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Tête-à-Tête with Arjun Nath

Posted on by Penguin India
What was your latest “OK Boomer” moment?

This is a tricky one because I’m nearly old enough to be considered a Boomer myself! I was attending a wedding recently and an older gentleman — within a few minutes of meeting me for the first time ever — asked why I wasn’t married yet. When I asked him why he felt I should be married, he said: Vedon mein likha hai ki yeh tumhara dharma hai. Really? So being happy with your highly personal life choices is a big no-no, but preaching a 3000-year-old sacred text at a complete stranger about the ‘right’ way to live their life is somehow fine? OK Boomer.

 

Any tips on bridging the generation gap with parents?

It’s a big subject and I’m nowhere near qualified enough to be handing out tips on it. But in my experience, parents are nosy as hell. I mean, aside from being the ones with the money, that’s basically their one defining trait. It comes from fear. They don’t want to control your life, they want to know that you’re safe. So throw them a bone once in a while. Let them know when you’ll be out late, and who your friends are. Share any one meal with them every day. It’s no big deal and it’ll make your life much easier.

 

Any personal #litAF friendship stories you still cherish?

I made a friend when I was at a drug rehab 10 years ago. For the sake of anonymity, let’s call her by the oddly specific name Kajal Sheth. Because she lives in London and I in Delhi, we’ve met only a handful of times since. And because I dread speaking on the phone (to anyone), we are sometimes not in touch for months at a stretch. This is a frustrating, often hurtful, situation for her. And yet, no matter how many calls I don’t take or texts I don’t respond to, she’s always there for me when I need her to be. Gehna’s baby, in the book, is named Sitara after Kajal’s daughter.

 

Who do you relate more to: Eram or Gehna?

At a circumstantial level, Eram. He had, like myself, a father with Parkinson’s. He also enjoys games of chance, and strives to be better than he is. Gehna is more of a manic pixie — overly sensitive, bipolar, spontaneous, and self-absorbed, and I am none of those things.

 

Rom-coms or Thrillers?

Thrillers. Rom-coms are a guilty pleasure, and they have this annoying habit of sneaking up on you and stabbing you right in the heart.

 

Favourite sports movie?

That’s an impossible question. How to narrow it down to just one? Sports movies, even the badly made ones, always make me cry. Probably something to do with the winning-against-all-odds trope that hits deep. In English, Seabiscuit. Closer to home, Lagaan.

 

What’s the story behind the title [“Not All Those Who Wander”]?

JRR Tolkien, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, wrote a poem that starts with the couplet: All that is gold does not glitter / Not all those who wander are lost. I borrowed from it for the title of the book, partly as tribute to the literary master craftsman and partly because feeling LOST is such a common experience for teenagers.

What food are you craving right now?

Sev Puri. I am always craving sev puri — even while eating it! Indian street food is the best street food, Chaat is the best Indian street food, and sev puri is the best Indian chaat street food.

 

Be honest – how many drafts did it take for Not All Those Who Wander to take shape?

I’ll be honest — one draft. I take no pride in that fact. A famous author, I forget who, was asked a similar question in The Paris Review. She (or possibly he) said that there are two kinds of writers. One: those who just put words on a page willy-nilly until the first draft is done and then work out the kinks in the rewrite. Two: those who are constitutionally incapable of moving onto the next sentence until the preceding one is polished and perfect. I’m the latter sort. It takes me a long time to finish a first draft but when I’m done, it’s done.

 

Any procrastination tactics you employed while writing the novel?

Yes. Netflix, the Internet, and examining the contents of my belly button. Getting anything done without a deadline, a boss, and irate clients is no easy task. The only thing that works is a driving need to see where the story goes.

 

What’s your typing speed?

Tap…tap…taptaptaptaptaptaptap…taptap………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………tap.

 

What’s the last book you read?

George RR Martin’s A Dance with Dragons. Each year I re-read the entire series in the hope that this, finally, will be the year he finishes Book VI, The Winds of Winter. But he never does. I’ve never been more cross with a person in my whole life. He’s probably watching Netflix. Finish the damn book, GEORGE!

 

Favourite chat slang?

Not a huge fan of chat slang, tbh. All that “wer R u *smh *idk” business drives me up the wall. But I have of late become a rabid emoji user. My favourite is the rolling-your-eyes yellow face. So useful!

 

What has been your best 3 AM idea?

