Book Review : Subcontinental Drift

Title : Subcontinental Drift

Author : Murray Laurence

Publisher : Aleph

ISBN : 978-93-83064-25-0

A book on India by a foreigner. Actually so many books have been written by awestruck foreigners on India that it has almost become a genre of books in itself.

An Australian travel writer found his life changed post his first overseas trip to Indonesia where his tryst with Asia began.

He first travelled through the country in 1970s but the 'weird' land strangely and mysteriously hypnotised him into returning to India over and over again as his fascination for the strange land never left him.

The book 'Subcontinental Drift' is actually a collection of his travel stories which are almost like his adventures in a wonderland where nothing is unexpected. He has segregated his stories on the basic of timeline under three categories - a) Young and At Large in India (The 1970s) b) Drifting (The 1980s to the end of the 20th century) c) Condemned to India (The 21st Century). As he travelled extensively through India, he could fathom deep to appreciate the uniqueness and the basis of the age old beliefs which are reflected in his writings. The fluidity with which he narrates his experiences is a pleasurable experience in itself. His wonderful play with words keep the readers engaged till the last page.

Having read many such similar books, I just want to comment that what these authors present is still just what appears on the surface because as our religious scriptures describe the supreme power by - (Neti, neti) this is not it, this is not it!, so is true about India too. It is no exaggeration to say that  if there is any possible adjective for a place, it may very well be true for India.

Book Review : The World Outside My Window

Title : The World Outside My Window

Author : Ruskin Bond

Publisher : Rupa

ISBN : 978-81-291-4179-8

No one does it better than Ruskin Bond - yes, here I am talking about the way he discusses and writes about nature. His knowledge about insects, birds, trees and flowers is not acquired through any biology book rather this is what he has garnered over the years by being an inseparable component of nature. 'The World Outside My Window' is yet another of his creations which actually opens a small window for the readers into the world that he enjoys to be a part of.

Through different sections on small insects, winged creatures and flora, he delightfully explains their unique characteristics and his personal interaction with some of them. One can find some lifecycles, adaptations, singing notes, viciousness, tenderness and much more in this book. A great book for students as a convenient guide for easily noticeable living creatures. A wonderful gift to those who love to understand the language that nature converses in.

The essence of his writing is beautifully conveyed through the concluding verse 'All is Life'.

Whether by accident or design,

We are here,

Let's make the most of it, my friend.

Make happiness our pursuit,

Spread a little sunshine here and there.

Enjoy the flowers, the breeze,

Rivers, sea and sky,

Mountains and tall waving trees.

Greet the children passing by,

Talk to the old folk. Be kind, my friend.

Hold on, in times of pain and strife:

Until death comes, all is life.

After reading his books on nature, many things cross one's mind - how most of us lead our lives unaware of so many of the living creatures that co-exist with us in the same domain; how the author is blessed with an eye, a heart and a pen to notice-acknowledge-appreciate-chronicle his connection with flora and fauna; and how his writings work wonderfully in alluring the readers towards natural environs.

Personally I enjoy reading Ruskin Bond is an understatement because his description of nature strums those chords deep inside me which rejoice with the rhythm that the divine musician creates.

Available on Amazon

Mouthpiece #24

Snowball Effect

Though I am still a little far from the stage when I could officially be called senile, I do sense senility knocking at my door already. If not all the time, I am sure it is teasing me through my inconsistent memory these days. While reading a certain passage, sometimes I dare make some mental notes thinking - oh, this is so interesting, I must come back to it later, but how and when those notes disappear from the mental surface, just prove the fragile state of my memory cells. It just doesn’t end here, rather it leaves me frustrated and restless when I want to know what note had I made and my memory just refuses to divulge any cues whatsoever. Anyway, the ruing is perhaps to be left for some other time and for some other place, but why I mentioned the failing faculties here is simply because I read somewhere something about the power of thought and wanted to quote the passage to be shared here, but no reward for guessing why I can’t do it now. continue here... Book Review : Incarnations - India in 50 Lives Title : Incarnations - India in 50 Lives Author : Sunil Khilnani The book was recommended by a well respected book aficionado. After having read the book, I am quite intrigued by the lives that the author has picked as representatives of Indian voices on diverse fronts. Some of the lives picked are absolutely pride of the nation who within their lifetimes, managed to gift the world a new or different philosophy while there are some which I felt are quite unworthy of this honour. continue here... What's Brewing? Chole (Kabuli chane) with kulche Kabuli Chana (Chole) - 1 cup Onion - ½ cup (finely chopped) Tomatoes - ½ cup (finely chopped) Ginger - 2 inch piece (grated) Coriander leaves - 1/3 cup (finely chopped) Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped) Lemon juice - 3 tsp Red chilli powder - ¼ tsp Chana masala - ½ tsp Tamarind chutney - 1 tsp  Mint chutney - 1 tsp  Salt - to taste continue here...

Book Review : The Leadership Sutra

Title : The Leadership Sutra

Author : Devdutt Pattanaik

Publisher : Aleph

ISBN : 978-93-84067-46-5

"Leaders often equate themselves with lions, and indulge their desire to dominate when, in fact, the point of leadership is to be secure enough to outgrow the lion within us, and enable and empower those around us."

