Books published by Partridge India

Through this book, the Author strives to reach an understanding of the development of the city of Bangalore, focusing on the architecture and settlement pattern of its earliest urban area, the P¿t¿ and the oval Fort. The book attempts to identify the nature of the cultures underlying the architecture of the city by tracing the development chronologically from its establishment in the 16th century to its fortification and expansion during the rule of Hyder Ali (r. 1761-1782 AD) and Tipu Sultan (r. 1782 - 1799 AD), explaining various functional aspects affecting the form of the city, notably the shift in the character of the P¿t¿ from a largely mercantile settlement to a military one. The city can be described as a melting pot of cultures and resultant built forms, growing from a small town to a city in a short span of time. The analysis, set within a framework of urban design theory, is built upon original documentation based on archival documents, including maps and drawings, and on fieldwork involving sketches, a photographic survey, and discussions with relevant authorities. A historical survey (Chapter 1) based largely on secondary sources provides the context for the discussion of urban and architectural developments. The early urban development of Bangalore is treated in Chapter 2, which shows the importance of zones or 'sub-P¿t¿s', apparently from as early as the 16th century, and certainly apparent in 18th century maps. Finally, Chapter 3 focuses on the architecture of significant buildings from the period in question in and around the P¿t¿ area. The changing built form of the city from that of a primarily Hindu architectural language to one that incorporates Islamic influences has been discussed through the documentation of the surviving structures, temples, Palace and oval Fort. That the principal axiality of the P¿t¿ continues to influence the layout of the city is noteworthy.

Like the aroma of hot coffee, love is always in the air! It could be destiny that brings two people together, but it's in their hands to stick together or fall apart. Sarah and Aditya are no exceptions!

A culture of start-ups has disrupted the way businesses are run, and the need for rigorous study of dynamic business scenarios has become paramount in Business Schools.

The 5,000 years old ancient wisdom of Bhagavad Gita comprising of 700 verses was given by God-incarnate Sri Krishna many centuries before the emergence of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism and other religions. Gita explains the characteristics of body and soul, Moksha, Nirvana, Self-realization and Karma.Everything said in Bhagavad Gita is of universal nature and applies to all human beings, irrespective of one's caste, religion, age, gender or beliefs. Great spiritual texts like Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads do not belong to one particular culture only; but they belong to the whole world.Every human being has this fundamental question, as to why I am here on this earth? What is the purpose of my life? Is my destiny inextricably linked with the will of God? An in depth study of Gita verses provides the answers to these questions. Dr. Arogyaswami Paulraj, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University, United States wrote, "This book is a commendable work of illuminating the universal values of Bhagavad Gita with illustrations of interesting spiritual stories. An absorbing book and a great read,"RS Vasan, Director Chennai Centre for Asia Studies wrote in a review, "Ajay Gupta has brought out the profound and eternal teaching of Bhagavad Gita as a thoroughly enjoyable book. A must read book of surpassing excellence for both young and old."

This book is a bouquet of poems reflecting diverse emotions, days, and celebrations. Some are going to transcend your soul; some are going to ignite your mood.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba (1838-1918), the first one in the trinity of Sai Baba Avatars (incarnations), was the incarnation of Lord Shiva. He led the life of an ideal Sufi saint-begging for alms; helping all, teaching the basics of morality and spirituality in his typical rural, rustic, simple, and lively manner, telling true stories of many births of his devotees and other creatures, and by his very brief and heart-penetrating comments and pieces of advice. He taught all to believe in God, who is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, and the One Malik (Master) of all and who is present in every creature. God's grace can be achieved by anyone by earnestly remembering Him; by being moral, kind, and loving to all creatures, and by doing one's duties honestly and sincerely. Sai Baba always gave genuine assurances to those who called upon him for his miraculous grace and helped the distressed ones instantly. It is a well-known fact that Sri Shirdi Sai Baba's grace is being experienced by countless people throughout the world, but only a few of such incidents are published in Sai journals and on the Internet. This book is a collection of invaluable articles on Sri Shirdi Sai Baba's legendary grace and thrilling record of over two hundred testimonies of post-Samadhi period (after 1918 till now) beneficiaries of his grace. His temples are in India, USA, UK, Canada, China, South Africa, Mauritius, and many countries. Thousands of pilgrims visit daily his Dwarka Mai Masjid and Samadhi Mandir in Shirdi (India) and Sai temples in their countries daily to obtain his gracious help. All those who are eager to receive Sri Shirdi Baba's divine grace for getting instant solution of and relief in their problems and seek proper guidance shall find this book a boon.