To cash-out of a poker game. I know you probably meant to ask what has been my best 3 AM story idea, but I’m re-interpreting the question. Cashing out of a poker game is the best idea at any time, and especially at 3 AM. Go home. Get some sleep. Do NOT try to calculate how many meals you can afford for the rest of the month.

 

An Insight into the Life of The Lone Empress, Jayalalithaa

Posted on by Penguin India

The Lone Empress is the journey of a proud Ammu to an indefatigable Rossappu Amma. Despite her immense popularity, she felt lonely and vulnerable in personal life after her mother – Veda (popularly known as Sandhya) and her mentor – MGR, passed away. The book tells the story of how a charismatic and talented woman steered through a male-dominated film industry, developed a loyal political fan base without the support of her party seniors, and stood her ground even when sentenced to four years in jail.

Here are a few excerpts that reveal some of the characteristics of her fiery personality.

She was an honour roll student

‘Look closer, you will find J. Jayalalithaa’s name printed in bold white letters, on the annual roll of honour, as the recipient of the Best Outgoing Student Rolling Shield for the year 1964. The school’s Centenary Celebrations (2009) special souvenir carries a photo of a young Jayalalithaa in her school uniform proudly posing with the shield.’ 

She was more than a pretty face

‘The AIADMK’s party conference was being organised on a huge scale and the town people thronged to hear the star speaker who to give her maiden political speech, one that she herself had prepared. MGR was present, too, drawing hordes of men and women, most of them film fans. The town square was a sea of humanity and the theme of Jayalalithaa’s speech was, “Pennin perumai” (woman’s greatness). The public, expecting only to see a pretty face, were in for a big surprise. Jayalalithaa’s speech was fiery and impressive, an instant success. She had arrived, barely having left, as it were, the starting the block.’ 

She honoured MGR at his death ceremony in her own way

‘Jayalalithaa did not shed a tear. She did not wail. She stunned the onlookers and mourners by standing in vigil for two days – thirteen long hours on the first day and eight hours on the second. Because of her enormous will power, she was not exhausted physically, but she experienced the mental and physical torture from other sources. Several women from Janaki’s side stood near her and began stamping on her feet and pinching her to drive her away. But she stood undaunted, swallowing the humiliation, her pride keeping her firmly where she has taken position.’ 

Jail changed her

‘She was in jail for twenty-eight days; and on coming out she appeared to have been hardened rather than chastened. It must have been a traumatic period for her, proud and used to sophistication, like a queen whose feet had never touched the earth and whose head had never felt the heat of the blazing sun. But the jail wardens were struck and deeply touched by the dignity with which she had conducted herself. She hardly spoke to any of them. She spent her time reading books. She later described in graphic detail how she had suffered in the bandicoot-infested jail.’ 

Victory was her goal

‘As long as she lived, victory was her goal. “V” was her symbol. “Naalai namathe”, tomorrow is ours, was her mantra. Now, there is no tomorrow. The Supreme Court waited till her death to release the verdict. She remained “not guilty” till her last breath, innocent, fully acquitted of all charges. She dies in office as the chief minister. She was the victor even in death.’ 

Grab a copy of The Lone Empress to read the dramatic turn of events and the struggles that made Jayalalithaa such a controversial figure.

The Curious Case of Havaldar Hook – An Interview

Posted on by Penguin India

 

Havaldar Hook is the endearing mascot of the Hook Books, a new series for early readers for ages 5 and up. To get to know him better, we posed some questions and he very merrily indulged, with honesty and humour.

 

Q: You are a humble havaldar, but you now have a series named after you. How do you feel?

 

A: I’m not ‘a’ havaldar, my name is Havaldar, because my father thought that I would grow up and become a policeman. But I wanted to become a teacher. So I’m very happy that there is a such a fun series in my name. I love books.

 

Q: But, HH, you wear a police uniform. 

 

A: I wear the uniform because it makes my father happy. I believe that it’s all about one’s parents.

 

Q: You have asked a lot of questions at the end of the book. Do you believe all books should be educational? Can’t children just read for fun?

 

A: I’ll tell you a secret. The questions are not for the children. They are for the adults. Heh heh heh.  The children will be happy with the marvellous stories and illustrations. So I thought, let’s give the parents and teachers something to be happy about. Still, I made sure that the questions are not like textbook questions, so children can have fun with them too.

 

Q: If you could give our readers one piece of advice what would it be?

 

A: Never let your parents decide what you should do in life. Also, if your parents give you a silly name, you can change it officially. Sadly, no one told me this, so I’m stuck with the name Havaldar. It makes me very sad, because most children run away when they hear the words: ‘Havaldar is coming!’

