What do you think?
Rate this book
Locks, Mahabharata Mathematics: An Exploration of Unexpected Parallels
A delightful exercise in lateral thinking
There could be no three more disparate things than locks, mathematics and the Mahabharata. However, as Locks Mahabharata Mathematics shows, this is as entertaining a combination as any. Given here is a treasure trove of stories drawn from all three subjects. What could be more beguiling than a book that mixes Draupadi, a lock with five keys, and the quirky world of polynomials? Or Jarasandha – who could be split apart but whose two halves could never be kept separate – split locks and symmetries? The Mahabharata is known for its stories. Lesser known are the fascinating combinations of locks which Dr Raghu – an avid collector – throws light upon, or the esoteric world of pure mathematics that he conveys for a lay audience. Divided into ten chapters, Locks Mahabharata Mathematics has stories ranging from that of Draupadi, to Yudhishthira’s gamble, to Shukrayacharya and Kacha. Keeping them company are chancy locks, interacting keys and binary stars. Profusely illustrated with drawings of locks from his personal collection, this is a neatly original book like few others. Recalling books such as The Mind’s I, Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul, The Tipping Point, and Gödel, Escher, Bach …, underlying it is a simple principle, one might say: Pure logic is the ruin of the spirit, as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said. These are tales that combine reason with fantasy to elevate the spirit.
About the Author
V. Raghunathan's first career was as an academic – as Professor of Finance at IIM, Ahmedabad, for nearly two decades, until early 2001. His second- a corporate one- started in 2001, first as President, ING Vysya Bank for about four years, and then with the GMR Group – an infrastructure major. He is currently CEO, GMR Group Varalakshmi Foundation. Also, since 1990 he has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bocconi, Milan, lecturing in behavioral finance.
Raghu has published over 400 academic papers and popular articles, and six books. He is the author of the best-seller Games Indians Play – Why We Are the Way We Are( Penguin, 2006), and Stock Exchange, Investments and Derivatives (Tata McGraw Hill,2007). He also writes a regular guest column in The Economic Times and monthly pieces in Mint and is a busy public speaker.
He has probably the largest private collection of old locks in the country, has been a cartoonist with a national daily, has played chess at all-India level, and sketched competitively in the past.
His website is www.vraghunathan.com.
There could be no three more disparate things than locks, mathematics and the Mahabharata. However, as Locks Mahabharata Mathematics shows, this is as entertaining a combination as any. Given here is a treasure trove of stories drawn from all three subjects. What could be more beguiling than a book that mixes Draupadi, a lock with five keys, and the quirky world of polynomials? Or Jarasandha – who could be split apart but whose two halves could never be kept separate – split locks and symmetries? The Mahabharata is known for its stories. Lesser known are the fascinating combinations of locks which Dr Raghu – an avid collector – throws light upon, or the esoteric world of pure mathematics that he conveys for a lay audience. Divided into ten chapters, Locks Mahabharata Mathematics has stories ranging from that of Draupadi, to Yudhishthira’s gamble, to Shukrayacharya and Kacha. Keeping them company are chancy locks, interacting keys and binary stars. Profusely illustrated with drawings of locks from his personal collection, this is a neatly original book like few others. Recalling books such as The Mind’s I, Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul, The Tipping Point, and Gödel, Escher, Bach …, underlying it is a simple principle, one might say: Pure logic is the ruin of the spirit, as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said. These are tales that combine reason with fantasy to elevate the spirit.
About the Author
V. Raghunathan's first career was as an academic – as Professor of Finance at IIM, Ahmedabad, for nearly two decades, until early 2001. His second- a corporate one- started in 2001, first as President, ING Vysya Bank for about four years, and then with the GMR Group – an infrastructure major. He is currently CEO, GMR Group Varalakshmi Foundation. Also, since 1990 he has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bocconi, Milan, lecturing in behavioral finance.
Raghu has published over 400 academic papers and popular articles, and six books. He is the author of the best-seller Games Indians Play – Why We Are the Way We Are( Penguin, 2006), and Stock Exchange, Investments and Derivatives (Tata McGraw Hill,2007). He also writes a regular guest column in The Economic Times and monthly pieces in Mint and is a busy public speaker.
He has probably the largest private collection of old locks in the country, has been a cartoonist with a national daily, has played chess at all-India level, and sketched competitively in the past.
His website is www.vraghunathan.com.
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 26, 2014
The title suggests an interesting idea - what could locks, mathematics and the biggest Indian epic have in common? The chapters continue that thread and hook you in further.