For Mohan, it all begins in his second year at Saint John's College, a low-profile college in Dharampur, a small town in foothills of Shivalik. Mohan is from a religious family of kathavachaks (Those who recite Scriptures). His grandfather wants to expose him to western education system as he believes that those with the traditional background should be familiar with the modern thought process, and the westernized Indians should take interest in the ancient Indian teachings so as to have a balanced outlook on life. Mohan shares accommodation with Anant who is from a very rich family. Anant is not studious but he has a passion for sports. There is another interesting character, Baldev, who is from a dysfunctional family. Is he worthy of Mala's affections? As the story unfolds, there appear other interesting characters like Panther, Sudha, Nalini, Sayeeda, Posco, Verma Sir and Mamaji. The story also contains scenes involving Bollywood, Match Fixing and Betting. All the characters and incidents have been invented by imagination. In this novel, author Dr. Govind Sharma conveys important messages contained in the Indian Scripture Ram Charit Manas to offer a look at duty, sacrifice, and the joint family system. The narrator, Mohan, tells the story of his friends; and in between the scenes, the narrator gives the key messages of Ram Charit Manas by way of his recitals.

The literary work which is a collection of translated short stories and poems from various Indian languages into English shows the grey shade of humanity. It will give the readers an overview of humanity regarding the various shades of humanity, good or evil, which are seen in everyday life and spirituality that is based on the essence of the supreme power. The short stories and the poems present an in-depth study of human beings and their relationships with others thereby showcasing the universal values of love, service, compassion, kindness, empathy, renunciation, nobility and magnanimity. They also present the vices ingrained in humans such as greed, cruelty, selfishness and hypocrisy. The literary work presents: Dr. Panchali Mukherjee (Assistant Professor and HoD, Department of Languages, T. John College, Bangalore) Ms. Pooja Basnett (Asst. Prof - Journalism, Department of Languages, T. John College, Bangalore) Mr. Sunil Kumar Shrestha (BCA Alumnus - T. John College, Bangalore) Ms. Nagarathna M.L. (Assistant Professor- Psychology, Department of Languages, T. John College, Bangalore) Ms. Deepika Rachel R. [B.A. (JEP) Student, T. John College, Bangalore] Humanity is enthralling when you see various nuances of it. Human experiences are didactic, teach us lessons of life, change our perceptions and leave us wise. An act of kindness makes one attain spirituality and brings one nearer to god. Humanity in its various shades presents itself before us in these stories. The poems spell out a model code of conduct for one and redefines religion for us.

An Audience with God at Mount Kailash: A True Story grounds its account of the journey of the author, Davinder Bhasin, to the Abode of Lord Shiva upon personal experience and a summary of insights from trusted external sources. The narrative begins by exploring a basic human question that invites all on a quest for truth: Does God exist? An exploration of Shiva, the Lord of Kailash, follows and then finds its context in a review of the mountain's place in culture and history.With this background in location, the author reveals the details of the two audiences God gave to him and his family. Rooted in the experiences of these pilgrimages, the next sections provide readers with guidance for planning and making their own journeys to Mount Kailash. In addition, a brief history of Tibet, the home of Mount Kailash, provides further resources for appreciating the natural and human history associated with this sacred mountain.An Audience with God at Mount Kailash: A True Story will enlighten and inform all who contemplate seeking to experience an encounter with God. It also provides an intimate portrait of the spiritual journey of a man and his family, offering their story as a guide for others as they travel the world's pathways to seek God for themselves.

The book handles variety of themes. The most remarkable thing about the themes is that they are quite new, and they make the readers feel that they are connected to their lives. The ideas are put in such way that it makes the reader feel that whatever happens in the lives of the characters resemble somewhere to his life. Most of the stories are tragic in nature and on reading the tragedies of the characters, the readers are bound to be moved. The book provides new reading experience to the readers. Emotions dealt with are so powerful that they compel the reader to read the book from the beginning till the end. Some stories carry suspense and to understand it, the reader has to wait till the end of the stories. Unexpected happenings, games of destiny, human errors committed unknowingly, failure and final demolition of the characters, and sudden rise in the lives of the characters attract the readers towards the book. The stories are so novel that every reader who has a feel for reading and whose favorite genre is short stories would read this book without fail.