THE LADY WHO CARRIED THE MONK ACROSS THE RIVER

VARMA, PAVAN K

ISBN 10: 0143478605 / ISBN 13: 9780143478607

Published by India Penguin, 2026

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE LADY WHO CARRIED THE MONK ACROSS THE RIVER
• Publisher: India Penguin
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0143478605
• ISBN 13: 9780143478607
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Brand New

About this title

Synopsis

In the foothills of the Himalayas, a simple act upends an ancient parable. This time, it is the lady who carries the monk across the river.

Through the intertwined fates of Guru Brihaspati, his celibate disciples Kevala and Gyan, and the enigmatic Mandakini, The Lady Who Carried the Monk Across the River explores the tension between spirituality and desire, the sacred and the profane, and the elusive unity of both. As Kevala and his guru engage in a five-day debate on the meaning of a fulfilling life, the river becomes both a literal and symbolic divide, one that must be crossed daily, not just in body but in spirit. 

Tautly woven with philosophy, passion, and profound questions, this novel is no sermon. It is a story of real lives, intense choices, and the irresistible force of Shakti. Can the pursuit of transcendence and the pull of earthly love coexist? In just five days, lifetimes of belief are tested, and the answers may be as fluid as the river itself. 

As faith collides with longing, the story unfolds with intensity and depth, drawing readers into a world where every choice reshapes the path to enlightenment.

About the Author

Pavan K. Varma is a writer and former diplomat who most recently served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. He earlier worked as Advisor to the Chief Minister of Bihar with the rank of Cabinet Minister. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1976 and has served as India’s Ambassador in several countries, Director of the Nehru Centre in London, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, and Press Secretary to the President of India. Varma is the author of more than a dozen acclaimed and bestselling books, including Becoming Indian, Echoes of Eternity, The Great Indian Middle Class, and Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism’s Greatest Thinker. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Indianapolis in 2005 and the Druk Thuksey, Bhutan’s highest civilian award, in 2012.