Ashwathama

The story of Yayati is perhaps one of the most intriguing and fascinating episodes of Mahabharata. Yayati was a great scholar and one of the noblest rulers of olden times. He followed the shastras and was devoted to the welfare of his subjects. Even the king of gods, Indra, held him in high esteem. Married to seductively beautiful Devyani, in love with her maid Sharmishtha, and father of five sons from two women, Yayati unabashedly declared, 'My lust for pleasure is unsatisfied'. His quest for the carnal continued.

The story of Ravana and his people has been told innumerable times. This is the Hindi translation of the number one national best seller. This saga is of victory and defeat - a story that has been tainted by India's oppressed and exploited caste for 3,000 years. Unlike the Ramayana, the story of Ravana has never been told so far. But now it's time to speak for the dead and the defeated. 

The second book in the Ajaya series, Kali ka Uday tells the story of the vanquished in the epic war Mahabharata. The book narrates the story from the point of view of the Kauravas. The story starts with the Kaurava prince Duryodhana challenging Krishna before the apocalyptic war breaks out. The author describes a city waiting with bated breadth for the outcome of the war. While women, noblemen, priests and humble beings helplessly watch the war and its consequences unfold in front of them, the greedy traders circle the skies in anticipation of what's to come next.

The Mahabharata endures as the great epic of India. But while Jaya is the story of the Pandavas, told from the perspective of the victors of Kurukshetra, Ajaya is the narrative of the ‘unconquerable’ Kauravas, who were decimated to the last man. At the heart of India’s most powerful empire, a revolution is brewing. Bhishma, the noble patriarch of Hastinapura, is struggling to maintain the unity of his empire. On the throne sits Dhritarashtra, the blind King, and his foreign-born Queen - Gandhari.

Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age - the Kaliyug. In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar. Only, he is a serial killer.

Kurukshetra is a Hindi classic. It gives an extraordinary account of the Kurukshetra war mentioned in the Mahabharata. It describes in vivid details the armed confrontation that took place between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. This bloody war lasted eighteen days. The author's own views on war are showcased in this work. He criticizes war but also admits that it is a necessary evil. It describes the demerits of war and the damage it does to mankind, through the medium of poetry.

It is a popular belief that the Ramayana is idealistic while the Mahabharata is realistic. Yet these two epics have identical building blocks, identical themes and identical history. In this groundbreaking book, Devdutt Pattanaik, India’s most popular mythologist, explores the similarities and dissimilarities between the two epics in a ‘playful analysis’. Whether it is the family structure, forest exile or war, the comparison between the two epics proves a startling point - the Mahabharata is in fact a reaction to the events in the Ramayana.

In the Republic of Vaishali - which comprises eight different states and is run by their elected representatives - lives the beautiful Ambapali. Considered to be the most beautiful woman in the whole republic, she is eventually forced to dedicate herself to the republic as a Nagarvadhu (literally, the wife of the city). She, however, demands various privileges in exchange for this and is granted all of them by the authorities, with the condition that she must fulfil her duties well.  

Dark Horse is one of the most popular novels of this decade written in Hindi. Such a live and vivid portrayal of the life of candidates preparing for the civil services examination in the Hindi medium were not focused in any other book to date. A candidate preparing for the country's highest honored examination is not only an aspirant but also has a multifaceted lifestyle and struggles in his lap. This is the story of the same struggle.

2017, Delhi – Vidyut’s dying ancestor summons him to Banaras. The old Brahmin chieftain of the Dev-Raakshasa Matth, or the God-Demon Clan, bears a chilling secret. Their bloodline carries an ancient curse that will plague mankind - towards its own violent extinction. 1700 BCE, Harappa – Harappa is a magnificent city on the banks of the mighty Saraswati river. The darkness of treachery, taantric exorcism and bloodshed unleashes itself on the last devta, paving the way for his devastating revenge…and the horrifying truth behind the fall of the glorious civilisation.

India’s most favourite news anchor, Naina Vashisht is murdered less than 500 metres from home when she goes for a jog in her neighbourhood park. As glamourous as she is ambitious, she is a name to reckon with in media and political circles, and crucial to the TRP of her channel. A lot of people admire her, and many more envy her - enough to want her to go away. Naturally, when she is found dead, suspects are many....

द्रौपदी महाभारत ही नहीं, भारतीय जीवन तथा संस्कृति का एक अत्यन्त विलक्षण और महत्वपूर्ण चिरत्र है-परन्तु साहित्य ने अब तक उसे प्रायः छुआ नहीं था।

The year is 340 BC. A hunted, haunted Brahmin youth vows revenge for the gruesome murder of his beloved father. Cold, calculating, cruel and armed with a complete absence of accepted morals, he becomes the most powerful political strategist in Bharat and succeeds in uniting a ragged country against the invasion of the army of that demigod Alexander the Great. Pitting the weak edges of both forces against each other, he pulls off a wicked and astonishing victory and succeeds in installing Chandragupta on the throne of the mighty Mauryan empire.

अंदलुशिया में रहनेवाले एक आम चरवाहे सैंतियागो की ये कहानी स्पेन से होते हुए मिस्र के रेगिस्तान जा पहुँचती है। 

Satyajit Ray is well known for his contributions to Indian literature. His short stories often explore the macabre and the supernatural and are often marked by keen characterization. This collection brings together Ray’s best short stories - including such timeless gems as ‘Professor Hijibijbi’, ‘Ratan Babu aur Veh Admi’ and ‘Bhakt’. A collection of 12 short stories.