Vaishali S

Writers retreat...!!! Wonderful 2 days in Bengaluru 😊😊 Met wonderful authors who shared their Gyaan and fellow participants who took part in the retreat...!!! 😊😊 Thanks so much to INDICA for organising the incredible retreat...!!! Glad at having received an amazing opportunity to meet Author Chaitra, Author Shivakumar, Author Abhinav Agarwal... And Special thanks to one of my favorite authors who is also my friend, Author Saiswaroopa Iyer for anchoring the fantastic retreat...!!! 🙏🙏🙏

Met Christopher C Doyle at Odyssey, Chennai

Met the best selling author Saiswaroopa Iyer at Chennai Lit Fest conducted in Rasika Ranjani Sabha. Glad at having met my favorite author. 

 Meeting Author Anuja Chandramouli at Book chor event. 

 Met the Literary Popstar Amish for the second time now. Happiness!! 

Kids who are interested in Ramayana can definitely try reading this book 🙏 The first ever Ramayana that I read....! 

The Magic of Friendships by Shubha Vilas is such an amazing book that covers the most important and the most magical thing on Earth - Friendship ❤ This incredible book helps the readers understand the importance of friends👭👬 Genuine friendships must be loved, cherished, nourished, cared and respected...! True friendship is a gift from God...! 🙏 The great book also serves as a tool that would help us evaluate how good a friend we are...! I would recommend this wonderful book to everyone who wants to improve and enjoy their friendship with the world around... I would definitely reread the book over and over again!! ❤🙏

Prem Purana written by Usha Narayanan is one of the best books that I had ever read. I first wanna thank the author for having written such a fantastic book. I appreciate the efforts that the author has taken. The book contains three stories describing the marvelous glory of love.. The first one is about Lord Ganesh and about how he loved and finally married the three daughters of Brahma - Siddhi, Riddhi and Buddhi. The second one is about one of the important characters in Ramayana.. It is about Mandodari and about her unconditional love, support, care and devotion on behalf of her husband Ravana. And the third one is about Damayanti and about the pangs and the miserable agony that she endured to be reunited with her beloved husband Nala.  The book is truly amazing. It is a page turner. I could never put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the incredible book. The excellent book transports the readers to a whole new world. I felt as if I were in a land of bliss while reading Pr

I feel blessed to have read this incredible book. I first wanna thank author Saiswaroopa Iyer  for having written this amazing book on Rukmini, the beloved wife of Lord Krishna. I'm literally speechless for there are no words to describe how fantabulous the book was. It left me with tears in the end. My love for Krishna and Rukmini has increased beyond measure. The book is not just an amazing read but a phenomenal feat in which the author has done a miraculous job!  Rukmini as portrayed by author Saiswaroopa Iyer is such a remarkable woman, a huge pillar of strength to her husband, an epitome of bravery and an embodiment of faith, love and sacrifice. She truly is a resplendent Goddess...!

Ahalya written by Koral Dasgupta is such a beautiful book. Being a lover of Ramayana, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book on Ahalya. Ahalya-the wife of Rishi Gautham is remembered as the woman who was released from a rock through the touch of the pious feet of Lord Ram. This amazing book amazes the readers by a unique and a marvellous interpretation of Ahalya. The wonderful creation of Brahma, Ahalya's relationship with the mist and with her husband Rishi Gautham has been incredibly described. A fantastic rendition of Ahalya's story as narrated by Ahalya herself was so intriguing. The book takes through Ahalya's reactions, feelings and the emotional rollercoaster that she goes through at various stages of her life. The command over the language is incredible. I thank the author for having written such an excellent book. Looking forward to all the upcoming books in the Sati series.

 Avishi by Saiswaroopa Iyer is one of the best books that I had ever read... 👌I wished that I had picked up the book much earlier... The narrative style is excellent and it kept me glued to the book... 😊 The marvellous book was a page Turner and I could not put it down...! 😊👌 It is a well researched book. I appreciate the efforts that the author has taken. Although, I was not aware of Vishpala of Rigveda previously, after reading the book, her character is very much engraved in my heart... Her spirit of courage, enthusiasm and determination deserves to be appreciated... She is such a great warrior and an amazing inspiration to all the women out there... No doubt, Avishi is a wonder Woman of India...

