Mangtu Baba’s House and other stories by Deepshikha Mehta
A daughter chances upon journals and diaries of her father, written by him when he was a child through to his adolescence. She uses the entries to create a semi-fictional world that captures her father’s childhood. Discover the meaning of love and friendship for a young boy, Ramesh, through vignettes of his childhood spent in the hamlets and towns of Himachal.
I’ve been reading a lot of short stories lately. It is a great format and should be explored more. This book is a collection of stories of the author’s father’s childhood. To me, it was literally like reading my parents journals. The stories they tell are very similar. The innocence of childhood and the nostalgia of simpler things made the book a very enjoyable one. We all look back at our childhood and think about how our lives changed. The book made me think the same. It also made me realize though experience changes from generation to generation the essence of childhood remains the same. We all love a time when we had no responsibilities and had infinite curiosity and energy. Overall, I enjoyed reading the stories and I’ll be giving the book to my parents so they can take a trip down the nostalgia lane. My favourite story was Papa and Sheru. The book also reminded me of Malgudi days and Swami and his friends.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
As the blurb says, unexpected circumstances leads to the marriage between the witch and the witch hunter: Lou and Reid.
You’re to be my wife.” Catching up to her in two strides, I reached out to grab her arm, but stopped short of touching her. “That means you’ll obey me.” “Does it?” She raised her brows, still grinning. ” I suppose that means you’ll honor and protect me, then? If we’re adhering to the dusty old roles of your patriarchy?” I shortened my pace to match hers. “Yes.” She clapped her hands together. “Excellent. At least this will be entertaining. I have many enemies.
I really enjoy enemies to lovers trope especially in a fantasy setting with a magic system. When I first read the book a year ago, I really really enjoyed their banter. But now the similarities in the personalities between Nina (from Six of Crows) and Lou and Reid and Matthias (from Six of Crows) is way too much. I hadn’t read Six of Crows before but now I can’t even distinguish between the pairs although the settings are different. It doesn’t mean I didn’t like reading it.
I really liked the magic system of this universe. Magic works differently for everyone and you don’t get sometjing for nothing. You need to trade something from your life everytime. That is a very fascinating idea.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I didn’t really understand how just singing a pub song aka indecent as Ansel called it makes Ansel goes against the only instruction he was supposed to follow. It also distracts the witches in the middle of an attack. How?? I can atleast make some sense of Ansel part.
Big Titty Liddy was not very pretty , but her bosom was big as a barn
Her creamery knockers drove men off thir rockers, but she was blind to their charms
Apart from this, I love love the book. My only complaint would be that the “falling in love” part happened a little too quickly or maybe I just wanted more of their banter and Lou being annoying.
My favourite character was Ansel and I hope he will be developed well in the sequel.
I read this book in anticipation of the sequel, Blood & Honey. It is finally in my hands. Expect a review soon.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Qotd: Did you read Serpent and Dove? Did you enjoy it?
Another month of 2020 has come to and end. Honestly, everything since March is a blur.
September was a good month for me reading wise. I read 6 books (Excluding review copies etc).
1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Blurb:
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.
Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I can’t wait to read the sequel, Vengeful.
2. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Blurb:
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship–the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
My rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Detailed review coming soon.
4. The Toll by Neal Shusterman
Blurb: It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.
“A Study in Scarlet” is the first published story of one of the most famous literary detectives of all time, Sherlock Holmes. Here Dr. Watson, who has just returned from a war in Afghanistan, meets Sherlock Holmes for the first time when they become flat-mates at the famous 221 B Baker Street. In “A Study in Scarlet” Sherlock Holmes investigates a murder at Lauriston Gardens as Dr. Watson tags along with Holmes while narratively detailing his amazing deductive abilities.
My rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟
I love Sherlock Holmes but this story felt a little off but I still enjoyed reading it.
6. Serpent and Dove
Blurb:
Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
My rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
I read this book in anticipation of the sequel, Blood and Honey. I finally have it in my hands and I’m so excited. Expect
How was your September? How many books did you read? Any favorites?
I had the opportunity to interview the author of the book ‘A Blue Moon Interlude’, Viji. Do check out the book.
1) What inspired you to write? Have you always wanted to be a writer?
