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Multi-stories is a vibrant, lucid, humorous yet scholarly study of cross-cultural strands that link peoples across time and space. It moves effortlessly between continents and histories to reveal the myriad layers of cultural influences that escape most of us in our daily experiences. Sahni’s book looks at Europeans venerating the Black Virgin; the Buddha depicted as a Christian Saint; and how St Anne of Goa, the Virgin Mary’s mother, is regarded as a reincarnation of the local mother goddess, Santeri, worshipped by Indians of all faiths who proffer cucumber offerings in return for being blessed with a child. There are accounts of African emperors and Popes in Europe and African rulers in India; the Georgian Epic with Indian and Arab heroes and the Armenian diaspora in India. Apart from addressing issues on patents and the internet outreach, the book also follows the multiple journeys of peoples, words, concepts, food and dress across regions. It questions preconceived notions about tangible and intangible aspects of cultures and ingeniously un-peels the covers off governments and organizations intent on ‘policing’ culture and white-washing inconvenient historical truths. Multi-stories will provide new insights to readers with a curiosity for the ignored histories, the uniqueness of each culture and the inter-cultural links that explain the hidden spots. ISBN - 9780415585644
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Pages : 210
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