Ganesha on the Dashboard

Ganesha on the Dashboard
Author: V. Raghunathan
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2012
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0143417215

Take the way we go about buying a new car. We identify an auspicious date and time, then proceed to break a coconut, plonk a plastic deity of Ganesha on the dashboard, and zoom off at great speed, refusing to wear our seatbelts.

Ganesha on the Dashboard

Ganesha on the Dashboard
Author: V Raghunathan
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2012-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 8184756186

Take the way we go about buying a new car. We identify an auspicious date and time, then proceed to break a coconut, plonk a plastic deity of Ganesha on the dashboard, and zoom off at great speed, refusing to wear our seatbelts. Supposedly educated, smart and tech-savvy, Indians can be surprisingly unscientific in their daily lives. Think of the crores spent every year remodelling homes according to vaastu, in the hope of changing luck; and the continued horrors of female infanticide, because it is only the son who can help the father’s journey to heaven... This unsparingly critical, scathingly analytical book points out the shocking lack of scientific temper among the vast majority of Indians, and how this holds us up as a nation in the twenty-first century.

Understanding Hinduism

Understanding Hinduism
Author: James D. Holt
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 187
Release: 2024-09-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1350407046

This book explores the beliefs and practices of Hinduism as a lived religion and engages with Hindu beliefs and practices, including the concepts that form the central beliefs of Hinduism, and the expression of these beliefs in worship and daily life. The book uses the authentic voices of practicing Hindus to highlight differences in the ways Hinduism is understood and lived in different circumstances. The diversity of Hindu expression is one of the complex elements of Hinduism, and it is also one of its strengths. This book makes this diversity the centre of its exploration. Each chapter enables the reader to consider the concepts and how they can be taught in the classroom. The author also provides suggestions for activities that could be utilised within the classroom to help others to understand the richness and vibrancy of Hinduism.

99 Thoughts on Ganesha

99 Thoughts on Ganesha
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
Total Pages: 235
Release: 2015-01-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 8184951523

In the game of cricket, having scored 99 runs, when a batsman stands poised on the threshold of that much coveted century, he experiences the moment that is best associated with Ganesha. Fear and uncertainty envelope him; between him and his achievement stand hurdles, both real and imaginary: a possible spin from the bowler can overwhelm him, his own anxiety can paralyze him, cheering fans can distract him. He needs divine intervention then. He needs to focus, get rid of all hurdles, perform, get the final run, and achieve what he so longs for. In other words, he needs to think of Ganapati. This book brings together 99 meditations to better understand the stories, symbols and rituals of that adorable elephantheaded Hindu god who removes hurdles and brings prosperity and peace. Known variously as Ganapati, Gajanana, Vinayaka or Pillayar, he can help all of us score a century in the game called life.

Llewellyn's 2020 Magical Almanac

Llewellyn's 2020 Magical Almanac
Author: Melissa Tipton
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2019-07-08
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 0738761567

Enrich your magical practice and expand your mind with Llewellyn's 2020 Magical Almanac. For more than twenty-five years, this almanac has provided useful spells, rituals, and ideas that inspire all levels of practitioners to improve their connection to the elements. This year's edition features nearly thirty compelling articles, grouped by element, on magic and yoga, crystal grids, psychic protection, transportation mojo, principles of hermeticism, entropic magic, rituals for personal justice, magic in numbers, pop culture folk saints, and much more.

Games Indians Play

Games Indians Play
Author: V Raghunathan
Publisher: Penguin UK
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2008-01-01
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 8184750021

‘Raghunathan writes really well . . . there are rare instances where a reviewer thinks; I wish I could write like that. This is one of those rare instances’ —Bibek Debroy in Indian Express In a rare attempt to understand the Indianness of Indians—among the most intelligent people in the world; but also; to a dispassionate eye; perhaps the most baffling—V. Raghunathan uses the props of game theory and behavioural economics to provide an insight into the difficult conundrum of why we are the way we are. He puts under the scanner our attitudes towards rationality and irrationality; selflessness and selfishness; competition and cooperation; and collaboration and deception. Drawing examples from the way we behave in day-to-day situations; Games Indians Play tries to show how in the long run each one of us—whether businessmen; politicians; bureaucrats; or just plain us—stand to profit more if we were to assume a little self-regulation; give fairness a chance and strive to cooperate and collaborate a little more even if self-interest were to be our main driving force.