 

Q: One slightly personal question:  how did your nose come to match your surname: Hook?

 

A: (preens in pride.) The Raja of Naakpur bestowed the surname Hook on my great-great grandfather in honour of this nose! All the Hooks in history since then have proudly sported this nose. The Raja had just come back from London, otherwise we’d probably have been called the Aakadas.

 

Q: Finally, Havaldarji, what would you like to change your first name to?

 

*Havaldar Hook went silent and thoughtful at this point and we are still waiting for an answer to this question.

Here are the Hook Books

 

Get Your Young Ones Hooked onto these Books

Posted on by Penguin India

This March, introduce your child to Hawaldar Hook, do fun activities with the Econuts, celebrate your natural hair and more with these new books:

Hook Books


Hey Diddle Diddle
Who’s There?
A Quiet Girl
My Daddy and the Well

 

 

 

It’s not a book, it’s a hook!

The Hook Books are early chapter books for very young readers, aged five and above (for being read to) and six and above (for reading independently). Written by award-winning and most-loved writers for children, and illustrated in exuberant colour by some of India’s best illustrators, these stories are set largely in non-urban settings. Hawaldar Hook is the mascot of the Hook Books.

My Daddy and the Well
As a child in Goa, Daddy used to jump in a well, to water the bananas. Years later, the bananas are gone. But the
pump is there, the well is there, Daddy is there … SPLASH!

Who’s There?
The cats are mewing in panic. Strange voices are calling from the attic. Who’s there??

A Quiet Girl
Puja smiles and smiles, and does not speak. She spends all her time with the foal, Takbak. But Takbak is going to be
sold! What will Pooja do without her best friend?

Hey Diddle Diddle
A horse may be able to jump over the moon. Can a cow do it? Hey diddle diddle.

 

Econuts Value Pack

This series of story-and-activity books features the adventures of Dewy, Woosh, Petals, Pebbles and Waggy, who call themselves the Econuts because they’re simply nuts about ecology and the environment! As the Econuts solve mysteries and find solutions to problems, the reader gets in on the action by solving puzzles and word games.

I Hate my Curly Hair

I tug till my head’s black and blue!
But nothing can tame
This wild, curly mane!

Curly haired girl does everything she can to straighten her stubborn curls-after all, everywhere she looks she sees heroines with smooth, silky hair. Then one day, a bigger bully comes along and everything changes! A humorous tale of self-acceptance. And of hair, lots and lots of glorious curly hair!

 

The Torchbearers

Like any bored eleven-year old with an imagination, Prem Tripathi makes fantastic wishes. And he has been bored a lot since his father dragged him to a monsoon-lashed Mumbai on some mysterious project. Prem wishes it would stop being so hot. He wishes for a genie, a dragon and some superpowers.

The one thing Prem doesn’t wish for is an adventure to bring back the fading gods. A prophecy from the lips of Brahma himself foretells that the gods’ only hope lies in those who will harness the mysterious power of the Vedas. Now, Prem encounters gods in danger of oblivion, demons seeking immortality, and humans caught in the cosmic crossfire. But, along the way, he also discovers who he truly is: a Torchbearer.

Can The Torchbearers save the Gods and humanity from a future devoid of love, hope, and faith?

 

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

Chaya usually has an answer for everything. But stealing the Queen’s jewels, even for the best of reasons, is not something she can talk her way out of. So she makes her great escape on the back of a gorgeous, stolen elephant and leads her friends on a noisy, fraught, joyous adventure through the jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk. Will stealing these jewels be the beginning or the end of everything for the intrepid gang?

The Best of Tenali

Vijayanagara, ruled by the benevolent King Krishnadevaraya, is home to the wittiest court jester alive, Tenali Raman. Join the charming Tenali, shrewd Rajguru, silly Tingary and Tenali’s pet cat Sundari on their many adventures that include chasing a flying machine that goes berserk, rewriting the Mahabharata and outwitting an evil puppeteer. Packed with stories of wit, wisdom and hilarious antics, this comic-book omnibus with ten rollicking Tenali tales is sure to take you on a journey that is the stuff of legends!

Channel the Worldly Wisdom of Chanakya

Posted on by Penguin India

The names Kautilya and Chanakya, representing the same personage, are an integral part of history from the period when Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta reigned over India. Kautilya is well known as the author of the seminal Indian treatise on politics, administration, diplomacy and war called Arthashastra. But it is the vast collection of aphoristic sayings in Sanskrit attributed to Chanakya, and therefore called Chanakya Niti, that have remained relevant and memorable over the centuries.

