Reading The Untold Story of Seeta a journey through fields, palaces and forests, is like traversing the journey of Seetas life, the wife of Ram, the legendary king of Kosala. Although the story follows the chronology of events in the famous epic the Ramayana, it is not a retelling of the Ramayana. Neeraja Phatak brings Seeta to life as she - Seeta tells her own story and of her love for Ram. Nagging questions around Seetas personality are viewed from a fresh perspective. Was Seetas greatest quality her ability to suffer in silence? Is it possible that the daughter of the great Janak, and a pupil of the great sage Gargi, had no opinion of her own? How could Ram, considered the best among men, have permitted his wife to go through a trial by fire? Or has Seeta been smothered under a veil of convenience? Nuggets of philosophy woven into every day conversations compel the reader to go within and ponder. For example, when Neeraja writes, Ram said, Happiness is a state of mind, it is subjective, and differs from person to person and is relative to a context... This riveting novel holds the readers attention and curiosity till the very end.

Bharat. Son of Kaikeyi. Brother of Rama. Reluctant king of Kosala. Bharat’s carefree life in Kekeya is turned upside down by the death of his father Raja Dashratha and the exile of his brother and crown prince Rama. Untrained in statecraft and unsure of himself, Bharat begins his rule over Kosala by tackling an audacious rakshasa attack on Ayodhya. There’s more trouble brewing. As the magic that sustains the kingdom starts weakening and a drought looms over Kosala, Ayodhya’s citizens begin to disappear mysteriously. Ambitious aristocrats manipulate the inexperienced king to their ends, while fickle allies seize the opportunity to assert their independence. And unknown to Bharat, the Lord of Lanka has put a cunning plan into action that will break the back of Ayodhya’s resistance. Beset by challenges, will Bharat lose Ayodhya so early in his reign? Crackling with characters overlooked and forgotten by the Ramayana, The Warlord of Ayodhya is a thrilling spinoff by bestselling fantasy author Shatrujeet Nath. SHATRUJEET NATH is the creator of the runaway national bestselling series Vikramaditya Veergatha, and the upcoming alternative mythology series Warlord of Ayodhya. Described as “a new face to Indian mythology” by DNA, Shatrujeet writes for movies and web shows as well.

This book is about the landlords or the revenue officers of the administrative system recognized as the Watan System which was rampant for more than five centuries before India’s independence. With a focus on the Deshmukhi Watan or the Desgut, held by Deshmukhs or Desais, this volume presents the hierarchy of the chain of officers like the Patils, Deshpandes, Kulkarnis, etc., and attempts to reflect on the status accorded to them by the society and the treatment they received from the British in the 19th century. Topics explored in this volume relate to the administrative history, the judicial institutions, laws of inheritance, role of religion, commonness of superstition, customs and traditions, etc. We find ample citations of the authoritative sources backing the views expressed by the author at every turn as we proceed. The book has a foreword written by Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza, a historian and the founder of Xavier Center for Historical Research, Goa.

Shrutakirti was the daughter of king Kushadhwaj, king Janak's younger brother and queen Chandrabhaga. All the sisters Sita, Mandavi, Urmila and Shrutakirti grew up together like the most revered princesses of Mithila. Shrutakirti though youngest was most ardent learner of mythological discourse and was the best sword fighter. She protested to get married for being too young but on Sita's assurance and her liking for Shatrughan eventually married.When Ram, Sita and Laxman were away in forest, Bharat and Mandavi in Nandigram as hermits, Urmila in deep sleep, it was Shrutakirti who managed the affairs of kingdom along with her husband. She created a peaceful atmosphere at the palace for three queen mothers. A lot has been written about the sacrifices of Sita, Laxman, Bharat, Mandavi and Urmila but a very little about Shrutakirti that were no less. She protested against Ram for asking Sita's fire test and she passed through the phase of anguish and hate against Ram when her eldest sister Sita was consumed by mother earth. Much more than what's available in Valmiki and Tulsi Ramayan. The best would be to read and explore Shrutakirti (Sita's Sister).

First of a new epic fantasy series inspired by an ancient Sanskrit epic and Indian mythology, Upon a Burning Throne evokes the expansive world-building and complex twists of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, N.K. Jemisin's Inheritance trilogy, and Ken Liu's The Dandelion Dynasty series.

She walked into the fire, and the world watched her with loaded eyes. Was she obeying her husband or punishing herself? What was her secret sin? She was an Asura queen. Her righteousness and devotion protected her sinful husband, but couldn’t protect her virtue. But, did she give up? She was the young sister of the ‘Devi’ and the wife of the younger Ikshwaku prince, but what was her name? She is known as the deadliest demoness of all times but, where did she come from? Who are these women? What did they do? How did they live? These questions have been doing rounds through generations of oral tradition in Ramayana. But somehow, the various versions and retellings of the great epic have submerged these stories under the sand of cultural idealism. Lord Rama, the Maryadapurushottam, is what the abridged tales intended to establish and consolidate the foregrounds of Indian patriarchy with positivism. The women have played irreplaceable roles in the formation of the Ramayana, but their stories have always come in as subplots in the grandeur of heroism. Kanyayug, for the first time, unapologetically unearths the unsung stories of these women. Their plight, their pain, their emotions, their inner battles and deep-hidden secrets come to life through the creative ink of the author. This unique Literary fiction, while studying the exemplary Women in Ramayana, challenges old myths and reconstructs Devi, Asura, Apsara and Yaksha together, by bringing each one from the epic and unifying them in a single narrative.

The Greatest Story Ever Told Dispute over land and kingdom may lie at the heart of this story of war between cousins—the Pandavas and the Kouravas—but the Mahabharata is about conflicts of dharma. These conflicts are immense and various, singular and commonplace. Throughout the epic, characters face them with no clear indications of what is right and what is wrong; there are no absolute answers. Thus every possible human emotion features in the Mahabharata, the reason the epic continues to hold sway over our imagination. In this superb and widely acclaimed translation of the complete Mahabharata, Bibek Debroy takes us on a great journey with incredible ease.

A prince born with four arms and a third eye. A princess who inspired a cowherd to become a great poet. A king so generous he sacrificed himself to feed a bird. A queen skilled beyond compare in warfare. Awe-inspiring fighters, feisty leaders, exemplary friends, mighty monarchs, expert cooks and super-strong sleepyheads... Who were these multifaceted rulers who stood out among the hundreds in the lore of our land? From Shibi Chakravarti to Bhoja, from Vidyottama to Meenakshi, from Yudhishthira to Nahusha, and from Shishupala to Nala - what was extraordinary about them and their times? In over 15 fascinating stories, this charmingly illustrated book takes you to the kingdoms, courts, palaces and battlefields of glorious royals, who shaped our values and made their place forever in our epics and legends.