The tenth unknown

Author: Jvalant Nalin Sampat
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 288, ISBN 978-81-89738-97-6, Rs 295)

The Tenth Unknown

This book is a mix of myth, fact and fiction – starting in Emperor Ashoka’s court in Rajagriha, Magadha in 232 BC and ending with India’s independence in 1947, this action-packed thriller, set primarily against the backdrop of World War II, is a high-octane and heady cocktail.

The story revolves around the nine books containing forbidden knowledge leading to unlimited power and wealth, which have been protected for centuries by a secret society – the nine Unknown Men of Emperor Ashoka. The clue about the locations of the book is hidden in the ruins of the world’s most ancient university in Nalanda. One of the books has been acquired by the Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. Now, these books need to be protected and Prithvi Rathore, an anglicized aspiring cricketer is set to acquire all these books. The plot is interesting and takes readers to the long-forgotten part of Indian history and legends as the Germans, British and Indians race to secure the book. A high-paced novel, which keeps the readers’ attention till the end! 

Not made in heaven

Author: Ranjana Sinha
Publisher: Abhinav Publications
(Pp 440, ISBN 978-81-70175308, Rs 390)

What happens when there’s a clash between traditions and modernity? Based in early post-independent India in the 1950s in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, which is now the state of Uttarakhand in North India. The language of the book is simple and the story gripping – people can actually feel that they have lived some of the instances in their life.

The book depicts the clash between tradition and the aspirations of young, modern and optimistic new India. The author has touched upon serious issues in a light-hearted manner. 

Mirza Ghalib: 100 Famous Ghazals

(Translated from the Urdu)
Author: Dr Sarvat Rahman
Publisher: Abhinav Publications
(Pp 336, ISBN 978-8170175278, Rs 390)

Mirza Ghalib: 100 Famous Ghazals

The question was once asked, “What did the Mughal dynasty which ruled over India for so long leave behind?” The answer was, “The Taj Mahal, the Urdu language and the Diwan-e-Ghalib.” Of all the poets writing in Urdu, Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) may be said to be the most famous and the greatest of all Urdu poets alongwith Mir.

Ghalib’s ghazals are unforgettable and his poems are read, recited and remembered. This book is a collection of 100 famous ghazals selected from the complete translation of the Diwan-e-Ghalib published in 2003 by the Ghalib Institute, New Delhi. All the ghazals are given in Urdu, followed by its translation in English. The same ghazal is also written in both English and Hindi languages.

By her translations, the author Dr Sarvat Rahman wishes to make known the humanistic and liberal ideas inspired by Sufism, in particular, which were and are the heritage which we received from the great poets of the Urdu language. It’s indeed a collectors’ edition

The Body in the Back Seat

Author: Salil Desai
Publisher: Gyaana books
(Pp 254, ISBN 978-81-909391-5-7, Rs 250,)

Another debut novel of an Indian author, The Body in the Back Seat is a fiction thriller written by Salil Desai, an author and a film-maker.

The story starts with a body found in the back seat of a car in the tow yard of the Chaturshringi police station. Prima facie, it looked as a case of suicide. But, senior inspector Saralkaar was not convinced. He sets out to find the truth behind it. What seemed to be a suicide was actually a murder – a murder by the victim’s wife who was caught in a loveless marriage and who did not want her son to be known as a child of a gay.

The novel maintains the thrill and suspense till the end. The story line is sharp and the description articulate which keep the readers glued to the book.

Tagore’s Mystique of Dance

Author: Utpal K Banerjee
Publisher: Niyogi Books
(Pp 260, ISBN 978-81-89738-96-9)

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore derived inspiration from diverse sources while articulating his unparalleled ingenuity in the realm of visual, literary and performing arts. His uniquely expressed Rabindra Nritya (Tagore’s Dance) has been recognized as an unmistakable fount of creativity. This ‘mood dance’ incorporates the suitable dance elements from the classical dances of the Indian sub-continent and the regional dances of the Asia-Pacific. Tagore portrayed his seasonal odes and music dramas through this wonderful form of art.

The book explores at the treasure-trove of his music and the panoply of his paintings, unearthing only the dancing figures, thereby unravelling their mystique. It also covers the legacy of his dance, which has been carried over by the choreographers who have used Tagore’s dance.

The book is alive with paintings and pictures of the art-form - truly a tribute to 150 years of Rabindranath Tagore.

Fifty years of Silence

(The extraordinary memoir of a war rape survivor

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Author: Jan Ruff-O’Herne
Publisher: Mehta Publishing House
(Pp 214, ISBN 978-81-8498-126-1, Rs 300)

An emotional and moving account of a war rape survivor – Fifty Years of Silence is a true story of a woman – Jan Ruff-P’Herne - who was forced into sexual slavery in a brothel for the Japanese military after Japanese invaded Java in 1942 and she was put in Ambarawa Prison Camp. For fifty years, Jan kept silent about her miseries. But in 1992, when Korean war rape victims made appeal for justice on television, Jan decided to speak out. What was more difficult was to tell her family about what she had gone through. Instead of a face-to-face discussion, she resorted to writing a memoir, which finally took the shape of this book. Jan liked to sketch and she has shared the sketches she drew at the brothel and the camp.

The book also has pictures and memories from her childhood – Jan belonged to a rich family…her dreams only to be shattered by the Japanese invasion. Written in a simple yet powerful way, the book outlines the life of a girl, who literally lived through hell. It is an account of her courage, her sufferings and her endurance.

Inner Pilgrimage

Auhor: Raji Lukkoor

Publisher: Third Eye
(Pp 176, ISBN 978-81-8274-502-5, Rs 195)

Have you ever experienced frustration, desolation and emotional relationship problems? Are you unhappy? Are your fears, compulsive desires and obsessions holding you hostage? Probably you are going through an inner war which Buddha calls cravings, aversions and ignorance. To emerge from the inevitable sufferings of existence, practice Vipassana or insight meditation.

The book is a comprehensive description of the author’s ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat. Her ten days to inner pilgrimage actually transformed her.

She comes home with an inner calmness and heightened awareness that together nurture and enhances spiritual growth. This personal spiritual journey will definitely motivate readers to transform their restlessness and judgmental tendencies into spiritual growth.