Unfortunately it stops there. Raghunathan draws parallels between various antique locks and episodic dynamics between the characters of Mahabharata. This much is interesting (for instance, Draupadi as a metaphor for the lock that can only be opened with 5 keys operating together). The mathematical connection seems a bit tenuous, which is odd, considering locks are codes of a sort and all codes fall in the realm of mathematics.
Also, having three fields to parallel and equate seems to have been a tall order. This book really might have been a lot better had it only been a treatise on how the human politics that Mahabharat enunciates, led down to lock mechanisms that addressed the same recurring situations. Alternately, explaining the mathematical significance of each lock might have worked as a book concept. And finally, Mahabharat and mathematics may have been an odd but interesting idea too. The three of them together feel forced and dry.
Perhaps to cater to all audiences, the interpretation of the idea through each of the fields is kept very basic and too simplistic. It was probably hoped that this book would draw lock-fanatics, Mahabharat-afficionados and mathematics geeks alike. Unfortunately it will probably turn off each of these groups because their interest themes are basic enough to be boring, in this book.
An interesting idea but what a pity that it didn't turn out as well as expected.
Unfortunately it stops there. Raghunathan draws parallels between various antique locks and episodic dynamics between the characters of Mahabharata. This much is interesting (for instance, Draupadi as a metaphor for the lock that can only be opened with 5 keys operating together). The mathematical connection seems a bit tenuous, which is odd, considering locks are codes of a sort and all codes fall in the realm of mathematics.
Also, having three fields to parallel and equate seems to have been a tall order. This book really might have been a lot better had it only been a treatise on how the human politics that Mahabharat enunciates, led down to lock mechanisms that addressed the same recurring situations. Alternately, explaining the mathematical significance of each lock might have worked as a book concept. And finally, Mahabharat and mathematics may have been an odd but interesting idea too. The three of them together feel forced and dry.
Perhaps to cater to all audiences, the interpretation of the idea through each of the fields is kept very basic and too simplistic. It was probably hoped that this book would draw lock-fanatics, Mahabharat-afficionados and mathematics geeks alike. Unfortunately it will probably turn off each of these groups because their interest themes are basic enough to be boring, in this book.
An interesting idea but what a pity that it didn't turn out as well as expected.
July 8, 2019
If you are buying this book thinking it’s a book deciphering the secrets of Mahabharata, then you have you been deceived, as I was. Stay away from it if you shun mathematics, stay put if you want to marvel at the authors lock collection.
July 5, 2021
ছাগসঙ্গমী লেখকের মাথায় বাজ পড়ুক। সে আজীবন সঙ্গমকালে বহুমূত্রদোষ প্রাপ্ত হোক। ইয়ার্কি পেয়েছো হারামজাদা ? ৮০-৮২ পাতা অবধি তোমায় বোঝার চেষ্টা করলাম। ভাবলাম প্রতীকী লেখা বোধহয়। আরো চল্লিশ পাতা পড়ে বুঝলুম যে তোমার মগজের তালার চাবিটা তুমি হারিয়ে ফেলেছো আর সেটা যাতে আমরা, মানে পাঠক খুঁজে দিই তোমায়, সেই জন্য ২০০ পাতার বই লিখেছো। তুমি জাহান্নামে যাও ,ইস্টুপিড কাঁহাকা।
December 16, 2013
Curious and Curiouser.
Rare parallels, as the title suggests. A delight for those interested in The Epic, mechanics (vis-a-vis locks) and math. Although the maths is mostly basic, it serves as. reminder of the inherent beauty of math, and how the real world is modeled according to its principles.
Rare parallels, as the title suggests. A delight for those interested in The Epic, mechanics (vis-a-vis locks) and math. Although the maths is mostly basic, it serves as. reminder of the inherent beauty of math, and how the real world is modeled according to its principles.
October 2, 2017
I really enjoy lateral thinking exercises involving areas of statecraft, policy and incentives; and who doesn't like historical novels! This book neatly caters to both these at once. Although cryptology and locks are interesting too, and the subject is nowadays getting a new lease of life with blockchain etc.- however the parallels with mathematics required a different type of thinking and so I skipped those sections, plan to come back to this another time.
