The Bhagwad Gita

A modern interpretation) 

Interpreter: Dayanand Verma
Publisher: Diamond Books, New Delhi
(Pp 208, ISBN 9789351659778, Rs 175)

Gita is a revolutionary creation of its age and for all the ages. So many interpretations have been written and rewritten for this reverend text. Every word in Gita is embedded in the history of that age and it can only be grasped with an understanding of the era when this sermon was preached. Many words in our present day vocabulary had different connotations during the Vedic age. Keeping this in mind, the slokas in this book have not been translated verbatim. Instead, their essential meaning has been given, following the current manner of speech.

Written in an easy-to-understand format, the book shows how Gita is relevant in this age as well.

- V Verma

Gandhi Global

Publisher: Lotus Press, New Delhi
(Pp 224, ISBN 9788183823241, Rs 175)

The book is an abridged version of Gandhi’s autobiography My Life – In Search of Truth for the general reader.

Written in an easy to understand language, the book brings insights into the life of this great leader.

Readers can get a glimpse of his life, which is very similar to ours. For example, he shares his experience in England, where he could not speak at a committee meeting because he was at loss of words and felt shy. He also shares how he posed himself as bachelor when he was married and a father of a child.

As the book progresses, readers can see how this normal person transformed into the great leader. A must read book for all those who wish to know more about Gandhi.

- Varsha

Shades of Love

Author: Vijay Mohan
Publisher: GenNext Publication, Delhi
(Pp 311, ISBN 9789380222844, Rs 290)

This bouquet of short stories is bound to enthrall the readers, which portray emotions like love, suspense and drama. Some of these stories are inspired by true events while a few are totally fictional. These short stories depict day-to-day incidents of our life, with which we can easily connect.

While one story focuses on love across the border, another one focuses on friendship, yet another one focuses on the eternal story of the long wait of the soldier’s wife for his return from the battlefield. Then, there is also a satirical comedy for a light reading. All the stories are very interesting and touch the heart of the readers.

- Varsha

Lives of Indian Images

Author: Richard H Davis
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas, Delhi
(Pp 331, ISBN 9788120816923, Rs 695)

For many centuries, Hindus believe that the Gods they place in temples and those shrines for purposes of worship are alive. Hindu priests bring them to life through a complex ritual establishment that invokes the god or goddess into material support.

Priests and devotees then maintain the enlivened image as a divine person through ongoing liturgical activity. In this linked series of case studies of Hindu religious objects, the author Richard Davis argues that in some sense these believers are correct: through ongoing interactions with humans, religious objects are brought to life.

His observations are made largely on reader response literary theory and anthropological approaches to the study of objects in society in order to trace the biographies of Indian religious images over many centuries.

- Vasu V