Have you ever wondered why the dogs start barking in the middle of the night? Ajja and Ajji have a story for us that might just explain why this happens. Here is an excerpt:
The Language of the Dogs
It was a quiet and hot night. The children were sitting in the veranda under thefan, talking to each other.
A short distance away, Ajja and Kamlu Ajji were sitting on the stairs in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They could hear the street dogs barking near the main gate of the house.
‘Why do the dogs bark at night?’ asked Kamlu Ajji. ‘It’s the same story in Bangalore too—they start barking in the middle of the night and go on for a really long time.’
‘They also have their own problems,’ said Ajja. ‘Usually, the dogs are fed leftover food from restaurants. But these days, no hotels are open during the lockdown and many are going hungry.’
Ajja turned and called out to Ajji who was still inside the house. ‘Do you have any food for the dogs?’ he yelled.
‘A few chapatis and some rice,’ she yelled back. ‘Bring them here!’
Ajji brought the food and biscuits and went with
Ajja and Kamlu Ajji to the main gate. The children watched from a distance. They looked on as two dogs appeared.
Ajji put biscuits, rice and chapati in a bowl and kept water in another bowl just outside the gate. The two dogs looked at her and attacked the food greedily, gobbling it down in minutes. Then they drank the water, wagged their tails to thank her and ran away.
Slowly, the trio walked back and sat on the steps of the veranda. Ajji said, ‘I wish they could speak. Then I could make them their favourite food. After all, the earth also belongs to them.’
‘Your perspective is so different,’ said Ajja. ‘Humans can speak and that’s why we can do the things we want to and own material things like property and land.’
‘Poor animals. We are occupying their land just because they cannot communicate like us. Even if they had ownership of any piece of land before us, they can’t tell us.’
‘You are right,’ said Kamlu Ajji. ‘Now that humans are all indoors, lots of animals in India are coming out from the forests to the cities nearest to them because it was all their land a long, long time ago.’
Ajja added, ‘This world would have been a different place if we understood the chirping of birds and the language of animals.’
Ajji smiled and said, ‘I am thinking of Dheeraj now.’ ‘Who’s Dheeraj?’ asked Ajja.
‘Do you want to listen to a story?’
Ajja and Kamlu Ajji nodded their heads like children, eager to listen to what Ajji had to say.
***
Amit and his wife Preeti were high-ranking officials in their kingdom. They were young, powerful and rich and lived in a mansion by a river. They frequently hosted official celebrations on their yacht or their beautiful large gardens, but made sure they invited only those people from the kingdom who were also rich or powerful, and not whom they considered less fortunate.
Ramu was a housekeeper who lived with them and served them for years. One day, he brought home a young boy of six years. The boy looked innocent and intelligent.
Ramu asked Preeti, ‘I met this boy in the village fair. He doesn’t have anyone to take care of him. I would like to help him. Can he live with me?’
Preeti glanced at the boy and said, ‘Sure, as long as he works for us and does not spoil the premises.’
And that is how Dheeraj began living in Preeti and Amit’s home.
Grandparents’ Bag of Stories||Sudha Murty
One day, Amit hosted a dinner for an important minister. The evening began with a tour of the river on the yacht. Then the yacht docked on the riverside, and music began playing as the celebrations commenced in the beautiful gardens. There was a wide spread of delicacies being served. Dheeraj was assisting Ramu with his chores.
The dinner was in full swing when the barking of two dogs disturbed Amit and his guests. The dogs were right outside the main gate of the gardens. Amit gave instructions to Ramu to hush them and chase them away, but the dogs refused to move. The non-stop barking upset Amit and he said, ‘I wish someone could understand what they are saying so that we could respond appropriately and ask them to leave.’
Dheeraj was nearby and overheard Amit. Timidly, he approached the master of the house and said, ‘Sir, I can understand them.’
Some of the guests laughed while others passed sarcastic comments.
Preeti asked, ‘Tell me, boy, what are they saying?’
‘Madam, I will tell you if you promise me that you will not get upset when I share their words with you,’ said Dheeraj, looking worried.
‘They must be talking about food, boy! Anyway, hurry up and tell us,’ said Preeti firmly.
‘Madam, they are not talking about food.’
‘Get to the point, boy! I am losing patience with you,’ snapped Amit.
Nervously, Dheeraj continued, ‘Sir, there is a male dog and a female dog at the gate. The male dog said, “Look at life’s irony.”
“What do you mean?” said the female dog.
“This couple is used to being served by someone all the time. But a day will come when the master of this house will give an important person water to wash their hands and the lady will voluntarily run and bring a towel for him to wipe his hands.”
“Who are you talking about? Whom will this couple serve?”
“The male dog grinned and said, “This little boy.”
Both the dogs then had a hearty laugh,’ said Dheeraj, and fell silent.
The silence spread through the guests and it ruined their mood.
Did you lose yourself in Ajja and Ajji’s world of stories? We did too! There is so much more in Grandparents’ Bag of Stories.
There is no dearth of writing on Jawaharlal Nehru. More will always be less when accounting for his contribution to the country, which starts from before the inception of India, the idea of India. A man who fought imperialism, colonialism, and strove for the idea of a nation propped by secularism, diversity and communal camaraderie is not a figure easily summarised in words. But this 14th of November, we are celebrating Nehru’s birthday with a list of works that come close to portraying the brilliance of his persona, a figure larger than life, vital to our history.
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An Autobiography
An Autobiography||Jawaharlal Nehru
by Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, was a great personality who also wrote a number ofinspiring and knowledgeable books. ‘Jawaharlal Nehru: An Autobiography’ is his autobiographical work which he penned down between the years of 1934 and 1935 while he was in prison. In this book, Nehru explores his ideologies and the events in his life that led him to the situation he was positioned in when he wrote this book.
The practice of civil disobedience that Nehru had taken up, is discussed by him terms of his belief in the movement. The author starts off the book with an introduction to his ancestral history, where he mentions that his predecessors had to run away from Kashmir to settle elsewhere.
