Page 221 – Penguin Random House India

Have You Introduced Your Child to Devdutt Pattanaik’s Mythological Stories with a Twist?

Posted on September 8, 2017February 25, 2020 by Penguin India

Hailed as one of India’s favourite mythologists, Devdutt Pattanaik’s books introduce us to the world of Indian mythologies and epics with a fun and interesting twist.
Before you wonder how you’ll take on the difficult task of getting your child to remember the countless stories from our epics, let’s look at the wonderful world of some of Devdutt Pattanaik’s books.

Fun in Devlok Omnibus

Do you know the name of the demon with poor memory? Do you know the story of the time Lord Krishna landed at the airport? Have you heard of the big fight between Kama and Yama? Dive right into the amazing world of Devlok with this beautifully illustrated book!

Pashu

In Indian mythology, a fish rescues the world from destruction and a horse can fly high. But where do these animals come from? Why are some of them looked upon with dread, while the rest are worshipped with the Gods and Goddesses? Devdutt Pattanaik unravels the mysteries of the interesting animal world in Indian mythologies in this delightfully illustrated book!

The Girl Who Chose

The epic of Ramayana has been told and retold through generations from the points of view of Ram and Ravana. But little did we notice that the pivot always was Sita and her five choices. What were they? Find out with Devdutt Pattanaik’s beautiful book with stunning illustrations!
If you’ve plunged right into the fascinating world of Devdutt Pattanaik’s books, here’s one more about the Mahabharata waiting for your collection!

Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Vyasa’ Illustrator Sankha Banerjee

Posted on September 7, 2017February 25, 2020 by Penguin India

The first in the series that retells the story of the epic Mahabharata, Vyasa sets the stage for the battle of Kurukshetra. This brilliantly illustrated graphic novel is authored by Sibaji Bandopadhyay.
Bringing this epic to life is artist Sankha Banerjee, who enthralls the readers with the many illustrations in the graphic novel.
Here’s taking a sneak peek into the interesting life of Sankha Banerjee.

We bet you’re as dazzled by his art work as we are!

Journey to the Circuit House: ‘The Adventures of Feluda: The Golden Fortress’ — An Excerpt

