Sati Savitri

Sati Savitri
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2024-03-29
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9357087095

Manu said that a woman’s dharma is to be mother, daughter, sister and wife in service of men, regardless of the caste. In modern times we call this patriarchy. In the Veda, the need to control and favour hierarchy, is an expression of an anxious mind. Hindu, Buddhist and Jain lore is full of tales where women do not let men define their dharma. In modern times we call this feminism. In the Veda, the acceptance of a woman's choice is an expression of a wise and secure mind. While in Western myth, patriarchy is traditional and feminism is progressive, in Indian myth both patriarchy and feminism have always co-existed, in eternal tension, through endless cycles of rebirth. Liberation thus is not a foreign idea. It has always been here. You have heard tales of patriarchy. This book tells you the other tales—the ones they don’t tell you.

Woman and Empire

Woman and Empire
Author: Indrani Sen
Publisher: Orient Blackswan
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2002
Genre: Anglo-Indian fiction
ISBN: 9788125021117

Drawing Upon A Wide Range And Variety Of Literary And Non-Literary Sources Of Nineteenth Century British India, Woman And Empire Examines Perceptions Of Gender Over The 1858 1900 Period. The Book Focuses On Representations Of White And Indian Women, In Addition To Women Of Mixed Races, In Fiction As Well As In Colonial Newspapers And Journals.

Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema

Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema
Author: Ashish Rajadhyaksha
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 659
Release: 2014-07-10
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1135943184

The largest film industry in the world after Hollywood is celebrated in this updated and expanded edition of a now classic work of reference. Covering the full range of Indian film, this new revised edition of the Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema includes vastly expanded coverage of mainstream productions from the 1970s to the 1990s and, for the first time, a comprehensive name index. Illustrated throughout, there is no comparable guide to the incredible vitality and diversity of historical and contemporary Indian film.

At Home in the World

At Home in the World
Author: Janet O'Shea
Publisher: Wesleyan University Press
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2007-05-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780819568373

The compelling story of a beautiful and versatile South Indian dance form

Windows to the Soul

Windows to the Soul
Author: Manek Premchand
Publisher: Notion Press
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2021-12-30
Genre: Music
ISBN:

This book, covering a range of music essays, is a compendium of many articles that were published in several newspapers and have since been updated. The collection also features many subjects not published before. Some of our films’ great artists are profiled, especially in their relationship with songs we remember them by. Such people include the actors Dilip Kumar, Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana, the composer Madan Mohan, and the singer Mukesh. Musical instruments such as bagpipes, the tambourine, and the drums can also be found in these pages, with where such instruments were featured in the Hindi film song. Equally importantly, you will find essays on ideas that have engaged with our music. These include cycling, suicides, Mumbai’s pride Marine Drive and composers who sang their own tunes. It’s a platinum offering of 75 diverse stories.

A Daughter Is Special

A Daughter Is Special
Author: Mridula Sinha
Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2022-05-31
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 935521006X

A Daughter Is Special by Mridula Sinha: This book by Mridula Sinha celebrates the special bond between a daughter and her parents. Through poignant stories and reflections, the book touches upon the unique and cherished relationship between daughters and their families. Key Aspects of the Book "A Daughter Is Special": Familial Bonds: The book emphasizes the significance of the parent-daughter relationship, highlighting the love, care, and understanding that define this unique bond. Cultural and Social Perspectives: "A Daughter Is Special" provides insights into the cultural and social nuances surrounding the role of daughters in families and communities. Emotional Resonance: The book captures the emotional depth of the parent-daughter relationship, evoking feelings of nostalgia, love, and appreciation. Mridula Sinha is the author of "A Daughter Is Special," a book that celebrates the cherished connection between daughters and their families. Sinha's work beautifully portrays the emotions and experiences that define the parent-daughter bond.

Demystifying Brahminism and Re-Inventing Hinduism

Demystifying Brahminism and Re-Inventing Hinduism
Author: Satya Shri
Publisher: Notion Press
Total Pages: 547
Release: 2017-01-23
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 194651554X

‘Religion is a tool in the hands of the oppressor against the oppressed solely because he frames the commandments and calls them the God’s’, is an apt description of the Hindu social order. The book rips open the raw nerve of Hinduism—its invidious castes, positioned as a ‘God-ordained’ institution, commandeered by its freebooter priestly class while clandestinely establishing its religious, social and political hegemony through interpolation of its pristine and effulgent scriptures. The author boldly analyses this imbroglio through a microscopic analysis of these and more related issues: • How priests controlled the Hindu religious, social, educational and political apparatus? • How the dominant priestly class fractured the society into mutually antagonistic subordinated hierarchical segments, and ruled it by reserving all elite jobs for itself? • How the fiendish priesthood emasculated shudras by depriving them of the ‘shaastra and shastra’ (education and arms) and made them permanent ‘village servant classes’? • How the pretensions of attaining siddhis through 'meditation and penances' established priests as the ‘gods on earth’ for their assertions of ‘purity and effulgence’? • How ‘karma’, ‘reincarnation’ and ‘84-lakhs births’ theories were devised to justify fatalism and hierarchical gradation of varnas? • Can India be rightfully called the ‘vishvaguru’ and the mother of all civilisations? • How Buddhism effeminated Hindus and made them the doormats for the ruthless? • Why Hindus had to abandon their own, to adop foreign institutions of governance? • Why Hinduism should become a universal and proselytising faith and fight demographic challenges posed by Islam and Christianity?