The book also paints a vivid picture of the pre-independence era in India, where the air of dissension was at an all-time high. The book depicts the political realisation of an upcoming giant of a nation and the battle for its freedom.
The Discovery of India||Jawaharlal Nehru
The Discovery of India
by Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru wrote the book ‘The Discovery of India’, during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar fort for participating in the Quit India Movement (1942 – 1946). The book was written during Nehru’s four years of confinement to solitude in prison and is his way of paying an homage to his beloved country and its rich culture.
The book started from ancient history, Nehru wrote at length of Vedas, Upanishads and textbooks on ancient time and ends during the British raj. The book is a broad view of Indian history, culture and philosophy, the same can also be seen in the television series. The book is considered as one of the finest writing om Indian History. The television series Bharat Ek Khoj which was released in 1988 was based on this book.
Glimpses of World History||Jawaharlal Nehru
Glimpses of World History
by Jawaharlal Nehru
‘Glimpses of the World History’ is an account of the progress of the world through centuries and ages. This book is a collection of letters that Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to his daughter Indira when he was in various Indian prisons for three years. The letters were meant to introduce her to the world and its history. In the first few letters, Nehru expresses his sadness for not being able to be around his daughter and give her the materialistic gifts that other parents could but he promises to give her a gift that he could afford; in the form of knowledge and wisdom through words that come from the very core of his heart. Nehru wrote 196 letters and covered the history of mankind from 6000 BC to the time he was writing the letters.
Letters From a Father to HIs Daughter||Jawaharlal Nehru
Letters from a Father to His Daughter
by Jawaharlal Nehru
When Indira Gandhi was a little girl of ten, she spent the summer in Mussoorie, while her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was in Allahabad. Over the summer, Nehru wrote her a series of letters in which he told her the story of how and when the earth was made, how human and animal life began, and how civilizations and societies
evolved all over the world.
Written in 1928, these letters remain fresh and vibrant, and capture Nehru’s love for people and for nature, whose story was for him ‘more interesting than any other story or novel that you may have read’. This is a priceless collection of letters from one legendary leader to another.
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Get a small glimpse into the life of Pandit Nehru in his own words.
Not that we need an occasion to buy books, but Children’s Day is the perfect time to add some fascinating and wonderful reads to your young readers’ shelves! From magical adventures in forests, to exciting stories about monarchs, and a glimpse into the constitution of India, we have you covered on all fronts.
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A Box of Stories||Ruskin Bond
A Box of Stories: A Collector’s Edition
by Ruskin Bond
A collector’s edition featuring the best of Ruskin Bond’s works
Featuring some of Ruskin Bond’s finest stories, poetry and selected non-fiction pieces, this special collector’s edition brings together the best works of India’s best-loved author for all his fans. Included in the collection are the two treasuries The Room of Many Colours and Uncles, Aunts and Elephants. Featuring illustrations and a rich cast of characters, this box set is a perfect collection for fans of the master storyteller.
The Magic of the Lost Temple||Sudha Murty
The Magic Of The Lost Temple
by Sudha Murty
City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents’ village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends.
Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.
Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable.
Moin and The Monster||Anushka Ravishankar, Anitha Balachandran
Moin and the monster
by Anushka Ravishankar
Illustrated by Anitha Balachandran
One night, in the dim darkness of his room, Moin heard something shuffling and sniffling under his bed …’
It is a monster. Moin has to learn to live with the monster, which does nothing but eat bananas, sing silly songs and try out new hairstyles.
However, keeping the monster a secret from his parents and teachers is a tough task and finally Moin decides that the only thing to do is send the monster back where it came from…
Book of Beasts||M Krishnan
Book of Beasts: An A to Z Rhyming Bestiary
by M Krishnan
The hispid hare is rather rare in fact, outside north-eastern east it lives nowhere and even there it is a most uncommon beast.
With scientific facts, quirky verse and gorgeous illustrations, this is a most unusual alphabet book!
A writer and an artist, M Krishnan was one of India’s best-known naturalists.
10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know||Devika Rangachari
10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know
by Devika Rangachari
This book tells the stories of ten Indian monarchs who find, at best, passing mention in the history textbooks we read, though their lives were exciting and their achievements considerable:
Ajatashatru
Bindusara
Rudradaman
Pulakeshin II
Jayapida
Didda
Ramapala
Abbakka
Chand Bibi
Ahilyabai Holkar
Historian and award-winning novelist, Devika Rangachari writes absorbing tales of the men and women who shaped lives and kingdoms in their times.
The Curious Case of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop||Nandini Nayar
The Curious Case of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop
by Nandini Nayar
Making and selling sweets day after day is the life of Vishnudas Mithaiwala, the owner of The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop. However, when Laddoo appears at his doorstep one night, claiming to be his estranged sister Revati’s son, Vishnu’s life is thrown into confusion. More craziness ensues when Anu turns up, also insisting that she’s Revati’s child! With no idea how to discern the real Mithaiwala, life is full of chaos for Vishnu, as the two children compete to prove their identity.
And Laddoo, worried about his parents, who have suddenly disappeared, is thrown another curveball-he senses a ghostly presence in the house! When a plot to steal the Mithaiwala family’s valuable recipe book is hatched, Laddoo tries to use this new psychic ability to save the day.
Akbar and the Tricky Traitor||Natasha Sharma
Akbar and the Tricky Traitor
by Natasha Sharma
The mighty Mughal emperor Akbar is angry. Someone is leaking secrets of his court to his enemies. What’s worse, his enemies are now laughing at Akbar. Who can help the emperor solve this mystery?
Mysteries you’ll never find in history books
Timmi in Tangles||Shals Mahajan
Timmi in Tangles
by Shals Mahajan
Timmi’s life is full of tangles. Her mother expects her to go to school even though she’s a raja; Idliamma eats up all her idlis and everyone thinks Timmi ate them … and why can’t people understand that if you have a giant for a friend you can lift the roof to let the rain in?
Simply Nanju||Zainab Sulaiman
Simply Nanju
by Zainab Sulaiman
Nothing worries Nanju too much; not the fact that he walks funny or that he’s known as the class copy cat or that the cleverest (and prettiest) girl in class barely knows he’s alive.