The urge to write a novel has always existed in some corner of my mind. It burgeoned into a passion in recent times. Through my childhood and teenage years, I have often woven stories in my head. It was that private space where I could escape and spin a fairy world. Many times, while reading fiction, I would try to imagine an alternate situation and wonder how the story could have progressed differently. Also, the reason for my successful stint as a teacher was my story-telling sessions which my students looked forward to. Their keen interest in my stories led to writing. But writing as a full-time occupation happened suddenly. I wrote a few reviews on television shows and one of the page administrators asked me to write a fiction based on the show. The unexpected success of that story impelled me to write further, and now I do not let a day go by without writing at least one page.
2) What books or authors have most influenced you?
All genres of fiction, in general have influenced me. Thriller, mystery, romance, fantasy; have all managed to make an impression on me. Foremost on the authors list is Shakespeare. His characters have intrigued me in great measure, especially Hamlet and Othello. Dan Brown’s novels spurred me to look deeper into our own history and mythology. Amitav Ghosh’s writing made me realize that Indian English literature has refined enormously to produce classics on contemporary settings. Amish Tripathi, Chetan Bhagat, Anand Neelakandan, Khaled Hosseini, Chitra Banerjee, Sydney Sheldon, Jeffery Archer, Anne Mather have inspired me in their own ways.
3) Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
‘A Blue Moon Interlude’, is a contemporary thriller which is steeped in ancient South Indian history, an area of both history and mythology which has largely remained unexplored, not just in fiction but also in the history textbooks of our schools. Ancient Tamil History dating back to the earlier period of first millennium, like Greco-Roman Egyptian History, is that period which falls on the blurred lines between history and mythology, where history and folklore seamlessly merge with one another. Contemporary Chennai, the urban heart of Tamil Nadu, is a confluence of this history and this mythos, and the young adults of the Information Age. The story is unique, because while it belongs to one of the most popular genres of adult fiction in India in the recent past, it also explores a relatively untouched area of history in contemporary fiction.
4) Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so who? And what makes them so special?
All my characters are special but some are dearer than others. Nilagriva Chandra Shekhar, the main protagonist is special because of his growth from a distant stranger to someone who fights for his love, family and land with passion is remarkable. However, my favourite character is the eighty- year-old Nedumaran. His age and wisdom notwithstanding, Nedumaran makes a strong impression. Carrying a powerful and blessed truth in his heart for years, he wants to divulge it to the appropriate legatee. Caretaker of the ancestral estate of industrialist Arunachalam Chettiar in the temple town of Chidambaram, Nedumaran’s long white beard and wise eyes contradict his unapologetic habit of smoking weed. Devoting his solitary life to spiritual pursuits, his occasional straying into the forbidden path generates an interest in the younger generation.
5) If you could go back in time and change something about your book, what would you change?
So far so good. I have drafted so much and edited so much more that I hope there is nothing that I would like to change in the book now. Having said that, I must add that with every novel, a writer learns and grows. Also, with feedback, I might get a better perspective on my work.
Yes, very much so. I am very grateful that Become Shakespeare.com has made my dream of publishing a novel come true. The person assigned to my project, Miral Bheda has been very helpful and has guided me appropriately. The journey so far has been smooth and enjoyable.
7) If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Well, my dream team would be…as Nilagriva Chandra Shekhar, I can’t imagine anyone but a young Amitabh Bachchan, a younger Sridevi as Sindhoora and a young Shashi Kapoor as Jeeva Velu Stane. These are the three main characters and all three require strong screen presence.
8) Writing can be exhausting and stressful. Any tips for aspiring writers?
I have always found writing exhilarating. In spite of that, there are days when I have got stuck with words and faced writers’ block. In such situations, the best way to overcome it, would be to take a break, get into physical activity or indulge in a favourite hobby. Once you have overcome the exhaustion and relaxed your mind, you will be ready to get going. Making a daily schedule and following a set deadline also help to come up with fresh ideas.
9) Are you working on anything at present that you would like to share with your readers about?
Yes, I am writing a fantasy-romance based on time travel. There are two parallel plots set in different eras. How the two plots would get connected is what would keep the readers guessing. An ancient prophecy that was written on the banks of an immortal river and an odyssey through time to unravel a timeless secret is the logline of the story.
10) What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
a) One of the key ingredients of a book is the ‘Feel good sentiment’ that follows the completion of an engrossing story and hence, I hope that my book will leave the readers with a similar feeling. b) A faint lingering desire for the continuity of the travel that grips one at the end of a good journey is what I expect of ‘A Blue Moon Interlude’. c) The other most important thing that I hope that the readers would take away from this book is a revival of curiosity and interest in the history of our temples and folk legends.
