Dakshin, One of the Best South Indian Vegetarian Cookbook

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MyHinduPage.org Review


To describe the difference between South Indian and North Indian cuisine is like comparing rice to wheat. They are both grains that are grown in abundance in India, but they are very different. This creates a conundrum for those wanting recipes for Indian food because you have to ask first which type of Indian food, North or South Indian.

The majority of Indian recipe books available for English readers are North Indian, South Indian ones are rare. Fortunately for those who are smitten by sambar, rasam, dosa, spicy coconut chutney, vadai and all other pungent and aromatic South Indian vegetarian cooking this book Dakshin is one of the best on the shelf.

When I was a cook in my guru's ashram in Hawaii this book was one of the most oft used resources. Well written in English with necessary instructions for those unaccustomed to find unique spices like asafetida the step by step instructions to make idlli, thosas, vadai and other South India cuisine can make a beginner a specialized South Indian chef in a matter of months. The pictures in the book are just as good. A must have book for connoisseurs of Indian cooking.

Tao Te Ching

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Review by PCW on Amazon.com


I am a native Chinese speaker. I have read the Tao Te Ching in many Chinese as well as English editions. However, it has always been difficult to match the Chinese and English versions, because many English translations have cut out much of the original material and added many of the translator's own words.

When I read this translation and matched it to the Chinese original line by line, I could see that there was an exact correspondence between the two. Nothing had been cut out or added arbitrarily. At the same time, the translator had rendered the complex and difficult ancient Chinese into simple, modern English.

As I am reading this book, I am absorbing not only the translation, but also the commentaries. The format is perfect for daily readings to help me cultivate the Tao. It really brings the teachings to life. I have introduced this book to many native Chinese speakers. Some of them find the original Tao Te Ching difficult to understand, and yet they can understand this English version easily.

I would highly recommend this book to you if you are interested in the Tao - whether you understand the original or not. You will find the clarity and simplicity of the writing most helpful as you explore this ancient Chinese wisdom.

Vedic Mathematics or Sixteen Simple Mathematical Formulae from the Vedas

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Review by J. Pawlak "johnrp" on Amazon.com


A coworker loaned me her copy, telling me that someone as "math nutty" as myself would love it. My first impression, when reading the foreword and intro, was that it was just smoke and mirrors. Oh yeah, sure, you can divide numbers without going through the usual hit-and-miss constructive method! I'll believe that when I see it.
Well, I saw it and I'm a believer! Simply amazing! The techniques used to multiply and divide are based on well founded and cleverly applied principles, but the key to this book is that you don't really need to know WHY it works .. it just does! I think that kids should be taught this way instead of using the old traditional painful methods I was taught.
This book is a must for anyone who loves to see core mathematics applied as they were meant to be. You will, as I was, be awe struck. This is ancient wisdom at its best!

John Pawlak

Multiple Facets of My Madurai

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Review by Iwegaia on Amazon.com
For anyone interested in India, Manohar Devadoss' ink sketches are such a treat. What is even more amazing is that he is nearly blind and yet, his sketches pack an amazing quantity and quality of detail and aesthetics.

His quardiplegic wife, Mahema Devadoss, had written the copy. Their life story is so inspiring that it can be a book by itself. I found a brief and beautiful sketch here titled "A Special Kind of Grace"

ASKING FOR THE EARTH: Waking Up to the Spiritual/Ecological Crisis

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Review by Kenneth E. Klonsky on Amazon.com
This book is incisive, understandable, and ultimately moving. Ambassador James George is uniqely qualified to deal with the problem of the divorce of science from spirituality. He was a personal friend of Thomas Merton, J. Krishnamurti, and continues to have a close relationship with the Dalai Lama. The message of Asking for the Earth is one of hope, despite the self-destructive tendencies that humanity has demonstrated until now. Brilliant work.

The Little Green Book on Awakening by James George

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Review by Claudia A. Dudley on Amazon.com
The Little Green Book on Awakening is quietly revolutionary. On the one hand it is an urgent, 11th-hour plea for the health of the earth. But more than this, is a call to spiritual awakening on both a personal and global scale. At its core is the possibility of hope, because it invites us to open our eyes and hearts to real help.