Posted on September 7, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

Satyajit Ray’s much celebrated Bengali detective — Feluda, is now on a mission in the royal sands of Rajasthan!
In ‘The Adventures of Feluda: The Golden Fortress’, the detective dodges impostors, deadly scorpions and bullets to rescue young Mukul, a boy who can recall his past life.
Here’s a peek into Feluda’s spine-chilling chase to the end of the mystery.
The train started. Feluda took out the book on Rajasthan from his shoulder bag. I took out Newman’s Bradshaw timetable and began looking up the stations we would stop at. Each place had a strange name: Galota, Tilonia, Makrera, Vesana, Sendra. Where had these names come from? Feluda had told me once that a lot of local history was always hidden in the name given to a place. But who was going to look for the history behind these names?
The train continued to chug on its way. Suddenly, I could feel someone tugging at my shirt. I turned to find that Lalmohan Babu had gone visibly pale. When he caught my eye, he swallowed and whispered, ‘Blood!’
Blood? What was the man talking about?
Lalmohan Babu’s eyes turned to the Rajasthani. The latter was fast asleep. His head was flung back, his mouth slightly open. My eyes fell on the foot on the bench. The skin around the big toe was badly grazed. It had obviously been bleeding, but now the blood had dried. Then I realized something else. The dark stains on his clothes, which appeared to be mud stains, were, in fact, patches of dried blood.
I looked quickly at Feluda. He was reading his book, quite unconcerned. Lalmohan Babu found his nonchalance too much to bear. He spoke again, in the same choked voice, ‘Mr Mitter, suspicious blood marks on our new co-passenger!’
Feluda looked up, glanced once at the Rajasthani and said, ‘Probably caused by bugs.’
The thought that the blood was simply the result of bites from bed bugs made Lalmohan Babu look like a pricked balloon. Even so, he could not relax. He continued to sit stiffly and frown and cast the Rajasthani sidelong glances from time to time.
The train reached Marwar Junction at half past two. We had lunch in the refreshment room, and spent almost an hour walking about on the platform. When we climbed into another train at half past three to go to Jodhpur, there was no sign of that Rajasthani wearing a red shirt.
Our journey to Jodhpur lasted for two-and-a-half hours. On the way, we saw several groups of camels. Each time that happened, Lalmohan Babu grew most excited. By the time we reached Jodhpur, it was ten past six. Our train was delayed by twenty minutes. If we were still in Calcutta, the sun would have set by now, but as we were in the western part of the country, it was still shining brightly.
We had booked rooms at the Circuit House. Lalmohan Babu said he would stay at the New Bombay Lodge. ‘I’ll join you early tomorrow morning, we can all go together to see the fort,’ he said and went off towards the tongas that were standing in a row.
We found ourselves a taxi and left the station. The Circuit House wasn’t far, we were told. As we drove through the streets, I noticed a huge wall—visible through the gaps between houses—that seemed as high as a two-storeyed house. There was a time, Feluda told me, when the whole of Jodhpur was surrounded by that wall. There were gates in seven different places. If they heard of anyone coming to attack Jodhpur, all seven gates were closed.
Our car went round a bend. Feluda said at once, ‘Look, on your left!’
In the far distance, high above all the buildings in the city, stood a sprawling, sombre-looking fort—the famous fort of Jodhpur. Its rulers had once fought for the Mughals.
I was still wondering how soon I’d get to see the fort at close quarters, when we reached the Circuit House. Our taxi passed through the gate, drove up the driveway, past a garden, and stopped under a portico. We got out, collected our luggage and paid the driver.
A gentleman emerged from the building and asked us if we were from Calcutta, and whether Feluda was called Pradosh Mitter.
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Feluda acknowledged.
‘There is a double room booked in your name on the ground floor,’ the man replied.
We were handed the Visitors’ Book to sign. Only a few lines above our own names, we saw two entries: Dr H.B. Hajra and Master M. Dhar.
The Circuit House was built on a simple plan. There was a large open space as one entered. To its left were the reception and the manager’s room. In front of it was a staircase going up to the first floor, and on both sides, there were wide corridors along which stood rows of rooms. There were wicker chairs in the corridors.
A bearer came and picked up our luggage, and we followed him down the right-hand corridor to find room number 3. A middle-aged man, sporting an impressive moustache, was seated on one of the wicker chairs, chatting with a man in a Rajasthani cap. As we walked past them, the first man said, ‘Are you Bengalis?’ Feluda smiled and said, ‘Yes.’ We were then shown into our room.
We bet you can’t wait to find out what happens next! Grab your copy of ‘The Adventures of Feluda: The Golden Fortress’ today!

Stepping Into the Golden Temple: ‘Amma, Take Me to the Golden Temple’ — An Excerpt

