E-Paper
HT Picks; New Reads
On the reading list this week is a celebration of India’s ancient practices for holistic well-being, a book of photographs of Satyajit Ray at work, and a collection of essays that braids scientific insights with personal reflections on nature
Tips to thrive in today’s fast-paced world
Harmony: Essential Ayurveda for All is a celebration of India’s timeless wisdom, offering insights into its ancient traditions and practices for holistic well-being. In this comprehensive guide, author Gita Ramesh delves into the foundational pillars of Ayurveda, yoga, and mindful living. At the heart of the book lies an in-depth exploration of the three doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – presented as personalized blueprints for vibrant health. Each dosha section serves as a practical guide to living harmoniously with one’s unique constitution, featuring meticulously planned recipes to balance specific imbalances. Complementing these are curated yoga asanas and meditation techniques designed to restore equilibrium. The book thoughtfully addresses the various myths surrounding Ayurveda and illustrates how these ancient principles can be seamlessly integrated into modern lifestyles by adults seeking balance amid busy schedules, as well as by children through fun, age-appropriate adaptations. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, Harmony equips you with practical, actionable tips to thrive in today’s fast-paced world, making Ayurveda not just a philosophy, but a joyful, everyday reality.*
Boswell with a camera
Faces and Facets: Satyajit Ray in Colour (first published in 2011) features text by Ray’s biographer, Andrew Robinson, and photographs by Nemai Ghosh, whom Ray once referred to as “Boswell with a camera, instead of a pen”. Ghosh was Ray’s photographer from 1968 until the auteur’s death in 1992. Before he turned to the lens, Ghosh was part of actor-director Utpal Dutt’s Little Theatre in Calcutta and played the lead in the 1959 play Angar. A friend who owed him ₹240, happened to find a Cannonette QL-16 fixed-lens camera left behind in a taxi. Ghosh wrote off the debt in exchange. He was introduced to Ray by the film maker’s art director Bansi Chandragupta. Ray liked Ghosh’s pictures and asked him to join his production unit, in 1968. Ghosh’s other books include Satyajit Ray at 70 (1991), with a foreword by Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Satyajit Ray: A Vision of Cinema (2005) also with Andrew Robinson, among others. An exhibition of the photographs in Faces and Facets... opened at DAG, New Delhi, earlier this week. *
Nature in forest, field, and city
From the jhum fields of Mizoram to the rain forests of the Western Ghats, from the warbling visitors gracing our gardens to the elephants and primates sharing our landscapes, naturalist and wildlife scientist TR Shankar Raman explores the lives that surround us – in forest and field, countryside and city. Braiding scientific insights with personal reflections, this brilliant collection of essays probes the question of what it truly means to be a part of nature.*
*All copy from book flap.
