Festive Reads/ Diwali 2022
With Diwali just round the corner, we thought of recommending some books that shall be a detour from the staple sweets. Here’s a little brief about each of them to help you pick the best.
THE MAGICAL MYTHS AND LOST LEGENDS OF DIWALI
DID YOU KNOW? Dhanteras started with a clever princess defeating a snake with a mound of glittering gold and silver. The evil King Narakasura kidnapped 16,000 princesses from all over the world and Krishna rescued every single one of them! • Once when Hanuman was young, he was so hungry he almost swallowed the sun! From the glorious return of Rama to Ayodhya, to the mighty battle of the Mahabharata, and a smattering of adventure stories from ancient myths and legends, Diwali is a key that unlocks significant chapters of Hindu mythology for the uninitiated. But it is so much more than that! In this book, Priyankee Saikia explores the unique regional twists to the festival and the history behind them and how it is significant not just for Hindus in India, but for followers of other religions and citizens of other countries. Discover the fascinating rituals and the not-so-pleasant aspects of the biggest festival of India, and learn about the curious legends behind all of them.
DEVI FOR MILLENNIALS
‘Devi’s constant presence motivated the book. She is the one who made me write it. She is the one who will make you read it or ignore it. Ya Devi sarvagrantheshu. Nothing more remains to be said.’Who is Devi? What are her mantras? What are her stories? What are her rituals? The roots of Devi worship are deeply embedded in Indian society. Archaeological excavations, going back a few thousand years, show traces of Devi worship. Devi’s stories feature in the Puranas and Devi Gita (part of Devi Bhagavata Purana), which is a beautiful amalgamation of Vedanta and tantra.Directed at young readers, Devi for Millennials demystifies Devi’s mantras, tantra, yantras and worship, often perceived to be esoteric. It narrates the stories of Devi and describes in a simple manner the Shakti Peethas and their significance. It also includes translations of verses both familiar and obscure across a wide spectrum of texts, one of them being the Devi Gita.Remaining close and faithful to original Sanskrit texts and without any distortion or interpretation, it is a primer, an introduction to worshipping Devi, who is always with us.
MY GITA
Widespread popularity of The Gita The Gita is one of the most widely read books in India and the World. Hence, it comes as no surprise that there are numerous translations and interpretation of the Gita available. Many authors, academicians and scholars all over the world have attempted to translate, interpret and publish the Gita in their own words. Devdutt Pattanaik’s book ‘My Gita’ is also a part of that tradition. The Book The unique feature about Pattanaik’s book is that it is written in such a way that it adheres to the background and surroundings of the modern time. The readers of ‘My Gita’ will be able to connect with the book today because of the contemporary sense in which it has been written. The Gita originally has thousands of verses and the reader today has no time for reading all of them, so Devdutt Pattanaik’s takes care of this issue by going through the various themes of the Gita in his book. Krishna and Arjuna’s dialogue may seem alien in today’s world. But Pattanaik transverses that problem by connecting and adapting the teachings of Krishna to the present times. A world where the self is gaining more and more importance, needs to look towards the world that we live in, needs to understand that we do not live in this world alone, that love and care and meaning are very important for life. Buy this thought provoking book.
MY WISDOM BOOK
In a fast-paced, rapidly changing world, children struggle to cope with the sheer multiplicity of stimuli and expectations. It could get overwhelming for the still-developing minds of the young. How do we get them to pause for a moment? What will help them take on challenges calmly?
Swami Mukundananda explains that one way to create a positive environment is to introduce ancient Hindu verses in everyday life. Learning to recite the shlokas and mantras equips children with timeless wisdom that shapes their character.
My Wisdom Book draws on the timeless knowledge of scriptures to explain ancient Hindu wisdom in a fun, easy and entertaining way for beginners. The book is packed with 75 Sanskrit and Hindi verses, including transliterations in English, with explanations, and encourages kids to include the practice of reading and chanting into their daily lives.
Divided into two age-appropriate levels-Juniors (ages 3-9) and Seniors (age 10 upwards)-the book has separate sections for daily shlokas, mantras, simple bhajans and learnings for each level. Approachable and easy-to-understand, the text is designed to be read together with parents and grandparents by juniors, and by older kids on their own. Beautifully illustrated by Rayika Sen, this handy book is the perfect gift for festivals, religious ceremonies, birthdays, or indeed any time at all!
EVERYDAY GITA
Why do we worry without cause? Why do we fear without reason?
This book is a collection of 365 verses of unadulterated wisdom, providing answers to all our confusions. In the battleground of our life, no one day is the same as the other, each comes with its own set of challenges. We can never be prepared enough to handle all that life throws our way. It would not be unusual for us to feel discouraged, or even panic, just like the Pandava prince Arjun lost his nerve just before the start of the battle of Mahabharata. Fortunately for him, Lord Krishna acted like a psychologist and pulled him out of the depths of his trepidation. It took 700 verses for Krishna to clear up Arjun’s confusions and make him battle-ready.
Everyday Gita takes 365 of the most effective of those verses and explains simplistically how to fight the stresses and fears in our daily life and come out a winner. Always.
Here’s to bagging more happiness with books. Happy Diwali!