and culture of the communities residing in these borderland regions, in the proximity of Kailash.

In the monsoon of 2016, an international team of social scientists, artists and members of the local community undertook a difficult 300-kilometre-long trek from district Humla, western Nepal, into the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. The aim was to document and understand the contemporary rhythms of livelihoods, material culture and perceptions of the sacred among the communities living along an ancient southern route to Mount Kailash, which had been in use for transborder trade and pilgrimage for several centuries. This book, studded with lush photographs, brings to life several individuals and scenes encountered during this expedition-stories of the past, of change, of aspirations, of the sheer beauty and vulnerabilities of life in one of the least accessible but most sacred corners of the world.

Where did the name Radha come from?
When did Christianity first come to India?
What is the connection between sanskar and dharma?
After the enormously successful runs of the first and second seasons of EPIC Channel’s Devlok with Devdutt Pattanaik, and their book editions, the trailblazer of Hindu mythology Devdutt Pattanaik is back with a third instalment to answer these questions and more! Covering over fifteen informative and inspiring episodes, this volume is a heady mix of education and entertainment. The show delves into myriad topics and lesser-known tales and questions that will be revisited by Devdutt in a Q&A format, making mythology more interesting for everyday audiences.

Bimal Jalan, former Reserve Bank of India governor and Rajya Sabha MP places India’s post-Independence strengths and weakness under a microscope and analyses the last four decades of India’s economic journey, which saw the nation’s transition from a strictly regulated, slow-growth, state-led enterprise to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Dr Jalan has had a ringside view of financial governance during his long and distinguished career. Drawing on this vast experience he compares two distinct periods-1980-2000 and 2000-15-to examine the core changes and their significance, and considers their lessons for the immediate future.

Dr Jalan suggests measures to improve governance which, if implemented, could make India one of the fastest growing emerging global powers and ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach all her people.

Hidden away off the beaten path in North-East India is the small culturally rich hill state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya receives the heaviest rainfall anywhere on Earth and all this water creates rivers that are some of the steepest and most powerful on the planet. Its rivers are steeped in a folklore that was shared over campfires and hearths back in a time when its people had no written word. These rivers are the bedrock of folklore and are surrounded by diverse natural beauty. This wild frontier has recently caught the attention of whitewater paddlers from all over the world.

Six years of research by international and local paddlers has culminated into this one-of-a-kind book. More than just a guidebook, Meghalaya Rivers shares previously unpublished folk stories, personal accounts from river descents, detailed maps, insights into the unique culture, history, flora, fauna, environment and geography of this enchanting part of the globe. Not only is this book full of breathtaking photography from some of the most difficult-to-reach corners of Meghalaya, it is also packed with all the information needed to take you to these wild places. Now all you need to do is go and see them for yourself.