Privacy Policy

Last updated: 27 October 2026

The Hindu Book (“we”, “us”) runs thehindubook.com, a free, non-commercial devotional website. This policy explains what information we collect, why, and the choices you have. We follow the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) of India.

1. Information we collect

If you simply browse

Anonymous usage statistics through Google Analytics — pages visited, approximate location (city/country), device and browser type. This helps us know which pages are useful. It does not identify you by name.
On your own device (browser storage): your favorites, reading progress, daily sadhana checklist, practice records (verses learnt, recitations, jaap counts, your daily puja routine, learning path progress, temples visited and reading history), display settings, and whether you dismissed the WhatsApp pop-up. This stays in your browser unless you sign in.

If you create an account

From Google sign-in: your name, email address and profile photo, as shared by Google.
From Facebook sign-in: your name, profile photo and email address (if your Facebook account has one), as shared by Facebook. We do not post to Facebook or read your friends, posts or messages.
From WhatsApp sign-in: your mobile number. We send a one-time sign-in code to it on WhatsApp through our WhatsApp Business provider (GetGabs, on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform). We keep the number to recognise your account and a short record of codes sent (never the code itself) to prevent misuse.
From email sign-in: your email address.
What you save: your favorites (bookmarks, saved temples, festivals and Panchang cities), reading progress, daily sadhana checklist and streak, the practices you chose, your practice records (verses learnt, recitations, jaap counts, daily puja routine, learning path progress, temples visited, yatra plans, reading history and private journal reflections), the badges you have earned, the circles you join (and the choices you make in them — your membership is never shown to anyone; circles only show how many people have joined), and the temple suggestions, text corrections and translations you send (with their review status). If you choose to be credited for a translation, your display name is shown publicly under it once it is approved; and if you switch on "Show me on the monthly list" in My Seva, your display name and number of accepted contributions appear on the public top-sevaks list; your display name and interests, and your email preferences.
Basic account records: when you joined and last visited.

If you subscribe to the daily Subhashit email

Your email address, the page you subscribed from, when you subscribed and confirmed, the date of the last email we sent you, and your IP address at sign-up (to prevent abuse). We only start sending after you confirm through the link in our first email.

If you join the early-access list

The email address or mobile number you enter, the page you signed up from, the time, and technical details (IP address and browser) kept to prevent abuse.

2. How we use it

To run your account and keep your favorites, reading progress and sadhana checklist in sync across your devices.
To send the daily Subhashit email — only after you confirm, and until you unsubscribe.
To tell you when new features open (early-access list) — only if you asked to be told.
To understand which content helps people and to improve the website.
To keep the site secure and prevent misuse.

We do not sell your personal data, show you ads, or share it for marketing.

3. Where your data is stored

Sign-in is handled by Google Firebase Authentication, which keeps your login details (name, email address, photo and sign-in method). Your profile, favorites, reading progress, sadhana log and preferences are stored in our own database on our server in India. Usage statistics are kept by Google Analytics. Google may store the data it handles on servers in India or other countries, protected by Google's security and data-processing terms. Early-access sign-ups and email subscriptions are stored on our own server in India; the daily email is sent through Google's Gmail service. Shared images and messages you send through WhatsApp or other apps are handled by those apps under their own policies.

4. How long we keep it

Account data: for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account, your profile, favorites, reading progress and sadhana log are erased from our database, the daily email to your address is stopped, and your Firebase login is removed straight away.
Email subscription: while you are subscribed. When you unsubscribe we stop sending at once and keep only your address marked as unsubscribed, so that we never email you again by mistake; ask us and we will delete it completely.
Early-access list: until accounts open and we have informed you, or until you ask us to remove it.
Analytics: according to Google Analytics' retention settings (up to 14 months).

5. Your rights

Under the DPDP Act you can:

Access the personal data we hold about you — use “Download my data” on your account page to get all of it as a file at once, or write to us.
Correct or update it — you can change your display name, interests, practices and email preferences on your account page.
Erase it — use “Delete my account” on your account page, or write to us. This removes your profile and everything saved in your account, including what we received through Google or Facebook sign-in. You can also remove The Hindu Book from your Facebook settings (Settings & privacy → Apps and websites).
Withdraw consent at any time — sign out and delete your account, use the Unsubscribe link in any email, or leave the early-access list.
Nominate a person to exercise these rights on your behalf.
Raise a grievance with us, and if unresolved, with the Data Protection Board of India.

6. Children

The website's content is suitable for all ages, but accounts are meant for people aged 18 and above. Children under 18 should sign in only with the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian.

7. Cookies and browser storage

We use browser storage for your bookmarks and preferences, and Google Analytics uses cookies to count visits. You can clear these from your browser settings at any time; the site will keep working.

8. Contact and grievances

For any question, request or complaint about your data, write to our Grievance Officer at [email protected]. We will acknowledge your message within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

9. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy we will update the date below and, for important changes, tell signed-in members.

Last updated: 27 October 2026 · Terms of Service