Mumbai: A book on India's seven holy rivers authored by Shrikala Warrier, a London-based scholar was unveiled here.
‘Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism' by Warrier draws extensively on the Vedas, Puranas and Hindu epics to present mythological stories relating to the seven sacred rivers, namely, Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu, Godavari, Narmada and Kaveri.
Besides, the writer also touches upon the towns and cities along the river course that were designated as tirthas, and the practices connected with river goddess worship.
The shared concerns of sacred and secular ecology in modern India are also discussed.
Warrier, an anthropologist with a Ph.D from the University of London, has developed the first validated degree programme for Ayurveda in the West. Her book ‘Kamandalu' describes the seven sacred rivers in India and their correlation with Hindu Mythology.
The book is presented in a hardback with 20 colour illustrations and provides a comprehensive reference list, explanatory notes and a detailed glossary which should make it a useful resource for research scholars and academics.
Written in a lucid, engaging style, it should also appeal to a wider readership with an interest in Hinduism and comparative religion.
Warrier is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has undertaken research for several organizations, including the National Health Service in the UK, World Health Organization, British Red Cross, The King's Fund and Helen House, the first children's hospice in the world.