But when books start disappearing from the classroom, the needle of suspicion begins to point at Nanju. Aided by his beloved best friend, the fragile but brainy Mahesh, Nanju has to find out who the real thief is. Otherwise, his father might pack him off to Unni Mama’s all-boys Hostel from Hell, and Nanju might lose all that’s dear to him.
Set in a school for children who are differently abled, this funny, fast-paced whodunit will keep you guessing till the very end.
Discover India: The Complete Collection||Sonia Mehta
Discover India: The Complete Collection
by Sonia Mehta
The Discover India series will take you on a grand tour of every single one of our country’s states. Join the adorable Pushka and Mishki and the wise and witty Daadu Dolma as they traverse the length and breadth of India. Meet nawabs in Andhra Pradesh, roam the highways of Haryana, learn the history of Odisha, study the culture of Bihar, explore the snow-laden valleys of Uttarakhand and pick up a new dance in Sikkim.
The Jungle Radio
The Jungle Radio||Devangana Dash
by Devangana Dash
Come, listen to the sweet jungle orchestra, featuring the Woodpecker’s drums, the Hornbill’s trumpet and the Kingfisher’s blues
When curious little Gul hears some strange sounds coming from her radio, she follows the musical clues into . . . an Indian jungle! On her walk, she finds feathered friends who TWEET, TAPP and TALK. There are some who howl and hoot, and others who play the flute. With a KEE here and a KAW there, Gul discovers songs everywhere!
Brought to life by painterly illustrations, The Jungle Radio is a little story about the language of birds-their songs and sounds-with a loud and clear call to listen to the world around us.
We, The Children Of India||Leila Seth
We, The Children Of India
by Leila Seth
Illustrated by Bindia Thapar
Former Chief Justice Leila Seth makes the words of the Preamble to the Constitution understandable to even the youngest reader. What is a democratic republic, why are we secular, what is sovereignty? Believing that it is never too early for young people to learn about the Constitution, she tackles these concepts and explains them in a manner everyone can grasp and enjoy. Accompanied by numerous photographs, captivating and inspiring illustrations by acclaimed illustrator Bindia Thapar, and delightful bits of trivia, We, the Children of India is essential reading for every young citizen.
The Incredible History of India’s Geography
The Incredible History Of India’s Geography||Sanjeev Sanyal
by Sanjeev Sanyal
Could you be related to a blonde Lithuanian?
Did you know that India is the only country that has both lions and tigers?
Who found out how tall Mt Everest is?
If you’ve ever wanted to know the answers to questions like these, this is the book for you. In here you will find various things you never expected, such as the fact that we still greet each other like the Harappans did and that people used to think India was full of one-eyed giants. And, sneakily, you’ll also know more about India’s history and geography by the end of it. Full of quirky pictures and crazy trivia, this book takes you on a fantastic journey through the incredible history of India’s geography.
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Pack your young reader’s day with this varied collection!
Do you know what the Ashta Siddhis, or the eight kinds of supernatural powers are? Read an excerpt to find out more about Nalini Ramachandran’s Nava Durga and the extraordinary powers that Goddess Durga can bestow on other gods!
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The goddess, in each of her forms, grants different kinds of blessings to her devotees. But Siddhidatri, the goddess worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri, is special. In Sanskrit, ‘siddhi’ means ‘supernatural power’ and datri means ‘giver’. So, Siddhidatri is ‘the giver of supernatural powers’.
After Adi Shakti, in the form of Kushmanda, had created the universe and the new gods and goddesses, Shiva prayed to her, ‘O Supreme Goddess, grant me all the siddhis to make me a perfect god.’
He meditated for thousands of years so that Adi Shakti would listen to him. Impressed by Shiva’s devotion, the goddess appeared in the avatar of Siddhidatri from Kushmanda’s japa mala, which the smiling goddess used to bless people with the ashta siddhis and the nava niddhis. Almost immediately, Siddhidatri also emerged from the left side of Shiva’s body. So the right half of Shiva’s body was his own, and the left half was in the form of Siddhidatri. This half-man, half-woman form of Shiva is known as Ardhanarishwara, ‘the lord who is half woman’.
Just as she lives within humans, she began living within Shiva too as his shakti. And in this unique way, she bestowed supernatural powers on him and made him a perfect god.
…Those who truly worship Siddhidatri can get some or all of these abilities (but it’s easier said than done!):
Mahima
To make your body huge in size
(It can help when you suddenly come face to face with a mighty asura.)
Anima
Nava Durga||Nalini Ramachandran
To make your body as tiny as an atom
(It can help when you play hide-and-seek with friends.)
Garima
To become very, very heavy
(You can face a storm like a mountain.)
Laghima
To be nearly weightless
(You can levitate or even float in the air.)
Prapti
To travel to or be present in any place you wish
(You can time-travel, whenever and wherever you want.)
Prakamya
To get or be able to give whatever one desires
(You can gift your mother the very thing she has been secretly wishing for!)
Ishitva
To be in control of nature, like a god
(You can make the sun listen to you in summer and make the rain obey you in monsoon.)
Vashitva
To be able to control other beings.
(You can turn bullies into friends.)
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Nalini Ramachandran’s Nava Durga tells us about the rich mythology of Durga Puja and what makes each day special!
The landscape of business has changed dramatically over the years, more so in the past one year. Here is a curation of some quintessential reads that give important insights into the world of artificial intelligence, the economy of Instagram influencers, and low-risk investments with great returns, among several others.
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The Learning Factory
The Learning Factory||Arun Maira
by Arun Maira
In The Learning Factory, Arun Maira narrates people-centric episodes that bring alive the values of the Tata Group, standards that combine the high-velocity practices as well as the old-fashioned principles that make the Tata Group the giant it is today. Founded in 1868 by Jamshetji Tata, the Tata Group symbolizes the great Indian story of hope, growth and phenomenal success. The group played the role of a nation builder in post- independent India. Its companies were headed by legendary chairpersons, all of whom firmly believed in the importance of continuously learning and growing. Like all great successes, this isn’t one story – it is many accounts that are so powerful that the whole is so much greater than the sum of all its parts.