What is that wisdom which has enabled Chanakya’s verses of observation and advice to keep the place of honour in the oral tradition of India even as these have been lauded across the world in various translations?

Chanakya lures us in with one of his introductory verses:

With perusal of these precepts,

the best of men will understand

the famous teachings on true duty,

 on good and bad, on what to do or not.

 

Read on for 7 nuggets of worldly wisdom from Chanakya Niti–

 

  1. Chanakya warns against errors of judgement in choosing that which offers immediate succour over learning and values that may carry one through life and beyond.

One who discards the permanent,

and pursues just the transient—

the first values are by him destroyed,

the second perish in any case.

  1. The wise one who rose above his poverty and physical appearance to make himself indispensible to the ruler reminds us to see value in all things.

Nectar seek, even from poison,

gold even from excrement,

knowledge even from one base,

and the girl that is a gem, even from a family low.

  1. Experienced in the ways of the world, Chanakya exhorts man to speak in a measured way and reveal only what is necessary and conceal that which is yet incomplete.

Some work considered in the mind,

when speaking do not public make,

just think about it privately,

till it is indeed accomplished.

  1. Befriending one who has revealed his base nature can lead man down the road of misery. Being a keen observer of virtue, Chanakya reiterates the importance of keeping good company.

Wicked, and badly behaved,

he lives ill, casts evil looks—

one who makes of such a person

a friend will soon get destroyed.

  1. Pouring his enlightened self into a verse that is as simple as it is deep, Chanakya shares a core fact of existence in a way that equalizes all distinction.

Which family is free of faults,

which person has not suffered disease,

who has not faced adversity,

whose happiness is permanent?

  1. Mature and learned as he was, the great teacher Chanakya shares a lesson in moderation.

For beauty great was Sita seized,

Ravana slain for too much pride,

   for giving too much was Bali bound—

 as such, always, excess avoid.

  1. In an unforgettable verse that showcases him as the shrewd master of politics, Chanakya hints at the perils of walking the straight line in a crooked world.

Too upright, straight, one should not be,

go to the forest and there see:

straight trees cut down repeatedly,

while standing stays the crooked tree.

It is perhaps his ability to dig into the depth of human nature and tease out the knotted truths of human behaviour that has kept Chanakya alive for Modern India to engage with.

Haksar writes, ‘Overall, it is both their meaning and their style that has made the Chanakya verses so memorable for so long.’

Translated from the original Sanskrit by A.N.D. Haksar, read Chanakya Niti for more wisdom!

Reach for the Stars! – An excerpt from ‘Fearless’

Posted on by Penguin India

Inspirational women from all over the world have held their own in the face of discrimination, inequality and injustice. These women have been politicians, lawyers, activists, artists and more – with the common goal of raising their voices and fighting for the greater good no matter their nationality, race or religion.

Fearless explores this notion by collating a variety of stories focused on the inspirational women of Pakistan and the strength they have displayed in their own lives.

You can read an example of one such story, about the life astronaut Namira Salim below:

Namira Salim was a quiet, meditative child whose head was quite literally in the stars. It was her dream to become an astronaut but for a little girl from Pakistan, this seemed an impossible fantasy.

Namira was obsessed with the night sky and never asked for her parents for anything— except to be sent into space! ‘I was literally born with the dream of going to space. And the unshaken belief that I would.’

Her parents caved and got Namira her first telescope at the age of 14—she never looked down again as her sights were firmly set on her goal! She was part of the pioneering astronomy society in Pakistan and would spend hours gazing at the stars. Her family moved to the UAE and Namira eagerly participated in star-gazing parties in the desert. She met David McNaughton, one of the first people in the world to go into space, here and became his mentee.

As a college student studying International Relations and later as a resident of Monaco, Namira continued to be deeply absorbed by and involved in space-related activities, even launching a range of ‘space true’ jewelry under a private artistic label called A Soul Affair.

A recognized polar explorer, Namira was the first Pakistani to reach the North Pole in April 2007 and the South Pole in January 2008. She is also the first Asian to skydive (tandem) over Mount Everest in 2008 and the only Pakistani in Virgin’s Galactic commercial space liner, an opportunity he was shortlisted for as a future astronaut out of 1,44,000 applications to travel into space.