Can I Create what Stars Can’t Foretell? by Dinesh Sahay
This book is a guide to solutions of day to day problems of life, such as, marriage issues, partner selection, jobs, promotion, financial & expansion of business, wish/dream/goal manifestation etc. The book contains an actual program evolved by Dinesh sahay author/Mentor, “Enlighten the lamp of your Fortune*” for manifestation of dreams. This programme can be done for few minutes sitting in office, at home, while travelling in train, plane, car and any person can do this belonging to any religion, faith, race or region or country. One can build Millionaire consciousness and create life with least efforts and become rich and abundant? Learn how to create what you want in actual life? The ethics of Art of Creation of Events by Power of Mind & Five senses and become the Master. God is ever ready to fulfil your demands subject to Universal Rules.
Review:
This book is a short self help book of 64 pages. It is written in simple language and easy narration.
Is the life which we lead really destined for us?
Can we become what we want in our lives?
Can we create our life as per our wishes, dreams and goals?
The author tries to answer all such questions. The author believes “You are the creator of your own destiny stored for you by God. He releases it to you on demand by your thoughts and actions. It’s as simple as this.”
The book has a programme which can be followed easily and implemented in our daily life. I’ve planned to try it out soon now that I’ve read the book. I rarely read self help but this provided some good insights to chase our dreams in life. The book provides all necessary information for the program including precautions, methods and things needed for it.
I felt that some points were repeated and another round of proofreading/editing would have made the book better.
Thanks to the author for the book.
🌟🌟🌟.8
Do you read self help? Did you find any particular book really helpful?
An Unquenchable Excess of Love by Anjutha Ranganathan
Love, a four-letter word that rules the world, is the ultimate source of immense pleasure as well as the deepest pain. It creates magic as well as havoc. This collection of poems looks at love from every angle, to paint an honest and beautiful image of what it means to fall in love.
Let’s take life as it is. We are all humans and love is inevitable to us. ‘The Falling’, ‘The Breaking’ and ‘The Healing’ is what’s supposed to happen to us. Otherwise, if lucky, we only fall in love and a forever.
An Unquenchable Excess of Love is for someone who has loved so passionately and has faced tremendous destruction by it and ultimately grown, become wise and shone out of it.
Review:
An Unquenchable Excess of Love is a collection of poems by Anjutha Ranganathan. The book is divided into three parts:
Part 1 The Falling
Part 2 The Breaking
Part 3 The Healing
Firstly, the cover of the book is beautiful. The addition of pictures with poems enhanced my reading experience.
I found two kinds of poems in this book. The writing in some poems are really beautiful. Others were what I call Tumblr poetry (short aesthetic poems which seem deep but not that deep if you think about it). I’m not a big fan of these poems. An example is this poem called Worship.
Worship
and even if not,
i will still worship you.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed reading the book. The author has so much potential considering this is her debut and I wish her luck to write more. I’ll be waiting to read more.
My favourite poem was the poem called Poison. Here is a snippet from it.
The book left me disappointed. My expectations were high because of how loved the book is and it turned out to be an average read.
Blurb:
A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship–the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
Review:
I just didn’t connect enough with Aristotle or Dante to be invested in them. The author has tried to make the character act and speak like teens but it doesn’t seem enough. They both never seem fifteen in the beginning of the book or seventeen at the end. You can say that that is because of their personalities but to me it felt like the author was out of touch.
Another secret of the universe: Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder.
A gay romance between two teenage boys who are so different yet similar – one a rough guy who can fight, who has a brother in prison, who has a difficult relationship with his father and the other a sweet and sensitive boy with his poetry and art is just the perfect plot. But the writing fell flat. The dialogue felt unrealistic and unnecessarily deep. I get the poetic part but it just did not resonate with me.
The summer sun was not meant for boys like me. Boys like me belonged to the rain.
I love a good angsty teen coming of age story about friendship and more but this wasn’t it. Turns out, there is going to be a sequel to the book soon and I’m hoping to read it with a more open mind. Moral here is that expectations always leads to disappointment
🌟🌟.8
Qotd: what is a popular book that you found disappointing?
I’m a sucker for mysteries and thrillers, especially a murder mystery. Add that with glamour world of film industry and the intrigue of investigative journalism makes for the perfect plot.
