The extraordinary and courageous journey of a transgender to define her identity and set new standards of achievement. When a boy was born in the Bandhopadhyay family, all rejoiced. A son had been born after two girls and finally the conservative father could boast about having sired a son. However, it wasn’t long before the little boy began to feel inadequate in his own body and began questioning his own identity: Why did he constantly feel like he was a girl even when he had male parts? Why was he attracted to boys in a way that girls are? What could he do to stop feeling so incomplete? It was clearly a cruel joke of destiny which the family refused to acknowledge. But unknown to them, the boy had already begun his journey to becoming Manobi—the quintessential female, as nature meant for her to be. With unflinching honesty and deep understanding, Manobi tells the moving story of her transformation from a man to a woman; about how she continued to pursue her academics despite the severe upheavals and went on to become the first transgender principal of a girls’ college. And in doing so, she did not just define her own identity, but also inspired her entire community.

Examines the colonial and postcolonial governance of gender and sexuality through the history of transgender Hijras in north India.

A multi-faceted portrait of Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Includes translations of verses used to invoke this goddess.

Lakshmi is the goddess of all that is good-wealth (dhana), beauty (saundarya) and happiness (sukha). As Vishnu's consort and in her incarnations as Sita and Rukmini, she represents the ideal of femininity in Hinduism. She is also Shri, the goddess of fertility and grain, and Mahalakshmi, the amalgam of the goddesses Kali, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. She is benevolent and generous, yet it takes surprisingly little to offend her. And when she leaves, her place is taken by Alakshmi, all that Lakshmi is not-poverty, pestilence and ill fortune. How did this popular and accessible goddess come to represent these qualities? R. Mahalakshmi presents an evocative picture of the mythical and historical development of the goddess Lakshmi. Using a range of sources, from ancient texts to sculptures and everyday religious customs and prayers, this fascinating and deeply-insightful book sheds new light not only on the figure of Lakshmi, but also on the fundamental tenets of Hinduism as it is practised today.

Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, health, and fertility. She is the energy that powers this creation. In her many forms, she impacts our lives in numerous ways. Her 'Ashtalakshmi' avatar helps a seeker find the eight kinds of wealth in life. She helps her devotees create a 'lakshya' or goal and set forth to achieve the four 'purusharth' or aims of life, namely 'Dharma, ' or right conduct, 'Arth, ' or wealth, 'Kam, ' or pleasure and 'Moksha' or liberation.Read about her many forms and understand the messages she conveys to enrich your life. Wealth has many types. It is money and much much more. Every kind of wealth improves your lives in many ways. Following Goddess Lakshmi's guidance and praying to her fills life with great prosperity and fortun

How do you live a life of spiritual awakening as well as outer abundance, inner freedom as well as deep intimacy? How do you serve the world selflessly, yet passionately celebrate your life? The sages of Tantra have known for centuries that when you follow the path of Shakti—the sacred feminine principle personified by the goddesses of yoga—these gifts can manifest spontaneously. Yet most of us, women as well as men, have yet to experience the full potential of our inner feminine energies. When you know these powers for what they are, they heighten your capacity to open spiritually, love more deeply and fearlessly, create with greater mastery, and move through the world with skill and delight. In Awakening Shakti, you will learn how to recognize and invite: Kali, bringer of strength, fierce love, and untamed freedomLakshmi, who confers prosperity and beautySaraswati, for clarity of communication and intuitionRadha, who carries the divine energy of spiritual longingBhuvaneshvari, who creates the space for sacred transformationParvati, to awaken creativity and the capacity to love With a wealth of meditations, visualizations, mantras, teachings, and beautifully told stories, Awakening Shakti provides a practical guide for activating the currents of the divine feminine in every aspect of your life. “Sally Kempton's new book is a treasure that brings myth, meditation, and everyday revelation together in a way that will allow every woman to embody the divine feminine in her life. Sally enlivens the full spectrum of the goddess—from independent protector, to lover, to dynamic and powerful creatrix. I highly recommend this soon-to-be classic!” —Shiva Rea, yogini “Sally Kempton has given us a mythic manual for a new kind of feminism—a feminism of the soul. And this is a good thing, because humanity needs feminine power now as both a healing tonic and a source of reinvention.” —Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of the Omega Institute, author of Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow

Upasana is known as continuous worship of an angelic presence or god. If you follow a particular god or goddess / a deity to help you in all your personal and complete life cycle then you have to follow certain protocols on which a particular deity will be satisfied and helps by speaking, appearing in dreams and giving some message, making success in business/ career, marriage, service to others etc.Firstly, please do not panic or no fear of worshiping lord Ganapathy, Mahavishnu, Lakshmi, Hanuman, Swamy Iyyapa or Kaali as these angelic powers will do only good things for us. They won't punish or reject us; because after all we are humans seeking help from angels and god to help us and only they can. Also any mantras can be chanted or prayers can be performed anytime anywhere. Only our mind and soul involvement is very important. Touching pooja things/ idols and deities at home or temple, lighting up lamp should be done with ablution (mandatory).For example if you choose Mahalakshmi/ Laxmi as your favourite deity and you need his full help then, you have to pray her everyday more than the other deities.You can start with Ganapathy pooja daily after taking bath (at least Om Maha Ganapathye' Namaha - 32 or 54 or 108 times) or follow the Ganapathy mantras given in this book and then start worship Lakshmi with Moola mantra, Gayatri mantra, Astothram (108 names), Sahasranama (1000 names), Sukthams, Hrudhayam, Kavacham or Ashtagam mantras - where Lakshmi will be pleased and start helping you. This may be continued for 40 to 48 days to take effect where a particular deity or angelic presence to help depending on our mind, body and soul balance. But don't worry as it happens automatically over the period of time.Lakshmi is also referred to as Sri or Thirumagal because she has six auspicious and divine characteristics, or gunas, and is Vishnu's divine power. She was born of the primordial ocean churning (Samudra manthan) in Hindu religion and she chose Vishnu as her perpetual consort. When Vishnu went to Earth as the Rama and Krishna avatars, Lakshmi originated as Sita and Rukmini as his respective consort. All females are proclaimed to be Lakshmi embodiments in India's ancient scriptures. The marriage and connection in Hindu weddings between Lakshmi and Vishnu as mother and husband is the paradigm for the bride and groom's rituals and ceremonies.Lakshmi personifies wealth, riches, happiness, loveliness, grace, charm and splendor in the Epics of Hinduism as in Mahabharata. In another Hindu legend, about the formation of the universe as outlined in Ramayana, Lakshmi springs from the ocean of milk foam with other valuable stuff. She appeared in her hand with a lotus, so she's also called Padmā.For simple Lakshmi pooja, please do Ganapathy pooja from the first chapter and then Lakshmi Gayatri, Moola mantras and then Ashtothram (108 names) plus Lakshmi Ashtakam.If you add Ashta lakshmi slogams/part and Kanagadhara slogam/part or Sri Suktham (with or without Sahasranama-1000 names) it can be like Vaibava Lakshmi or Vara Lakshmi pooja or Ashta Lakshmi pooja.If you add Kuber pooja chapter with the simple Lakshmi Pooja, then it is Lakshmi Kuber pooja.Mantras can be chanted with oblution without doing any pooja also. But choose mantras/chapters accordingly.Flowers or kumkum or yellow rice (akshatha) can be used for archana offerings. Also if you do pooja then fruits/ sweets are necessary to offer for Lakshmi Devi.If you want to practice homam/havan; then Gayatri mantra + Moola mantras can be chanted and offer Ghee in Agni (fire). Refer last chapters for Yagam/Yagna.Include little Maha Vishnu/ Narayana sosthrams (or simply gayatri/moola mantras) if you know before starting Lakshmi pooja always. (Given in starting of Lakshmi chapter).You can keep fasting for any Friday/ Monday virdha pooja/ Vaibava Lakshmi or Vara Lakshmi poojas if interested. Or simply keep only vegetarian diet. Do all Lakshmi Poojas!