Rise of Dharma by Semanti Chakraborty kept me glued. I have read it already in Kindle. Read it again now, in paperback format. An excellent narration of Mahabharata from Yudhishthira's perspective. The story begins from the death of Pandu and the Pandavas move to Hastinapur from the forest of Satashringa. It ends up with the successful completion of the Rajasuya sacrifice.  Being a lover of Mahabharata, I enjoyed every bit of the book. Anybody who is interested in Mahabharata would definitely love the marvelous saga. Written from the perspective of Yudhishthira. The narrative style was too good that I could witness the pain and pleasure as faced by Yudhishthira being in his shoes. I could understand the love shared among the Pandavas and the envy which the vile Kauravas bore in their hearts on behalf of the sons of Pandu. The ties shared between Krishna and Pandavas was described beautifully. The sacred bond between Yudhishthira and Draupadi brings tears of joy to the readers.  Hig

 Illustrated Ramayana for Children by Shubha Vilas is an incredible book with beautiful pictures and fascinating illustrations... Being a person who loves illustrated books, I was awed at the mind blowing collection of pictures... I could literally witness each and every scene of the Ramayana that are clearly depicted through the most spectacular illustrations... The pictures are so gorgeous that I could just stare at it forever... Any kid would be really amazed by the wonderful book... Even adults would definitely enjoy the fantastic book... ❤

 Mahabharata written by C.Rajagopalachari, strongly recommended for kids as well as for beginner learners of Mahabharata. Well explained in simple language. The great patriot and an incisive thinker has done a wonderful work in narrating the divine saga.

 The best book on Abhimanyu ever written.  Learnt Warfare from the Almighty Lord Krishna himself and later on, from his son Pradhyumna, Abhimanyu is one of the greatest warriors the world has ever witnessed. The son of the brave warrior Prince, Arjuna was an excellent archer just like his father. The writer has inspired the readers by narrating the marvellous tale of a martyr in the most amazing manner.  The warrior spirit combined with intellect makes Abhimanyu not only an incredible warrior but also a great human with righteousness and morality.  In the end, Abhimanyu makes the Pandavas Proud, by dying a hero's death in the battlefield.  The sweet moments that he shares with his beloved Uttara adds glory to the already glorious saga.  Being a lover of the Mahabharata, I enjoyed reading it from Abhimanyu's perspective, although, the end made me shed tears. The last moments of the brave warrior gave me goosebumps. Will surely read the book over and over again. Looking forward t

 My Review on the book named "The Sarasvati Civilisation - A Paradigm Shift in Ancient Indian History" Written by Major General (Dr.) GD BAKSHI SM, VSM A wonderful and a very informative book  Major General (Dr.) GD BAKSHI SM, VSM is an author of over thirty books and over three hundred research papers in major journals. He is a graduate of the National Defense Academy. He has a PhD from the University of Madras.  I genuinely appreciate the tremendous amount of effort that the author has taken in order to research and compile the enormous data on Sarasvati civilisation.  The book is about a lost river that once sustained a civilisation spread over a vast area of about two million sqare kilometres. The Sarasvati river was mighter than the Brahmaputra. It ran for 4,600 kms from the Himalayas to the sea. It was in its prime around 5-6000 years ago. Around 1,900 BCE, it vanished due to a combination of tectonic plate shifts and a monotonic weakening of the monsoons.  The Indic ci

 For all the Indic lovers and Readers who are passionate about Mahabharata out there...!  Draupadi - The Tale of an empress written by Saiswaroopa Iyer is a must read.. ❤ The incredible narrative style would keep one engaged to the marvelous book. The author has written a  beautiful tale on one of the most vital woman who has influenced our noble land of Bharatvarsha. The author has written the marvelous tale, diligently sticking on to our immortal epic Mahabharata as given by our great guru Krishna Dwaipayana. Through this amazing book, one can witness the entire Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi.  The book begins with, Uttara narrating the great tale of Draupadi to her grandson Janamejaya.  Draupadi as described in the book is a woman of high morale. Combined with kindness, a spirit of service, courage and intelligence she is an amazing inspiration to all the women of our noble nation. Draupadi had always been an ideal in all aspects - a loving daughter of King Drupada, a cari

 Being a lover of Ramayana, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this wonderful book on one of the unknown characters in the Ramayana.. ❤ Sita's Sister written by Kavita Kané  is a beautiful book written on Urmila who was the beloved sister of Sita and a loveable wife of Lakshman. So far, I had been reading Ramayana either from Ram's or from Sita's or from Raavan's perspective only. It was a great experience to read Ramayana from Urmila's perspective. The adventurous journey of the trio in the forest had so far been the interesting part of the Ramayana. The readers hardly get to know about the circumstances in Ayodhya. In this book, the readers can get a clear picture of what had happened in Ayodhya during the absence of Ram, Sita and Lakshman. Urmila as described in the book is a strong, intelligent, patient, sacrificing and a noble woman. She had been holding the royal family of Raghu together. Urmila had been their strength, comfort and a huge pillar of support. I loved

 Because India Comes First written by Ram Madhav reflects on Nationalism, Identity and Culture of India.  One of the best books that I had read. Apologies for the extremely late review. 🙏 Ram Madhav - formerly the national spokesperson of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party - has been observing and participating in Indian politics for the past few decades. The essays in this volume draw upon his long engagement with politics to discuss a range of issues that are in the heart of contemporary debates in India : democracy as the responsibility of the head of State, rule of law, peace and public order, Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhism, Ambedkar's ideals, empowerment of women, Indian Judiciary, the Ram Janmabhoomi case, abrogation of Article 370, the legacies of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's learnings in governance.  Because India Comes First also delves into the decision made by the BJP-led gover

