Novel and Ashok Lavasa are two sensitive souls out to assimilate life, by a passionate lifestyle that reflects in their work, social interactions and incessant travels. The camera is part of their life support system and their keen interest in life around them seldom allows their eyes to rest. They love music, river rafting, trekking, racquet games, reading. They have held several exhibitions of their photographs in cities across India. Novel has written occasional pieces on their travels and Ashok has published two books, An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation and An Uncivil Servant, besides contributing essays to books on climate change, public policy and democratic institutions, and articles for newspapers. These days, Novel is an organic farmer and an environmentalist. Ashok recently completed his tenure as vice president in Asian Development Bank. Before joining the Bank, he served as the election commissioner of India after his retirement from the government as the Union finance secretary.
<p>Faith has cradled civilizations and has carried the burden of humanity. It continues to evolve and encompass stories. Some might be considered mythical and some might be about the extremities and triumphs of human strength.</p><p>There are places in India, as in other parts of the world, that are associated with faith. Most are</p><p>lesser known, but all of them are ‘powerful’. Found amid the rugged mountains of Ladakh or by</p><p>tiny streams in the Deccan, in the deep forests of Madhya Pradesh or by a roadside in Rajasthan, such places bring people together and help them find hope and solace.</p><p>Revisiting almost three decades of several explorations and expeditions undertaken by the authors, Echoes of Faith: Tales of Explorations, Nature and Divinity represents ‘spots of time’ that reflect moments gone by, moments captured, and those that can be relived. It brings to the fore some surprising (and other well-known) figures and places, each carrying with it a set of beliefs and narratives that have gone on to become an integral part of the local—or our cumulative—culture.</p>
