इन गहन सवालों के जवाबों को जानने के लिए पत्रकार टोनी जोसेफ़ 65,000 वर्ष अतीत में जाते हैं, जब आधुनिक मानवों या होमो सेपियन्स के एक समूह ने सबसे पहले अफ़्रीका से भारतीय उपमहाद्धीप तक का सफ़र तय किया था।

मनुष्यप्राण्याच्या एकूण इतिहासामध्ये होमो सेपियनची जडणघडण, भटका- अन्नसंकलन व पशुपालन करणारा समुदाय ते सार्वभौम राष्ट्रीयत्वाची मांडणी करणारा समाज असा एक विशाल आणि विस्मयकारक घटनाक्रम दडलेला आहे. या दूरस्थ गतकाळाच्या आरंभबिंदूपासूनच भारतीय उपखंड हा मानवी स्थलांतरासाठी एक महत्त्वपूर्ण हमरस्ता ठरलेला आहे. काळाच्या निरनिराळ्या टप्प्यावर विविध समुदायांनी भारताच्या सुजलाम सुफलाम भूमीला आपले घर बनवण्यास प्राधान्य दिलेले आहे. परिणामी युगानुयुगे 'बहुसांस्कृतिकता' हा इथला स्थायीभाव बनून राहिलेला आहे. तथापि, अलीकडील काही वर्षांत दक्षिण आशिया खंडाचा इतिहास मोडून-तोडून टाकण्याची वृत्ती बळावत चालल्याचे दिसून येत आहे आणि या वृत्तीतूनच मग वांशिक शुद्धतेचा मागोवा घेणाऱ्या विवेकशून्य, धोकादायक योजना मूळ धरत असल्याचेही चित्र दिसून येते आहे. 'फेक नरेटीव्हज' रचण्याच्या आजच्या कालखंडात इतिहास जाणून घेण्याचे प्रस्थापित वैज्ञानिक मापदंड आहेत, हेच आपण विसरत चाललो आहोत. त्यामुळे काळाच्या या अशा टप्प्यावर जनुकशास्त्र, पुरातत्त्वशास्त्र, हवामानशास्त्र, भाषाशास्त्र अशा विज्ञानाच्या कसोटीवर खऱ्या उतरणाऱ्या साधनांच्या सहाय्याने भारताच्या तब्बल बारा हजार वर्षांच्या गतकाळाचे अतिशय चिकित्सकपणे अवलोकन करणारा 'द इंडियन्स' हा ग्रंथ अतिशय प्रस्तुत ठरणारा आहे. 'द इंडियन्स' हा एक अत्यंत महत्त्वाकांक्षी प्रकल्प असून यामध्ये जगभरातील सुमारे शंभर एक अभ्यासकांनी आपले योगदान दिलेले आहे. इतिहास, तत्त्वज्ञान, भाषा, संस्कृती या ज्ञानशाखा आणि समाजकारण व राजकारण याप्रति सजग असणाऱ्या सर्वांना आवाहन करणारा अलीकडच्या काळातील हा एक अत्यंत महत्त्वपूर्ण दस्तऐवज आहे.

ప్రపంచ ప్రసిద్ధ కాస్మాలజిస్ట్‌, 'ఎ బ్రీఫ్‌ హిస్టరీ ఆఫ్‌ టైం' అనే నంబర్‌ వన్‌ బెస్ట్‌ సెల్లింగ్‌ పుస్తక రచయిత, తన మరణానంతరం వెలువడిన ఈ పుస్తకం ద్వారా 'విశ్వంలోని అన్నింటికన్నా పెద్ద ప్రశ్నల' గురించిన తన తుది అభిప్రాయాలను మనకు వదిలారు. విశ్వం ఎట్లా మొదలయింది? మానవులు భూమి మీద మనగలుగుతారా? సౌర వ్యవస్థకు అవతల బుద్ధిజీవులు ఉన్నారా? కృత్రిమజ్ఞానం మనలను ఓడిస్తుందా? తన పరిశోధన కాలం మొత్తంలోనూ స్టీఫెన్‌ హాకింగ్‌, విశ్వం గురించిన మన అవగాహనలను విస్తరింపజేశాడు. కొన్ని మహత్తర రహస్యాలు గుట్టువిప్పాడు. బ్లాక్‌ హోల్స్‌, ఊహాకాలం, పెక్కు చరిత్రలు లాంటి అంశాల గురించి తన ఆలోచనలను విశ్వంలోని సుదూర ప్రాంతాలకు పరుగెత్తించాడు. అయినా భూమి మీద సమస్యలకు సమాధానాలు అందించడంలో విజ్ఞానశాస్త్రం కీలకపాత్ర పోషిస్తుంది అన్నాడు. వాతావరణం మార్పులు, అణుయుద్ధ భయం, ఆర్టిఫీషియల్‌ సూపర్‌ ఇంటెలిజెన్స్‌ అభివృద్ధి వంటి ప్రమాదకరాలయిన మార్పులవేపు ఇక ప్రస్తుతం, తన దృష్టి సారించాడు. పెద్ద ప్రశ్నలు వాటికి చిన్న సమాధానాలు అన్నది చరిత్రలోనే సాటిలేని మెదడు నుంచి వచ్చిన చివరి పుస్తకం. విస్తృత విషయాలను గురించి, ప్రేరణాత్మకంగా, అతని సహజమయిన హాస్యం జొప్పిస్తూ, మానవజాతిగా మనం ఎదురుకుంటున్న సమస్యల గురించి, ఒక గ్రహంగా మునుముందు మనం ఎటు పోతున్నాము అన్న విషయం గురించి హాకింగ్‌ వ్యక్తిగత అభిప్రాయాలు చెప్పిన పుస్తకం యిది.