However, Namira wasn’t about to just sit around waiting for the first commercial flight to take off! She decided to get qualified officially by completing her training in the US and became the first Pakistani to do so. She also founded Space Trust, a non-profit initiative that promotes space as the New Frontier for Peace, via novel peace initiatives to inspire change and encourage dialogue.

You can read more about Namira and other stories about inspirational and incredible women like her in Fearless – grab your copy today!

What are Stereotypes about Pakistan among Indians?

Posted on by Penguin India

Many of us have concluded Pakistan as an economically, culturally, socially and ideologically regressive country. Most of us have dropped the idea of exploring the picturesque landscape of Pakistan due to a dangerously false perception of it being a terrorism inflicted country. That is why when a journalist – Sameer Arshad Khatlani, decided to attend the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore, his family felt extremely anxious about his decision.

The Other Side of the Divide is a journalist’s reflective travelogue that bares the complexities of culture and class in Pakistan. Khatlani’s adventurous journey to the heart of Pakistan reveals the connecting thread between two nations through stories that fail to reach the masses in India.

Here are some excerpts that render all commonly held stereotypes about Pakistan as false:

 

  1. Stereotype: Pakistan is a land that breeds hostility

‘The immigration clearances were prompt. I had never seen a more cheerful immigration official than the one who stamped my passport. the atmosphere was not even remotely as hostile as what it used to be a decade ago. […] I did not find any hostility. Far from it…’

  1. Stereotype: Pakistan is full of only Muslims

‘Everything across the border looked as if harmonized with the Indian side. […] An artificial line drawn through the heart of Punjab cannot be deep enough to change the shared language, culture, customs, idioms and attitudes shaped over centuries. Sikh men in their beautiful and colorful turbans in eastern (Indian) Punjab and ubiquitous Urdu in western (Pakistani) Punjab are perhaps the only outliers on the surface. Punjabi is the language of the people on the street.’ 

  1. Stereotype: Pakistan rejects everything that is Indian

‘The market was abuzz despite the cold. it could have been easily mistaken for a market in Indian Punjab had not it been for Urdu signages. Virtually every shop sold artificial jewellery, Indian beauty products and prominently displayed Amul Macho undergarments packs with pictures of Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar.’

 

  1. Stereotype: Cities in Pakistan aren’t as developed as India

‘The Pak Heritage is a budget hotel particularly popular with Sikh pilgrims. it is located on the busy and mostly gridlocked Davis road with many similarities with Delhi’s Daryaganj. […] In Lahore, posh, leafy and well-maintained areas like the Mall are located just a few kilometers away, south of Davis road. Daryaganj, likewise, is a five-minute drive from the heart of tree-shaded Lutyens’s Delhi, distinguished by its colonial-era bungalows and wide avenues.’ 

  1. Stereotype: Bollywood doesn’t have Pakistani fans

‘… one of Pakistan’s best-known newspapers, Dawn, gushed about Madhuri’s ‘dazzling and disarming smile’, which she ‘quite literally patented’ and honed ‘into an art form’. […] In Lahore, and indeed across Pakistan, Bollywood is ubiquitous and gets prime slots on TV news channels, sometimes at the cost of more pressing issues.’ 

  1. Stereotype: Pakistan has an extremely orthodox culture

‘No one disappeared after the screening. A party-like atmosphere continued outside the hall well past midnight. Television crews surrounded filmmakers and socialites for sound bites about the film. Camera flashlights brightened the dimly lit waiting area. Some spoke to at least half a dozen camera crews about the film and performances of the lead actors, Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif.’ 

  1. Stereotype: Pakistan has an Urdu speaking community

‘Punjabi, along with its variants, still remains the mother tongue of an overwhelming number—close to 60 per cent—of Pakistanis. Beyond the urban upper-class pockets of Lahore and other bigger cities, it remains the colourful language of choice for the masses…Urdu-speakers have accounted for roughly 10 per cent of Pakistan’s population.’ 

To understand how the common people of Pakistan have often challenged the dehumanizing discourse about their country, there may be no better place to begin than The Other Side of the Divide.

The Complete Story – Warts and All

Posted on by Penguin India

In Shashi Tharoor’s words: ‘Alistair Shearer’s The Story of Yoga offers an absorbing chronicle of the rise of yoga, tracing its evolution through history to its rapid global proliferation today, with insights into the challenges ahead.’

Alistair Shearer himself calls it a “how come” book rather than a “how to” one. For the first time, The Story of Yoga presents a narrative setting out a comprehensive and accessible history of yoga in its global cultural context.

