Sudha Murty is an Indian social worker and writer. She has written several books, most of which are based on her own life experiences. Born in 1950 in Shiggaon, Karnataka, Sudha Murty grew up in a poor family. Her father was a doctor, and her mother was a homemaker. Despite the financial struggles of her childhood, Sudha excelled in school and earned a degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
After graduation, Sudha began working for Infosys Technologies, where she met her future husband, Narayana Murty. She eventually rose to the position of deputy managing director at Infosys. In 2002, she retired from her corporate career to focus on social work full-time.
Sudha Murty is best known for her work with the Infosys Foundation, which she founded in 1996. The foundation works to promote rural development and provide basic amenities like healthcare and education to underprivileged communities across India. Sudha also serves as chairperson of the not-for-profit Naandi Foundation, which works towards fighting poverty and hunger in India.
A prolific writer, Sudha Murty has authored over 30 books in English and Kannada; many of these are based on her life experiences growing up poor in rural India or working with underprivileged communities through Infosys Foundation or Naandi Foundation. Some notable titles include: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read (2002), Three Thousand Stitches (2011), Wise & Otherwise (1995), The Old Man & His God (2006) – all of which have been translated into multiple languages including French, German, Spanish, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. Many critics have praised Sudha’s writing style as simple yet elegant, heartwarming, humorous thought-provoking; one reviewer even went so far as to call her the Indian version of British writer JK Rowling!
A collection of famous Sudha Murty books
1. Mahashweta
Mahashweta is the story of a beautiful girl named Anupama and the challenges she faces after the emergence of an unexpected event in her life. Sudha Murty has impressed her readers with a sensitive topic this time. This book again proves that she doesn’t write to please her readers but believes in highlighting the loopholes in our society and mentality. Mahashweta touches our hearts and makes us introspect as a society; it bravely points out the shallow mindset of people and inspires the victims to rise as Phoenix as the protagonist of the story, Anupama, did.
Anupama is a brilliant and beautiful girl from a humble background. After a fairy-tale marriage with Dr. Anand, a boy from an affluent background, she one day finds out that she has leucoderma (a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches, it is seen as a social stigma in Indian society). As soon as Anupama’s mother-in-law learned about her condition, she was sent to her father’s house. Anand was in England for further studies but stopped communicating with Anupama after learning about this disease. Dejected by her husband’s indifference and family’s prejudiced behavior, she decides to end her life. I think the real story starts from the point when Anupama stops pitying herself and takes charge of her life. Then begins her journey to rebuild her life which she successfully does without the support of any men in her life.
‘Mahashweta’ gives us courage, hope, and strength to fight the taboos and social prejudices and shine in life against all odds. How Anupama faced all the challenges makes the rest of the story. It is an excellent read. Sudha Murty’s writing is always simple, poignant, and touching. She successfully delivers the message that everyone deserves a fair chance in life, irrespective of any kind of inequality, to be strong enough to fight their battles. In the end, only love and compassion matter; the rest of everything is immaterial.
2. Three Thousand Stitches
This book, Three Thousand Stitches is similar to its title; it is a series of instances within the same frame, each adding worth to the canvas it was weaving and, in the end, providing the appearance of coarse and refined sections. The snippets of the journey taken by the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation are scattered across 11 stories that each carry an important message. The first story tells how the author helped rehabilitate three thousand sex workers or devadasis as they were referred to in the northern region of Karnataka. Because of her unending efforts, this terrible tradition of temple devadasis has ended in the state of Karnataka. A touching story of her humiliation, removal, and eventually acceptance in the midst of those who are oppressed and abused is one of the best parts of the collection. Also touching is the moment she recounts the story of her father’s early days as a physician and how his single act of decency and compassion resurfaces with life-changing curiosity many years later. The whole circle in life, as well as its hidden potential, are revealed in these two beautiful stories.