With insightful stories of conduct that are as practically implementable as they are inspiring, this is a blueprint for the individual as well as the business that seeks success through its community of leaders, workers and thinkers.
Crash||R. Gopalakrishnan
Crash
by R Gopalakrishnan
While many people talk about the path to the top of organizations, very few are honest about how difficult it is to stay at that position. R. Gopalakrishnan analyses the ‘software’ challenges, which leaders confront every day, and shares the insights he has gained developing, managing, investing in and supervising a variety of companies. The author shows that great leaders continue to excel not just because of their skills and intelligence but also by connecting with others using emotional competencies like empathy and self-awareness. Filled with anecdotes, analysis of various situations CEOs may find themselves in and unconventional advice to help them, Crash: Lessons from the Entry and Exit of CEOs is for veteran leaders as well as for those who aspire to start their own ventures.
Get Better at Getting Better||Chandramouli Venkatesan
Get Better at Getting Better
by Chandramouli Venkatesan
What makes people succeed? Why do some people succeed, while others struggle despite working hard?
This book is based on the insight that success is not about how good you are but how powerful a model you have toimprove how good you are. Chandramouli Venkatesan calls it the ‘Get-Better Model’, or GBM. Successful people are those who are able to build a powerful GBM to continuously improve themselves, and this life-changing book shows how you can unlock your potential at work and in life.
Tatalog||Harish Bhat
Tatalog : Eight Modern Stories from a Timeless Institution
by Harish Bhat
From steel to beverages, supercomputers to automobiles, TATA companies have broken new ground and set new standards of excellence over the past two decades. Tatalog presents eight riveting stories about the strategic and operational challenges that TATA companies have faced, and the progressive outlook and determination that have raised the brand to new heights. Among the engaging and inspiring stories told here are those of Tata Indica, the first completely Indian car that succeeded in the face of widespread cynicism; the jewellery brand Tanishq that has transformed one of India’s largest industries; and Tata Finance, which underwent several tribulations yet demonstrated the principles that TATA stands for.
It is 2030. India is among the world’s top three economies. All Indians use advanced technology to either do their job or get their job done. All Indians have access to quality jobs, better healthcare and skill-based education. Technology and human beings coexist in a mutually beneficial ecosystem.
This reality is possible. It is within reach. With Bridgital.
In this ground-breaking book, N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, presents a powerful vision for the future. To the coming disruption of artificial intelligence, he proposes an ingenious solution, where India is perfectly positioned to pave a unique path from the rest of the world. Instead of accepting technology as an inevitable replacement for human labour, India can use it as an aid; instead of taking them away, AI can generate jobs.
Let’s Build a Company||Harpreet Grover, Vibhore Goyal
Let’s Build A Company
by Harpreet Grover and Vibhore Goyal
It started with a phone call from Harpreet’s mother introducing him to an uncle who wanted some help. Or maybe it started when Vibhore and Harpreet met as roommates in Room 143 at IIT Bombay. What remains true is that soon both had quit their jobs and launched CoCubes. From no money in their bank accounts for eight years after graduating to becoming dollar millionaires two years later in 2016, this is a tale of grit-of a company built in India by two Indian-middle-class-twenty-somethings-turned-entrepreneurs-written in the hope that you can avoid the mistakes they made and learn from what they did right.
This is that story-the story that you don’t always hear. But if you want to be an entrepreneur, and you prefer straight talk to sugar-coating, it’s one you should read.
Coffee Can Investing||Saurabh Mukherjea, Rakshit Ranjan, Pranab Uniyal
Coffee Can Investing
by Saurabh Mukherjea, Rakshit Ranjan, Pranab Uniyal
Most people invest in the usual assets: real estate, gold, mutual funds, fixed deposits and stock markets. All they end up making is a measly 8 to 12 per cent per annum. Those who are exceptionally unfortunate get stuck in the middle of a crash and end up losing a lot of money. But what if there was another way? What if you could grow your money four to five times whilst taking half the risk compared to the overall market?
Bestselling author of Gurus of Chaos and The Unusual Billionaires, Saurabh Mukherjea puts his money where his mouth is. In Coffee Can Investing, Saurabh will show you how to go about low-risk investments that generate great returns.
No Rules Rules||Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention
by Reed Hastings, Erin Meyer
Trust your team. Be radically honest. And never, ever try to please your boss.
These are some of the ground rules if you work at Netflix. They are part of a unique cultural experiment that explains how the company has transformed itself at lightning speed from a DVD mail order service into a streaming superpower – with 190 million fervent subscribers and a market capitalisation that rivals the likes of Disney.
Finally Reed Hastings, Netflix Chairman and CEO, is sharing the secrets that have revolutionised the entertainment and tech industries. With INSEAD business school professor Erin Meyer, he will explore his leadership philosophy – which begins by rejecting the accepted beliefs under which most companies operate – and how it plays out in practice at Netflix.
No Filter: How Instagram transformed business, celebrity and culture
No Filter||Sarah Frier
by Sarah Frier
In just ten years, Instagram has gone from being a simple photo app to a $100-billion company. The journey has involved ground-breaking innovations, a billion-dollar takeover, and clashes between some of the biggest names in tech. But it’s a story that has never been told – until now.
In No Filter, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier reveals how Instagram became the hottest app in a generation, reshaping our culture in the process. But this is not just a Silicon Valley story. No Filter explores how Instagram created a new economy of ‘influencers’ and pioneering a business model that sells an aspirational lifestyle to all of us. It delves into Instagram’s effects on popular culture, rewiring our understanding of celebrity and placing mounting pressure on all of us to perform online – to the point of warping our perception of reality. No Filter connects one company’s rise to a global revolution in technology, culture and business. But we’re still learning about what it has cost the rest of us.
The Lean Startup||Eric Ries
The Lean Startup
by Eric Ries
Most new businesses fail. But most of those failures are preventable.
