HT Picks; New Reads

The search for Buddhism in modern India

Received wisdom has it that Buddhism disappeared from the land of its origin between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, long forgotten until British colonial scholars rediscovered it in the early 1800s. Its full-fledged revival, the story goes, occurred in 1956, when Dr BR Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with half a million of his Dalit followers. Dust on the Throne, which has been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize 2023, provides a radically new perspective on what has long been called India’s modern Buddhist revival.

Through extensive examination of disparate materials held in archives and temples across South Asia, Douglas Ober explores Buddhist religious dynamics through the course of expanding colonial empires, intra-Asian connectivity, and the intellectual pursuits of nineteenth and twentieth century Indian thinkers. Dust on the Throne recovers the integral role of lesser-known anti-caste activists and Buddhist monastics in the making of modern global Buddhism. It also accounts for the powerful influence Buddhism exerted in shaping modern Indian history.*

The Search for a people, a place and a myth

Few themes in history have had as strong a hold on people’s imagination. Fewer still have managed to alter the course of civilization. This is Charles Allen’s definitive account of the Aryans, offering a grand sweep of language, mythology, contested histories and conflict. Spanning continents, cultures and societies: from the Russian steppe to the Indus valley, the Iliad to the Mahabharata, Greek to Sanskrit, Putin to Trump, and Müller to Vivekananda, Aryans astonishes with its scope. Allen, true to a style that has endeared him to a legion of admirers, weaves a narrative that is startling and illuminating. Product of a great investigation and meticulous scholarship, Aryans, Allen’s last book, is his crowning achievement and marks the end of an illustrious career.*

Spices, flavour, recipes and more

With a collection of more than 100 recipes from headline-grabbing Michelin star Chef Vikas Khanna, Ceremony of Aromas is more than just a cookbook, it’s a combination of horticulture, cooking, travelling and an opportunity to live as a spice farmer – a much cherished dream. It is also a tribute to his undying romance with spices. Known fondly as the “masala chor”, the thief of spices, Vikas’s passion has taken him from the bright yellow mustard fields of Punjab, the saffron meadows in the Himalayan valleys of Kashmir, the lavender fields of Abbey Notre-Dame de Sénanque to the jungles of Vietnam looking for star anise. Ceremony of Aromas brings together stories about the origins of spices, where they are to be found, and more importantly, how they can be used in the richly delicious recipes which allow you to recreate the style of this ace chef.*

*All copy from book flap.