In another tale, Murty goes down memory lane. She fondly recalls the challenging but enriching times at her engineering college, where she was the sole female student in her class. In a different story, she rewinds to the current day, where she’s amused and horrified, in equal measure, being judged by her clothes and then being presented to a “cattle class” by a fellow traveler in an airport called Heathrow Airport.
The narratives are generally simple and warm; they also, at the same time, provoke a swath of thought as she explores the subject of alcoholism, discrimination, exploitation, conservatism, and more, from the age of a child to becoming a grandmother, from being young to becoming successful. The author recounts her experiences and struggles and gives some advice, often too brutally and at times, with the appearance of conversation. It is possible to be able to gain knowledge while at the same while sneering at her rigid beliefs, particularly about the long-standing traditions and religious principles. The writing is helpful to read, and the straightforward prose attracted me to finish the book in one sitting. An enjoyable read with plenty of material to chew over and some humor to help ease tension.
3. The Mother I Never Knew
The Mother I Never Knew by Sudha Murty is a fictional novel that consists of two novellas, each of which explores two different characters — Venkatesh and Mukesh and both for mothers that they never realized they had. The stories are set in totally different settings but have a common theme of emotion for readers. Both stories address relationships, emotions, and value issues. The characters Venkatesh and Mukesh discover the shocking fact that they have another mother. The novella’s first story is about Venkatesh living in Bangalore with his entire family, including a gorgeous, super-rich wife and two kids. They’re wealthy, but they live an uninteresting life because there is no depth to their relationships. The man’s life takes a 360-degree twist when he is granted transfer to Hubli and stumbles upon his look alike. In further research, he discovers the hidden past of his deceased father, which includes an abandoned wife and a child. He discovers that his stepmother and half-brother were raised in absolute poverty while they lived the most lavish life. He now wants to rectify his father’s mistakes. Do you think he will pay off the burden of an unsettling past like this, or instead choose to overlook his father’s mistakes and continue with his world? Do his family members support his quest? This is the storyline in the novella’s first story.
The novella’s second story is about Mukesh, a young man who receives an unexpected shock after his father’s passing that he had been adopted. Then, he begins to search for his birth mother. However, things take a surprising twist, and the story gets more complicated. The whole process causes him to think about his loyalty to the mother who raised him. Did he find his biological mother? Does she accept his identity? What happens to the mother who raised him? Will he return to her? That’s the plot of the second novella.
Both stories focus on the journey of self-discovery of each man while delving into their pasts. Both stories highlight the sacrifices mothers make to protect their children. This is a novel that is full of emotion and relationship dilemmas. The author beautifully writes the emotional turmoil experienced by men and women. The book also reveals how women are treated in society and the different stereotypes prevalent in our society. This is a short and fast-paced book that one can finish reading in a single sitting. Highly recommend it to those people who love emotionally charged family dramas.
4. The Man from the Egg
As the name suggests, this book has tales about the powerful Trinity Gods – Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. It’s a children’s book that has fascinating tales from Hindu mythology. As the blurb suggests, in this book, Sudha Murty is by your side, telling enchanting stories about the three most powerful gods of the world of the ancient. Each story will transport you back to a fantastic time when people could teleport, animals could fly, and reincarnation was a regular part of existence.
This book tries to answer questions like –
Why does Shiva wear an ecliptic moon on his head?
Did you know that Brahma once had five faces?
Why do snakes have a forked tongue?
Do gods cheat?
All these simply make this book interesting not only for young readers but also for mythology lovers like me. Sudha Murty’s research is commendable, and the writing style, as usual, connects instantly with the readers. So buckle up to go on a magical journey to the land of gods, demigods, asuras, kings, and their kingdoms, princes- princesses, learned sages, and a lot more with this magical book. I recommend it to kids and parents so they can narrate these beautiful unpopular stories from Hindu scriptures to their children.