Find a glimpse of the expansive global outreach and popularity of yoga in an excerpt below:

 

WAY BACK WHEN…?

It’s a typical Friday evening in downtown America. A group of youthful practitioners, mostly women kitted out in fashionable sportswear and carrying plastic water bottles, arrives at a large, well-lit gym. Tanned and toned, they have come to relax after a hard day at the office, tighten up their abs and flabs, reduce their blood pressure and cholesterol. During the session there is a lot of talk of anatomical details amidst a pervasive atmosphere of ‘no pain no gain’; the stretching and relaxing may involve blocks, ropes and other appliances, but there is a determined energy exerted in most of the postures. Everything takes place in front of the wall-to-wall mirrors and the ethos is one of goal-directed accomplishment. Everyone is getting somewhere, burning off fat and sweating out stress, improving themselves. At the end of the session, recharged and clear-headed, people chat while quickly changing back into street gear. Some are advocating the benefits of the latest detox programmes and high-energy diets, while almost all are checking their phones and consulting their upcoming schedules.

Not far away on the other side of town, another group is meeting. Its members are older than the gym-goers but, again, almost exclusively female. Here the lighting is dimmer, sitar music is playing softly in the background and the scent of sandalwood wafts from an incense stick smouldering in front of an image of the Dancing Shiva. The session, led by a Western teacher with an Indian name who is just back from a three-month stay at an ashram in Rishikesh, begins with mispronounced chanting from a sacred Hindu text, followed by some mantras that the group repeats after her. Sanskrit terminology is used to describe the postures, which are performed slowly and gently. The session is brought to a gentle close with a guided meditation, and then, after some relaxed socializing and prolonged hugging, people drift away into their various weekends.

***

The understanding of yoga typified by the first group above will be dealt with later in this book, but for the moment, let us focus on the second. As do millions of others, its members would see their practice as being in some way connected to the nourishing well-spring of Indian wisdom. However vaguely the connection may be articulated, practitioners and teachers take for granted that this yoga is the subcontinent’s practical and perennial spiritual gift to the rest of the world. One of the most popular English translations of Patanjali’s classic Yoga Sutra is How to Know God, a poetic collaboration between the California-based Indian guru Swami Prabhavananda and the English writer Christopher Isherwood. First published in 1953, this version is still the Vedanta Press’ best-selling book, and has remained so respected over the years that until very recently the official governing body of yoga in the UK, The British Wheel of Yoga, chose it as the recommended text for its teacher training courses. In the opening paragraph of their introduction, the authors tell us: ‘the yoga doctrine may be said to have been handed down from prehistoric times’. Such an impressive pedigree might perhaps be proved one day, but in fact there is currently no hard evidence to support such a claim, and certainly not as regards body-yoga. Much water has flowed under the scholastic bridge in the almost seventy years since this translation was first published, and such broad statements rarely go unchallenged today. Indeed, as we shall see, a great deal of what is practised as yoga in the twenty-first century actually has very little in common with what we now know of ancient India, in terms of both its socio-cultural norms and its spiritual aims.

**

Shearer’s book boasts of a colourful cast of characters, past and present, who tell an engaging tale of scholars, scandal, science and spirit, wisdom and waywardness. This is a definitively untold story of yoga – warts and all.

March Binges for You!

Posted on by Penguin India

Binge-reading is the way to go for us this March!

From motherhood to building a happier and healthier lifestyle, our bookshelf this March is all about, well, life! These books will be perfect to reconnect us with ourselves, and to discover untold stories of travels and tribes.

Which one of these will you be picking up?

 

Amma Mia by Esha Deol Takhtani

Is my baby not well?

When can I introduce my baby to solid foods?

Becoming a new mother can be an exciting yet overwhelming time. No matter how prepared you are, there will always be many confusing moments, opinions and a whole lot of drama! And just like any other new mom, Esha Deol Takhtani was faced with many such questions soon after the birth of her two daughters – Radhya and Miraya.

 

Dear Me by HT Media

India’s biggest sports stars share their secrets for finding greatness.

Dear Me is a collection of letters from some of the most-celebrated names in sports – Milkha Singh, Vishwanathan Anand, Bhaichung Bhutia and many more – who write to their younger selves and remember the moments that changed their lives. An uplifting reminder that dreams do come true, this book allows you to be inspired by their extraordinary stories.

