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Agrarian transition, exploitative production relations, bondage in
the agriculture and informal sectors, food insecurity, and poverty
are among the central concerns that have marked the work of the
eminent economist and author Utsa Patnaik. She has sought to seek
and define alternative economic models that address these concerns
and that are therefore emancipatory in nature. This festschrift
attempts to engage with the theoretical frameworks, historical
analyses, and developmental questions that her remarkable academic
contributions have raised. The volume delves deep into issues such
as the agrarian question in contemporary India, the issue of
primitive accumulation, displacement and land rights, the crisis of
employment generation and women's work under present economic
regimes, the challenge of environmental sustainability, and
environmental constraints to development, left politics, issues of
secularism and the social challenges of communalism-all of which
are contradictions faced in the development process today. The
editors hope that the volume will be useful to all whose praxis and
work are anchored on the motivation to build a better and just
world.
Very old tales relating to Indian mythology are narrated in this
book. The popularity of these tales, that have lasted for many
centuries, and will never be forgotten, is certainly time-tested
They can be read as racy fantasy fiction with appeal for everyone;
or as the most thought-provoking epic stories showing up the
universal truths searched for by men over ages. The author has
carefully reconstructed the diverse versions of the ancient tales
with his research efforts over the last 15 years. He seeks to
present what they meant to Indians two or three thousand years ago.
They are now clearly and concisely integrated with inspired
insight, and presented in an attractive, highly readable style with
modern flourishes. These classic stories deal with valour, romance,
mystery, magic, duty; by reading them we may find out how much they
have shaped our minds about the deepest moral issues over thousands
of years, spanning national boundaries. The eternal conflicts
between the principled Gods and the opportunistic Demons form the
main interest. In this book, they effectively come out of our minds
and take shapes and desires of their own The demon-hero Andhak, is
the protagonist in the main story. Born blind and ugly, out of his
mother's impulse and father's pain, he is discarded by them for
adoption by Hiranyaksh, the demon-king. Andhak is horribly treated
by his cousins after his adoptive father's death in battle against
the Gods. With great effort he overcomes his limitations, and
fights the Gods, seeking vengeance... An excerpt follows:
Hiranyaksh, the Asura king, was doing severe penances to propitiate
Shiva. Such was his prayer: "O Shiva, greatest of Devas, do hear my
prayer and grant me this boon I have no wish for immortality; I do
not wish to be any Deva, eternally bound to principles and ideals.
I am happy to be just what I am: an Asura, a demon driven by
passion and ego, delighting in opulence and fame and revelries. By
Your grace, I already possess vast might, large armies, incredible
wealth - so much that we are now about to challenge the Devas. "O
Shiva, there is no one higher among us Asuras to pray to, than
myself. Only to You, the very greatest Deva, the most principled,
indeed the very best among Them, most certainly the most powerful -
only to You can I pray, for You are the most superior among all
entities. From You I beseech a boon. "Shiva, do cast Your
favourable eye upon me. Be kind to me. You know that although I am
an Asura I am still accessible to Your grace. Forget the squabbles
we have to have with the lesser Devas. Those selfish and uncaring
hypocrites, aloof and joyless; those moral snobs, pursuing cold and
lonely habits; are a natural affront to our senses of equality and
gregarious living. They deserve chastisement from time to time. "O
Shiva, we Asuras are nothing without passion. Most passionately, I
want a son. My brother Hiranyakshap, he has four strong sons. I
don't want any of them to inherit my kingdom. I want my own son to
rule the Asuras. Of all the Asuras, he must be the bravest and the
strongest - he must dominate all. All must be in fear and awe of
him. "Shiva, give me such a son."
Islamic Investments, governed by the Shari'ah doctrines, the divine
law as revealed in the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Prophet
Muhammad, have witnessed significant growth and advancements since
its initial development in the early 1970s. Presently, Islamic
financial institutions are not just confined to the geographical
boundaries of the Islamic countries, but today, they operate in and
around forty countries globally, including the likes of UK and US.
To be Islam compliant, financial products and transactions need to
abide the Shari'ah laws. Thus, the unique features of Islamic
investments pertain to prohibition of interest on loans and
exchange of unequal quantities of similar goods. It also prohibits
one from gambling and betting activities. In essence, Islamic
Investments restricts individuals from hoarding money but
encourages profit sharing basis. One of the areas where Islamic
Investments have made a major impact is the stock market with the
primary focus on the ethical front. This book primarily aims to
introduce Islamic investments, its related products and services
and finally, takes a closer look at global capital markets and
Islamic Indexes.
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