5. Here, There and Everywhere: Best-Loved Stories of Sudha Murty
Here, There and Everywhere is a collection of twenty-two short stories inspired by the author’s personal experiences in life. These stories were previously published in various books and were selected for this collection, except for two brand-new stories. Sudha Murty has got the essence of daily life’s events and rewritten them in simple words. The stories are short and impart life’s most profound lessons. The book opens with the author’s poignant and thoughtful introduction, in which she recounts her fond connection to her brother and other siblings. The author says this book is a compilation of the most memorable experiences of her life.
This book motivates us to be better people and makes us realize that we all can contribute to this society in our ways. The world needs more givers than takers. Stories range from different themes like kindness, love, honesty, and modesty to charity. It also encompasses the experiences in her philanthropic journey in tales like 3000 stitches. My favorite is the first story, A tale of many tales, in which she recounts her journey through the world of writing, from not knowing English to writing books in English. She mentions the lines that TJS George, editor of the New India Express, told her- “A language is but a vehicle. It is the person inside who’s weaving the story that’s more important. You are a storyteller. So, just get on with your story, and the language will fall into place”. This beautifully sums up her transition from a non-English background to a successful English author.
She showed her funny side also in the story ‘Cattle Class.’ The endings are stunning. She connects dots quickly and draws parallels to her past event, adding a new dimension to the story. The language is straightforward, but the narratives are very touching and powerful, which fills the readers with positivity. If you want to experience life in its purest form, please don’t miss this fantastic read.
6. The Magic of the Lost Temple
The Magic of The Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy is a pleasure to read. It is an excellent favor for each individual who is worn out of the chaotic town existence and routine and wishes to slow down and enjoy the joys of a peaceful and simpler life. The reader will get a fair idea of the actual life in villages, generally thought of as slow and less glamorous, without even visiting one. By the end, one realizes that leading a simple village life is far more enriching and profound than the hustle and bustle of fast metropolis living.
Nooni, born and raised in Bangalore, is now living in Bangalore along with her family. When her mother has to go to school for six months in Delhi, Nooni grabs the chance to spend the summer vacation with Ajji and Ajja (grandparents) in the village of Somanahalli in Karnataka. The tale tells the story of her travels through the ten weeks she stays in the Somanahalli village. The differences between her life in the city and the village inhabitants intrigue her. She is constantly learning new things, embarking on new adventures, and, in the end, what began as a child’s curiosity is revealed to be extraordinary.
The village is known for its mythical stepwell. Nooni also gets to hear the tale of the stepwell through various versions and is determined to find the stepwell. The biggest issue is her inability to complete the excavation of the ruin that she and her companions located by accident. Similar to the majority of challenges children encounter, they need to seek the assistance of older people or those with experience to reach their goals. Although initially hesitant, she eventually resolves the issue through her grandparents, who include the village folks and her parents, to complete the task.
Children of all ages will appreciate Nooni’s freedom to live according to her wishes in the village and not have a schedule to adhere to. They will surely sympathize with her feelings of being abandoned as her parents take her away to her grandparent’s house because of their hectic professional commitments.
The book doesn’t intend to provoke you to think and ponder; however, it does present the life of a village in an idyllic way – without any socio-economic challenges. What I love about this under-appreciated novel is how the urban and village lifestyles merged into the story of a historical mystery told artistically from three distinct perspectives.
Sudha Murty’s style is elegant and straightforward. The story makes you teary-eyed and nostalgic for the past seasons. The characters are real and well-developed. The story was wrapped up nicely towards the end. The story is magical and realistic, giving some best insightful life lessons like one can always think, act, be different, yet be part of a whole.
Although it is a book for children, I highly recommend it to parents who push their kids to the edge of despair. It’s okay to be ambitious, but allow children to be children sometimes. This is the premise that the author is trying to convey.