 

White as Milk and Rice by Nidhi Dugar Kundalia

The Maria girls from Bastar practise sex as an institution before marriage, but with rules-one may not sleep with a partner more than three times; the Hallaki women from the Konkan coast sing throughout the day-in forests, fields, the market and at protests; the Kanjars have plundered, looted and killed generation after generation, and will show you how to roast a lizard when hungry. The original inhabitants of India, these Adivasis still live in forests and hills, with religious beliefs, traditions and rituals so far removed from the rest of the country.

This book weaves together prose, oral narratives and Adivasi history to tell the stories of six remarkable tribes of India.

 

The RSS by Dinesh Narayanan

Since its inception in 1925, the RSS has perplexed observers with its organizational skills, military discipline and single-minded quest for influence in all walks of Indian life. Often seen as insidious and banned thrice, the pace of its growth and ideological dominance of the political landscape in the second decade of the millennium have been remarkable.

Relying on original research, interviews with insiders and analysis of current events, The RSS and the Making of the Deep Nation traces the RSS’s roots and nearly century-long operations in the relentless pursuit for ideological dominance in a nation known for its rich diversity of thought, custom and ritual.

 

Fakir: The Journey Within by Ruzbeh N Bharucha

To be a better spiritual being and to better even that with every step is the goal of every soul so it can then ultimately merge into The One . . .

The book presents us with Baba’s words of wisdom for us to inculcate in our-day-to-day lives. Baba talks about how we should be in life, how our relationships should be, how jealousy and anger are detrimental to the development of good karma and how conducting oneself without cribbing and complaining takes on to the higher plane.

 

A Talib’s Tale by John Butt

John Butt came to Swat in 1970 as a young man in search of an education he couldn’t get from his birthplace in England. He travels around the region, first only with friends from his home country, but as he befriends the locals and starts to learn about their culture and life, he soon finds his heart turning irrevocably Pashtoon.

Containing anecdotes from his life both before and since he shifted to Afghanistan, John Butt tells a wonderful and heartfelt tale of a man who finds a home in the most unexpected place.

 

The Minority Conundrum edited by Tanweer Fazal

What does it mean to be a minority in majoritarian times?

Following from the highly relevant Vision for a Nation last month, The Minority Conundrum gives us the second volume in the series titled Rethinking India – which goes further into exploring what the idea of a ‘nation’ means for India today.

Edited by Tanweer Fazal, this volume identifies vulnerabilities that hinder the quest for the realization of substantive citizenship by minority groups.

 

The Dry Fasting Miracle by Luke Coutinho and Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Ali Bin Rashed Al Nuaimi

In the olden days, people ate early because there was hardly any light after sunset. Their next meal would only be after sunrise. This practice spread to all religions as a discipline due to its health and spiritual benefits. Today, it is called the dry fasting diet-the most superior form of fasting and cleansing. Replicating it requires abstinence from all food and water for twelve or more hours.

Luke Coutinho and Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Ali Bin Rashed Al Nuaimi teach us how this diet can stimulate the body, help one find the right balance between the ‘elimination phase’ and the ‘building phase’, aid weight loss and avoid a number of diseases.

 

My Girlhood by Taslima Nasrin and translated by Maharghya Chakraborty

Set in the backdrop of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, this book recollects Taslima Nasrin’s early years.

From her birth on a holy day to the dawn of womanhood at fourteen to her earliest memories that alternate between scenes of violence, memories of her pious mother, the rise of religious fundamentalism, the trauma of molestation and the beginning of a journey that redefined her world; this latest translation by Maharghya Chakraborty is a tour de force.

You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy

At work, we’re taught to lead the conversation. On social media, we shape our personal narratives.  At parties, we talk over one another. So do our politicians.

We’re not listening.

And no one is listening to us.

This book will transform your conversations, your relationships and your life.

Two Plays by Chandrasekhar Kambar and translated by Krishna Manavalli

In Chandrasekhar Kambar’s timeless classic The Bringer of Rain: Rishyashringya, a village afflicted with a deadly famine eagerly awaits the arrival of the chieftain’s son, whose homecoming promises the return of rain. As the death toll rises, age-old secrets are unravelled and mythical forces step out of hiding. Will the sky relent?

The second play, Mahmoud Gawan is set in the fifteenth-century Bahamani Sultanate. It follows Gawan’s rise to fame during a time of intense civil strife when empires routinely rose and fell.

Alluring and sublime, Two Plays is a must-read for anyone hoping to dip their toes into the rich waters of Kannada folklore and theatre.

