HT Picks; New Reads

This week’s pick of interesting reads includes a book on the intricate cultural universe of India, a volume that invites the reader to explore the practice, ritual, meditation, and devotion of Buddhist traditions through the religion’s art, and a true account of how the Special Task Force ended a UP gangster’s reign of terror

Events, memories, people

On the reading list this week is a book on India’s cultural universe, a tome on Buddhist art as seen in its practice and traditions, and an account of how a dreaded UP gangster was nabbed. (HT Team)

272pp, ₹699; Simon & Schuster (On the intricate cultural universe of India, where creative dissent has shaped the ethos)

Free ranging, delightful and erudite, Another India opens up the varied dimension of the past, discloses the subtle facets of religious experiences, and diversifies our imagination of tradition and suggests ways of reengaging it. Take for instance Ram Manohar Lohia’s “categories of perfection”: “Ram is the perfection of the limited personality, Krishna of the exuberant personality and Siva of the nondimensional personality.” Then there’s Sir M Visvesvaraya, who, during his entire career, carried two pens on him, one of which belonged to the government and the other to him. He always used the former pen for office work and the latter for personal work. After possessing a devotee, a deity called Doddaswamy would start whistling with his fingers in his mouth. His devotees are to address him only through whistles. Another deity from Gulbarga district, Gajalakshmi, expected her devotees to bare all their teeth in her presence. This book shares exciting stories about lesser-known and well-known figures in our country, from Bhimavva and Mastani Maa to Gandhi and Tagore. It brings to you the many events, thoughts, people, who have been waylaid in our frequent quests for single, mainstream narratives. It brings to you the intricate cultural universe of India, where creative dissent has shaped the ethos and where rich visions and values of living together continue to hold sway.*

Art as a tool of worship

₹2,995; Roli Books (Art that invites us into the aesthetic exploration of the practice, ritual, meditation, and devotion of the varied Buddhist traditions)

Deriving from India, yet having a deep-rooted cultural relationship with wider Asia, Buddhism combines practical counsel with profound mysticism in a perspective of life which offers a pragmatic and philosophical approach to the human condition. Art is an essential component to Buddhist religious life – serving as a practical tool of worship and the basis of a wider visual path to liberation. The summary of art in this book, through text and illustrations, invites us into the aesthetic exploration of the practice, ritual, meditation, and devotion of the varied Buddhist traditions. The artistic landscape of Asia became enriched by Buddhism which was in part responsible for the exchange and transmission of artistic ideas between cultures. The different schools of Buddhism also added to the dynamic creative interpretations of the faith. Providing an introduction to Buddhist artefacts, sculpture, and paintings, spanning over 2,000 years, this book is a comprehensive catalogue chronicling the fascinating and varied history of Buddhist art.*

216pp, 350pp; Srishti Publishers & Distributors (A true account of a gangster’s reign of terror in UP and how the Special Task Force went after him)

Who could pump 112 bullets to kill a man in a posh Lucknow locality?Why did a criminal hang around prep schools in the city? How did a phone call to the daughter of a government engineer blow the lid off the plan to assassinate the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh? And who can tell the story of Operation Bazooka better than the man who was a part of it! Police officer Rajesh Pandey was among the founding members of the UP STF (Special Task Force), created to nab Shriprakash Shukla – one of the most dreaded gangsters in UP. The book gives a detailed account of the workings of the STF and how they nabbed Shukla. Read about the country’s first electronic surveillance unit developed by Pandey during the operation and how the police got the only photograph of the gangster available till date. Operation Bazooka is a true account of Shriprakash Shukla’s reign of terror and how the STF went after him.*

*All copy from book flap.