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Shades of
conversion
Santosh Kr. Singh
Changing Gods: Rethinking
Conversion in India
by Rudolph C. Heredia. Penguin Books. Pages 386. Rs 350.
WHEN
faith gets institutionalised, it becomes religion. While religion is
rigid, the beauty of faith has been its fluidity. The reason why
religion is being seen globally today as the most potent weapon of
mutual destruction is because of the loss of the element of faith as its
central component. The politics of identity further accentuates and
hardens the religious boundaries.
Arduous
spiritual journey
Himmat Singh Gill
The Sacred Mountain
by John Snelling. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi. Pages 457. Rs 995.
Mount
Kailas is more than
just a holy mountain nestling in Tibet. And it becomes very obvious when
one has turned over the last page of this electrifying and profusely
photo-illustrated new edition of John Snelling’s book, which carries
accounts by travellers who have been able to make the journey to the
Throne of the Gods ever since China eased travel restrictions for the
foreigners in 1984.
Power
of womanhood
Aradhika Sharma
Woman of the Elements
by Rashmi Anand. Rs 295. Pages 159.
the
first thing that strikes you as you look at this book of poetry is how
visually appealing it is. The cover, typeface and design elements come
together beautifully in the book that celebrates womanhood. The book is
divided into sections based on the four natural elements that culminate
into a segment on Goddess. Minimalistic, yet evocative motifs have been
created for each of them.
Saga
of indomitable courage
Ivninderpal Singh
Hindustan Gadar Party: A Short
History
by Sohan Singh Josh. Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee, Jalandhar. Pages
640. Rs 200.
THE
Gadar movement is a saga of courage, valour and determination of
overseas Indians who had gone to Canada and the US for economic
opportunities. This was the first revolutionary movement of modern India
after the mutiny of 1857 that made rapid strides in foreign lands. It
will not be an exaggeration to say that during the period of World War
I, Indian revolutionaries in Canada and America became dominant actors
in the Indian national movement.
Bureaucratic
anecdotes
Kanwalpreet
Never a Dull Moment, with Men of Honour and Dishonour
by R. D. Pradhan. Rupa. Pages 155. Rs 395.
THE
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the most lucrative
careers. Being a part of this elite service not only means envious perks
and status, but also rubbing shoulders with the high and powerful. The
author R. D. Pradhan joined the civil services in 1952, and had an
interesting career. He worked in various capacities at the state,
national as well at the international level.
Powder
keg astride the Indus
Vijay Mohan
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir –
The Untold Story
Ed. Virendra Gupta and Alok Bansal. Compiled and published by the
Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis and Manas Publications, New
Delhi. Pages 251. Rs 495
MUCH
has flowed down the Indus since Pakistan sent in armed tribals in a bid
to capture the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in
1948. The part of J&K under Indian control has been in the
international limelight but little is heard, read or seen about the
territory that remains under Pakistani occupation, especially northern
areas comprising the north-western part of the state.
Kerouac’s
On The Road
Uncensored manuscript found
Paul Bignell and Andrew Johnson
IT
took Jack Kerouac just three weeks to write what became one of the most
influential books of the 20th century, inspiring a generation of
writers, artists and musicians from Bob Dylan to Hanif Kureishi. Or such
is the myth. In fact what became On the Road was edited
extensively over a six-year period before it was published in 1957.
An
authentic account of the Indian diaspora
Prasun Sonwalkar
THE
at-times quirky but often colourful account of the life and times of the
Indian community in Britain has been chronicled in the revised edition
of Indian journalist Sanjay Suri’s book, Brideless in Wembley,
released here recently. The book has been widely reviewed and commented
upon since its release. It is leading to a significant review of the
ways of Indian living in Britain.
Blair’s
memoirs
Former
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has hired Robert Barnett to contact
publishers on his behalf for a possible book deal. According to the Daily
Mail, Barnett was responsible for securing a reported 12 million
dollars for ex-US President Bill Clinton’s autobiography My Life,
and industry insiders estimate Blair’s book could fetch a similar
figure.
SHORT TAKES
Reams of patriotism
Randeep Wadehra
-
The hanging of Bhagat
Singh: the banned literature
by Dr. Gurdev Singh Sidhu
Unistar, Chandigarh. Pages: viii+228. Rs 495
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Selected collections on
Bhagat Singh
by MM Juneja Modern Publishers,
Hisar. Pages 304. Rs 300
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Report of Komagata Maru
Committee of Inquiry
by Darshan S. Tatla Unistar and Punjab Centre
of Migration Studies. Pages: viii+198. Rs. 395
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