The Lean Startup is the approach to business that’s being adopted around the world. It is changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. The book explores what customers really want. It’s about testing your vision continuously, adapting and adjusting before it’s too late.
Prithvimahadevi’s journey is uphill. Having been married off to her father’s enemy in a peace-making gesture, she finds herself betrayed by those closest to her, and ends up alone in an unknown kingdom, alienated among people who are disdainful towards her. Yet her resolve only strengthens. Read an excerpt for a glimpse into Devika Rangachari’s powerful protagonist:
A carriage sent by the Bhaumakara king waits for me in the palace courtyard. It is plain and square with none of the embellishments that my father’s royal carriages routinely bear. Its horses, too, have clearly been selected more for their hardiness than their beauty.
It is hot and bright, and the entire court has assembled to see me off. The silence all around deafens me—this is a parting that signifies defeat and submission. And this is the silence of anger and grief.
The Bhaumakara attendants wait by the carriage, impassive.
I have already bid farewell in private to my father and brother. Yayati does not say much but clings to me as if he is remembering a time when we meant so much more to each other. The ties of blood are the strongest of all bonds, after all, and who are we to gainsay it?
‘Will you come to see me soon?’ I ask, my voice rough with unspilled tears.
Queen of Earth||Devika Rangachari
He nods but glances towards our father as if seeking permission from him. He is increasingly afraid to hold a single original thought or opinion in his head—and this is what has driven a wedge between us.
My father holds me close. ‘Be well. And do not lose hope. I will make it worth your while.’
I am puzzled. What can he possibly mean? I search his face for an answer and open my mouth to frame a question. He silences me with a look.
I am drawn away into a round of weeping goodbyes with my attendants.
His words will eventually make sense to me but for now, I let them slip and walk towards the carriage, resolute. Whatever happens, I will face the future with courage and fortitude. I will be true to my name.
The journey is a nightmare. The carriage has been built more for service than comfort. The wood is hard and digs into my body and the entire frame jolts unbearably. I am repeatedly sick and seem incapable of holding down the smallest morsel of food or even a sip of water.
Both sets of attendants are distressed, mine and the ones that the Bhaumakaras have sent. They can do little to alleviate my discomfort.
I see nothing of the landscape we pass; my eyes are shut tight. I finally huddle down on the hard bench, insensible to the hours that pass, floating in and out of a state of consciousness.
I am dimly aware of someone—my aunt, by
the sound of her voice—coaxing me to suck a slice
of lemon that makes me retch all the more and of someone—her again—stroking my forehead and murmuring soothing words that ultimately lull me into a spell of blessed sleep.
When I eventually wake, it is with the knowledge that the worst has passed. I am weak but whole, and it is a relief to know this. My aunt is by my side, her face full of travel weariness and deep concern in the dim light of approaching darkness.
‘Two days,’ she says in response to my unspoken query. She shakes her head. ‘You have never been this ill before. Perhaps you are not used to the rigours of travel. Or perhaps you have worried yourself into this state.’
A Bhaumakara soldier hastens by to tell us that we are nearing journey’s end.
I look out at the unfamiliar landscape. I have seen nothing of the forests that we have travelled through to reach the coast, but we seem to have emerged from them into an area of tall trees brushing against the sky, palm and coconut by the look of them. A cool breeze blows in, reminding me that we are near the water. A river shimmers by and I can see the dim outlines of boats
on it. This must be the Vaitarani, I think. I know that Viraja nestles between the Mahanadi and the Vaitarani, and that the latter runs closer to the city. My spirits lift slightly and the wind eases the ache in my head.
I see the pallor on my face in the small jewelled mirror that my aunt hands me. There are lines of exhaustion around my eyes and I can taste the sour tang of sickness in my mouth. This is not a propitious time for my new family to view me, but it is not in my hands. Let them know how arduous the journey has been and how much I have endured just to meet their peremptory demands.
When the carriage eventually stops, my head swims. I close my eyes to steady myself.
***
Queen of Earth is a complex and beautiful story of a young woman who holds her own in the most hostile of circumstances.
‘Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash.’
― Leonard Cohen
Time and again, in many known and unknown ways, poetry has saved the world. Singing in the Dark does the same. We want to share with you some poems that keep us going through the worst of days:
Dawn of Darkness – Ngugi wa Thiong’o
I know, I know,
It threatens the common gestures of human bonding
The handshake,
The hug
The shoulders we give each other to cry on
The neighborliness we take for granted
So much that we often beat our breasts
Crowing about rugged individualism,
Disdaining nature, pissing poison on it even, while
Claiming that property has all the legal rights of personhood
Murmuring gratitude for our shares in the gods of capital.
Oh how now I wish I could write poetry in English,
Or in any and every language you speak
So I can share with you, words that
Wanjikũ, my Gĩkũyũ mother, used to tell me:
Gũtirĩ ũtukũ ũtakĩa:
No night is so Dark that,
It will not end in Dawn,
Or simply put,
Every night ends with dawn.
Gũtirĩ ũtukũ ũtakĩa.
This darkness too will pass away
We shall meet again and again
And talk about Darkness and Dawn
Sing and laugh maybe even hug
Nature and nurture locked in a green embrace
Celebrating every pulsation of a common being
Rediscovered and cherished for real
In the light of the Darkness and the new Dawn.
Singing in the Dark||Nishi Chawla, K. Satchidanandan
Apocalypse – Annie Zaidi
Waves do not come dashing against the noontide
They tiptoe in
and out with the smallest dose of pain
taken from the cabinet you left dusty
on purpose
so nobody guesses how much you hoard
The wretched manage to show up
across the shatterproof glass of time
to class office factory godown
boat ocean horizon end time
with a slouch and a glower of expectation
Your eyes are fleet
testing
weighing
catlike
on nights when the tide rises
and rises and the rain quietly falls,
as promised, it comes
It sits
gleaming on the roof
with creature eyes
offering no sign
no pause for breath
no cause or rules
about arks: no ones or twos
it offers no map
A thing
squealing its lack of defence
mouse like, it comes to nibble
the cheese of your world
It arches
head and back
now signals: here
I am
Take me at this flood
or there I go
~
Bumblebees – Amanda Bell
There was no need to fret about the bees—
their fragile nest, unlidded
as I pulled weeds beneath the apple tree,
their squirming larvae naked
to my gaze and to the sun.