The Politics of Marriage in India

The Politics of Marriage in India
Author: Sabita Singh
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2019-05-27
Genre: Law
ISBN: 019909828X

The history of marriage is viewed as social history related to customs and laws, but it is also a reflection of an inner life—one that comprises tales of joy, suffering, and the mundane—most of it hidden from the historian’s eye. Analysing the institution of marriage in medieval Rajasthan, Singh reconstructs the regional social structures and cultures of the time. The history of Rajasthan has always been romanticized, especially the legends of Sati and Jauhar, both of which along with the rituals related to widowhood are seen as institutional forms of women’s oppression. Singh offers a fresh perspective on these customs, often challenging the conventional narrative and unearthing the complex motives behind them. Referring to extensive archival and literary sources, the author delves deep into practices such as polygamy, dowry, and concubinage which are situated in the changing socio-political structures. As the author takes cognizance of the regional variations with respect to cultural norms, what becomes unequivocally clear is the multicultural ethos of India and the fact that history cannot be interpreted in monolithic universal terms.

LakshmiLa : The Eternal Love Story

LakshmiLa : The Eternal Love Story
Author: Shubhi Agarwal
Publisher: Om Books International
Total Pages: 390
Release: 2022-04-20
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9392834217

“Don’t you question his love for me. I know what it is.When he resides in me how can you say he left me? Nothing can break the bond between two souls who are connected to each other. No matter how long they are apart, no matter what happens, they are always connected.” Urmila Set against the backdrop of the Ramayana, Lakshmila narrates the story of the selfless love between Lakshman and Urmila without whom the Ramayana would have been incomplete. But Lakshmila – the united entities of Lakhsman and Urmila – does not tell the world about their sacrifices; instead they speak of their love that becomes the cornerstone of their powerful and supreme sacrifice. Urmila is as important as Lakshman in the story. It lingers on the significant pauses in their relationship, unknown to the world, and gently drives home the unsung truth that the love between Lakshman and Urmila was unusual, divine, subtle and yet potent, carrying across lifetimes. Their love was a silent and selfless commitment, more of a spiritual connection. Lakshmila provides a detailed insight into the ‘what, how, when and why’ of every incident that took place during the Treta Yug in the Suryavanshi family, based on detailed research from the Valmiki Ramayana, Kamban Ramayana, Puranas and the different versions of the Ramayana.The fictional narrative is set in the context of a retelling of the epic from Lakshman and Urmila’s perspective of the events that went on to build the timeless tale.

Royal To Public Life

Royal To Public Life
Author: Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia with Mridula Sinha
Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2016-01-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9351868281

I felt that to remain in politics and keep fighting for the principles was my calling. So; I thought that working with the people of similar ideology might be more fruitful. I felt affinity with those parties which were neither corrupt nor power-drunk…. Ideologically; I found myself close to Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party. I was in a dilemma to choose between the two. So; I decided to contest the election on the ticket of both these parties. I became candidate of Jana Sangh from Karera constituency of Madhya Pradesh Assembly. Tihar is not a jail; it is hell on earth. And those people were pushed in this hell whose penance threatened to dethrone Indiraji. There were piles of filth at different places in Tihar jail. It would make the inside air polluted which was stifling. While eating one had to constantly drive away the flies with one’s hands. The ears would be abuzz with the sounds of insects. In the darkness the brooch would glow and crickets would speak. Life was difficult. But despite that we would have sound sleep. Ayodhya is not a city made of bricks and mortars. It is a symbol of India’s soul and national identity. That’s why when the Rath Yatra was taken out; Hindus and Muslims participated in it alike. This national integration caused heart burns to those vested interests that were in the habit of taking the advantage of social division. Royal to Public Life by Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia with Mridula Sinha: This book likely offers a memoir or autobiography of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, a prominent Indian political figure and member of the Scindia royal family. Co-authored with Mridula Sinha, the book may provide insights into Rajmata Scindia's life journey, her transition from royalty to public life, and her contributions to Indian politics. Key Aspects of the Book "Royal to Public Life": Personal Memoir: Offers a firsthand account of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia's life, experiences, and political career. Political Legacy: Explores her role in shaping Indian politics and her commitment to public service. Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and Mridula Sinha likely share a personal and political journey in "Royal to Public Life." This book sheds light on the life of a remarkable Indian leader.