Posted on September 7, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

Bhakti Mathur’s ‘Amma, Take Me to the Golden Temple’, is a fascinating guide through the rich history and architecture of the magnificent Darbar Sahib in Amrtisar.
As Amma takes her children, Shiv and Veer, through the corridors of the temple, following the stories of all the Sikh Gurus and getting a taste of the langar from the world’s biggest kitchen, we immediately wish we would be transported to the Golden Temple with them!
Before you get ready for your trip to the Golden Temple with your children, here’s a glimpse of the grandeur you’re about to witness!
It was well before the sun woke up. Amma and the two boys walked barefoot in the darkness across the vast courtyard. Amma cajoled the children with quiet words of encouragement. ‘Just a little bit more, Shiv.’ And a few steps later, ‘We are almost there, Veer.’ The boys, half asleep and too tired to protest, stumbled along, holding on tightly to Amma’s hands. What had seemed like a great idea the evening before—getting up early to meet a 400-year-old guru who lived in a floating temple made of gold—wasn’t looking so grand now!
‘Here we are!’ announced Amma. They had finally reached the magnificent arched gateway that led to the temple complex. The boys got a jolt as they stepped into the shallow pool of cold water meant to cleanse one’s feet before entering the holy grounds beyond. Shiv rubbed his eyes to check that he wasn’t still warm in his bed, dreaming. A Sikh man with a long black beard and wearing a blue tunic stood guard, towering over them, holding a tall spear in one hand.
‘Veer, look!’ Shiv whispered loudly. His brother was doing exactly that, staring at the impressive figure of the guard, as he too rubbed the sleep from his eyes. White teeth peeked from under the guard’s thick moustache as he offered a broad welcoming smile to the boys. They smiled back, relieved at the display of friendliness.
‘Come along now,’ urged Amma, her heart beginning to beat quickly. She gently pushed the boys across the wide threshold of the massive doorway. They stopped. Straight ahead, in the middle of a large lake, brilliantly lit and bright against the background of the dark sky, stood an elegant domed square structure seemingly carved out of solid gold. There it was. The Golden Temple of Amritsar!
Lost for words, the three took in the wondrous sight for a few long moments. A f lock of pigeons flew off their perch atop the shiny dome of the temple and the sound off lapping wings broke their trance. Amma, Shiv and Veer started walking down a f light of steps, taking in their magnificent surroundings. The temple stood in the middle of a square shaped lake, bordered on all four sides by a wide walkway of tiled marble. A narrow causeway connected the temple to the walkway. An array of buildings, shrines and monuments of different shapes and sizes, with minarets and domes rising above them, enclosed the complex.
They stepped on to the walkway and the marble felt soothingly cool under their bare feet. There was a smattering of people around. Some sat quietly by the water’s edge, moved by the soul-stirring calmness of the beauty surrounding them. Some prayed with their foreheads touching the ground or simply with their hands folded. Some were busy at work, sweeping the night’s accumulation of dust and dirt from the black-and-white marble f loor, while others still lay asleep, wrapped in light cotton blankets.
Soothing hymns sounded softly from loudspeakers attached to the walls along the edge of the walkway. Even though Shiv and Veer did not understand the words, the simplicity of the music stirred them. The loud sound of drumbeats came rolling from one part of the temple complex. Fully awake now, Shiv and Veer ran in the direction of the drums and it was now Amma’s turn to try and keep up with them. Where the drumbeats were coming from, a crowd had gathered in front of a multi-storeyed building made of white marble with brightly lit golden domes topping its roof.
‘This is the Akal Takht, the timeless throne,’ Amma told them.
In the middle of the crowd stood a golden palki, a palanquin. Its walls were engraved with intricate designs and it was lined with red velvet on the inside. It was exquisite. As one group of people decorated it with strands of marigold and roses, another group made its way towards it from the Akal Takht. In their midst, a man with a long silver beard stood wearing a brightblue turban, a sword hanging from a cloth belt tied around his waist. On his head he carried, with great reverence, a bundle wrapped in white silk.
‘Is that the guru, Amma?’ Shiv asked, tugging at Amma’s dupatta. ‘Is he really 400 years old?’
Amma smiled mischievously and said, ‘Yes and no. Yes, that is the guru and it is indeed 400 years old. But if you are asking me whether that man is the guru, then no, he is not. That man is carrying the guru.’
‘What!’ Veer exclaimed. ‘What do you mean, he is carrying the guru?’
‘The bundle on his head is the guru. It is a book called the Guru Granth Sahib, a collection of hymns, poems and words of wisdom of the real gurus from their lifetime, and of other wise men from more than 400 years ago. The Sikhs consider this book to be their guru.’
Shiv and Veer looked at Amma as if they had been cheated.
‘Don’t look so disappointed, boys! There is a wonderful story about how this book came to be the guru and I will tell you about it later. Now, let’s not miss out on the ceremony!’
People were craning their necks to look above those in front of them for a glimpse of the precious bundle as it was being carefully placed inside the palki. Then a group of men lifted the palanquin. Others ran towards it, some to take turns at helping to carry it, others just to touch it. People showered rose petals on the bearers and a single chant arose from the crowd: ‘Wahe Guru! Wahe Guru! Wahe Guru!’ A long procession soon formed behind the palki, swallowing Amma, Shiv and Veer as they moved along with it.
Get ready for your child to guide you through the Golden Temple the next time you visit!
Coming soon — ‘Amma, Take Me to Tirupati’.

What the Readers Had to Say About the Award-Winning Book ‘Wild Child and Other Stories’