Blurb: On his 50th birthday, arrogant playboy superstar Raaj Kumar gets into a verbal scuffle with the media gathered outside his house who question his inability to maintain romantic relationships. He decides to take a sabbatical and disappears off the grid to Chikkamagaluru. Suhaasini, an intern at tabloid Muthodlur Blitz is assigned a difficult task – to track down Raaj and get an exclusive interview. Her research into Raaj’s life uncovers a strange pattern; ill-fate follows every official ex-girlfriend of Raaj–each one either becomes mentally unstable or dies under mysterious circumstances. Determined to solve this mystery, Suhaasini vows to unravel this sinister web, unearthing dark secrets and evil schemes along the way. As she gets closer to the truth, the death of key players and an attack to silence her only drives Suhaasini to keep on digging. Will she succeed? Will the culprit be brought to justice? And what will be the cost of her persistence to expose the truth?
Review:
I’m a sucker for mysteries and thrillers, especially a murder mystery. Add that with glamour world of film industry and the intrigue of investigative journalism makes for the perfect plot.
We follow the story of Suhaasini, an intern at tabloid Muthodlur Blitz, as she tries to uncover the mystery behind the superstar Raaj Kumar and the mysterious deaths of his ex girlfriends. Why are all of Raaj Kumar’s ex girlfriends either dead or mentally unstable? Can Suhaasini uncover the truth?
Initially I was unsure about the plot because media poking their heads in a star’s personal life is a common occurrence. I side with the stars wanting privacy but the book made it seem like the media was in the right and the star was wrong for not wanting to discuss his love life. It makes sense here considering the mystery involved but I still would’ve preferred a plot where Suhaasini gets involved in a slightly different way.
The book kept me on the edge and guessing the killer at the very end. The spiritual themes of the book was unexpected. I will not give any spoilers by mentioning exactly what it was but it came out of nowhere. It definitely made the story more interesting.
There were many references which only Kannadigas or those who live in Karnataka would know and I loved them. Ah reading about manglore bajji ( ಮಂಗಳೂರು ಬಜ್ಜಿ) made we ant to badly eat some. I suggest that meanings to some of these can be mentioned at the end of the book like a glossary.
Another round of editing and proofreading would’ve helped to cut out unnecessary details and improve the narration. The story starts with the focus on Raaj Kumar and his 50th birthday and then shifts to Suhaasini. It would have been nice to start off from Suhaasini ‘s perspective. Some of the side characters like Randheer could’ve been developed more. There was a lot of banter between Suhaasini and her mother which could’ve been cut.
The death of key characters, the slow unraveling, the investigative journalism were all well done. I especially appreciate the inclusion of love interest for Suhaasini as it provided some well needed comic relief in a mostly serious book.
Overall, it was a well written murder mystery that kept me hooked till the very end.
Love Shorts is a collection of four short stories themed around love.
1. Kullu Manali Her name meant that she was a bird born to fly. Ironically, she had never learnt to fly. One fine day, she met him… The wings of love lead her to the skies… Will destiny let her fly forever or will the skies, be touched again, never ?
The story begins as any other love story between two people from different walks of life until shocking revelations. I enjoyed reading this story but it got a little confusing in the end. The twists were unexpected.
2. From An Arranged Marriage Diary Arranged Marriages aren’t an easy crack anymore… or may be they were never… Rejecting 3 and rejected by 4, her present score is 3/4. She badly wants to level the scores. While she cannot let the next one reject her, she knows that rejecting isn’t easy too. Follow two people as they try to work out their arranged Marriage and figure out life. This was my favorite story. It made me smile throughout.
3. A Handful Of Love The story, they thought had ended, just turned out to be the beginning… They met again and this time for a little longer… Destiny’s twist and his presence made her realize that her existence was for a much larger purpose than she had thought it to be… This is a beautiful love story between Rahul and Parul and talks about destiny and love. The story focuses on self love and growth.
4. Dilli Dharamshala An accidental trip from Delhi to Dharamshala, where the trajectories of 4 lives intersect each other…Little do they know that this trip is going to change their lives forever – A story about realizing dreams, overcoming fears, discovering friendship and experiencing love … I was a little bored by this story though I usually love stories about friendship.
It is a short book with simple language and easy narration. I enjoy reading short stories. It is impressive how the author has managed to write complicated storylines in short stories. Another round of editing would have made the book better. I’m looking forward to read more stories by the author.
In The Indic Quotient, Kaninika Mishra celebrates the efforts of ordinary Indians as they reclaim their native identity with ingenuity – from a team of economists working to put long-forgotten millets on urban Indian plates in Delhi to a group of art enthusiasts working to bring back stolen artefacts from museums abroad; an ex-investment banker formulating Ayurveda-inspired beauty products in Chandigarh to a yoga teacher from rural Bihar setting up a successful teaching practice in Gurugram; and a former engineer working to revive traditional textiles in Assam to a corporate professional in Bengaluru making India’s first Sanskrit animation film. With intimately told stories of dynamism and entrepreneurship, the book tries to examine the relevance of traditional wisdom and culture in modern India, and what they mean for India’s economic future and soft power.
