THRISSUR: The latest publication of the Niyogi Books entitled `Heaven on Earth: The Universe of Kerala’s Guruvayur Temple’ written by London-born Pepita Seth will be offered to Sree Guruvayurappan on November 25 after the morning Seeveli.
Talking to reporters here on Friday, Pepita said that the book takes reader into the heart of this complex universe, chronicling the temple’s myth and history, describing its rituals and beliefs, its traditional style of management, its festivals and patronage of Kerala’s ancient art forms, its elephants and the beliefs of all those who worship within its precincts.
Born in London, Pepita grew up in Suffolk.
Her career began in editing British and American documentaries and feature films. It was the chance discovery of her soldier great-grandfather’s 1857 diary in 1970 that inspired her to make her first visit to India. In 1972, she returned to India, more specifically, to Kerala.
From then on, she made regular visits to Kerala, finally basing herself in Thrissur where she now lives.
By 1979, she had given up all film work and, driven by her passion and respect for the region’s culture and traditions, begun seriously photographing and writing about the rituals of the Kerala’s Hindus.
In 1981, she obtained official permission to enter Kerala’s temples , including the Guruvayur temple. She said that the book will be formally released by Mallissery Parameswaran Namboodiri in a function to be held in Taj in Ernakulam on November 25.