They watched me from the border
while I hastily replaced the roof,
before returning to rethread
the fibres of their grassy home.
In the cleared weeds I see
their entrance and their exit,
how their flightpaths sweep
the garden in an arc, stitching up
the canvas of this space, as if
they could remake the world
which lies in shreds around us.
The dome moves, as I watch it,
the stretching of an inchoate form—
when morning comes
it glistens with white dew.
~
Singing in the dark is a beautiful anthology of poetry that comes at a time when we need poetry more than ever.
It’s a new month, and we all know what that means. A whole new reading list with brand new books!! These fun new reads are a ride through friendship, inclusivity and even entrepreneurship. Fasten your seatbelts!
~
When Adil Speaks, Words Dance
When Adil Speaks, Words Dance||Lavanya Karthik
by Lavanya Karthik
Everyone wants to be friends with Adil. But how do you make friends with someone when you can’t hear the music their words dance to?
‘When Adil Speaks’ is a heart-warming tale of friendship and inclusivity, and of how sometimes, it takes more than words to start a conversation. Written and illustrated by award-winning author Lavanya Karthik, this is a sweet yet an evocative story of two friends, and their willingness to understand each other better.
Bim And The Town Of Falling Fruit
by Arjun Talwar
Bim and the Town of Falling Fruit||Arjun Talwar
In Poondy, fruits are always falling on people’s heads-from the jackfruit, coconut and toddy trees-causing many injuries. So all the Poondizens wear fruit-helmets invented by the legendary Falwala. Bim loves Poondy, but one day, Miss Chitty, Bim’s mother, who drives a coffee-coloured taxi, decides to move away from Poondy. Bim’s last two weeks in his home town are full of strange and exciting adventures-from a bat attack to a bike theft- that can only happen here!
Become A Junior Entrepreneur
Become a Junior Entrepreneur||Vrunda Bansode
Vrunda Bansode
What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor, an engineer, a chef, a musician, an IAS officer?
That’s a question adults never tire of asking kids.
It’s time to recognize a profession where people invent, innovate, sell, barter and build: entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are bringing education online, connecting families at the touch of a button and changing the way we live. ‘Become a Junior Entrepreneur’ accompanies the reader through every stage of turning a nascent dream into a commercially viable start-up.
Unfair
Rasil Ahuja
Unfair||Rasil Ahuja
Auditions are on for the seventh-grade annual play. Lina sets her heart and
sights on the lead role, but the drama teacher seems to think Lina isn’t the
right shade for the part. Will Miss Deepa derail Lina’s dream?
Meher finds math far more interesting than Macbeth. When her BFF Lina suddenly becomes distraught and withdrawn, Meher wonders why Lina would shut her out.
Something’s just not adding up. Will this friendship fade or will Meher find a solution to this problem and score #friendshipgoals?
Grandparents’ Bag Of Stories
Grandparents’ Bag of Stories||Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty
From stitching masks, sharing household chores, preparing food for workers to losing themselves in timeless tales, the lockdown turns into a memorable time for the children as they enter the enchanting world of goddesses, kings, princesses, serpents, magical beanstalks, thieves, kingdoms and palaces, among others. Following the trail of the best-selling ‘Grandma’s Bag of Stories’, Sudha Murty brings to you this collection of immortal tales that she fondly created during the lockdown period for readers to seek comfort and find the magic in sharing and caring for others. Wonderfully woven in her inimitable style, this book is unputdownable and perfect for every child’s bookshelf!
~
It’s time to add these wonderful reads to your young readers’ bookshelves!
Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Ogd, a Messiah was born … with her foot in her mouth.
This might be her story.
Her position of foetal gaffe allows her to eat her toenails, which nourish her and make her toenails grow so that she can eat them. Apart from the practicality of the situation, this also is the basis of her profound teachings. As the Messiah travels through many dimensions, her followers learn the importance of bells, nirvana, clean feet, Klein bottles and phonetics, among diverse other things.
Following in the tradition of Lewis Carroll, Anushka Ravishankar writes nonsense, which addresses complex issues of the modern-day world with a deep and abiding meaninglessness.
Here’s an excerpt from this profoundly nonsensical enquiry into various aspects of the world that details the genesis of the Kingdom of Ogd.
**
Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Ogd there was a nuclear holocaust.
The explosion blasted the Kingdom out of shape and it became a strange looking thing that had no inside or outside.
This was an evolutionary necessity because the only way not to have a nuclear holocaust inside Ogd was by not having an inside of Ogd.
The geographical transformation of Ogd led to many developments. It was, for instance, the origin of the famous saying:
ALL ROADS LEAD TO OGD
since any road that led outside Ogd also led inside Ogd.
There were of course, dissidents, who by the same logic claimed that:
ALL ROADS LEAD OUT OF OGD.
But Ogdians who listened to both the assertions got extremely confused. If they believed that all roads led to Ogd and that all roads led out of Ogd then they had to conclude that all roads led everywhere and that all roads led nowhere which was not possible unless everywhere was the same as nowhere.
These were the people who inhabited the insane asylums of Ogd.
However, what was of Ogd was also of not-Ogd.
Xenophobia was eradicated because all Ogdians were non-Ogdians. And so forth.
But when the cartographers came to draw maps of the New Post-apocalyptic World, they were shocked. Never in the history of cartography has there been such a thing as an unbounded kingdom, they declared, delicately drawing a line between infiniteness and unboundedness.
So they drew an imaginary line and said this side is Ogd and that side is not-Ogd.
Be as infinite as you please, they said, but you have to be bounded.
The Kingdom of Ogd was thus placed on the map and people were let out of the insane asylums, which were renamed CACCs* by the newly formed PaPoCC.**
Once upon a time, the same time as the last time upon which once was, a Messiah was born in the Kingdom of Ogd.
