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For nearly a century, Nautanki reigned as north India’s most popular form of entertainment, and Gulab Bai shone as its brightest star. Fusing dance and dialogue, music and romance, humour and melodrama, this travelling folk theatre was a precursor to Bollywood. In cities and villages, people watched all night, drawn into a world of fantasy and make-believe. Gulab, a twelve-year-old girl from the Bedia caste, joined Nautanki in 1931. Reputed to be the first female actor in Nautanki, she rose to dizzy heights as the heroine of countless dramas and later started the Great Gulab Theatre Company. Gulab Bai was awarded the Padmashree, a mark of national honour—yet she died sad and disillusioned, for the form to which she had devoted her life was languishing. To tell Gulab Bai’s story—and reconstruct the social history of a genre —Deepti Priya Mehrotra travelled to Gulab’s village and Kanpur’s Rail Bazaar, met family members and co-artistes, gathered oral narratives, traced drama scripts and song recordings. The tale that emerges is a wonderfully intimate portrayal of a dying art and its uncrowned queen. The cover is adapted from Gulab Bai’s record jacket by the Gramophone Company of India Ltd, part of the EMI group

Irom Sharmila has been on a fast unto death for eight years, demanding a repeal of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur. Ten innocent people were mowed down by security forces in Malom, a village near Imphal, in November 2000. The perpetrators were not punished, protected under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which empowers military and para-military personnel to arrest, shoot, even kill, anyone on the grounds of mere suspicion. In response to this tragedy one among many such atrocities Irom Sharmila, a young Manipuri, began an indefinite hunger strike. The government arrested her and force-fed her through nasal tubes. She has been released and re-arrested innumerable times since then, but has stood by her demand, steadfastly refusing to eat until the Act is repealed. Burning Bright is a hard-hitting account of a people caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces; of a once- sovereign kingdom whose culture has been brutally violated; of the many voices of dissent from underground groups to the Meira Paibis, a women s movement opposed to all forms of violence whether by the state or insurgents and a moving portrait of the Iron Lady of Manipur .

This book focuses on Indian single mothers and explores their lives, with their attendant dilemmas and challenges. The author details a phenomenon that is fast becoming common. Deftly using a free-flowing narrative, she raises questions about marriage, children and relationships. This seminal work draws attention to truths that usually lie buried in the rubble of daily life and conventional social sciences.

For Nearly A Century, Nautanki Reigned As North India'S Most Popular Form Of Entertainment, And Gulab Bai Shone As Its Brightest Star. Fusing Dance And Dialogue, Music And Romance, Humour And Melodrama, This Travelling Folk Theatre Was A Precursor To Bollywood. In Cities And Villages, People Watched All Night, Drawn Into A World Of Fantasy And Make-Believe. Gulab, A 12-Year-Old Girl From The Bedia Caste, Joined Nautanki In 1931. Reputed To Be The First Female Actor In Nautanki, She Rose To Dizzy Heights As The Heroine Of Countless Dramas And Later Started The Great Gulab Theatre Company. Gulab Bai Was Awarded The Padmashree, A Mark Of National Honour&Mdash;Yet She Died Sad And Bewildered, For The Form To Which She Had Devoted Her Life Was Languishing. To Tell Gulab Bai'S Story&Mdash;And Reconstruct The Social History Of A Genre&Mdash;The Author Travelled To Gulab'S Village And Kanpur'S Rail Bazaar, Met Family Members And Co-Artistes, Gathered Oral Narratives, Traced Drama Scripts And Song Recordings. The Tale That Emerges Is A Wonderfully Intimate Portrayal Of A Dying Art And Its Uncrowned Queen.

Irom Sharmila has been on a fast unto death for eight years, demanding a repeal of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur. Ten innocent people were mowed down by security forces in Malom, a village near Imphal, in November 2000. The perpetrators were not punished, protected under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which empowers military and para-military personnel to arrest, shoot, even kill, anyone on the grounds of mere suspicion. In response to this tragedy—one among many such atrocities—Irom Sharmila, a young Manipuri, began an indefinite hunger strike. The government arrested her and force-fed her through nasal tubes. She has been released and re-arrested innumerable times since then, but has stood by her demand, steadfastly refusing to eat until the Act is repealed. Burning Bright is a hard-hitting account of a people caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces; of a once- sovereign kingdom whose culture has been brutally violated; of the many voices of dissent— from underground groups to the Meira Paibis, a women’s movement opposed to all forms of violence whether by the state or insurgents and a moving portrait of ‘the Iron Lady of Manipur’.

Critically Influential Western Philosophers And The Philosophers Expanded By Them So That We Understand Their Approach To Gender And Our Own Ideals In This Regard Become More Transparent And We Are Able To Clarify Our Own Goals.

A Sensitive Study Of The Lives Of Single Mothers Home Truths, The First Book Of Its Kind, Focuses On Single Mothers And Explores Their Lives, With Their Attendant Dilemmas And Challenges. The Author Details A Phenomenon That Is Fast Becoming Common. Deftly Using A Free-Flowing Narrative, She Raises Questions About Marriage, Children And Relationships. In The Vast Canvas That The Author Explores Are The Stories Of Seventeen Single Mothers Women Rearing Their Children Outside The Normal Structure Of Marriage Who May Be Divorced, Widowed, Separated Or Unmarried. Through Their Radically Different Personal Histories, Which Are Usually Unheard, They Challenge Received Knowledge And Subvert Entrenched Patriarchies, And Emerge As Quintessential Survivors. Being Ordinary Women With Extraordinary Courage, They Challenge The Dichotomy Between Home And World, Women And Men, Emotion And Rationality. Lucid And Forthright, This Seminal Work Draws Attention To `Truths That Usually Lie Buried In The Rubble Of Daily Life And Conventional Social Sciences. It Gives Insight Into Silence And Dissent, Sexuality, Motherhood, Rights And Responsibilities. A Must For Those Interested In Gender Issues, Family And Women S Studies, Home Truths Is Refreshingly Unusual, With Truths Relevant To All Of Us Mothers Or Not, Single Or Not, Women Or Not.

Irom Sharmila has been on a fast unto death for eight years, demanding a repeal of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur. Ten innocent people were mowed down by security forces in Malom, a village near Imphal, in November 2000. The perpetrators were not punished, protected under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which empowers military and para-military personnel to arrest, shoot, even kill, anyone on the grounds of mere suspicion. In response to this tragedy—one among many such atrocities—Irom Sharmila, a young Manipuri, began an indefinite hunger strike. The government arrested her and force-fed her through nasal tubes. She has been released and re-arrested innumerable times since then, but has stood by her demand, steadfastly refusing to eat until the Act is repealed. Burning Bright is a hard-hitting account of a people caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces; of a once- sovereign kingdom whose culture has been brutally violated; of the many voices of dissent— from underground groups to the Meira Paibis, a women’s movement opposed to all forms of violence whether by the state or insurgents and a moving portrait of ‘the Iron Lady of Manipur’.

Biography of Jaggi Devi, 1917-1989, social reformer and freedom fighter from Uttar Pradesh, India.