7. How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories
How I Taught My Grandmother To Read And Other Stories – is a semi autobiographical book packed with the doses of age-old wisdom in form of some very interesting short stories. These insightful stories are about the author Sudha Murty’s real life experiences mostly related to her encounters with different people and the routine incidents that she came across in her day to day life. The stories range from her experiences from her childhood days to her life as a professional and as a mother and wife.
The title story narrates how she taught her grandmother to read Kannada. This heart touching story emphasizes on the importance of education and wonderfully showcases that the grit and determination to break the stereotype can do wonders at any age. Author’s interaction with the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and her experiences at TELCO with JRD Tata also became part of this book. Every story leaves an imprint on the minds of the readers and arouses a sense of duty towards the society. The book will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions while teaching you some most valuable lessons of life. Author’s conversational style of writing topped with the amazing illustrations make this book a splendid read for all.
8. Wise and otherwise: A salute to Life
Wise and Otherwise, as per the author Sudha Murty will take you on a journey across the length and breadth of India through a narration of 51 short stories inspired by her extensive travels.
“Traveling opens the doors to knowledge. Without it, education is incomplete”.
It is a non-fiction book based on the real-life experiences of Sudha Murty, with ordinary people having extraordinary minds who left a profound impression on her. She has tried to compile many facts about life in her simple but captivating style. All the stories give some lessons while revealing the myriad shades of human nature and behavior. It has some eye-opening stories covering the meanest of acts and incredible examples of kindness.
Sudha Murty has presented every story with a touch of simplicity and reality. The stories highlight the importance of honesty in relationships and behavior. One can learn to be grateful and more humble after reading the book. A line from the book aptly sums up the author’s beliefs and values- “The best culture is one in which we rejoice each other’s success.” Each story will drive us to introspect ourselves and be more humane.
The author’s wit and wry humor amaze the readers on many occasions. We can call this book a beautifully penned rendezvous with life. A must-read.
9. The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk
This is a comprehensive collection of twenty-three stories based on the author’s own experiences in the course of her work in the social service field.
The author claims she’s shared these stories to encourage people to assist others. Each story has a distinct subject matter and imparts essential life lessons in sacrifice, selflessness, integrity, honesty, and courage, among others. The stories are based on her encounters with various individuals in unusual situations and how she cared for everything. The characters in her stories are everyday people that we could have easily overlooked. Still, she has not only beautifully told the story but also encouraged the readers to draw inspiration from them and take lessons from them.
There’s a heartwarming account of the story of a Muslim boy adopted by a Hindu family who insists on growing up in his religion. She recounts two experiences helping two children complete their educations by offering financial aid, but when they had achieved success, the students refused to acknowledge her assistance. Her Ghat account makes us realize that anyone can engage in social work as Ganga, who is selfless in helping the people of the village.
The changing perception of India refers to the change in perceptions of India within America. The United States in the past 30 years. Helping the dead concerns the young people who create an organization of volunteers to assist those in need who can’t afford the expense of cremating or burying their deceased loved ones. A mother’s love is how she climbs uphill and jumps off to spend time with her child. In the final story, Life’s Secret Lessons, the author discusses seven valuable lessons learned throughout the course.
Each story is exceptionally well written in a straightforward yet captivating style and leaves us contemplating the choices we have to make in our lives. I would recommend this book to Sudha Murty’s readers.
10. The Serpent's Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata
The Serpent’s Revenge is a collection of twenty-five compelling stories from our epic Mahabharata and the lunar dynasty. A perfect book to introduce Mahabharata to young readers. The beautiful graphic illustrations make this book more interesting for children.
Most people are already aware of these stories, but Sudha Murty’s way of retelling makes them even more affable. Few stories are lesser known to ordinary people. The author’s research is visible as few characters were new, even for a mythology aficionado like me. The book includes stories from Shakuntala’s birth and the lunar dynasty descendants, including Bharata, Hastin, Kuru clan, Parikshit, and Janmejeya. It reveals many fascinating less popular tales like the tale about the lady who turned into a boulder (Yes! In Mahabharata), Yama’s tale of being cursed, Indradyumna’s story, the story of Duryodhana’s good brother Vikarna and many more. This book also includes accounts of the relevant connecting incidents in the form of folklore.