Jim George, now 91, is considered by many to be one of the world's most spiritually and politically cosmopolitan citizens. A former ambassador to India, Iran and Greece, he has known hundreds of key figures in the political, cultural and spiritual arenas of the past century. But his book is surprisingly modest. His essays range over such varied topics as the ecological crisis, off-planet cultures, the "Akashic field" of quantum physics, the evolutionary power of love, the call to conscience. Jim George himself has been a longtime student of the teachings of G.I.Gurdjieff, and worked with Mme. Jeanne de Salzmann, Gurdjieff's closest pupil. He also has a close connection to Tibetan Buddhism, having been instrumental in relocating Tibetan refugees to Canada from India in the early 1960s. It is clear that the breadth of his vision has emerged from a spiritual practice that is truly comprehensive.

Bringing together the political, ecological, scientific and spiritual worlds -- seeing their interrelation -- Jim George raises the radical possibility of many more people, especially in the West, opening to a spiritual dimension. This he feels could well alter the course of the earth. Many rich questions also arise around this. Is there an Intelligence reaching out to us, each and all, relative to every life situation? What is being offered (in addition to what is needed) in these dangerous times? Is our responsibility external, internal, or both, and what would this mean? Are we called, and to what? What could help individual and collective conscience to have an action?

Few people in the world could have written a book like this. From Jim George's long life and wide experience, he offers a vantage point that has influence in many quarters. Particularly moved, one hopes, will be those who have already devoted themselves to public service -- the anonymous Al Gores of the world -- and who may be seeking to inculcate a deeper spiritual practice into their lives. Jim George leaves us with the unusual sense that perhaps not all is lost for us, that spiritual and political/social power can meet, might even provide a critical mass of help at this moment in time. In his sensitive hands, we are invited toward the most natural thing in the world: to turn with love and intelligence toward each other and the earth itself.

Indian Society, Institutions and Change by Rajendra K. Sharma

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Myhindupage.org Review
If you are researching Hindu Dharma, or Hindu codes of living, then this book which is a past and present analysis and narrative is a very good resource. The work spans not only Hindu dharma, but also the evolution of Buddhist, Christian and Muslim norms of living in India. What impressed my was the chapters on the Hindu Varna System (Varna Dharma) and Ashrama Dharma. They are well researched with appropriate references without cumbersome quoting from Scriptures and other authors on the subject. The author also goes to the length to state ideals of these systems and how the have evolved or devolved over time. This book is academic and therefore a resource for the scholarly and those interested in collecting articles of Indian / Hindu societal analysis or understanding.

7 Secrets of Shiva

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Myhindupage.org Review
Many people I know are enamored by this book on Shiva. This book reveals the mysticism of Shiva through the folklore or puranas that surround Lord Shiva, the most ancient form of God evolving out to the Indian Subcontinent. The writer, Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik has done an excellent job in easing readers into the philosophical mysticism through poignant narratives that uncover hidden philosophies and mysticism in entertaining and traditional myths of Shiva. I would recommend this book as an introduction for aspiring mystics and those looking for a more profound understanding of Lord Shiva.

Review on Amazon.com by Ujjwal Dey
Shiva is a God that has truly transcended time and space. He is Mahadeva - greatest of Gods. His legends exist and have survived since eons ago. This book is a treat for all who find mythologies and ancient legends fascinating. In the must-read introduction, the author Devdutt explains his approach. A reconcilliation between East and West. He mentions how Western scholars look at Hindu mythology through the lens of western thought and philosophy, often referring to Western stream of understanding and analysis. And Indians are shy of the explicit exploits of their Gods, a result of Victorian colonial propriety. In this book Devdutt explores the myth through research of Vedas, Puranas, legends and temples. He goes to the basic philosophy of Hinduism to explain and interpret the mythology in its more accurate meaning.

