10 books you may read by Indian authors to beat COVID stress

As  positive cases of novel coronavirus increase with each passing day, social distancing and self-isolation have become the need of the hour. Health officials and the government are also asking people to stay inside their homes and avoid crowded public places. Here is a list of 10 books by Indian authors that you can read during these times of isolation.

Sita: Warrior of Mithila - Amish Tripathi

This fantasy novel is a retelling of one of the most important characters from Ramayana - Sita. In Amish's alternative tale, Sita, the princess of Mithila, is offered an identity of her own. She rises as a strong-headed warrior and military strategist, instead of her conventional role which is the coy and obedient wife of Ram. The novel builds a gripping narrative that will hold your attention throughout.

White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

The book was published in 2008 and also went on to win the 40th Man Booker Prize. With a Netflix adaptation of the book on its way, starring Priyanka Chopra and Rajkummar Rao in the lead roles, maybe it is time to pick up White Tiger again. The book is the story of an underdog, who comes from a poor family and how situations turn his life over. The book talks about the effects of unequal income distribution, corruption and servitude in our country.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy

The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness came 20 years after Roy's debut novel, The God of Small Things. The book takes you on a journey from the cramped neighbourhoods of Old Delhi to the valley of Kashmir and Central India, with a war and a mirage of normalcy portrayed in the backdrop.

The Palace Of Illusions - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The Palace Of Illusions is a rendition of the Hindu epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi. It is an account of Draupadi's views and how she manages in a patriarchal world. Instead of showing her as a weak figure, the book depicts how Draupadi was a very strong and fierce character.

The Room on the Roof - Ruskin Bond

 Ruskin Bond wrote this book when he was just 17. The book is based on his friends and the time he spent in a rented room, when he was in Dehradun. The novel takes you on a journey to the countryside as seen through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy called Rusty, who is unhappy with his guardian. With self-quarantine, it is time we picked up some classics, right?

Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata - Devdutt Pattanaik

If reading about Indian mythology is your cup of tea, then pick up Devdutt Pattanaik's Jaya during your self-quarantine period. In this enthralling read, the author explains some of the most complex mysteries of the Indian mythology in a very comprehensible way. From Vaikunth and Swarg to Jaya and Vijaya and Yudhishtir's ultimate victory, with this book, you can delve deeper into the Mahabharata.

The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri

The Namesake is the story about the life of two Indian immigrants living in the US and how they balance their worlds between their home country and the foreign land. It is a tale of how they accept the reality that their kids will never be as Indian as them. It is a hearty read for when you are in self-quarantine. And when you're done reading, maybe watch the film too? It stars Irrfan and Tabu in fantastic form, and is just beautiful.

A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

A Suitable Boy, published in 1993, is one of the longest novels ever published in a single volume in the English language. Quite the perfect read for the coming days! The book is about the story of ordinary people caught up in a web of love, ambition, humour and sadness. It is set in the early 1950s, in a newly independent India struggling through a time of crisis.