The epic narrative follows the noble prince Rama as he embarks on a heroic quest to defeat the demon king Ravana. Rich in themes of duty, righteousness, and devotion, it highlights the enduring cultural significance of the Valmiki Ramayana in Indian society. Its characters and moral lessons continue to resonate, making it a vital part of the spiritual and literary heritage of the region.
Exiled on the eve of his coronation, Rama enters the forests of Dandaka with his beautiful wife, Sita, and devoted brothers, Lakshmana. When Sita is abducted by Ravana, who takes her to his isolated kingdom on the far side of the southern ocean, the two brothers set out to rescue her. What folloes is a heroic tale filled with intrigue and adventure, gods and demons, colossal battles and ancient wisdom. But the Ramayana is also ana intensely personal story of love and loss, duty and honour, petty jealousies and destructive ambitions. --
The Valmiki Ramayana remains a living force in the lives of the Indian people. A celebration of the victory of good over evil, this timeless epic recounts the legend of Rama, the exiled prince of Ayodhya, and his battle to vanquish the demon king Ravana. Exiled on the eve of his coronation, Rama enters the forests of Dandaka with his beautiful wife Sita and devoted brother Lakshmana. When Sita is abducted by Ravana, who takes her to his isolated kingdom on the far side of the southern ocean, the two brothers set out to rescue her. What follows is a heroic tale filled with intrigue and adventure, gods and demons, colossal battles and ancient wisdom. But the Ramayana is also an intensely personal story of love and loss, duty and honour, petty jealousies and destructive ambitions.
Exiled on the eve of his coronation, Rama enters the forests of Dandaka with his beautiful wife, Sita, and devoted brothers, Lakshmana. When Sita is abducted by Ravana, who takes her to his isolated kingdom on the far side of the southern ocean, the two brothers set out to rescue her. What folloes is a heroic tale filled with intrigue and adventure, gods and demons, colossal battles and ancient wisdom. But the Ramayana is also ana intensely personal story of love and loss, duty and honour, petty jealousies and destructive ambitions. --
A gorgeous, lucid rendering of the majestic conclusion to the Mahabharata As an epilogue to the greatest epic of all time, the Harivamsha further elaborates on the myriad conflicts of dharma and the struggle between good and evil. Stories abound-from the cosmogony of the universe to the legends of the solar and lunar dynasties and even a foreshadowing of kali yuga in the future. At the centre of all these magnificent tales is the mercurial figure of Krishna, whose miraculous life and wondrous exploits are recounted with vivid detail. In offering a glimpse into Krishna's life-as a mischievous child, as an enchanting lover, as a discerning prince-this luminous text sheds light on many questions left unanswered in the Mahabharata. Brimming with battles and miracles, wisdom and heroics, philosophical insight and psychological acuity, Bibek Debroy's splendid translation of the Harivamsha is absolutely essential reading for all those who love the Mahabharata.
The railways did more than link India - they brought its people together, changing histories, forging destinies, and leaving a lasting legacy. This sumptuously illustrated book traces that history from the early plans of the 1830s - from the laying of the first line, and the expansion of the train network into the heart of the country, to the role of the railways in India's momentous freedom movement and the high-speed Diamond Quadrilateral project. Indian Railways does more than celebrate the awe-inspiring bridges, stations, tunnels, and locomotives of the railway system. It traces the development of technology, explores the operational and commercial aspects of train travel, and documents the railways' transition from a colonial tool of expansion and trade to an intricate system with a distinct national identity. Most of all, it tells the story of the people who built and planned the railways and the locomotives that ran on them - their vision, their triumphs and tragedies, and their legacy.
The Mahabharata: Vol 9 by Bibek Debroy (Tr.), 9780143425229
"Dispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins, the Pandavas and the Kouravas, but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters face them with no clear indications of what is right and what is wrong; there are no absolute answers. Thus every possible human emotion features in the Mahabharata, the reason the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination."--Cover.
"Dispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins, the Pandavas and the Kouravas, but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters face them with no clear indications of what is right and what is wrong; there are no absolute answers. Thus every possible human emotion features in the Mahabharata, the reason the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination."--Cover