Aurora Metro is a an award-winning indie publisher established over 25 years ago in the UK. We publish fiction, non-fiction, YA fiction, drama, cookery, biography. Over 200 international authors published and over 20 works in translation.
View Rights Portal
Trusted Partner
The Gita, an epic poem, considered a classic within the history of literature and philosophy, and central within the epic poem the Mahabharata composed by Vyasa. It expresses a dialogue between the charioteer Krishna and the warrior Arjuna at a crucial moment at the outset of war. This classic yet modern expression by Sri Aurobindo highlights 'karma' action, an essential character of Yoga to readers worldwide. Gandhi, Huxley, Einstein, Jung and Hesse were all influenced by this masterpiece, and this edition has been designed for a contemporary reader by A. Sherlal.
‘This splendid book will deepen the understanding of nationalism in our dark time.’—Talal Asad, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, City University of New York This urgent and compelling book comes at a time when toxic nationalism is causing the violent and systematic exclusion of political, religious, sexual and other minorities. Manash Firaq Bhattacharjee reminds us that the modern nation-state, built on fear and an obsession with territory, is often at odds with democracy, justice and fraternity. Critically analyzing the ideas of thinkers who laid the political and ethical grounds of India’s modern identity—Nehru, Ambedkar, Gandhi, Tagore, and Aurobindo—Bhattacharjee shows how we have strayed from their inclusive, diverse visions. He effortlessly weaves personal and intellectual histories, navigating through vast swathes of scholarship, to sketch a radically ethical imagination against the sound and fury of nationalism. He dips into fascinating anecdotes, recalling Ashok Kumar’s friendship with Manto against the shadow of Partition, Ali Sardar Jafri’s Jnanpith Award acceptance speech, and his own encounter with the Sufi qawwal, Fareed Ayaz, among others. Concluding with an enlightening genealogy of modern politics in the light of its present crisis, he exhorts us towards a new politics of trust. Brimming with thought-provoking analyses and commentary, Looking for the Nation is an extraordinary and illuminating account of India’s politics and culture.
Hem Chandra’s patriotism was not inspired by the ‘mother-in-bondage’ image of the country or by the accounts of her past glory. He loved his country not because what she was in the past, but because it was only natural for him to love his own country. Since countries like Italy and Russia used secret societies for freedom struggle and even in the Bore War the secret society played a crucial role, Hem Chandra thought that the “Bore method” was quite suited to our condition, and we decided to form secret societies.” Hem Chandra’s account had drawn the attention of the Intelligence Branch as it contained strong criticism of the leadership of Aurobindo and Barindra and the religious influence on the movement for which the leaders were held solely responsible. The IB was prompted to translate the account not so much for information but for examining the potentiality of the Marxist standpoint from which the criticism was made in containing individual terrorism. We have retained the exhaustive notes of the IB and have added, wherever necessary, new editorial notes on the basis of information now available, and a long account of Hem Chandra’s life. The book first published more than 85 years ago, still stands out as an honest and forthright memoir of the revolutionary movement. Unpublished letters, rare photographs, copy of Barrindra’s confession etc will be off interest to the scholars in general.
There is no denying the fact that no single authority howsoever exploratory he/she may be can explore all the possible aspects, dimensions and perspectives in a work of art. Research always eludes leaving some unknown and unexplored possible domains and avenues in that discipline of art. It is also imperative to say that much work has been done on Kamala Das and her poetry and a couple of books written on her poetry are also available. Books like Kamala Das and Her Poetry by A. N. Dwivedi, Kamala Das: A Critical Spectrum edited by Rajeshwar Mittapalli and Pier Paolo Piciucco, Kamala Das by Devindra Kohli, Expressive Form in the Poetry of Kamala Das by Anisur Rahman, and Endless Female Hungers by Vrinda Nabar are written on Kamala Das’s poetry. Each of the authors has tried his/her level best to explore something new and unique in his/her surveyed work. But something still evades to be explored. Without minimizing the importance of these works and employing their traverses and explorations, the book in hand is unique in the sense that it explores the new perspectives and new dimensions in the poetry of Kamala Das. She has stormed the stereotypical and hackneyed set-up of the Indian mind and yet, has won both, the regard and the interest of the readers who appreciate her genuine spirit. Being an incorrigible optimist and outrageous rebel, she dares to shake and break the mirrors and barriers of orthodox social patterns. No reader dislikes her, including those who attack her openness and extravagance of courage and those who criticize her for appearing what she is. Critically speaking, what was rejected and called indecent and insane under a fake façade of bourgeois morality and respectability by the previous generation comprising Aurobindo, Toru Dutt, Vivekananda, R. N. Tagore and Sarojini Naidu was embraced and hugged by Mrs. Das blurring all traditional and socio-cultural taboos and barriers imposed by hegemonic patriarchy. Along with its new perspectives, this book also examines some select prose works of Kamala Das including My Story, A Doll for the Child Prostitute and Alphabet of Lust, since scanty of attention towards her prose works has been given. Thus, this book is designed for the literary enthusiasts including teachers and the taught, researchers and common readers.
The ancient history of India depicted an important and precious place of flowers and garden through paintings, murals, coins, etc. All this gives an idea about the close association of floriculture with our life and culture. The book is covering up to date information based on ICAR and SAU horticulture syllabus for students of B. Sc. (Ag.), B. Sc. (Hort.) and M.Sc. (Ag.) in Horticulture. It presents all the basics and advanced information in their easiest way for the readers thus, especially designed to cover all the aspects of floriculture and landscaping.
This book is a meticulous presentation of fundamental principles of Horticulture and it gradually transcends and culminates to advanced technologies. It will be a ready reckoner, which will be useful to provide ready tips to any undergraduate faculty. Chapter 1 to chapter 4 give a broad description of fundamentals in horticultural sciences and the institutes involved in furthering the interest of horticulture. Chapters 5 to chapter 14 explainab out the tools, inputs and techniques used in crop management. Chapters 16 to chapter 19 deal with use of growth regulators, protected cultivation, good agricultural practices and organic horticulture. With the increase in pollution, people are keen to produce their own vegetables and chapter 20 focuses on that need of people. Chapter 21 provides an insight to applied biotechnology related to horticultureviz.,micro propagation and genetic engineering. The chapters 22 and 23 shed light on the scope of aesthetic aspects of horticulture. Horticulture therapy is a novel concept to deal with present day health issues and this is explained in chapter 24. Climate change and irresponsible human behavior has caused stress conditions for crop growth and it is adequately dealt in chapter 25. It is estimated that at least 20 – 30 % of the horticulture produce is wasted as post-harvest loss and hence chapter 26 and 27 are designed to provide post-harvest handling and value addition.