 Being a Ramayana lover, I would say that "The Ramayana - A Modern Translation by Ramesh Menon" is a remarkable phenomenon; for stating that I thoroughly enjoyed the incredible books would definitely be an underestimation. I was transported to a whole new universe, where I walked into the shoes of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata, Hanuman, Sugreeva, Jambavan, Dasharatha, Kausalya, Janaka, Vishwamitra, Vasishta, Mandodari and several other vital characters who play a key role in the sacred epic Ramayana.  I danced in joy along with Kausalya when Rama was born, I was thrilled when Vishwamitra successfully completed his Yagna, I was relieved when Rama's pious feet brought back Ahalya from her curse, my heart gleamed with hapiness and I sang praises of Rama along with Janaka and Sita when Rama broke the legendary bow of Lord Shiva, I cried along with Dasharatha when he faced his greatest dilemma during which he had to choose between his passion for Dharma and his love for his b

 An extremely beautiful interpretation of Sita by Bhanumathi Narasimhan  The wisdom and the spiritual insight that the author has provided adds beauty to the already beautiful tale. The readers would look at Rama and Sita from a whole new perspective after reading the wonderful book. The book transports the readers to a whole new plane where only beauty and divinity exists. Being a lover of Ramayana, I could witness a beautiful phenomenon in my being. The marvelous description of the nature would transport the reader to Ashoka Vatika or to wherever Sita was present. The book offers peace to a restless soul, quenches our spiritual thirst and nourishes our hearts with divine beauty. I feel blessed at having received an opportunity to read this sacred book. I sincerely pray and hope that Lord Rama and Devi Sita blesses every single soul on Earth to read this divine saga and be enlightened.

 Reading books written by Shubha Vilas is such a marvelous experience. Joyful to the core. Timeless tales to ignite your mind contains 50 short stories that are absolutely beautiful. Loved every bit of the book. Highly recommended to everyone. Marvelous narration. Excellent description. Shubha Vilas has a magical way of narrating the stories. His books are pure magic.

 Uttara Kaanda by S L Bhyrappa  Being a lover of Ramayana, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the amazing book. Highly recommended to everyone who loves and adores our epics and Puraanas.. What I loved the most about the book was that, although, the author has taken a few creative liberties, he has marvellously stood firm with the original Valmiki Ramayana. The magical incidents and the supernatural elements of our epic past has been fantastically re-written in such a way that, the authenticity of the epic has been beautifully entwined with the author's creative imagination. The author awes the readers by giving a logical explanation to the metaphysical events without deviating from the actual tale.

R eading the books written by Shubha Vilas is such an incredible blessing. I feel blessed at having witnessed this marvelous feat. Lord Narasimha is ferocious to his foes yet extremely compassionate to his devotees. As long as the sun shines, the divine Bhakti that Prahlada possessed in his heart on behalf of Lord Vishnu will be remembered by millions and millions of devotees of Lord Vishnu. I would say that, Prahlada indeed has left behind a legacy of Bhakti, hence the world knows him as Bhakta Prahlada.  The first chapter of this awesome book 'The Pillar of Faith' describes in detail about the miraculous events that had taken place in the life of Prahlada. Faith in Lord Vishnu made Prahlada experience amazing miracles. The second chapter of the book contains description of various miraculous events that had taken place in the lives of various other devotees of Lord Narasimha. And the final chapter contains the sacred prayers praising Lord Narasimha.  I wish Lord Narasimha ble

 Maxims from Mahabharata written by Mr Sridhar Potaraju is highly recommended to every lover of the great epic Mahabharata. Maxims from Mahabharata is a compilation of Sanskrit Slokas sourced from the Mahabharata in Devanagari script with English transliteration and Bhavartha or gist of the maxim in English by the author. The maxims have been arranged based on the broad subject they deal with, such as dharma, faith, eternal values of life, mental health, truth etc. The book speaks in detail about each such topic. Each maxim is preceded by a narration of the context in the epic with a brief introduction to the characters. 

 It is indeed a blessing to review the amazing book titled the 10 Gunas (Mindsets) for Jiva (You), Jivan (Life) and Moksha (Fulfilment) written by Prof. P. R. Mukund.  The author had well described the 10 Gunas that leads to ultimate satisfaction. The 10 guiding principles are - Jnana, Bhakti, Vairagya, Pragnya, Medha Shakti, Dhriti, Stithi, Yoga, Prana Shakti and Bala.  Jnana is knowledge that transforms into wisdom with experience.  Wisdom leads to respect, devotion and passion which is collectively known as Bhakti.  When an individual is facing something severe, trivial issues fade into insignificance - reaching the state of detached attachment which is Vairagya.  Pragnya is the awareness of truth in our surroundings that go beyond normal perception.  The ability to make good decisions in the present using the essential skills of the past is Medha Shakti.  A sincere effort to grow these five traits will result in the other five traits that are essential for success in life.  Dhriti