All in all I found this quite an odd but delightful book. The beauty of lateral thinking is that it sparks all sorts of unrelated associations in our own minds! So it was with this book. Simple example- the sidelong method used to thwart Drona from releasing the ultimate annihilating weapon, the Brahmastra (the trickery re: Ashwatthama) could equally apply to today's dilemma of countering some of these modern-day, nuclear-equipped rogue national leaders (so Rex Tillerson is told, that negotiating with them is a "waste of time").
Equally, many well known incidents of the Mahabharata are brought alive through compelling narrative- and good jumping off points too to spark off exploratory journeys of their own. Some incidents are laugh-out-loud- others brought a smirk - and throughout, the mildly sarcastic tone of this narrative is quite delightful! Everything is seen from a modern day lens, and reading this book is like having an interesting dinner conversation with the author.
The descriptive language of the narrative is enjoyable too: "It had been a couple of hours since Karna had been sitting in that position that a scorpion climbed up his foot and commenced a rapid journey up his leg, tail held high like a flag. Karna fought the tickling sensation of the archnid walking all over him...but as it reached his thigh upon which rested the guru's head, he flinched-lest the insect sting his guru. The flinch was enough for the animal to sting Karna on his thigh. ....As the stream of blood ran into the guru's head, Parashurama opened his eyes and took in the scene. Seeing the obvious wound upon his disciple's thigh, the guru enquired why Karna did not wake him up in time. Karna respectfully replied that he did not want to let a mere non-lethal bite from a scorpion disturb his guru's rest.
One would expect the guru to be touched beyond words at such a caring and dedicated pupil. But not Parashurama. The guru immediately stood up and, looking directly into Karna's eyes, said, "You cannot be a Brahmin as Brahmins simply do not have the ability to endure pain as you have. You must surely be a Kshatriya"..... and then proceeded to curse him.
All in all- the book is quite clever. The author has such deep knowledge about locks, about mathematics, and about spirituality that he is able to make all these unexpected parallels stand out- and shares these with the generosity of spirit that is the hallmark of a really great teacher. Hats off for another excellent book.
All in all I found this quite an odd but delightful book. The beauty of lateral thinking is that it sparks all sorts of unrelated associations in our own minds! So it was with this book. Simple example- the sidelong method used to thwart Drona from releasing the ultimate annihilating weapon, the Brahmastra (the trickery re: Ashwatthama) could equally apply to today's dilemma of countering some of these modern-day, nuclear-equipped rogue national leaders (so Rex Tillerson is told, that negotiating with them is a "waste of time").
Equally, many well known incidents of the Mahabharata are brought alive through compelling narrative- and good jumping off points too to spark off exploratory journeys of their own. Some incidents are laugh-out-loud- others brought a smirk - and throughout, the mildly sarcastic tone of this narrative is quite delightful! Everything is seen from a modern day lens, and reading this book is like having an interesting dinner conversation with the author.
The descriptive language of the narrative is enjoyable too: "It had been a couple of hours since Karna had been sitting in that position that a scorpion climbed up his foot and commenced a rapid journey up his leg, tail held high like a flag. Karna fought the tickling sensation of the archnid walking all over him...but as it reached his thigh upon which rested the guru's head, he flinched-lest the insect sting his guru. The flinch was enough for the animal to sting Karna on his thigh. ....As the stream of blood ran into the guru's head, Parashurama opened his eyes and took in the scene. Seeing the obvious wound upon his disciple's thigh, the guru enquired why Karna did not wake him up in time. Karna respectfully replied that he did not want to let a mere non-lethal bite from a scorpion disturb his guru's rest.
One would expect the guru to be touched beyond words at such a caring and dedicated pupil. But not Parashurama. The guru immediately stood up and, looking directly into Karna's eyes, said, "You cannot be a Brahmin as Brahmins simply do not have the ability to endure pain as you have. You must surely be a Kshatriya"..... and then proceeded to curse him.
All in all- the book is quite clever. The author has such deep knowledge about locks, about mathematics, and about spirituality that he is able to make all these unexpected parallels stand out- and shares these with the generosity of spirit that is the hallmark of a really great teacher. Hats off for another excellent book.
May 11, 2018
The title should be renamed as Locks,Mathematics and Mahabharata in the order of the weightage of the content.
who should not read -
1) Those who want to find something interesting in terms of Mahabharata. There is nothing new from the epic's prospect. Even the parallels b/w the epic and the locks are not very mind blowing.
2) Those who have less or no interest in the field of Advance Mathematics.
There are also some "silly" writings in the book which I found to be somewhat unnecessary but that's just me. For ex - in chapter 1 there is a mention of Narada saying "sage Narada - who minded everyone's business but his own."