Posted on September 6, 2017February 25, 2020 by Penguin India

Paro Anand was awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Bal Puraskar’ 2017 for her book ‘Wild Child and Other Stories’ now published as ‘Like Smoke: 20 Teens 20 Stories’.
Stories of young teenagers, standing at the precipice of some of the toughest years of their lives, ‘Like Smoke’ found tremendous resonance among its readers.
Here is what some of the award-winning writer’s readers had to say about her book.
Tara Chawla
What did the story make you aware of?
Never judge a book by its cover. This is what Like Smoke has made me aware of. There is always so much more to a person than meets the eye. One can have an ugly appearance but be good at heart. Deep down in all our hearts that beauty lurks waiting to be discovered by someone who understands us. As they say, looks can be deceptive.
Likewise human beings tend to have pre-conceived notions about places as well- often formed by the views of others. Every place has its own and the same not being noticed via the superficial glance till it is explored properly and extensively without any preconceived notions.
Another thing that Paro Anand has taught me through this uniquely written book of hers is that labels are just words. The word Hindu or Sikh just creates boundaries. Why should we assume all Muslims are terrorists? Why should a person not be liked because they are ‘fat’? Why should labels define us? We judge others and ourselves with these labels. Doesn’t every one of these people with the labels have two eyes, a nose and a beating heart? Isn’t that what should define us?
What does this awareness inspire you to do?
After reading this book I have been inspired to create a change in my own behavior. I am going to put aside any assumptions that come to my mind due to the name and other’s opinions of the place. As Gandhi Ji rightly said ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’. Instead of telling others to change themselves I am going to change myself so that others change. I am going to forget all the labels, the opinions and the assumptions. I am going to look at the world with my own eyes; I am going to decide for myself. I am the one who is going to make the change.
Nohreen Madha
What did the story make you aware of?
The story which I liked the most is ‘THOSE YELLOW FLOWERS OF AUGUST’. The first three words ‘I HATE MUSLIMS’ divert my mind towords this story. In this story, there is a girl named Nitya whose father was killed in a bomb blast. This bomb blast took place near a temple. As Hindus and Muslims are considered as enemies ( which they are not) Nitya felt that this bomb blast was done by Muslims. After her father died, they went to stay with their grandparents as her mother was depressed. Nitya joined new school. On the first day of school, Nitya like a boy named Khalid. Nitya came to known that khalid was a muslim boy and she started ignoring him. Nitya and khalid were sitting behind a big bunch of yellow flowers where they had to think about a topic for role play. Khalid came to known that Nitya was avoiding him, then too he kept on talking. Nitya told Khalid about her father and about her feeling she had for Muslims. Khalid got hurt. He explained to Nitya that bomb blast was done by Terrorist , and there is a vast difference between Muslims and Terrorist. Nitya understood and hence, forward they both became friends. That is what I too realized not to judge people because of their religion.
Shifa Azmi
What did the story make you aware of?
“Like smoke” includes 20 different stories of 20 different teenagers. Every story touches upon the emotion which every teenager may have felt during a point of their life. Stories includes factors like friendship, religion, love, hate, death…we all sometime feel depressed, stressed and feel like we just can’t take it anymore. The book is a collection of young adults fiction short stories. I think anyone who reads this book can imagine the stories. Each story will help you look inside the mind of teenagers. Each of the stories deals with some or other conflicts in a teenager’s life there are many types of conflicts- There is story related with terrorist conflicts, which led to loss of lives, people lose their parents, siblings, etc.
Experiences of teenagers, their prejudices and resolutions are predominant themes in their stories.
For example- The first story called, ‘Those Yellow Flowers of August’ deals with a teenager girl’s hatred for Muslims because she loses her Father in a bomb blast. She believes all Muslim are violent and she just used to hate them a lot, unless she met a boy names Khalid.
What does this awareness inspire you to do?
A story called, ‘They called Her fats’ is a story of Fatima Whitebread who went to win an Olympic bronze and silver medals and later in 1987, the World Championship in the field of Javelin throw. The struggle and Hard work she goes through was very inspiring.
Through this book I learnt many values, lessons, morals.
This book is a book which can change people’s perspective on many things. This book gives us message that — “No matter how many thing that matters is, we should always have positive mind, no matter what happen we should be determined and strong.
Soorya Balasubramanian
What did the story make you aware of?
The book made me aware of society’s deplorable condition. We are willing to single out an entire religion to blame for the terrorist actions of madmen. This stems a new fear- Muslimophobia. A word, I believe was never to be conceived. The author’s fury at this ideology led her to write a line that rouses anger and fury, yet makes you aware of the plight of muslims in this world. It says: “Bombs don’t have a religion. Terrorists don’t have a religion. So don’t put my belief into the same bracket as bombs.” These stories need to be placed in the hands of every world leader, commoner and terrorist.
