I am happy to announce that the second edition of my book Akath Kahani Prem Ki: Kabir Ki Kavita Aur Unka Samay is forthcoming from Rajkamal Prakashan:

Second Edition Cover

It will be launched on September 9 at 5pm at Triveni Kala Sangam, Mandi House . Harbans Mukhia will be the keynote speaker. Ashok Vajpeyi, Javed Anand, Om Thanvi and Ved Prakash will speak on various aspects of the book. Namwar Singh will preside. All are welcome to attend.

Some of the important themes that are likely to be discussed are Kabir’s contribution as a poet, the Kabir-Ramanand connection, bhakti as spirituality without religion, evolution of early Indian modernity and the setback suffered by the same due to the colonial intervention.

The first edition of the book was launched in October, 2009 and has been exceedingly well received. Akath Kahani Prem Ki… was awarded the first Rajkamal Kruti Samman

>> Download an extract (hindi)
>> Read an extract in english translation (published in Communalism Combat – January 2010)