From Deepa's Desk

Kanmani And Co. By Lalitha Ramanathan  This book chronicles the adventures of a group of friends in a cozy village named Maaripuram. Smart Kanmani, dramatic Seetha, snack-loving Subru, strong-willed Sreejith and the unforgettable prankster Palani(with his motley gang of pets bearing names of famous legends), accompanied with a fiesty little cat named Varam have their fair share of adventures, fun and good deeds, providing a delightful narrative to the story.  Simplicity is the essence of the story and its winning point too. The charm of life in a village, the innocence of children who find happiness in the smallest of things and simple yet deeply impactful life-lessons make this story one unforgettable read. Generous doses of gentle and clean humor make you smile and laugh throughout the book.  Lalitha's narration is simply brilliant. Be it a humorous scene or be it something emotional and poignant, Lalitha delivers to perfection. The book showcases her effortless and bri...

The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi Available in Kindle edition Priya Rao who left for the US for studies and career prospects returns to India after seven years. She has the daunting job of informing her orthodox family that she is engaged to an American guy. The book narrates her stay in India, her familial dynamics and her efforts to gain acceptance from her family - both for herself and for her fiance Nick. The narrative is fast and engrossing. Although there are many characters, each one makes a remarkable impression upon the reader with their quirks and personalities. There is drama, there is also humor to compliment the same. Priya's struggle to convince her grandpa to adopt a broader mindset, her fight-or-flight relationship with her mother and her despair over the seemingly never-changing mindsets of her family lend a poignant vibe to the story. If I were to nitpick, it would be the generalization about India, it's natives and their mindset. While it started as humor, i...

The Kumbh Conspiracy - Dance Divinity Death (Book 1) Available in Kindle edition Inside a well at the Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu, there lies a yantra that contains the secrets of creation and destruction. This yantra has been guided by generations of the Iyer family, the latest guardian being Swami Iyer who is as well-acquainted with Vedic knowledge as he is with science and technology. The Octopus group led by an unknown mastermind is after this yantra and its members would leave no stone uncovered to attain it, even if they have to remove Swami from their path. To Swami's rescue comes a mysterious ascetic Shankar Prasad who looks like a warrior but speaks like an ancient Rishi. As Swami and Shankar set off on an adventure, their paths inevitably lead them towards the largest gathering on earth - The Kumbh Mela. Pursued by the Octopus group on one hand and by intelligence agencies on the other, every day turns into an attempt for survival. Would they make it alive? And would...

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...