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Bholanath and Khudabaksh Discover German Mushrooms

Posted on by Penguin India

Bholanath and Khudabaksh are two soldiers in the British Indian Army, sent off to Europe to fight in World War I. One happens to be Hindu and the other happens to be Muslim, but that doesn’t keep them from being the best of friends.

When a mission in a surveillance balloon goes awry, these two gentle soldiers-along with an exceptionally ill-tempered squirrel-are set adrift high above the Western Front.

Intrigued? Read an excerpt from Soar:

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The two soldiers kept searching the forest for food. The only thing they found, and this only when Bholanath stubbed his toe and punctured a hollow, half-rotted log, was a clutch of gray mushrooms. They began hunting in such dark hideaways for more mushrooms, and eventually had collected whole pocketsfull of them, dirt-speckled and with droopy caps of various dun colors. Only one variety was orange. Bholanath blew the dirt off it.

“These may be good for breakfast, seeing as we have no fruit.”

They took their harvest back to the stream, where they dunked each mushroom and let the current rinse it, rubbing the more stubborn dirt stains with their thumbs. The orange caps proved even brighter after the washing. He handed Khudabaksh a few and kept a few for himself. They savored each one and chased this meal, such as it was, with more water. They were still hungry, and it was hard not to eat the rest of the mushrooms on their way back to the balloon.

They were still walking when Khudabaksh turned to Bholanath and saw his friend’s temples form little spuds. The calf’s stubs lengthened all the way to proud, S-shaped horns. His pupils dilated and kept dilating until they filled his eyes, which had no whites left. Bholanath’s nostrils flared and kept flaring until a rough, off-pink tongue slithered out of his mouth and licked them. At this point, Bholanath mooed outright, terrifying Khudabaksh, who stumbled away with one hand and one wrist-stump thrust out at Bholanath. Backing away, he tripped over a log; he knocked his ankle and steadied himself, but fell onto his rear. “Ah!” he cried. When he sat up, he was straddling the log.

This black log, in Bholanath’s eyes, immediately sprang onto four feet, a small black horse. Khudabaksh’s hand held a burning book in it, obviously, from the way his Mussalmaan companion had shouted “Allah!”, the Qur’an. A pink gauze-strip dangling from his wrist lengthened and hardened into a blood-stained Mughal dagger with a mother-of-pearl hilt. Bholanath raised his own right arm out of reflex, to protect himself, and where his wrist-stump was, Khudabaksh saw a hoof. They both shouted, Khudabaksh for Allah’s help, Bholanath for Mahadev’s, and this only redoubled their terror of one another. For several minutes, they cowered behind oak trees fifty feet apart. Finally, they called across the distance.

“Khudabaksh?”

“Bhola?”

“Put that bloody dagger away, or I won’t talk to you!”

“First you put those horns back in your head!”

“Horns? What horns?”

Khudabaksh stuck his finger in his ear and toggled it smartly, eyes squinched. “Talk Gujarati, you shapeshifting Hindu! Stop that mooing!”

Bholanath looked around the tree and gasped. “First you whistle your Arabian over! He’s still glaring at me with his—with those eyes of his!”

“My Arabian?”

“The horse, you crazed old Mussalmaan!”

“Where?”

“Right there!”

“That’s a log, Bholanath!”

Bholanath put his fists to his eyes, rubbed hard, and looked again. “No, it’s definitely a horse. And now it’s lifting its tail and shitting fire. Take a look yourself if you don’t believe me.”

He retreated behind his oak and hugged his knees for warmth. To his surprise, his own knees had grown nipples that poked suggestively through the khaki. He stared, not particularly aroused, but mesmerized. The attempted dialogue stopped here for the next several minutes. On his end, Khudabaksh watched the mushroom-caps in his pocket inflate and subside rhythmically, like jellyfish breathing themselves along. Finally, when they exhaled for the last time, he checked back.

“Bholanath? Oy Bholanath!”

Bholanath peeked tentatively around his oak.

“See? I can talk to you now that you’ve put those horns back in your head.”

“Thanks for calling off your horse. What did you do with your Qur’an?”

“It’s in my pocket.”

“I mean the one that was on fire.”

“Who would dare burn a Qur’an? In a forest no less!”

Bholanath glimpsed the dangling gauze strip and rubbed his eyes again. No, it definitely wasn’t a dagger.

The two soldiers emerged tentatively, in their own shapes, no longer demonically transformed. They felt each other’s faces like blind friends meeting after a long time apart, and, satisfied, returned to the balloon together.

What happens next? You’ll have to read Soar to find out!

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