Discover the wonders of science

Walk through the dense forest of fascinating stories of math and get lost in the world where kings are humbled by secrets hidden in rice grains, sunflowers guard mysterious math patterns, and spaceships whisper their stories across the stars. In this captivating journey through math, science, and invention, Dr. Vinay Vaidya reveals the delight, curiosity, and wonder waiting inside every number.

Perfect for children, parents, and teachers, The Jar of Secret Numbers turns complex ideas into friendly adventures and hands-on puzzles. Each story—a blend of timeless folklore, real science, and inspiring modern wonders—makes math feel alive in gardens, kitchens, faraway planets, and even inside a humble pencil.

Whether you’re solving ancient riddles, exploring DNA’s secret alphabet, or just seeing math in new ways, this book shows that curiosity and imagination lead the way. Dr. Vaidya’s warm, welcoming gesture makes math and science a joy—especially for kids who may never have seen themselves as “math people” before.

Mathematics is one of the simplest and fun-filled subjects. Unfortunately, often one comes across many who have a phobia of mathematics. The phobia continues from one generation to the next as if it were a genetic disorder. Apart from jokes, this phobia can be wiped out by introducing the subject through storytelling. Stories reach everyone’s heart; they evoke excitement and create a sense of ease. This book is one such storybook.

Diwali offer: Rs. 75 off the book price (regularly Rs. 325) for orders in India placed by midnight, Sunday 15 November 2026.

Story first

Characters and adventure carry the science, so kids stay hooked from page one.

Real science

Accurate ideas from physics, biology, math and more, explained at a child’s level.

Try it yourself

Some stories come with a hands-on part, like solving the Golden Land mystery or building Pascal’s triangle.

How could a grain of rice humble a king? Is there a secret hidden in a pencil that could win a Nobel Prize? How far has a human-made artificial object gone out in space? Do you know the language of DNA? Do you know who came up with Meru Prastara, which Western historians and scientists call Pascal’s triangle? Do you know that even equations can be mysterious enough to keep mathematicians busy for over 350 years? Do you know that sunflowers grow spirals inside them and there is a secret hidden in those spirals? How can anyone write complex equations out of nowhere and puzzle mathematicians for years over proving them? Dr. Vinay Vaidya has spent his whole life asking questions, and he still gets excited every time he finds an answer. That’s what research is all about. For him, there is nothing that brings more joy than seeing science make human lives better every time there is a discovery or invention.