The book tells the story of Lalu and his red kite in wondrous colours. The kite is Lalu’s love and he is ready to go to any length to keep the kite with him.

The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

Ilham has a problem. Her Papa has given her a crisp fifty rupee note for her birthday, and she doesn’t know where to keep it absolutely safe. A pocket would be best, but her new frock doesn’t have one. So she runs to Salma Chachi the tailor to get a pocket stitched — but that leads to another problem. A charming little nugget of a story with the flavour of old Hyderabad captured warmly in the pictures!

Dhum Dhum Dhum… dhup dhup dhup… Dungi dances to a dhinchak beat in this foot-tapping story that will make young readers move and groove, clap and tap! Big sheep, small sheep, bored sheep, happy sheep… eye-catching visuals bring to life the dance and drama in a woolly world.

When a herd of elephants creates trouble in the jungle, do the little rabbits run away in fear? No! From Aztec to Chinese, there are many versions of the story about the rabbit in the moon. The illustrations for this bilingual retelling are based on the pithora folk style of central India, which derives from cave art.

It’s Monday morning. Time for school. And his model of the earth…? Chintu Chitnis suddenly remembers he hasn’t made it! There’s a last-minute scramble to finish the project, with his little sister Pihu pitching in not very helpfully. And then, in school, Chintu finds an entire continent missing! Where did it go? Set in a Konkani household, this light and humorous story with playful pictures is a quick first introduction to the continents of the world.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.

Muthu’s constant companion is a rooster called Goondi. But her grandfather tells her not to get too attached to Goondi, since he belongs to Selvi Paati. And the village head wants to buy him for his son’s wedding feast… Muthu can’t bear the thought! So, she makes her move and Thatha makes his, in this tender story about what a dear friend is worth. Pictures add richness and depth to this layered narrative set in an Irula fishing village in Tamil Nadu. Their varying tones and textures capture the setting, the people and the moments.

Moyna lives in a little tribal village. She cannot go to school because she has to tend goats, collect firewood, fetch water… But she is so full of questions that the postmaster calls her the ‘why-why girl'! In this inspiring and delightful story, her first picture book, acclaimed Jnanpith award-winning writer Mahasweta Devi tells us how she meets Moyna (and her mongoose) and helps her find answers to all the why-whys – in books, that Moyna herself learns to read. Some of the translations have been done by well-known writers: Malayalam by Paul Zacharia, Tamil by Ambai, and Kannada by Girish Karnad. CBSE recommended

After a school trip to the zoo, Amma is surprised that Meera has seen no animals – not a monkey, a lion, or even a giraffe... But why did Meera see no animals there? Her lively mother forgets to ask! Zestful pictures capture the hilarious inversion of role play.

Yak yak yak... the tortoise loves to talk – and learns the hard way that keeping his mouth shut is sometimes very necessary! The clipped narrative style pares the original fable from the Panchatantra down to its essence with dramatic effect in this bilingual retelling. It is offset by decorative, detailed illustrations in the style of kalamkari textiles from Andhra Pradesh.

Mati pesters her grandmother and father for her own plot of land. When she does get it, she works hard. And then she hears that a company wants to make a coal mine in their village – the enormous black pit that will eat up all their lands, like it has in the next village… As always, Rinchin powers her questions through irresistible storytelling. The little girl’s anxiety about losing her land to “a monster machine” cuts close to the heart as it takes head-on an issue that is ravaging tribal Chhattisgarh, where this story is set, and every other place where there is ‘development’ at a cost.

Small noses catch small colds. Big noses catch big colds. Gajapati Kulapati the elephant has a big nose and catches a great, big, mighty cold! And what happens when he sneezes – Aaaaachoooo….? With repetitive sounds and words that roll rhythmically through the pages, this bestselling series about the adorable elephant puts the zing back into storytelling and reading aloud. Bright, zestful pictures and dynamic visual text echo the lilt, making these big, happy books of fun.

There is a BIG monster that only Montu can see, that shows up whenever he’s angry or sad, and makes him even more angry, even more sad. One day, when he hurts his leg and is stuck at home, he starts to draw. He draws the window, the tree outside and… the monster! But as he keeps drawing, the monster gets smaller and smaller. What’s happening? Pictures and text gently tell this story of a boy who learns to deal with his inner demons, illustrating how art can heal.

Lined up on a street are noisy motorbikes, honking cars, crowded buses, impatient autos... In their midst sits a queenly Maharani! At the heart of this funny little vignette is a cool-as-a-cucumber cow, an all too familiar character of an Indian streetscape. Nancy Raj’s full-of-life pictures bustle with detail and drama, capturing the bovine and the boisterous as everyone tries to unseat her highness. 2018: The Hindu Young World-Goodbooks Award – Best Picture Book 2018: Honor Book, South Asia Book Award

Roll it, pat it, poke in eyes, stick on nose and ears — and a ball of chapati dough can turn into almost anything! The endearing illustrations follow the quirks of a child's imagination.

Playtime on the terrace takes a turn when a strong wind sweeps Chhotu off his feet and carries him up and away to the clouds and the birds! The light and lively illustrations whirl us to the sky and back.