The stories feel like granny is telling a story while making us sleep during the night, so comforting is Sudha Murty’s tone and language. Many stories are provided with footnotes, where the current location of the places and the stories behind them are mentioned by the author, which is the best source to know how a particular story affected the cultural practices of that region.
I would surely recommend this excellent representation of the already told stories of Mahabharata in an effortless yet captivating style. Grab it without any second thoughts.
11. Gently Falls The Bakula
Another gem by Sudha Murty, Gently Falls the Bakula, in her words, is “dedicated to all those women who allowed family commitments and responsibilities to overpower their own aspirations.”
It is a story about two intelligent individuals, Shrikant and Shrimati, and how they approach life differently. A young small town ambitious couple gets married against their family’s wishes. The girl, Shrimati, despite being the brightest student, abandons her academic ambitions happily and chooses her husband Shrikant’s happiness and success over it. She accompanied Shrikant selflessly in his journey of success while he was busy climbing the ladder of the corporate world.
This hunger for success takes a toll on their married life. Shrimati soon starts to experience her self-esteem falling apart. She and her sacrifices were taken for granted. Everyone used her calm, docile self. Her sufferings make her realize that she has lost herself in the process of living her husband’s dreams. Now when she looks back, her life is empty. She started second-guessing her choices. This is when she decides that she has to follow her passion again to make herself happy. Did she succeed? Does Shrikant realize his mistake and starts valuing her? Do they live happily ever after? The book explains all.
This simple story by Sudha Murty follows a single plot with a powerful character depiction of the protagonist. The subject chosen is relevant even in today’s time. Shrimati is the face of most Indian women who sacrifice their ambitions and dreams for the sake of their families. The authenticity of the characters helps the readers relate to the story emotionally. Her writing style is, as usual lucid yet engaging. She narrated the complexities of relationships so brilliantly that one could feel the pain Shrimati was going through.
Sudha Murty has woven the symbolic Bakula flower into the story so beautifully that no other title could do justice to it. A truly inspirational story that is successful in stirring up women’s sacrificing and submissive mentality in our society.
12. House of Cards
House of Cards tells the journey of Mridula, from being a happy young small village girl to a married woman dealing with the ways of life in a metropolitan city. A bright young, lively woman full of life and dreams gets married after a short love story to a talented doctor Sanjay, who wants to make a good impact in society through his services. They settle in Bangalore. Mridula works there as a teacher. Soon she faces the harsh realities of city life. Her husband quits his government job and starts an immensely successful private practice, and with money comes greed and want of power. This leads to Sanjay’s ethical downfall, indulging in corrupt practices to earn more.
For a long time, Mridula was clueless about all this though both started drifting apart long back. Her life got limited to being a submissive wife and a caregiver to their only child Shishir. Shishir became a spoilt brat under his father’s shadow. Mridula suffered in silence like a typical Indian wife. After understanding that Sanjay had been cheating on her, she shuts herself. To come out of the depression, she takes the help of a psychiatrist. Soon she starts healing and gathers the courage to leave Sanjay. Now Shishir, who is in England, realizes his mother’s pain and agony and asks his father to bring her back. Does Sanjay also feel the same about Mridula? Do they become a happy family once again? To know the answers, you need to read the book.
This novel is one more realistic story by Sudha Murty in her simple yet impactful style. She hits the nail on how our culture always expects a woman to make sacrifices for her husband and family. She conveys many valuable lessons through this story, like giving equal opportunity to women, valuing relationships, not running in the mad race, and respecting elders—a very well-written plot showing how greed can destroy a family. Like most of her stories, this one also shows the ugly facet of our society. Simple writing, gripping novel – typical Sudha Murty style. A must-read for all who love their families.