Over the past decade, India has seen a significant rise in both passion for enterprise and pride in heritage. The two have converged to form successful ventures and imaginative social initiatives centred around Indic ideas that encompass yoga, Ayurveda, textiles, Sanskrit education and temple conservation, among others.
The book, as mentioned, talks about the success of new business with its roots in the long lost Indian culture. It has seven chapters, each dedicated to a specific topic:
“The word yoga is derived derived from the Sanskrit root word yo, which means ‘to unite’. This is understood as the union of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness in the context of self realization and liberation (moksha).” -Kannika Mishra, The Indic Quotient
The author has done extensive research, traveling across India to talk to successful entrepreneurs of various fields. It was interesting to read the life stories of some of these people and how they managed to do what they loved.
Yoga, Ayurveda, millets have all now become common in India. Its fascinating that we once rejected all things great in our culture and looked back at it only after the Westerns took interest. I was especially interested to know more about these topics because my mother is an Ayurvedic doctor and highly advised Yoga to everyone. We also use millets and I used to do Yoga for a while. It amazes me that we didn’t always appreciate these ancient practices.
I’ve picked some of the most informative and interesting (according to me) paragraphs from the book to give a general idea of the book and also because they are interesting facts about our country and business.
‘Baba Ramdev says brought yoga back into common Indian’s life,’ he says referring to India’s most famous yoga guru. ‘Everyone knows about yoga now.’ Growing up in Siwan, Singh had no idea that yoga could be packaged and sold as a health routine to urban India. Therefore, when a relative suggested teaching yoga as a career option, Singh was unsure.
Rows of oil lamps light up the temple every evening. The gate of the sanctum sanctorum opens for darshan. Ensconced in layers of jasmine garlands stands the four armed Lord Viswambhara, holding a conch, discus, mace and lotus in his hands. The temple stands across the road from one of India’s oldest Ayurveda hospitals, the Arya Vaidya Sala (AVS) in Kottakkal, Kerala.
Unlike Kerala, where a solid heritage shapes contemporary practice, in northern India, Ayurveda doctors are compensating the lost legacy with entrepreneurial skill. While Chauhan was struggling to establish a practice, he was surprised to learn what India regarded as a primitive and obsolete system was slowly gaining acceptance in the West.
The attitude towards Ayurveda is changing, which has been a result of both the government support and the increased awareness of the benifits of India’s traditional health systems. New clinics are springing up in affluent areas. More tangible evidence is the increase in colleges offering Ayurveda education. Ayurveda has become a stable career option.
In south India, where millets have always been more widely used, the health conscious younger generations are rediscovering their benifits.
-Kannika Mishra, The Indic Quotient
I included the para about the temple and AVS to show the beautiful descriptions by the author.
I was also shocked to learn about all the artifacts and antiquities smuggled out of India and the efforts to bring it back.
‘A 2011 report by UNESCO estimates that nearly 50,000 objects were smuggled out of India between 1979 and 1989 alone, and after that, there’s been no comprehensive study’, says Saxena. He tells that despite laws only 19 antiquities were brought back to india between 1979 and 2001, and from 2001 to 2012, not a single case had been cracked.
‘We wanted to make a small effort in changing the way people think and that’s why “Gudiya Sambhrama” began, Vijaykumar Vijayalakshmi says emphatically. ‘Temples used to be places of learning. They weren’t merely confined to religious and spiritual practices but patronized arts, music and literature. Somewhere along the way communities became alienated and temples became places of worship where people went to make bargains with the presiding deity.
-Kannika Mishra, The Indic Quotient
The book is written in simple language with an easy and engaging narration. It is difficult to not bore the reader in a nonfiction book like this. I’m don’t usually read non fiction for the same reason and I was impressed that I wasn’t bored.
The book also highlights the importance of supporting local and small businesses and the growing Indian economy. This is now more relevant than ever considering the pandemic. It also talks about the future prospects of these businesses.
Definitely recommended for non fiction lovers and anyone who wants to learn more about these ancient culture based businesses and entrepreneurs.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks Bloomsbury india for this copy.
Happy reading!
Qotd: What comes to your mind when you think of India?
Thebookfeels 