Hometown: St. Louis Genre: Alternative rock Biggest/best album: With Veruca Salt, the band she co-founded, 1994's “American Thighs” was the band’s biggest-selling album, achieving gold status.

Modern India is largely a Hindu country today, but in ancient times, starting with the reign of the pious Ashoka (c. 268-232 B.C.), Buddhism flourished in its western regions. In the centuries ...