Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place celebrated with
Urnabhih and Shakuntala: Historical Fiction and the Feminine Narrative
New Delhi, October 16th, 2014: Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place celebrated the publications Urnabhih and Shakuntala with the celebrated authors Sumedha V Ojha and Namita Gokhale. The authors discussed the intersection of the historical and the timeless in the novels Urnabhih, a historical fiction and Shakuntala, a feminine narrative authored by them respectively.
While, Sumedha’s Urnabhih is a Mauryan tale of espionage, adventure and seduction; Gokhale’s Shakuntala acquires the leanings of a morality tale of Shakuntala, a forlorn, bewildered woman of tragic integrity who deserves better. The readings were followed by the launch of Urnabhih, Sumedha V Ojha’s debut novel.
Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place offers a carefully curated list of titles for booklovers to browse through and buy and perhaps the world’s largest assortment of teas in the hip Cha Bar, to create a holistic experience for book lovers. The entrance leading to the bookstore houses a big Neon Wall, a cloud of words in English-Hindi-Latin that envelopes book lovers in a universe of emotions linked to reading. Inside, in the tranquil space, hands-on staff, knowledgeable and highly trained book specialists, offer suggestions of handpicked titles from major, independent and indie publishers: a great selection of books, some exclusive to Oxford Bookstore. The selection features both emerging and established authors from India and the world. Shelves stocked with the best in Indian Writing, International Fiction and Translations take one into a spacious, elongated Reading Room which opens onto a dedicated Events Space. Well-researched sections on Languages and New Age books address issues of addiction, relationships, unexplained phenomena, and showcase the best of thinkers and Indian gurus. A wide range of titles in Travel Writing, books that showcase the very essence of New Delhi and a specially curated section of books on tea are other highlights. Children have an exclusive space for browsing, activities and reading and parents can look forward to the Top 10 Gift Books in each age group for a quick and easy pick. Amongst the best in books for different age groups are ones that help the young ones deal with experiences relevant to their age.
About Sumedha V Ojha
Sumedha Verma Ojha was born in the state of Bihar in modern India, which was the ancient Kingdom of the Mauryans, and has appropriately gone back to her roots for her first book. Currently on a sabbatical in Geneva, Switzerland, she lives on the shores of Lac Léman with her husband and two children pursuing her long cherished dream of writing to bring the beauty and nuances of ancient India before the world.
About Namita Gokhale
Namita Gokhale is author of six novels, a collection of short stories, and several works of nonfiction, all in English. Her first novel, Paro: Dreams of Passion, 1984, a satire upon the Mumbai and Delhi elite caused uproar due to its candid sexual humour. Gods Graves and Grandmother- an ironic fable about street life in Delhi was adapted into a musical play. Gokhale was diagnosed with cancer when she was just thirty-five and her husband died a few years later. The experience of illness and loss has informed her later books, A Himalayan Love Story, The Book of Shadows and Shakuntala, the play of memory. Gokhale has written two books of non-fiction. Mountain Echoes which deals with the Kumaoni way of life through the eyes of four highly talented and individualistic women. The Book of Shiva is an introduction to Shaivite philosophy and mythology. She had retold the Indian epic, The Mahabharata, in an illustrated version for young and first time readers. In Search of Sita – Revisiting Mythology, co-edited with Dr Malashri Lal, presents fresh interpretations of this enigmatic goddess and her indelible impact on the lives of Indian women. Gokhale’s recent Priya: In Incredible Indyaa, resurrected some unforgettable characters from her debut novel Paro. A collection of short stories, The Habit of Love, was published in January 2012.