I have learnt of Courage, not as we perceive it, but on a different level altogether. I once heard a line that bests illustrates the kind of courage I’m inspired to take up. The line is, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the belief that something is more important than fear.” The manner with which Gaurav, a boy in one story, guides his enemy out of the vicious cycle of vices and addictions, The way Zeenat, a girl rebelling against the harsh laws in PoK, develops the amazing singing talent in her and promotes other talented people from her region, as illustrated in the book; these examples are examples of true courage. Chilling ironies accompany many stories, making me aware of the consequences of our seemingly inconsequential statements. The stories allow us to be a spectator to loss, yet, experiencing in the same measure, the emotions experienced by the characters. After all, I realized that, love and courage are 2 things prevailing over all the hardships that accompany this worldly life, while keeping us together as a society.
The 20 stories made me realize the different ways of life we live, and how this molds our character. Divorced children, Children in the heart of terrorism, abandoned, led astray, abused, sold; I am thankful I’m born into a good home. It made me realize the insignificant appearance of petty fights at home in front of the circumstances of these children.
What does this awareness inspire you to do?
It has made me look at terrorist acts differently. I now know it’s conducted by a rogue faction of a peaceful people, and that has caused me to completely change my mindset. Simple monetary aid to children in any of the above conditions wouldn’t help. It would be snatched away by greedier, idiotic minds. It has made me realize my helplessness as a child. But, as a team, I’m sure we can help make a difference. Therefore, when I’m a little older, I would like to start a group, to help evacuate those trapped in PoK, with help from the Indian Army. I would like to make an Impact with at least a few children, by rescuing them from the deplorable conditions of state run orphanages, and console them. Truly, the world needs love now, and not money. Love is the currency that keeps this world turning
Simran Zaveri
What did the story make you aware of?
Like all great books that induce powerful emotions to the readers, Like Smoke tells the tale of 20 different teenagers who are struggling with their lives. It read to me 20 different riveting and heart wrenching stories about the teenage struggles. It spoke of the different things that teenagers undergo during adolescence in today’s day and age. From reading this book, I understood the fact that teenagers feel pressured into ‘fitting in’. They are constantly being bullied into meeting the harsh standards that society makes for them. If you’re short, it’s a problem. If you’re fat it’s problem. If you’re too manly it’s a problem. I learned that a teenage life is that of loneliness, but I also learned that teenagers have fought back. Like when Anita defied her coach and with the help of her best friend made it onto the basketball team despite being very short. Or when the overweight girl who loved to cook found a friend who loved her for her and she was happy. Or even when Fatima didn’t care what any had to say about her muscles because she loved herself and loved why she had those muscles. The teens describes in this book were dangerously strong as they challenged everything that they were taught to believe. They didn’t follow society’s standards which is truly a beautiful thing. From this book I learned teenagers are scared, vulnerable and just try to fit in. But I also learned that they’re smart, powerful and they can fight back
What does this awareness inspire you to do?
I already know about a teenager’s life being hard. After all, I am one. But what I didn’t know is that it’s every teen that faces the same problems and choices that I do. I realized that every teenager goes trough a lot of difficult things and when I realized this, I made a promise to myself that I would never judge anyone based on their appearances. I promised myself I wouldn’t degrade anyone. I wouldn’t call anyone names. I would try to be kinder, try to make people feel better about themselves. I would try to help people be more accepting of themselves, teach them to love themselves and not be ashamed of who they are, or something they can’t change. If I could, I would dive into the book and tell Anita that she’s an excellent basketball player, or I would tell the Fatima to not listen to anyone and to follow her dreams, like she was already doing. Reading this book has taught me that even smiling at someone could make their day infinity better. The book inspired me to be a better person, and that is what I am going to do. Become someone better and kinder than who I am now.
Yashasvi Mehta
What did the story make you aware of?
I had never before read a book written for teenagers, featuring their true stories of courage, hope, emotions, fear and love.
These 20 stories opened my eyes to the real world, a world very different from my protected, secure, happy cocoon. I realized that many children my age were going through so many problems in different corners of the country. Some had to fight religion- based issues, others had to face violence, heartbreak and abuse, still others were bullied for being fat, ugly or uncool. Some had seen death so closely that it brought tears to my eyes and made me realise the value of our loved ones.
Stories like ‘See You Shortly’ and ‘In the Shadow of Greatness’ taught me that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. ‘Santa’s not so Little Helper’ was a hilarious story that showed that essays need not be boring, serious or mundane. ‘Like Father, Like Son’ sent shivers down my spine and gave me a taste of the paranormal. Reading ‘I am Old and Tired Now’ put me in a lion’s shoes and I felt the emotions of an animal which longed for peace as much as man did. ‘Susu’ was great fun to read and still brings a naughty smile on my face and has now become a hit word in my friend circle! ‘Teenagers are Pack Animals’ made me see us teenagers from a teacher’s viewpoint and forced me to ask myself, ‘Are we really pack animals?’
In all, this book was an insight into how the world looks at us and how we look at the world and how we could contribute greatly to make it a better place to live.
We congratulate Paro Anand on achieving this great milestone!
Order your copy of ‘Like Smoke’ here now!