For example, there are many Gods in Hindu mythology and many demons and a heaven and hell, but there is no equivalent of Satan. Lord Shiva is an ascetic and he also is a householder. He is worshiped in these 2 forms as well as a host of other forms - angry Rudra, united Ardhanareshwara, simpleton Bholenath, vengeful Kaal Bhairava, etc. So not only do we have more than one God, the God's themselves have myriad versions and avatars.

Shiva is eternal with no beginning and no end, he is infinite, no before no after, he grants boons and blessings to all who worship him. So even demons pray to him for benefiting from his benevolence. This is a unique thought process of a God who differentiates between no one and nothing. He has angry form, he has a compassionate form, he is a lover and husband, he is a father too, and he is formless divine. He can revive the dead, he can take away all fear of death. He provides for all his devotees and protects them from predation.

This book is insightful and at the same time simplified text of the vast pantheon and rich ancient culture of India. I was hooked from page one and read it withing 2 days. It pulls you in with indepth interpretation of symbols, stories and rituals. It is a must have for any beginner or professional who wishes to unravel the mysteries of Shiva and understand Hindu thought process. Apart from all this there are many images from paintings and temples and excavations and sculptures that illustrate the book along with the image's descriptions.

Other books by Devdutt I look forward to reading are "7 Secrets of Vishnu" and "Myth = Mithya". Hope these books entertain and educate you all and brings understanding and order out of chaos.

Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization by Graham Hancock

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Myhindupage.org Review
I was recommended this book by a friend who is an avid Hindu / Tamil civilization explorer. Many Indian historians have pointed out that the Indian subcontinent was at one point a continent of its own, just before Pangea. This continent is know by these Indian historians by an ancient name found in some scripture–Kumari Kandam. The connections during the time of Kumari Kandam was said to spread all the way to Central and South America, whence architectural and language technologies were shared. Graham Hancock sheds credible light on these postulations by his findings in this book. If you are intrigued by ancient civilization and the mystery of how they developed their technologies this is an enriching book to read.

Review on Amazon.com by Stephen A. Haines
Archaeologists have been pushing back the date of humanity's first attempts at agriculture and the civilization that follows it. An inexplicable commonality is seen in agriculture emerging in distant places at nearly the same time. Self-confessed - sorry, self-adulatory - Graham Hancock thinks there's an answer for that chronological similarity. He contends agriculture, and civilization reach even further back in time than evidence found in places like Iran or Turkey suggests. He thinks the legends and mythologies of India, Malta and South America point to a multitude of "Atlantis-like" urbanised cultures that have disappeared from view - under water.
"Underworld" is a collation of ancient legends, old maps, submerged evidence and innovative thinking that gives humanity much deeper roots than previously thought. Hancock dives into the world's offshore depths, trolls through a wealth of mythologies, views unusual and unexplained artefacts and comes up with a challenge to consensus archaeology. Was there a global sprinking of advanced civilizations at the end of the last Ice Age? Did the melting ice caps drown more than the various land bridges that connected the British Isles with Europe, Sri Lanka with India and Alaska with Siberia? If Hancock is correct, and he is not to be dismissed lightly, humanity achieved far greater social complexity during the glacial advances than just living in caves wrapped in bear skins. What appears to be a near simultaneous emergence of agriculture, he argues, is in reality what we see left over from much older societies.
Hancock has made dives in many of the sites revealed by fishermen, archaeologists and others, recording finds on video and still camera and maps. The images are impressive, as are the numbers of potential sites. Utilising computer generated maps of the sea's rise after the Great Meltdown of the glaciers, he shows the logic of his thesis with compelling evidence. He's careful to note where the data seems firm as well as lacking. Where lacking, he urges more scientific attention to these places.
Although he justifiably spends most of the account on locations in India, where in some places the sea has invaded over 700 kilometres since the last Last Glacial Maximum, his relation of Japanese sites makes the most compelling reading. There, some of the longest-lived legends indicate Japan's oldest settlers, the Jomon, preceded the West in the establishment of agriculture and settled communities. Where scholars once held these people were "simple hunter-gatherers", Hancock sees evidence of rice growing nearly twelve thousand years old. Temple styles found today are duplicated in undersea sites, in some places nearby as if the sea simply pushed the people and their culture inland. These people may have followed the "Black Current" across the Pacific to establish settlements along the western coast of South America.
Hancock is careful to separate the known from the speculative, and not all of the speculations are his. Scholars in the places he visits are contributers to this innovative idea. So many sites and such commonality of legend add up to a highly plausible notion. Regrettably, even while crediting these researchers with empirical methods, Hancock is a bit too full of himself. Long passages of his problems, illness, fright from daring pilots cruising mountain passes permeate the book. By restricting himself to the scholars, their evidence coupled with his own and other researchers' ideas, he could have made this account less tedious while recounting adventures and exploration. Even the computer-generated maps are often repeated unnecessarily. He raises serious questions which deserve serious study. Hancock makes a compelling introduction, but we await a less self-indulgent approach. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