Her feet were in her mouth.
This position of foetal gaffe caused her to resemble a paisa-worm or an infinite loop that ate toenails so that the toenails could grow long and strong so she could eat them.
Ogd || Anushka Ravishankar
What is this, her mother asked the doctor, not being able to distinguish between a paisa-worm and a newborn Messiah.
This is an outcome, the doctor replied.
**
Ogd is a delightful offering belonging to the genre of literary nonsense that will compel you to ponder the nature of things.
We are loving the onset of sweater weather and the slight nip in the air. With the days becoming shorter, spending time indoors is looking even more tempting. To keep you company on your cozy nights in, we are bringing you a fresh list of our November releases. Keep that warm blanket and hot cuppa ready and you’re all set for a heavenly reading session!
Cross Your Heart, Take My Name
Novoneel Chakraborty
Cross You Heart, Take My Name || Novoneel Chakraborty
Garv Roy Gill and Yahvi Kothari meet at an airport lounge by chance. Six months later they find themselves consumed by the proverbial once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. Bored with their mundane daily routine, their adventurous streak makes them decide, one day, to escape the present and begin a new reality somewhere far, far away.
Cross Your Heart, Take My Name is a beguiling tale about urban loneliness, fickle relationships and our need for companionship as depicted by the twisted journey of two individuals, caught up in their own emotional plight, blurring the lines between crime and sin.
Reporting India
Prem Prakash
Reporting India || Prem Prakash
Reporting India is a fascinating account of the life and times of Prem Prakash, a pioneer in the field of journalism. Providing a detailed account of his personal and professional life, it includes his reminiscences of the most impactful stories that he covered-including the 1962 Indo-China war, the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan, the Emergency, the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri. An intriguing read, the book brings to life some of the defining moments in the history of this country.
Balance
Deanne Panday
Balance || Deanne Panday
We go about our lives in a rush-always busy, always tired. Often, we find our joy diminished and our health affected. Through her wheel-of-life programme, Deanne Panday focuses on the thirteen vital elements that each individual needs to be happy, healthy and successful-including physical wellness, career, home environment, joy, financial stability, understanding the effects of climate change, and more. The book doesn’t aim to provide a quick-fix to your issues, but promises to guide you to evaluating your life holistically.
Homecoming and Other Stories
Sri M
The Homecoming || Sri M
Padma Bhushan awardee and bestselling author Sri M sees the world in a different light. He sees the good, the bad and sometimes the supernatural. From horror stories to tales that will shock you out of your wits and pull at your heartstrings, there is something for everyone in this eclectic collection. In his quintessential no-holds barred style, Sri M’s The Homecoming and Other Stories urges you to delve deep into the human spirit and get a glimpse of why people do the things they do.
Jugalbandi
Vinay Sitapati
Jugalbandi || Vinay Sitapati
Narendra Modi has been a hundred years in the making. Vinay Sitapati’s Jugalbandi provides this backstory to his current dominance in Indian politics. It begins with the creation of Hindu nationalism as a response to British-induced elections in the 1920s, moves on to the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, and ends with its first national government, from 1998 to 2004. And it follows this journey through the entangled lives of its founding jugalbandi: Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani.
50 Toughest Questions of Life
Deepak Ramola
50 Toughest Questions of Life || Deepak Ramola
50 Toughest Questions of Life invites people to have a conversation about themselves with themselves. Deepak Ramola’s quest began after he was inspired by the life lesson of a young girl who said, ‘Life is not about giving easy answers, but answering tough questions.’ Over the years, Ramola has amassed life lessons from inspirational sources across the world: from the women of the Maasai tribe to young girls in Afghanistan and sex workers in Kamathipura; from the lessons of earthquake survivors in Nepal to Syrian refugees in Europe, among many more. Strikingly fresh, tender, yet searing, these questions will make you reflect and inspire you to push beyond your boundaries.
Hamid
Hamid Ansari, Geeta Mohan
Hamid || Hamid Ansari, Geeta Mohan
In November 2012, Hamid, a 27-year-old Mumbai-based techie, disappeared into thin air. What happened? Where did he go? All his parents knew was that he had gone to Kabul, Afghanistan, to explore a job opportunity. Upon some investigation, they found out that their son had been chatting online with some Pakistani friends, in particular a girl, across the border.
Authored by Hamid Ansari and Geeta Mohan, this is the definitive insider account of the man who saw no boundaries when it came to saving a girl from forced marriage under the wani custom. Nothing scared or stopped him; until he was betrayed by his friends in Pakistan.Gritty, heart-wrenching and moving, this is a story of humanity, love, betrayal and hope against all odds.
The Economics of Small Things
Sudipta Sarangi
The Economics of Small Things || Sudipta Sarangi
In The Economics of Small Things, Sarangi using a range of everyday objects and common experiences like bringing about lasting societal change through Facebook to historically momentous episodes like the shutting down of telegram services in India offers crisp, easy-to-understand lessons in economics. Through disarmingly simple prose, the book demystifies economic theories, offers delightful insights, and provides nuance without jargon.
A Promised Land
Barack Obama
A Promised Land || Barack Obama
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Extraordinarily intimate and introspective, A Promised Land is the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage.
Women, Dreaming
Salma
Women Dreaming || Salma, Meena Kandasamy
Mehar dreams of freedom and a life with her children. Asiya dreams of her daughter’s happiness. Sajida dreams of becoming a doctor. Subaida dreams of the day when her family will become free of woes. Parveen dreams of a little independence, a little space for herself in the world. In a tiny Muslim village in Tamil Nadu, the lives of these women are sustained by the faith they have in themselves, in each other, and the everyday compromises they make. Salma’s crystalline storytelling enters this interior world of women, held together by love, demarcated by religion, comforted by the courage in dreaming of better futures.