Ten Priorities India Should Focus On

Posted on September 6, 2017February 25, 2020 by Penguin India

Bimal Jalan had a close view of financial governance while he served as Union Finance Secretary and Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Drawing on his vast experience he compares two distinct periods: 1980–2000 and 2000–15, and examines the transition India has made in the last four decades from a strictly regulated, slow-growth state enterprise to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
In his latest book, India: Priorities for the future he lists out few areas India needs to pay attention to.
Here is a list of ten of those priorities:
One of the foremost priorities regarding financial governance

Priority for the banking sector

Another reform in the financial sector that the India has to bring about

The RBI has to keep working with financial experts to develop procedure for the debt markets to grow

The outcomes of the present schemes in terms of actual benefits is pretty low

Performance reviews of a ministry will lead to better execution of policies

Red tapism needs to be done away with

Outsourcing to different agencies reduces petty corruption and delays

An urgent political reform is to speed up investigations of persons who are in political parties

An utmost priority lies in making the states accountable for policy execution than the Centre

Which priority according to you should be the India’s topmost priority? Tell us.

In Conversation with Osama Siddique

Posted on September 5, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

Osama Siddique has been a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, a lawyer in New York and Lahore, a policy instructor in various countries. He is also a legal scholar, university teacher and reform consultant in Pakistan, and a successful doctoral candidate and visiting professor at Harvard Law School. His most recent book is an acclaimed and multiple award-winning critical legal history of postcolonial justice systems. We spoke to him about his debut novel Snuffing Out the Moon.
Below are the questions we asked him.
You are and have been a very successful lawyer and legal scholar. Why did you decide to write a novel?
There are many kinds of legal discourses of course that allow much room for critical expression. Quite apart from more conventional work, as a lawyer and an academic I have always been particularly intrigued by how law can be and is manipulated by the powerful against the disempowered. Regardless of which era we speak about what goes by the name of law has always been a strong weapon for those who can use it – for better or for worse. Indeed I have explored this theme in my legal scholarship. There are, however, certain limits on expression imposed by extant conventions of style, structure and methodology. Fiction on the other hand is a very vast, rich and multifarious terrain that provides tremendous flexibility and license to explore this and various additional themes that I dwell on in my novel – themes that I had always wanted to write about. Themes ranging, for instance, from ancient political landscapes to omens of impending evil to lives of petty criminality to literature as a weapon of protest to social media as a medium for hate mongering to environmental apartheids of the near future. Only fiction allows engagement with all this in one book. Such is its largesse. Hence the novel.
Why did you situate the book in these particular six epochs of time?
In large part because having blessed access to their archaeological sites and cultural artifacts I have been greatly fascinated by them since childhood. I continue to fondly visit them, read about them, live amidst them. Mohenjodaro also because it continues to be such an enticing enigma and unsolved mystery. The Gandharan civilization because it has left such an exquisite artistic and architectural imprint on the Pakistani landscape. Lahore – my beloved city – appears in three contiguous eras, which are all reflected in its hybrid culture and built heritage. And the near future is of course the source of tremendous curiosity and indeed concern to all of us – given the highly troubling times and the various political, environmental and civilizational crises that we currently face as humankind.
Somewhere in the book you say something like: “all eras are driven by the same hopes and fears and passions and we continue to make the same mistakes.” — Could you elaborate on this and also your concept of “time.”?
While one can surely detect evolution in various spheres of human endeavor – political structures, organized religion, modes of technology – it does occur to me that across the ages our fundamental aspirations and imperatives remain very closely aligned, if not identical. It is fascinating to think, for instance, how hope, fear, love, hate, dissent and the resulting conflicts drive people to act in such similar ways, regardless of whether we speak of today’s milieu or one of four thousand years ago, from whatever we know of that distant era. Naturally, it causes one to wonder whether we are caught up in a constant cycle of repetition. Civilizations come, flourish, decline and ultimately vanish. Whether time is linear or cyclical. Whether we are headed somewhere or will the wheel of time continue to turn and turn till one day our kind will simply be no more. That we will simply vanish. Without even a whimper, let alone a bang. Without any explanation, let alone an apology.
What are your thoughts on the concept of “evil”?
Evil is such a vital and fascinating concept in every religious and cultural tradition as well as manifest, however you define it, in so many human catastrophes through the ages. One of the most compelling questions remains whether evil is just another name for our baser instincts, distinct external influences that corrupt and corrode us and compel us to do abhorrable things, or an actual physical embodiment – a virtual devil. What causes us to indulge in devilry and why has humankind failed in putting a stop to murders, pogroms, genocides, travesties and wars. These questions provide a vital undercurrent to my overall narrative and evil manifests itself mysteriously and multifariously in the lives of the different characters. Quite apart from the more analytical dimensions there is also something very emotive, something very sinister and forbidding about the concept that impacts our senses in a remarkable manner. The fear and foreboding evoked by the concept of evil has been depicted so powerfully in many great pieces of literature and it has always been something that I also wanted to write about.
Your protagonists are non-conformists who dissent and then pay a price for it. Can you tell us more about choosing protagonists who are dissenters and the importance of dissent in human history?
Arguably, as critically as ever before in out history we face the challenges of curtailment and censorship of free thought and speech. What is also obvious is a globe-wide shift to harder governments, to despots, officially sanctioned histories, blind dogma and also now, alternative facts. The present epoch is as Orwellian as it can get. Meaningful dissent, therefore, is a precious but also much maligned virtue and hence all the more worthy of preservation. Mine is just one modest endeavor to underline how vital dissent is for societal sustenance and integrity. Even otherwise, dissenters make much more compelling and effective protagonists than conformists. Dissent has contributed tremendously to history and brought about significant turning points and breakthroughs in human thought and achievement. And yet the dissenters have often paid a tremendous personal price, which makes their entire endeavor all the more heroic. There is thus no way that I would have been tempted to choose protagonists who are not dissenters. Having said that those who habitually conform and capitulate are also curious in their own way. Perhaps in my next book if there is one.

