🚂 Introduction: A Different Kind of Travel Book When most people think of travel books about India, they picture bustling cities, famous landmarks, or remote villages. But Biswanath Ghosh, in his delightful book Chai, Chai: Travels in Places Where You Stop But Never Get Off, takes a completely fresh approach. This is not a guide…
🖋️ Introduction: A Unique Memoir by Jhumpa Lahiri In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri is not your typical memoir. It’s a deeply personal and meditative exploration of language, identity, and belonging. Known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning debut Interpreter of Maladies, Lahiri surprises readers by stepping away from English altogether in this bilingual literary experiment. Written…
📚 Introduction: A Novel of Silence and Stillness In Whereabouts, Jhumpa Lahiri, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Interpreter of Maladies, returns with a novel that is as quiet as it is profound. Originally written in Italian and later translated into English by Lahiri herself, Whereabouts is a short, introspective journey through the unnamed life of…
📚 Introduction: When a Nation Divides, So Do Lives Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Independence is a deeply moving and timely historical fiction novel that explores one of the most pivotal and painful moments in Indian history — the Partition of 1947. Set against the backdrop of a newly divided nation, this novel is a story of…
📚 Introduction: A Literary Classic Born from Kerala’s Heart Published in 1997, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is one of the most celebrated and powerful novels in modern Indian literature. It won the prestigious Booker Prize, catapulting Roy into global literary fame and establishing the book as a must-read for lovers of…
📚 Introduction: A Queen History Tried to Forget The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a stunning work of historical fiction that brings to life the extraordinary story of Rani Jindan Kaur, the fearless and forgotten queen of the Sikh Empire. Published in 2021, this novel reclaims a powerful Indian heroine who challenged colonial…
📖 Introduction: Mythology Reimagined Through a Woman’s Eyes What if the epic tale of the Mahabharata was told not by sages or warriors—but by Draupadi, the fire-born queen herself?In The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, readers are transported into the ancient world of Indian mythology through a bold, feminist lens that brings new…
Introduction to The Forest of Enchantments If you’re passionate about mythological fiction, Indian epics retold from a female perspective, or are simply looking for a powerful feminist retelling of the Ramayana, The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a must-read. Published in 2019, this novel reimagines the ancient Indian epic Ramayana through the…
If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the vast ocean of Hindu mythology, but felt overwhelmed by its scale and complexity, Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik is the perfect place to start. This beautifully written book brings the Mahabharata, one of the greatest Indian epics, to life in a way that is engaging, accessible, and deeply…
There are some stories that never leave you—ones you first encountered in school classrooms, read aloud by your teachers, or analyzed in dusty textbooks. India’s Greatest Short Stories is a beautiful collection that brings all those memories rushing back. For anyone who grew up reading Indian literature, this book is like revisiting an old friend….