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The Making of Mumbai
Fr Benny Aguiar tells the story of Mumbai as no one has told it before. Indeed, here you have a fascinating story told in all its details across the centuries. Books about Mumbai are many, but few people know that the flint stones found in Backbay attest to the presence of early man in the seven islands which the ancient historian, Ptolemy called "Heptanesia" (Seven Islands) or that the caves of Kanheri and Elephanta are witnesses to the ancient Aryan and Buddhist civilizations that flourished here or in nearby Sopara, Kalyan and Thane? True, many people are aware that it was the British colonizers that transformed Bombay into the Cosmopolitan, industrial and commercial capital of the country. But how many people know that Shivaji and his Maratha Successors mightily ruled over Bassein and Salsette for nearly sixty years? Today's 12 million Mumbaikars enjoy the legacy left behind by the early traders and rulers and should therefore strive to preserve what was best in that legacy. For Catholics especially the history of Mumbai is of special importance as it was from the Portuguese missionaries that they acquired their religion and partly their culture, but also because the transition from one period of history to another led to a decline and then to a revival and formation of the vibrant Catholic Community that has made such a vital contribution in the educational and other fields in the city of Mumbai
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The Last Victory
It is October 1910 and the lovers Kim and Parvati are fleeing across India, escaping forces beyond their control. They know that great changes are afoot the Mahatma's ideas are gaining ground and the Indian National Congress is about to change remarkably with the entrance of Jawaharlal Nehru. Ahead lie turbulent times that will reveal the ruthlessness of the Empire and give rise to the promise of independence. Kim and Parvati's lives criss-cross those of many known and unknown Indians who believe in the Indian nation, and they too are swept into the very centre of the struggle for independence, where they must confront their terrifying tormentors. Taking off from The Imperial Agent, where Timeri Murari masterfully recreated Kipling's free-spirited and idealistic hero, Kimball O'Hara, The Last Victory is a thrilling account of Kim's life from the uncertainty of youth to an illuminating maturity mirrored only by the brilliance of a new India.
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Savaging The Civilized
This evocative and beautifully written book brings to life one of the most remarkable figures of twentieth-century India. Verrier Elwin (1902-64) was an anthropologist, poet, Gandhian, hedonist, Englishman, and Indian. Savaging the Civilized reveals a many-sided man, a friend of the elite who was at home with the impoverished and the destitute; a charismatic charmer of women who was comfortable with intellectuals such as Arthur Koestler and Jawaharlal Nehru; an anthropologist who lived with and loved the tribes yet who wrote literary essays and monographs for the learned. Savaging the Civilized is both biography and history, an exploration through Elwin's life of some of the great debates of our times, such as the impact of economic development, and cultural pluralism versus cultural homogeneity. For this new edition, Ramachandra Guha has updated the epilogue to take account of the growing influence of Naxalites in Adivasi areas. He has also added a fresh introduction, stressing the relevance of Elwin's life and work to current debates on Indian democracy and pluralism.
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The Only Story
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER** Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less? That is, I think, finally, the only real question. First love has lifelong consequences, but Paul doesn't know anything about that at nineteen. At nineteen, he's proud of the fact his relationship flies in the face of social convention. As he grows older, the demands placed on Paul by love become far greater than he could possibly have foreseen. Tender and wise, The Only Story is a deeply moving novel by one of fiction's greatest mappers of the human heart.
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Uncommon Ground
"Uncommon Ground" brings together titans of industry and leaders of civil society to explore eight themes that are highly relevant for our future development. Based on Rohini Nilekani's 2008 show on NDTV, the conversations explore the middle ground between the ideological divisions that often polarise the business and voluntary sectors. In course of these rare dialogues between leaders who have sometimes been adversaries, a number of common concerns emerge. The author, uniquely placed to moderate these discussions as she traverses both sides herself, demonstrates that the relationship between business, society and state need not be necessarily confrontational. Rich in insights, "Uncommon Ground" highlights the critical importance of dialogue in our democracy to create a shared vision of the future. It is a significant contribution to the ongoing debate on development and equitable growth in India.