Sümi and the Dance of the Dark Spirits

The Kingdom of Travancore in the Southern part of India was a native state in British India which was well known for its progressive outlook. Its enlightened royalty ruled the country as Sree Padmanabha Dasa. They had in place a well oiled administrative mechanism that implemented various programs and reforms, resulting in an overall development of Travancore. Though Travancore was under the colonial rulers, there was a well-orchestrated administrative machinery for coinage. Coins were minted as per the specifications ordered by the periodically issued Royal Proclamations. It is creditable that Travancore retained its independence in its functioning to a large extent. This book is an insight into the coins of Modern Travancore (from 1729 AD) which not only reflects the religious beliefs of the rulers, but also sketches the socio-political atmosphere of the period. Dr Joseph Thomas hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, is a Professor of Urology at Manipal University in India. His passion for collecting coins developed into a serious numismatic pursuit. His special area of interest is the study of the history of Venad and Travancore. His detailed study of the Travancore coins and the various related issues give an insight into the rich numismatic heritage of modern Travancore. He is a Life Member of the Philatelic and Numismatic Association of Thiruvananthapuram and a Life Member of the South Indian Numismatic Society, Chennai.

Author: Prabhaker Acharya

Dhvani and Epiphany examines the work of major Indian poets like Nissim Ezekiel and Arun Kolatkar; the struggle of young poets to find an audience; and the art of fiction. But its main focus is on the nature of creativity. How does an artist communicate his meaning? What makes a work genuinely creative? Through a sensitive exploration of poetry- ranging from the simple poems of a child, Poorna Prajna, to the complex “Byzantium Poems” of Yeats- the first seven essays try to show how a poem comes to life when it speaks to us and we listen to its dhvani and respond.

Even in fiction, it is not all realism. There is irony in exploring the paradoxical nature of reality; events taking on symbolic overtones; and epiphany, moments of illumination and insights – when surprising correspondences are seen. Writers cannot surprise and delight their audience if they themselves are not surprised and delighted by such insights.

Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.

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The third edition of A Birder’s Handbook to Manipal documents 260 species of birds observed in Manipal since 2009. It is more concise and informative than the previous editions, covers more species and has up-to-date maps and documentation notes. This edition also comes with a waterproof quick-ID guide for easy use in the field, as well as bird sounds. Ramit Singal is a former student of Manipal Institute of Technology. He founded the Manipal Birders’ Club and authored the first and second editions of this book. In the past, he has been associated with Centre for Wildlife Studies and Nature Conservation Foundation as well as a number of short-term projects across the country. He enjoys spreading the love for birds amongst others and has been working with bird-related citizen science projects over the past few years.

interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.

Also available on