The Holy Cow

This book has been in the making for nearly a decade. In 1982, when I returned from Spain, life as a student burning a hole in my parent s pocket came to an abrupt end and the stark reality of making ends meet became the order of the day. And all I had, besides best wishes of family and friends, was a working knowledge of Spanish. Fortunately, this asset was worth its weight in gold for it is my karma to unveil the secrets of the land of my birth to travellers from across the planet.Not that I was the last word on the wonderful melange that is India. Indeed, as I got to know my own country, I discovered there are a thousand India's and the quest to know each of them has kept me on the move ever since. And every time a visitor asks a simple question, I m amazed that there are so many things about this wonderful land that not only baffle, amuse, horrify and attract foreigners. In fact, even a lifetime of study is not enough to produce a single volume which answers all questions.India has a long tradition of transmitting knowledge by way of parables and stories. In this small book, I have attempted to tell the reader, through stories and pictures, what India its historical tradition, religious customs and societal structure is all about.So, when you return home and your friends want to ask you why cows are worshipped in India, why love is expressed in marble as in the Taj Mahal, why it s a boon to die and be cremated on the Ghats at Varanasi or, indeed, why the temples at Khajuraho are adorned with erotic art, this book has the answers.Of course, if you want to know more, you can always ask more questions. Or wait for my next book!