Join Amma and her boys as they travel to Shirdi, home to one of India's most celebrated saints-Sai Baba. Hear the story of one of the most loved and revered mystics. Walk around the neem tree that gave him shelter. Relish a few moments in Dwarka Mai, the dilapidated mosque that became his home. Visit Dhuni Mai, the ever-burning fire Sai Baba had lit, and receive his blessings. Hear stories of the countless miracles he performed as you pay respects at the Shri Samadhi Temple, where he rests. Feel Sai Baba's all-pervasive presence, blessings and grace as you soak in the spirit of this sanctum. Listen to his teachings of Shraddha and Saburi and his beliefs of 'Allah Malik' and 'Sabka Malik Ek'. Let Amma take you on a journey to witness the life of this unique saint who taught by example, compassion and kindness and who, for a century, has been drawing millions of adoring devotees every year. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this book brings alive an important place of worship in an engaging and non-preachy way.

Come, explore the places we worship Join Amma and her children as they travel to the famous Golden Temple in Amritsar. Take a tour through the wonderful sights, sounds and history of Darbar Sahib. Hear stories about the Sikh gurus. Visit Darshani Deori and Akal Takht. Savour a drink from the sacred waters at Har Ki Pauri and the langar from the world's biggest kitchen! Learn Guru Nanak's eternal message of equality, love and service. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this new series introduces readers to the history of different faiths and their associated monuments.

South Asia is today the region inhabited by the largest number of Muslims---roughly 500 million. In the course of the Islamisation process, which begaun in the eighth century, it developed a distinct Indo-Islamic civilisation that culminated in the Mughal Empire. While paying lip service to the power centres of Islam in the Gulf, including Mecca and Medina, this civilisation has cultivated its own variety of Islam, based on Sufism. Over the last fifty years, pan-Islamic ties have intensified between these two regions. Gathering together some of the best specialists on the subject, this volume explores these ideological, educational and spiritual networks, which have gained momentum due to political strategies, migration flows and increased communications. At stake are both the resilience of the civilisation that imbued South Asia with a specific identity, and the relations between Sunnis and Shias in a region where Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting a cultural proxy war, as evident in the foreign ramifications of sectarianism in Pakistan. Pan-Islamic Connections investigates the nature and implications of the cultural, spiritual and socio-economic rapprochement between these two Islams.

Come, explore the places where we worship! Travel with Amma and her boys to the fascinating fortress city of Fatehpur Sikri. Hear the story of why the great Mughal emperor Akbar visited the Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chishti and then had a mausoleum built in his honour. Walk through the imposing Buland Darwaza. Admire the majestic architecture of the sprawling quadrangle. Hear the soulful notes of azan wafting from the Jama Masjid. Tie a thread in the delicate jali screens as you make a wish. Behold the dargah of Salim Chishti shining like a white pearl in an oasis of red sandstone. Listen to Amma with your eyes and ears wide open, for this whirlwind of a journey promises to leave you mesmerized! Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this new series introduces readers to the history of different faiths and their associated monuments.

"Life history of Shirdi Sai Baba was originally written in Telugu by Ammula Sambasiva Rao, and translated into English by Thota Bhaskara Rao. The book delves deep into the details of the life of Shirdi Sai Baba right from his birth till attainment of Samadhi. The author has expounded Sai Tatwa or Sai philosophy in a simple language, interpersed with engrossing anecdotes in the life of Sai devotees.

In the three decades since Smita Patil died-at the impossibly young age of thirty-one-she has unwaveringly been one of Indian cinema's biggest icons. That is unusual enough for a 'parallel cinema' actor, rendered more remarkable in a career that spanned a mere ten years. Patil, one of the leading lights of the New Indian Cinema of the mid-1970s, has a body of work that would make veterans proud. Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence tells her remarkable story, tracing it from her childhood to stardom, controversial marriage and untimely death. Her close friends remember 'Smi' as outspoken and bindaas, not beyond hurling abuses or taking off on bikes for impromptu joyrides. Film-makers like Shyam Benegal and Jabbar Patel, and co-stars Om Puri and Shabana Azmi talk about Patil's dedication to her craft and her intuitive pursuit of that perfect take. From the difficult equation she shared with her mother to her propensity for 'wrong' relationships, about which she was always open unlike other stars of the time, this is a complex and honest exploration of Patil's life. The book also includes a sharp critique of the films that defined her. They read like a roster of the best of New Indian Cinema: Bhumika, Mandi, Manthan, Umbartha, Bhavni Bhavai, Akaler Sandhane, Chakra, Chidambaram and Mirch Masala among them. Maithili Rao also examines Patil's many unfortunate forays into mainstream commercial cinema. Incisive and insightful, Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence is an invaluable addition to film studies in India, bringing alive an entire era when cinema in India was truly different. It is also the definitive biography of a rare talent and a haunting life.

On the trail of the mystery of Saturn’s disappearing moons, network journalist Gaby McAslan finds herself in Africa researching the Kilimanjaro Event: a meteor-strike in Kenya which caused the stunning African landscape to give way to something equally beautiful – and indescribably alien. Dubbed the ‘Chaga’, the alien flora destroys all man-made materials, and moulds human flesh, bone and spirit to its own designs. But when Gaby finds the first man to survive the Chaga’s changes, she realizes it has its own plans for humankind... Against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, McDonald weaves a staggering tale of keen human observation and speculation, as the Kilimanjaro Event changes the course of the human race by exposure to something beyond its imagination. Note: Chaga was published in the UK under the title Evolution's Shore. REVIEWS "McDonald... consistently explores new territory with his breathtaking images and incisive language. Both form and substance blend fortuitously in a work that features strong characters, a suspenseful story, and a profound message of hope and transformation. A priority purchase for SF collections." – Library Journal "One of the finest writers of his generation, who chooses to write science fiction because that is how he can best illuminate the world." – New Statesman "...inventive and challenging... [an] often fascinating piece of speculation." – Kirkus

For Fauziya Kassindja, an idyllic childhood in Togo, West Africa, sheltered from the tribal practices of polygamy and genital mutilation, ended with her beloved father's sudden death. Forced into an arranged marriage at age seventeen, Fauziya was told to prepare for kakia, the ritual also known as female genital mutilation. It is a ritual no woman can refuse. But Fauziya dared to try. This is her story--told in her own words--of fleeing Africa just hours before the ritual kakia was to take place, of seeking asylum in America only to be locked up in U.S. prisons, and of meeting Layli Miller Bashir, a law student who became Fauziya's friend and advocate during her horrifying sixteen months behind bars. Layli enlisted help from Karen Musalo, an expert in refugee law and acting director of the American University International Human Rights Clinic. In addition to devoting her own considerable efforts to the case, Musalo assembled a team to fight with her on Fauziya's behalf. Ultimately, in a landmark decision in immigration history, Fauziya Kassindja was granted asylum on June 13, 1996. Do They Hear You When You Cry is her unforgettable chronicle of triumph.