My books

Showing all 4 results

  • Indra – The Rise and Fall of a Hero

    The Rig Veda has close to 250 hymns dedicated to Indra and about 300 hymns refer to him in association with other gods. Indra is also mentioned in other texts, like the Atharva Veda, the Satapatha Brahmana and, of course, the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. His constant presence in the post-Vedic period, though in stark contrast to his Vedic glory, necessitates an important study of Indra. Scholars, both Indian and international, have studied the intriguing phenomenon called Indra.

    Buy on Amazon
  • Kannakis Anklet

    Kannaki s Anklet is a near-adaptation of the Shilappadikaram, a masterpiece of the Sangam literature that showcased Tamil life and culture in its full splendour. The epic highlights the trials and tribulations of Kannaki, an ordinary woman, who endures personal adversities but chastises the king for his single act of misdemeanour and injustice. Her anger burns down a city, forcing the goddess of the city to come down to appease her such was the wrath of a woman wronged! An ordinary woman, with mortal desires, goes on to be revered as Goddess Kannaki in Tamil Nadu, as Kodungallur Bhagvathy and Attukal Bhagvathi in Kerala, and as Goddess Pattini amongst the Sri Lankan Buddhists, while the Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus worship her as Kannaki Amman. Mr. Patel has done his ground-work with dedication and has made it a meaningful read to muse upon as well. Dr. Prema Nandakumar, Foreword

    Buy on Amazon
  • Satyavati

    Satyavati was the mother of sage Vyasa, the great sage who is said to have composed the epic Mahabahrata, and the grand-mother of Pandu and Dhritarashtra besides being one of the most important women characters in the epic. Her personality has shaped the epic and altered the course of the narrative.

    Buy on Amazon
  • Shakuntala – The Woman Wronged

    The story of Shakuntala is well known—her upbringing in the ashram, her meeting with Dushyant, their marriage and subsequent separation due to a curse and their final joyous reunion. What is not so well known, however, is that the gentle, lovelorn Shakuntala immortalized by Kalidasa is very different from the original Shakuntala of the Mahabharata—a strong, fiery woman who stood up for her rights when she was spurned by her beloved.

    Buy on Amazon