The strong point of the book is the locks itself, the variety of which are interesting to read.
who should not read -
1) Those who want to find something interesting in terms of Mahabharata. There is nothing new from the epic's prospect. Even the parallels b/w the epic and the locks are not very mind blowing.
2) Those who have less or no interest in the field of Advance Mathematics.
There are also some "silly" writings in the book which I found to be somewhat unnecessary but that's just me. For ex - in chapter 1 there is a mention of Narada saying "sage Narada - who minded everyone's business but his own."
The strong point of the book is the locks itself, the variety of which are interesting to read.
September 23, 2018
If you expect to ‘learn’ something new either about the Mahabharata or about Mathematics you are sure to be disappointed. But the book was fascinating because of the parallels it draws and of how one almost exactly mirrors the other.
Loved the irreverent tone used in talking about the episodes from the Mahabharata.
I also learnt a lot about locks- a subject I never even knew existed till now.
Loved the irreverent tone used in talking about the episodes from the Mahabharata.
I also learnt a lot about locks- a subject I never even knew existed till now.
Read
February 28, 2023Locks, Mahabharata Mathematics: An Exploration of Unexpected Parallels by V. Raghunathan (2013)
July 27, 2013
This is definitely one of the most interesting books I have read in a while. Is mathematics tricky? Well it definitely seems so if you take the examples the author provides in this book. The author also has a very large collection of antique locks, and in the book he presents many "trick" locks that defy opening unless you know the exact way to go about it. He then draws parallells with mathematical riddles that require the same kind of "deeper knowledge" to be able to tackle them. The parallels don't stop there however- the author goes further to show similarities with events in the Mahabharata. While some of the stories may be known to many Indians, the mathematical insights are obviously a fresh look by the author. Some are hypothetical situations that highlight mathematical conundrums. However, not all the math presented are "puzzles" or "tricks". Some are straightforward theorems and axioms presented in a new way. From Fibonacci numbers and combinations to probability distributions and Bayesian algorithms, this book covers many interesting topics in a language suitable for the interested layman. If you liked "The Music of the Primes" or "Fermat's Last Theorem", don't miss this book.
Definitely planning to interview the author for Authortv.in.
Definitely planning to interview the author for Authortv.in.
June 14, 2014
I picked this book up at an airport, the perspective mentioned in the book seemed unique and interesting. What we get in the book, is a breeze through of the main events and characters of the epic tale - which sets the context for analogy through locks and codes. The author, obviously, undertook a massive task and his knowledge about ancient locks is to be appreciated - Overall its an ok-book. Some chapters like Abhimanyu and one-way lock, Jarasanda and split lock are interesting.
Finally, this book has left me amazed at the types of antique locks and the sheer skill and brilliance that goes into making them!
It was a 2 star for the book + 1/2 star for the unique concept!
December 24, 2014
It was really hard to see the connection between the selected story line, the locks and mathematics. There needs to be a stretch in imagination to see all three together and appreciate. I picked this up because I like Mahabharta (a few instances in the book deviates from the traditional texts) and mathematics and I was expecting something else entirely.
It still is a decent read with the stories making an easy read and the fascinating collection of locks.
It still is a decent read with the stories making an easy read and the fascinating collection of locks.
November 27, 2013
Nothing but his (bit late in life) amazement in understanding mathematics and its (almost) parallels within mythical and locking situations. No great book though ... just timepass. I found it a good traveling time read.
October 30, 2014
The author seemed too ambitious and desired to accommodate many domains but as it appeared to me, he couldn't do justice to all of them. His collection of locks was one of the most astounding feature as I must say.
July 5, 2014
the link between math, locks and mahabharat seems to be too far fetched. the book has nothing new to offer in math and mahabharat, however the locks are fun to understand and makes the book interesting.
November 23, 2014
Hilarious in its mild sarcastic tone. Makes the worlds of locks extremely interesting. Not so much into mathematics. Quick read.
June 17, 2016
Very informative and intriguing.
August 3, 2016
The author has described the parallels of Mahabharata events with the types of locks and the mathematical equivalents. I appreciate the Author's ingenuity and recommend this book.
July 8, 2017
Liked the book and as per my opinion, ' This book can be had in bookshelf for who like some basic high school maths linked with a sort of mythology and unknown lock mechanisms !'
February 13, 2016
Interesting mix of the 3 topics...one time read. But was too technical at times to follow
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews