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You will not forget Raghu Rai's people. It does not matter if they are famous or unknown, the master photographer's images of them are so arresting that they stamp themselves immediately on the viewer's gaze. What he is able to do is catch the essential truth of his subjects in a way that renders them unforgettable. He says, 'When I take a person's portrait, I am trying to capture the aura of that person, the person's spirit in the picture. I am trying to get the truth of that person to emerge i

Carpets adorn living spaces across the length and breadth of the country and are appreciated for many qualities-their design, their colours, their 'feel'-but rarely their history. Yet, each carpet has a story hidden within its intricate details, and the value of a carpet is not only determined by what it costs, or by its technical and aesthetic qualities, but also by the story it carries. Of Indian Carpets and Carpetwallahs: An Appreciation tells the stories of Indian carpets by delving into the histories of an assortment of unique carpets-that of delicate Kashmiri carpets, a Herati-inspired carpet made in Amritsar, and even one made in Rampur jail-collected by Norwegian diplomat Jon Westborg over his lifetime. Of Indian Carpets and Carpetwallahs: An Appreciation melds history, memory, and aesthetics beautifully to create a complete and detailed picture of the Indian carpet-making tradition.

Empower Yourself Right Now curates timeless pearls of wisdom from the world's greatest supergurus whose words have motivated billions around the globe and shown them the path to success and fulfilment. Delving deep into the roots of the most commonly faced roadblocks to personal growth such as self-doubt, negative patterns of thinking, procrastination, wavering focus, and a fear of the unknown, each excerpt in the book offers a fresh and powerful perspective that will transform your life.

The Greatest Telugu Stories Ever Told spans almost a century of work by some of the finest writers of short fiction in the language. The storytellers included in the anthology range from literary masters such as Chalam, Kanuparthi Varalakshmamma, and Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao to contemporary writers like Mohammed Khadeer Babu, Jajula Gowri, and Vempalle Shareef. The tales found in this collection weave a rich tapestry of Telugu experiences. Illindala Saraswati Devi's 'Bad Times' discusses the downturn in Muslim fortunes after the integration of the nizam's state with the Indian union. Boya Jangaiah's 'The Eclipse' chronicles the aching memories that besiege a Dalit poet when he makes a brief stop at his village. Bandi Narayanaswami's 'Water' dramatizes the acute shortage of water in the Rayalaseema region and its exacerbation by political rivalries. Kavana Sarma's 'House Number' gently mocks a self-proclaimed math genius and his attempts at memorizing a simple house number. A heartbreaking love story, Vempalli Gangadhar's 'Festival of Love' is a romance imbued with the fragrance of jasmine fields. Selected and deftly translated by Dasu Krishnamoorty and Tamraparni Dasu, these and the other stories in this collection offer a window into how the Telugu people see the world and their place in it.

The Buddha, Ashoka, Gandhi-the three greatest Indians who ever lived-were emblematic of non-violence. Yet, paradoxically, their country of origin is one of the most violent places on earth. Do 'we, the people of India' have violence in our bones? This work explores different aspects of our society to answer the question. Despite a blood-soaked Partition coupled with many other challenges that all emerging democracies have had to negotiate, India's record in upholding the democratic va

Shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2012. Musharraf Ali Farooqi's new novel, set in an unnamed Pakistani city shortly after Partition, unravels the lives of Ustad Ramzi, one of the greatest wrestlers of the land, who is now old and warmed only by the memories of his past and the equally renowned Gohar Jan, a courtesan whose kotha once welcomed lords of the land butis now in danger of being shut down. Through the course of this book we witness Ustad Ramzi's almost fanatical devotion to his craft and his akhara and the attempts of his younger brother Tamami also a wrestler to rise from the towering shadow of Ustad Ramzi. We witness, also,the unusual, unspoken bond that grows between the celibate wrestler and the elegant courtesan, both past their prime. Spare, haunting and exquisitely written, between Clay and Dust is a remarkably original offering from a novelist working at the height of his powers. Key Features By the bestselling author of The Story of a Widow (shortlisted for the DSC Prize, 2010). Musharraf Ali Farooqi is widely regarded as one of Pakistan's biggest writers, together with Mohsin Hamid, Mohammed Hanif and Daniyal Mueenuddin This is perhaps the first major novel in English set in the world of pehelwans and tawaifs, both immensely popular characters in South Asian culture

Bengal is home to both Hindus and Muslims, and her people farm the fertile Gangetic delta for rice and vegetables as well as fishing the region?s myriad rivers. As recipes for fish in yoghurt sauce, chicken with poppy seeds, aubergine with tamarind, duck with coconut milk and the many other delights in Bengali Cooking testify, Bengal has given the world some of its most delicious dishes. This highly original book takes the reader into kitchens in both West Bengal and Bangladesh by way of the seasons and religious and other festivals that shape the region?s cooking. Bengali Cooking is much more than a cookbook: it is also a vivid and deeply-felt introduction to Bengal?s diverse cultures and landscapes.

The first translation into English of a beloved medieval Indo-Persian epic, The Adventures of Amir Hamza is the gripping account of the exploits of Amir Hamza, the greatest warrior of his time, defender of the True Faith, lover of blindingly beautiful women and scourge of infidels, demons, trolls, devs and assorted evil-doers. In Musharraf Ali Farooqis extraordinary translation, which took nearly a decade to finish, Hamzas magical world comes thrillingly alive.

3 May 1857. India stands on the brink of war. Everywhere in its cities,towns, and villages, rebels and revolutionaries are massing to overthrowthe ruthless and corrupt British East India Company which has taken overthe country and laid it to waste. In Delhi, the capital, even as the plot toget rid of the hated foreigners gathers intensity, the busy social life of thecity hums along. Nautch girls entertain clients, nawabs host mushairasor poetry soirees in which the finest poets of the realm congregate torecite their latest verse and intrigue, the wealthy roister in magnificenthavelis, and the drinking dens of the city continue to pack in customers.

From Jammu and Kashmir in the north to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the south, from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east, and all the other states and union territories of India in between, here are 108 fabulous folk tales, legends, and stories from more than fifty-seven languages and dialects. You will delight in wondrous tales of heroes and heroines, of ordinary men and women, of wicked mothers-in-law and foolish sons-in-law, of love lost and won, of a tree who loved a girl, of seers and wise men, of chudails, werewolves, and wizards, of a potter girl and the divine cow, of demoiselle cranes and humans transforming into elephants, of how the woodpecker got its crest, and much, much more. Startlingly original, brilliant, wise, and often funny, these stories will delight readers of all ages.

With two cows and four mouths to feed, Nareshan can barely make ends meet selling milk to the inhabitants of Karuthupuzha. That is, until his daughter, Sarasu, is possessed by the demon-god, Chaathan. Now, the faithful from all over Karuthupuzha and beyond visit Nareshan with money and gifts to receive Chaathan's blessings. The sceptics of the town, meanwhile, believe that Nareshan is fooling everyone to make money. However, when one of the leading sceptics in town, Dasappan, member of the Communist Party, rationalist and atheist, loses his mind after loudly proclaiming that Chaathan is a farce, the people's belief in a divine power residing in Sarasu is reinforced.With the number of faithful only growing as each day passes, Nareshan realizes that his daughter's possession might be the best thing to have happened to him. When the rich widow Ponnamma comes to his house to seek help from Chaathan for her son, Nanu, the fate of Nareshan and his family is set to change forever.

Six and a third Acres was the first modern Odia novel, and has remained at the heart of Odin literary excellence ever since. It was published as Chha Mana atha guntha in the literary monthly Utkal Sahitya between 1897-99. Over a century after it was first published, this sombre tale continues to attract readers because of fakir Mohan senapati's innovative technique, indelible characters, wit, imagination, and tremendous insights into the rural milieu. The novel is about village politics, caste oppression, malpractices, and land-grabbing under the zamindari system in colonial Odisha. Ramchandra mangaraj, a sly zamindar of the village of govindpur, is notorious for taking over the lands of poor peasants and farmers. This time, his avaricious gaze falls on a small patch of land-six and a third acres-belonging to a humble, god-fearing weaver couple. Unable to fight the zamindari devious schemes, the couple succumbs to the harsher realities of caste-ridden village life.