5 Priceless Things We Learn from Ruskin Bond’s Books

Posted on September 4, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

Ruskin Bond’s stories have never failed to thrill us and leave us feeling warm inside every time we read one. Our growing up years would not have remained the same had it not been for Bond’s beautiful characters and anecdotes that immediately take us back to the best years of our lives.
But through his enchanting stories of childhood, friendship, family, love and nature, we unknowingly learn a few precious things which, perhaps, none of our school books could have ever taught us.
Here are 5 times Ruskin Bond quietly told us something invaluable about life and the world that will stay with us forever.
When he told us why we should aim for excellence and not settle for being a mediocre “anybody”.

When he told us that nature is our best home.

When he showed us that the will to do something is greater than any obstacle.

When he pointed out the perils of disturbing nature.

When he showed us that the beauty of life lies in its changes, like the changing seasons.

Share with us what you have learned from Ruskin Bond’s delightful stories on the occasion of Teachers’ Day!

Managing Your Boss, The New Angle to Boss-Subordinate Relationship

Posted on September 4, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

TO MANY PEOPLE, THE PHRASE “managing your boss” may sound unusual or suspicious. Because of the traditional top-down emphasis in most organizations, it is not obvious why you need to manage relationships upward—unless, of course, you would do so for personal or political reasons. But we are not referring to political maneuvering or to apple polishing. We are using the term to mean the process of consciously working with your superior to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and the company.
Recent studies suggest that effective managers take time and effort to manage not only relationships with their subordinates but also those with their bosses. These studies also show that this essential aspect of management is sometimes ignored by otherwise talented and aggressive managers. Indeed, some managers who actively and effectively supervise subordinates, products, markets, and technologies assume an almost passively reactive stance vis-à- vis their bosses. Such a stance almost always hurts them and their companies.
If you doubt the importance of managing your relationship with your boss or how difficult it is to do so effectively, consider for a moment the following sad but telling story:
Frank Gibbons was an acknowledged manufacturing genius in his industry and, by any profitability standard, a very effective executive. In 1973, his strengths propelled him into the position of vice president of manufacturing for the second largest and most profitable company in its industry. Gibbons was not, however, a good manager of people. He knew this, as did others in his company and his industry. Recognizing this weakness, the president made sure that those who reported to Gibbons were good at working with people and could compensate for his limitations. The arrangement worked well.
In 1975, Philip Bonnevie was promoted into a position reporting to Gibbons. In keeping with the previous pattern, the president selected Bonnevie because he had an excellent track record and a reputation for being good with people. In making that selection, however, the president neglected to notice that, in his rapid rise through the organization, Bonnevie had always had good-to excellent bosses. He had never been forced to manage a relationship with a difficult boss. In retrospect, Bonnevie admits he had never thought that managing his boss was a part of his job.
Fourteen months after he started working for Gibbons, Bonnevie was fired. During that same quarter, the company reported a net loss for the first time in seven years. Many of those who were close to these events say that they don’t really understand what happened. This much is known, however: While the company was bringing out a major new product—a process that required sales, engineering, and manufacturing groups to coordinate decisions very carefully—a whole series of misunderstandings and bad feelings developed between Gibbons and Bonnevie.