13. How The Sea Became Salty
How The Sea Became Salty by Sudha Murty is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that tells the remarkable story of how the once sweet and drinkable water of the sea turned salty. The story is about a family where one brother is very innocent whereas the other is a henpecked husband of a mean and dominating lady.
‘You helped us so much last night. We have a gift for you. Here is a fan. Whenever you desire something, just wave the fan gently and ask for it. When you’ve got enough, whisper, “Enough Enough, Enough,” and it will stop producing the objects. ‘
Aren’t these lines intriguing enough to stir up your imagination? Who gave this magic fan to whom? What magic does the fan do, and finally, what connection does it have with the salty sea water? A wonderfully narrated story with a solid message to convey. The short length, bright, colorful images, and crisp writing of this book make it a treasured possession in your little one’s library.
14. How The Onion got its layers
This beautiful little book answers some exciting questions, like how the onion got its layers and why one becomes teary-eyed while cutting it. An excellent short book targeted at little readers having a fantastic storyline. It tells the tale of a kingdom devoid of its heir. The king and queen have no issue. Ultimately they’re blessed with a lovely daughter, but the story has an intriguing twist. The magic of prophecies comes into action when they ignore the warning. The princess demands a new dress every single day. The title has a direct connection with this charming, timeless tale.
With embellished with enchanting illustrations, this book will instantly catch the attention of young readers. The exciting storyline and evocative images make it an ideal introduction for the little ones to the world of reading. A must-have in a family with kids.
15. Grandparents Bag of Stories
Grandma’s Bag Of Stories by Sudha Murty is a delightful read. It rekindled the memories of childhood and summer vacations when we used to go to our grandparents’ house. All the kids used to gather around our grandma every night to dive into the mysterious and magical world of stories. The story here, too, starts with Anand, Krishna, Raghu, and Meenu arriving at their grandparents’ house in Shiggaon. Like any grandparent, Ajji and Ajja get the house ready, and Ajji prepares delicious snacks for the children. The children spend the entire vacation listening to their Ajji as she opens her big bag of stories. She tells some irresistible tales from the world of fantasies and fiction, tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and Gods, scorpions, and hidden treasures.
These story sessions and the conversations strengthen the bond between the children and the grandparents. They learn about village life while walking in the paddy fields with their Ajja (grandfather), and also they learn about the moral values and ethics from the stories narrated to them by their Ajji (grandma).
The wording is straightforward to follow, and the wisdom shared is unmatchable. Truly one of the finest books of short stories, this one deserves to be on your list of must-buys for your growing little ones.
16. Dollar Bahu
As the book’s title suggests, Dollar Bahu narrates the story of a simple Indian household where undue favoritism based on the family members’ financial status decides the relationship dynamics.
Gauramma, the mother of three children – Chandru, Girish, and Surabhi, lives in a small house in Bangalore with her husband, Shamanna. The eldest son Chandru finds a job in America, and suddenly there is a flood of cash in Gauramma’s house. The second son Girish is a bank clerk and is married to Vinuta, who belongs to a humble background. When Chandru decides to get married to Jamuna, the only child of an affluent family, Vinuta has to face constant criticisms and comparisons with the Dollar Bahu. Gauramma gets biased toward Jamuna and never treats Vinuta affectionately, ignoring her selfless attitude and devotion towards the family. This resulted in damaging the peace of the family.
The story progresses dramatically, and Gauramma gets a chance to visit her son Chandru to take care of Jamuna during her pregnancy. Soon she realizes that all that glitters is not gold and that dollars can’t buy love, respect, and values.
This change of perspective was well in time, or was it too late to start afresh? Will it be a happy ending, or will Gauramma lose her dedicated daughter-in-law Vinuta forever? Will Vinuta readily accept her mother-in-law back in her life, and things change for the better? You have to read the book to find this. It’s a light and quick read. The writing style is effortless and straightforward. The story is quite relatable for the readers as this is a prevalent trait of Indian middle-class households; to favor the rich and neglect the poor. The author dares to show us the mirror in a blunt way and warns us of the dire consequences with a simple yet realistic storyline.