Let’s Build a Company
Harpreet Grover, Vibhore Goyal
Let’s Build A Company || Harpreet Grover, Vibhore Goyal
Harpreet Grover and Vibhore Goyal met in college and then spent the next decade of their lives building a company before exiting successfully. One way to tell their story is this: they had a dream, they followed it and, then, through perseverance, they made it come true. But that’s not really the truth. Like everything in life-at least everything worth having-it wasn’t that simple. There was blood, sweat and tears, there was loss of capital, loss of friendship and even a loss of faith along the way. In this book, the duo reveals the story behind the scenes, the story that you don’t always hear. But if you want to be an entrepreneur, and you prefer straight talk to sugar-coating, it’s one you should read.
Humour, Seriously
Jennifer Aaker, Naomi Bagdonas
Humour, Seriously || Jennifer Aaker, Naomi Bagdonas
Drawing on behavioural science, advice from world-class comedians and stories from top leaders, Humour, Seriously will show you how to harness the power of humour every day. Based on the popular Stanford Business course, this book will show you how to mine your life for material, explore the Four Deadly Humour Myths and help you figure out which style of humour you fall into – The Magnet, The Sweetheart, The Sniper or the Stand Up.
The Girl and the Goddess
Nikita Gill
The Girl and the Goddess || Nikita Gill
Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition, follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery and realising her adult self. Navigating different cultures, religions and identities, The Girl and the Goddess is a mesmerising poetic tale of where we come from, how we grow and how we become who we are.
Invent and Wander
Jeff Bezos
Invent and Wander || Jeff Bezos
In this collection of Jeff Bezos’s writings—his unique and strikingly original annual shareholder letters, plus numerous speeches and interviews that provide insight into his background, his work, and the evolution of his ideas—you’ll gain an insider’s view of the why and how of his success. Spanning a range of topics across business and public policy, this book provides a rare glimpse into how Bezos thinks about the world and where the future might take us.
Numbers Don’t Lie
Vaclav Smil
Numbers Don’t Lie || Vaclav Smil
From earth’s nations and inhabitants, through the fuels and foods that energize them, to the transportation and inventions of our modern world – and how all of this affects the planet itself – in Numbers Don’t Lie, Professor Vaclav Smil takes us on a fact-finding adventure, using surprising statistics and illuminating graphs to challenge lazy thinking. Urgent and essential, the book inspires readers to interrogate what they take to be true in these significant times.
Cook, Eat, Repeat
Nigella Lawson
Cook, Eat, Repeat || Nigella Lawson
Cook, Eat, Repeat is a delicious and delightful combination of recipes intertwined with narrative essays about food, all written in Nigella’s engaging and insightful prose. Whether asking ‘What is a Recipe?’ or declaring death to the Guilty Pleasure, Nigella’s wisdom about food and life comes to the fore, with tasty new recipes that readers will want to return to again and again.
Love Your Life
Sophia Kinsella
Love Your Life || Sophie Kinsella
Ava is sick of online dating and she wants a break from it all. So when she signs up to a semi-silent, anonymous writing retreat in glorious Italy, love is the last thing on her mind. Until she meets a handsome stranger and they pledge their love without even knowing each other’s real names. But when they return home, reality hits. They’re both driven mad by each other’s weird quirks and annoying habits. Can they overcome their differences to find one life, together?
The Lost Spells
Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris
The Lost Spells || Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris
Written to be read aloud, painted in brushstrokes that call to the forest, field, riverbank and also to the heart, The Lost Spells summons back what is often lost from sight and care, teaching the names of everyday species, and inspiring its readers to attention, love and care.
Surrounded by Psychopaths
Thomas Erikson
Surrounded by Psychopaths || Thomas Erikson
In the book, Thomas Erikson shows you how your weaknesses and personality traits can be exploited by other people and how you can stop them in their tracks. Witty, engaging and informative, this book will give you everything you need to handle life’s most skilled manipulators and identify the psychopaths in your life… before it’s too late!
The Archer
Paulo Coelho
The Archer || Paulo Coehlo
In The Archer we meet Tetsuya, a man once famous for his prodigious gift with a bow and arrow but who has since retired from public life, and the boy who comes searching for him. The boy has many questions, and in answering them Tetsuya illustrates the way of the bow and the tenets of a meaningful life. Paulo Coelho’s story suggests that living without a connection between action and soul cannot fulfill, that a life constricted by a fear of rejection or failure is not a life worth living. Instead, one must take risks, build courage and embrace the unexpected journey fate has to offer.
Troy
Stephen Fry
Troy || Stephen Fry
The story of Troy speaks to all of us. It is the kidnapping of Helen. It is Zeus, the king of the gods, who triggers war when he asks the Trojan prince Paris to judge the fairest goddess of them all. It is a terrible, brutal war with casualties on all sides. In Troy you will find heroism and hatred, revenge and regret, desire and despair. It is these human passions, written bloodily in the sands of a distant shore, that still speak to us today.
Time’s Monster
Priya Satia
Time’s Monster || Priya Satia
For generations, the history of the British empire was written by its victors. In this brilliant work, Priya Satia shows how the historians not only interpreted the major political events of their time but also shaped the future that followed. Time’s Monster reveals the dramatic consequences of writing history today as much as in the past.
Be Water, My Friend
Shannon Lee
Be Water, My Friend || Shannon Lee
Bruce Lee is a cultural icon, world renowned for his martial arts and film legacy. But Lee was also a deeply philosophical thinker, believing that martial arts are more than just an exercise in physical discipline – they are a perfect metaphor for personal growth. In Be Water, My Friend, his daughter, Shannon Lee shares previously untold stories from her father’s life along with the concepts at the core of his teachings.
The Sentinel
Lee Child
The Sentinel || Lee Child
Jack Reacher gets off the bus in a sleepy no-name town outside Nashville, Tennessee. He plans to grab a cup of coffee and move right along. But his plan is thrown off track when he finds out that the town has been shut down by a cyber attack. At the centre of it all is Rusty Rutherford, an average IT guy but he knows more than he thinks. As the bad guys move in on Rusty, Reacher moves in on them.
Ajji put biscuits, rice and chapati in a bowl and kept water in another bowl just outside the gate. The two dogs looked at her and attacked the food greedily, gobbling it down in minutes. Then they drank the water, wagged their tails to thank her and ran away.