AYURVEDA – The Science of Self-Healing by Dr. Vasant Lad

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Myhindupage.org Review
If you are interested in Ayurveda, the ancient and traditional Indian medical science, this book is a good introduction. Dr. Vasant Lad went to great lengths to write this practical guide on Ayurveda for those uninitiated. He provides simple diagrams and allows even beginners to ayurveda to use the knowledge in this book to come up with rudimentary diagnosis. The content is not extensive enough to figure treatments for disease but it is helpful in providing preventive solutions based on basic ayurvedic diagnosis that can be early indication of ill health.

An anonymous review on Amazon.com
I had the privilage of being treated by Dr. Lad as well as going to several clases he gives at the Ayurvedic institute in Albuquerque NM. The book is a wonderful aid in trying to understand and identify health and disease. You have to be able to understand that "western" medicine is not the answer for everything and that in many cases it will eventually make you even sicker. What do you prefer, Prozac or a cup of some herbal tea that will eventually help you with depression?. What do you prefer, a cup of chamomile tea along with jatamansi or Pepto Bismol?. Ayurveda is something very real, helpful and extremely cheap. Hmmmm..... just wondering why allopacy wants to destroy alternative methods. Even better, is Ayurveda really an alternative treatment? 3,000 years before Jesus Ayurveda was being practiced...so, just wondering who's really alternative. Give it a try, Vasant Lad is a great humble and loving person.

Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation by Harish Johari

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Myhindupage.org Review
This is one of the most friendly book on the esoterics of chakras to be found. the late Harish Johari's valuable literary work on the chakra and their related spiritual psychiatry and psychology is equally matched by trully inspiring illustrations of the chakras. An essential book for all those who are mystified by or are interested in understanding the chakras, which are spiritual force hubs connecting the spiritual bodies of man to the physical body, and their functions.

Editorial Review
"This book offers much for readers to digest, and it is an invitation to new and healthy experiences with food." (Catholic Women's NETWORK, March/April/May 2001 )
“Johari’s text is among the best of Western explications, combining traditional, visionary, and practical views. Chakras is illustrated, detailed, accessible to the neophyte, and notable for its valuable discussion of tantric vocabulary.” -- East West Journal


Review by Pieter 'Toypom' on Amazon.com
The energy vortices or charkas are located within the cerebrospinal system and are the points of interaction between the spirit and the body. Each of the 7 main charkas is also connected to certain glands in the body and therefore has a role in the hormonal system.
The psychophysical energy dealt with here is electrochemical and operates through the life force (prana) that moves through the body along the nadi channels. The seven main chakras are all connected to the main nadi. By understanding this system one can cultivate a higher state of being.
This illuminating and comprehensive book includes the following chapters: 1. The Principles of Tantra Yoga, with a section on states of consciousness; 2. Kundalini Yoga; 3. The Essentials of the Chakras; 4. Chakras, Rebirth & Spirituality. The appendix consists of extracts from the Hindu scriptures on the various stages of Yoga.
The aforementioned Chapter 3 deals with each of the chakras in turn, providing a description of each, the psychological energies that operate in it, the shape, yantra and color of each chakra, its predominating sense aspects, its seed sound (bija), number of petals, residing deity and ruling planet. It was interesting to learn about the Soma Chakra, an unnumbered energy point also called Amirta or Indu, that resides within the 7th or Sahasrara chakra.
The principles of the chakra system and practical applications are discussed in detail, including visualization techniques. The text is enhanced by beautiful color paintings of each energy vortex plus plenty of interesting black and white illustrations. The book concludes with a glossary and index.
Johari's revised and expanded edition of Chakras is a very accessible work and packed with facts. As such it is ideal for both the novice and the advanced energy worker. It provides all the information, techniques and tools to activate one's energy system for enhancing spiritual growth, balanced emotions and mental and physical well-being.

Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine by Harish Johari

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Editorial Review
"Unlike the recipes in many other Indian cookbooks, the simplicity of Johari's dishes makes it possible to prepare an Indian meal without spending an entire day at the task." (Vegetarian Times )

"A fine introduction both to the science of Ayurveda and to its cuisine." (Hinduism Today )

"Harish Johari is Ayurveda's renaissance man." (Yoga Journal )
"A delightfully healthy way to broaden your palate to include the delicacies of India." (NAPRA Review )
"Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine." (Sandra I. Smith, The Midwest Book Review )

"Exceptional." (Today's Books, March 6, 2001 )

"This book offers much for readers to digest, and it is an invitation to new and healthy experiences with food." (Catholic Women's NETWORK, March/April/May 2001 )

"With 200 recipes to improve well-being and longevity, the book exalts the healing qualities of various foods and spices." (PJ Birosik, Nexus, July/August 2002 )


Review by Cassandra Barnes on Amazon.com
Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine from India that emphasizes the healing properties of food. As Harish Johari says, "food is something very personal and it should never be eaten for taste alone; its purpose is to provide nutrients and satisfaction to the body, without introducing toxins." Johari, a Tantric and Ayurvedic scholar, wrote twelve books, as well as produced audiocassettes and CDs, before his death in 1999. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: 200 Vegetarian Recipes for Health, Balance, and Longevity, published posthumously, "explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind."
Johari first introduces the principles of Ayurveda, fully discussing the role of the five elements and describing the doshas--a way of classifying body types and temperments. He also explains that there are six tastes--sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of the tastes has a different effect on the body. Foods are further classified as to whether they are hot or cold and heavy or light. These attributes also affect the body in various ways.
Understanding how foods interact with one another and how they effect the body provides a foundation for healthy eating. Johari maintains that "most diseases are the result of wrong eating habits and/or of eating antagonist foods."
He also includes information on the nutrients in food, such as protein and vitamins. That's followed by a section describing the healing properties of specific foods. He suggests using milk as a source of protein, rather than meat or eggs.
The bulk of the book is devoted to recipes, including how to prepare various Indian spice mixtures. All of the recipes are Westernized versions of Indian foods and use ingredients that can be obtained in the West. Many are prepared using a wok. Johari presents recipes for snacks, dals, main dishes, salads, condiments, breads, desserts, and beverages.
Appendices include menu suggestions, and several special recipes for children and the elderly. He finishes with a list of spice and specialty food suppliers.
Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.

How I Became A Hindu by David Frawley

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Religious Studies Review
In 2000, his book How I Became a Hindu, Frawley details his move from a Catholic upbringing to embracing Hinduism. He learned Sanskrit from a Sanskrit grammar book and a copy of the Vedas in around 1970. Today he is a respected academician and historian on Hindu and other mystical Indian traditions. This little unassuming book is a real gem for beginners to Hinduism from Western upbringing who will find this book helpful in understanding Hinduism through anecdotes.

About the Author, David Frawley
David Frawley (or Pandit Vāmadeva Śāstrī वामदेव शास्त्री) is a Vedic teacher and educator with numerous books in several Vedic and Yogic fields published worldwide over the past thirty years. He is the founder and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico (www.vedanet.com), which offers courses and publications on Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga and meditation, and Vedic astrology. He is also involved in important research into ancient Vedic texts and is a well known modern exponent of Hinduism and Sanatana Dharma. His work is high respected in traditional circles in India, where he has received many awards, as well as influential in the West, where he is involved in many Vedic and Yogic schools, ashrams and associations.