From Deepa's Desk

Nourish Your Soul is a wonderful compilation of stories about the saints that brought in a spiritual revolution in India. The book features stories of Meerabai, Tukaram, Ramanujacharya, Adi Shankaracharya and many more saints that epitomised devotion and love for the divine. Written in a simple and concise narrative, every story captures the life-transforming events of these saints. Meerbai's single-minded devotion to her Krishna, Adi Shankara's insights into the various schools of thoughts about the divine, the simple teachings of Kabir, Thyagaraja's dedication and devotion to music, the youngest Alwar (devotee) of Krishna - Andal - all these have been beautifully explained in this book. I have read other books of Swami Mukundananda and found them extremely soothing for the mind and the soul. Reading about the saints, one can only feel an iota of their fervor and yearning for the divine. The quotes from our ancient texts, that the author has shared in the book give us esse...

Beneath The Disposable Plates by Jigyansa Mohanty Available in Kindle edition True to its sub-title, this book is indeed 'a potluck journey in a foreign land'.  Having had to shift base several times, Jigyansa finds companionship and solace in the delightful ritual of potluck which bonds people over mutual love for food, recipes, family and more.  The author's journey begins from Pune to New Orleans where she encounters her first international tryst with potluck. Fighting jet lag and meeting strangers in a foreign land over a potluck dinner, Jigyansa finds the warmth of new friendship.  Thereafter, the author has shared her trysts with potluck in New Jersey, Saginaw and Indianapolis where she finds a community of her own.  I liked the author's breezy description of potluck and her acute observation about the behavior of people. Some of her candid musings really hit home. It is not easy to fit in, it is not easy to stand out either in a foreign land! Under such trying...

  Lucas is happiest when he is on his own, eating Pad Thai and playing video games with nary a care in the world.  However, a frying pan turns his world topsy-turvy.  When a discarded frying pan is found outside the building where Lucas stays, the Board members of the building ring his doorbell, asking for his input and assistance to find out the culprit who threw the frying pan outside the premises. What starts as a simple investigation turns into a whole procedure where Lucas finds himself getting more and more involved with the residents of the building.  The narrative is simple and brilliant with a gentle dose of good humor. The author's crisp style of narration keeps the reader engrossed in the story.  The best part is the subtle change in the narrative as the story nears the end. What starts as a quirky investigation turns into something very beautiful and poignant as the residents of the building share snippets of their lives with Lucas and he unwittingly...

This book is a collection of ten short stories each of which are based on a single food item. Be it the funny ode to the cauliflower where the vegetable reigned supreme throughout the story, or the chapatti that became a silent messenger of a mutiny, every chapter features some vegetable or fruit or a special dish native to some place. The author has given a wonderful rural touch to the stories, bringing them alive with brilliant narration of the places, events and people. Quirky characters with their unique personality traits make the stories a delightful read. There is humor in liberal doses. I found myself smiling and laughing throughout some of the narratives. Many of the stories are poignant in their essence and teach invaluable life-lessons, making a remarkable impact on the readers. For me, the best part of the book is the beautiful ending that the author has given to all the stories. Some endings contain just a few words but are powerful in their impact. I liked each and every ...

  This book is a collection of twenty short stories based on folklore and legends that are a part of the Himalayan ranges. The author has written a story on almost every state where the Himalayas are spread out. The stories are beautiful and poignant in their concept. Be it the berry fruit, which is local to Uttarakhand, the majestic Ashoka tree with an interesting legend behind it, legendary queens, kings and princes – every character has a unique story that brings these characters to life. The author’s soulful description of the places, her precise insight into the traditions followed by the tribes and communities of the hills and the interesting tidbits of information that she has shared in the stories lend a surreal aura to the tales of the hills and bring them to life. While the legend of the Kaafal broke my heart, Naak-Kati-Raani motivated me to develop a spine. Tales from our ancient scriptures feature in this book as legends from the Himalayan ranges. These include the ...

  This book is a collection of 30 soulful poems on various topics such as the concept of Time, Memories, Dreams and so on. Every poem is poignant with meaning and has been presented in beautiful verses that convey the essence of the poem in a simple manner. While I liked all the poems, some of my favorites are The Writer in Me, The Blank Paper, Harmony and Creativity. I am sharing some verses from these poems that stayed with me: The ecstasy of writing is unfathomable There may be a hiatus, but never the writer shall vanish.   A blank paper’s ambitious voyage into the soul of humanity is in fulfillment. And in its blankness is hidden, the unwritten word that ushers in an era of change.   Let not the long winding road, pitch black and uneven be a deterrent; let it be the driving force to propel you to move ahead. Let your unflinching faith in self foster your dream.   The poems have been written in a clear and concise manner and reflect the a...