17. The Gopi Diaries: Coming Home
It is a series of three books about a pet dog, Gopi, beautifully written for children. The first book of the series Coming Home, is about how a pup, Gopi, found his new home and family with the Murtys. The catch here is that the story is told from Gopi’s perspective. It’s enjoyable to read how Gopi feels about the world around him and what he thinks of his human family.
The fantastic illustrations made by Sandhya Prabhat add life to little Gopi’s funny antics. Sudha Murty has again given her little readers a delightful and straightforward story in her incomparable style. Her skill of creating extraordinary tales out of mundane life events leaves me astonished. This book is a definite treat for kids and dog lovers as well.
18. The Gopi Diaries: Finding Love
Finding Love is the second book of Sudha Murty’s bestseller series- Gopi Diaries. Gopi is more muscular, bigger, and confident than the little Gopi in the first book; however, he is also cheekier and mischievous. It’s been one year of Gopi lived in Bangalore with his Ajji and family. He has become naughty and always wants to explore his surroundings. This book takes us on a tour of Gopi’s everyday adventures. Everything was going fine until one day when the whole world came to a halt as it faced a deadly challenge. What was that challenge? How does Gopi adapt to it? Gopi will tell you everything in this book.
The lively illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat made this read more fun. The tale of Gopi and his dear ones will make you grin. The book targets children, but believe me, anyone with love and affection for dogs would love it.
19. Something Happened on the Way to Heaven: 20 Inspiring Real-Life Stories
Something Happened on the way to Heaven is a collection of twenty memorable true life stories handpicked by Sudha Murty from a contest run by the Penguin publishing house. Although the stories are merely edited by Sudha Murty, still they carry the same range of themes that she is expert in weaving stories around – all are real life inspirational incidents. They capture the hope, faith, kindness and joy in the life of an average person while going through the daily grind. These stories are from various time periods, ranging from partition days to present days. All the stories are thought provoking and inspirational. There is a story titled Acceptance, where a lady shows the courage to break the society taboo and employ a eunuch as her domestic help. Then there’s a story of a plastic surgeon who refuses to do corrective surgeries just for the sake of money. Some will make you cry and almost all will restore your faith in humanity and inspire you to be a better person. In simple words, we can say that this book is a collection of some great short stories that evoke hope and humility in us and reassure our positive outlook towards life. An easy breezy read, recommended for all.
20. The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology
The Daughter from a Wishing Tree is the fourth book in Sudha Murty’s mythology series. This time the focus is on women from Indian mythology. In this book Sudha Murty attempted to bring out the life stories i empowering short stories. Stories about our Goddesses are never highlighted much as compared to that of the Gods barring few exceptions. The author retells these magical stories and takes us back in time, leaving us in awe of these extraordinary women and their forgotten sacrifices.
These stories are about Goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and different forms of Parvati and many other fierce women from that era. The stories tell us about the various incarnations of goddesses, the origin of the Gods we worship today, the origin of the Indian rivers, how some gods and goddesses got their names, the origin of Yadavas and Kurus and many more. The title story is about the daughter of Shiva and Parvati, the Daughter from the Wishing Tree. The book will take you on a journey of some untouched aspects of Indian mythology, especially about women. The essence of the book can be summed up in this one quote from the book itself – “Behind every great work of a man, there always exists the unconditional love from a woman who deserves more recognition than the man himself”.
Sudha Murty’s style of storytelling is mesmerizing, which gives this book an extra edge. The engaging illustrations and the amazing cover page are a bonus to the readers. A perfect mythological collection for readers of all ages.
Do let us know if you enjoyed reading this list of Sudha Murty Books!
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