Cry, Laugh but Think

Cry, Laugh but Think
Author: CT Srinivas
Publisher: Notion Press
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2016-06-06
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9386073897

Recall old memories from your life as you read the author’s moving story. Be a part of an inspiring journey as you laugh, cry and think. Laugh with the author on this roller-coaster ride. Shed a few tears if you have to, but move on. Understand the value of what you have. Are you happy with who you are? Do you have superstitious beliefs and habits that annoy others? Think! Do not lead a life in self-denial. Remove the tinted glasses that block your vision and see the real dimensions of life and its challenges. This book will help you assess yourself and start afresh, if required, on a journey in which caste, creed and other artificial barriers do not matter. Make the transformation now before it is too late. Choose any chapter to read as the episodes are not interrelated. Though this book is for everyone, teenagers and young adults will especially benefit from it.

The Book of Ganesha

The Book of Ganesha
Author: Royina Grewal
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2009-07
Genre:
ISBN: 9780143067603

Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, is easily the most recognizable and loveable of Hindu deities. But pinpointing his various attributes is not quite so simple. He is at once the portly, merry, childlike god and the sage, complex philosopher. He is the presiding deity of material wealth and the lord of spirituality. He removes all impediments for his devotees but creates all manner of difficulties for the transgressors, man or god. And associated with every aspect of Ganesha-be it his extraordinary birth, his elephant head, his broken tusk, his vehicle (the mouse), his appetite, his anger-are scores of myths, each more colourful than the other. In this thoroughly researched and delightfully narrated book, Royina Grewal gives us the many stories of Ganesha, exploring their significance and how they reflect the times and the cultures during which they originated.

Ganesha

Ganesha
Author: Manuela Dunn Mascetti
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Total Pages: 96
Release: 2000-07
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9780811826815

New job, new city, new love? Ganesha: Remover of Obstacles makes an exquisite gift for anyone on the brink of change. Following in the successful path of The Buddha Box (over 25,000 copies sold) comes this popular elephant-faced god of Hinduism. The book, which slides into the box to make an elegant backdrop for the statue of the loving elephant god, is filled with tales of Ganesha's creation and powers as a protector. Illustrated with thirty serene color images, the book also includes examples of mantras, prayers, sacred symbols, and songs for all manner of Karmic tangles, as well as instructions on how to create a home or office puja for making offerings to the benevolent god. A handsome mini-shrine for prayer and meditation practices and an ideal travel companion, Ganesha: Remover of Obstacles will enchant anyone interested in Indian mythology or Hindu religion.

The Life Changer

The Life Changer
Author: Josh Peterson
Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2023-03-13
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1685264980

The Life Changer seeks to help quench our spiritual thirst for joy, peace, and purpose. It shows us how we can enjoy the life that God wants us to live and how we can have assurance of spending eternity with Him in heaven. The Life Changer provides compelling answers to life’s biggest questions about our identity, purpose, and destiny by using five tests. These five easy-to-understand tests empower us to determine if our spiritual beliefs are true or not. True spiritual beliefs satisfy our minds, hearts, and souls. Discovering whether or not our spiritual beliefs are true enables us to live for God. Isn’t that really exciting? In The Life Changer, Josh Peterson shares the story of his spiritual journey and his positive experiences with people who have various spiritual beliefs. Peterson takes a fascinating look at the main claims of the Christian faith and the main claims of eight other worldviews. He also shares the amazing stories of more than a dozen people whose lives have been changed by God. After telling these inspiring stories, Peterson encourages us to consider the claims of the Christian faith and the claims of Jesus, who is still changing countless lives all over the world. Would you like to know if your spiritual beliefs are true? You can discover the truth that sets you free!