A good book is what really makes me happy. It could be one by Jalaluddin Rumi, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Gopalakrishna Adiga, Munshi Premchand, Pearl S. Buck or Amitav Ghosh. I like to settle down in a quiet corner with a book and adrak chai. In the words of Tom Alter, "Rahiye ab aisi jagah chalkar jahaan koi na ho." (Find now a place where there is nobody else.) Whatever the subject, a book has to leave a lasting impression on me. A book is to my mind what food is to my body!

I remember the time when my history teacher Chanda Bose urged all of us to read Gandhiji's The Story of My Experiments with Truth.

The book, dealing with the Mahatma's life and the vision behind many of his public campaigns, left an enduring impression on our minds. Isn't a book an assimilation of thoughts and a medley of ideas? As we all know, a good book will never turn its back on you and will remain a true friend forever.

I recently met the photographer Ahmet Ertug from Turkey. His magnificent books, which document the architectural marvels of Ephesos and the regal opera houses of Europe, open up new vistas. These beautiful sites give us great insights. When I flip through the pages, I feel transported!

Happy Reading!!

Sangita Jindal