For example, Bonnevie claims Gibbons was aware of and had accepted Bonnevie’s decision to use a new type of machinery to make the new product; Gibbons swears he did not. Furthermore, Gibbons claims he made it clear to Bonnevie that the introduction of the product was too important to the company in the short run to take any major risks.
As a result of such misunderstandings, planning went awry: A new manufacturing plant was built that could not produce the new product designed by engineering, in the volume desired by sales, at a cost agreed on by the executive committee. Gibbons blamed Bonnevie for the mistake. Bonnevie blamed Gibbons.
Of course, one could argue that the problem here was caused by Gibbons’s inability to manage his subordinates. But one can make just as strong a case that the problem was related to Bonnevie’s inability to manage his boss. Remember, Gibbons was not having difficulty with any other subordinates. Moreover, given the personal price paid by Bonnevie (being fired and having his reputation within the industry severely tarnished), there was little consolation in saying the problem was that Gibbons was poor at managing subordinates. Everyone already knew that.
We believe that the situation could have turned out differently had Bonnevie been more adept at understanding Gibbons and at managing his relationship with him. In this case, an inability to manage upward was unusually costly. The company lost $2 million to $5 million, and Bonnevie’s career was, at least temporarily, disrupted. Many less costly cases similar to this probably occur regularly in all major corporations, and the cumulative effect can be very destructive.
This is an excerpt from HBR’s 10 Must Reads (On Managing People). Get your copy here.
Credit: Abhishek Singh

5 Quotes from Akhil Sharma’s ‘A Life of Adventure and Delight’ Which Make His Book a Must-Read

Posted on September 4, 2017February 23, 2020 by Penguin India

Stories are, after all, nothing more than accounts of the workings of the human heart and mind in relation to the world. And the mark of a successful storyteller, as we all know, is nothing more than the ability to get under the reader’s skin and tug at their heartstrings. Akhil Sharma’s new collection of short stories — A Life of Adventure and Delight, consolidates his reputation of a master storyteller with eight stories of the fragile human heart, told in a way that’s “as hypnotic as those found in the pages of Dostoyevsky”.
Here are 5 instances from Sharma’s new anthology to convince you to pick up a copy right now.
A retired divorcé, in search of love and companionship, decides to relearn how to impress a woman by reading women’s magazines. But how does his search end?

A young boy explores his relationship with the divine and negotiates with God to get what he wants.

A young boy observes his older cousin grow up to break norms and lead a life that often leaves him in a state of shock.

What happens when you wake up and fall in love with your husband, only for a day?

An ordinary man’s life takes some exceptional turns during a few extraordinary moments. Does his life change forever?

Grab your copy of Akhil Sharma’s fascinating new collection of stories here now!

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Have You Introduced Your Child to Devdutt Pattanaik’s Mythological Stories with a Twist?

Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Vyasa’ Illustrator Sankha Banerjee

Journey to the Circuit House: ‘The Adventures of Feluda: The Golden Fortress’ — An Excerpt

Stepping Into the Golden Temple: ‘Amma, Take Me to the Golden Temple’ — An Excerpt

What the Readers Had to Say About the Award-Winning Book ‘Wild Child and Other Stories’

Ten Priorities India Should Focus On

In Conversation with Osama Siddique

5 Priceless Things We Learn from Ruskin Bond’s Books

Managing Your Boss, The New Angle to Boss-Subordinate Relationship

5 Quotes from Akhil Sharma’s ‘A Life of Adventure and Delight’ Which Make His Book a Must-Read

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