This thin 124 pages book is actually derived from Devdutt Pattaniak's Business Sutra. As the name suggests, the book talks about power and leadership at the work place and the analogies are taken from mythological anecdotes. It analyzes the fact that humans seek power, importance and significance and how much are they ready to bargain to achieve the same.

It is an innate human need to feel they matter, to feel recognized and to be envied by others. This recognition brings in security and power and in turn satiates the desire to dominate. Domination imparts a feeling that one can exert control over external things. Through various means humans try to satisfy this need whether it is in the form of any social rules, position or things like property which gives the delusion of immortality.

The whole book is categorised under four broad sections addressing - Significance, Property, Rules and Stability. The book begins with discussing how Durga, the external power is distinguished from Shakti, the inner power - physical and mental prowess. And this distinction becomes a common thread through all the sections. Building and nurturing Durga is important but more significant is working on the Shakti because that is what imparts wisdom and innate strength.

To bring home a point, various interesting anecdotes are picked from the mythology followed by case studies from the corporate. His signature line drawings keep the narrative mind-stimulating. His writing style is par excellence and 'The Leadership Sutra' just validates it even further. It was a sheer pleasure to read this book.

Book Review : Yasodhara, the Wife of Bodhisattva

Title : Yashodhara, the Wife of the Bodhisattva: The Sinhala Yasodharavata (The Story of Yasodhara) and the Sinhala Yasodharaopadanaya (The Sacred Biography of Yasodhara)

Author : Ranjini Obeyesekere

"Through unaccountable eons of measureless time he perfected the Virtues to become a Buddha

For yet more multiples of measureless time he perfected those same Virtues

For still more eons multiplied unaccountable times he strove to become a Buddha.

Then as a bud matures and comes to bloom, he became a Buddha"

Becoming a Buddha is actually a state of enlightenment which is borne out of believing, practicing and executing the virtues like Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Effort, Patience, Truthfulness, Resolution, Kindness and Equanimity.

Yashodhara : the wife of Bodhisattava, is the translation and compilation of two works : The Sinhala Yasodharavata (The Story of Yasodhara) and the Sinhala Yasodharapadanaya (The Sacred Biography of Yasodhara). While the former is a folk poem bringing out the pathos of a young wife bemoaning the departure of her husband, the latter is more of an account of how Yashodhara accompanies Bodhisattva through various births and her role in being his true soul mate through all their incarnations.

Prince Siddhartha leaves his wife Yashodhara and infant son to embark on his journey towards enlightenment. While being left behind in the palaces, she undergoes various emotions - of love and loss, despair and resignation, which eventually give way to equanimity that is born out of acceptance and understanding.

The author beautifully brings out the essence of the human emotions at the time of such deep loss, "Like all human beings faced with the finality of a loss, she tries to cope in the many ways women have - by recalling past happiness, mourning present absence, reproaching the lost love, questioning her own possible shortcomings. At the same time, because of her own great love, she wishes that no ill befall the loved one in this or any other existence."

The other half of the book focuses on the strong and confident queen who first decides to shun the worldly comforts as and when her consort does far away on his chosen path. Later she follows the footsteps of Bodhisattava as his disciple and a nun. She, who has been with Bodhisattava through all samsaric existences, acquires a state where she decides on the timing of her own death and on preceding the Buddha to nirvana.

The translations are quite readable and understandable. Though actual translated works form a part of the book, the rest of it is a commentary on various aspects including the time at which it is written, the comparison of writing style and detailed explanation of the original text. The author has done a great service to the humanity by extending the reach of this content beyond Sinhala language for wider readers.

Book Review : Sons of Sita

Title : Sons of Sita

Author : Ashok K. Banker

Publisher : Wisdom Tree

ISBN : 978-81-8328-294-9

This story begins from a decade after Rama banished his wife and over these years he never enquired about her family's whereabouts. The Kingdom that he reigns now is far from being the ideal Ram Rajya. For reasons unknown, he is strongly influenced by bad advisors and war-mongering ministers Jabali and Bhadra, even to the extent that his two brothers Bharat and Shatrughan are subjected to a trial for being on the wrong side of the law. But it seems Rama has become immune, almost like a stone to the softer feelings that a human possesses. Under the garb of dharma, he is in the process of (almost) tyrannically conducting a Ashvamedha Yajna but actually using it as a cover for a full-scale invasion. 

Sita and her two sons Luv and Kush live in the isolated corner in the ashram of Maharishi Valmiki where she has effortlessly attuned herself to the duties of the present. The twins are trained by their mother in the art of warfare and they are growing up to become fearless and phenomenal warriors. Their paths cross their father's when they capture the sacred stallion of the Ashwamedha Yajna.

The way Rama is portrayed in the book, he comes across as anything but the undisputed hero or a godly figure. In fact, the narrative almost reduces him to a lackluster character.  Ashok K. Banker is a great story teller, is an established fact now. Backdrop portrayal, depiction of war scenes, building the crescendo towards the final confrontation are quite interestingly handled. But twisting the setting and the proceedings to such an extent that it makes the epic tale almost unrecognisable would surely leave the readers unsettled. It actually reminded me of Amish's Scion of Ikshvaku, which erred similarly. Trying to give mythological fable a contemporary shine through fancy words and settings does little to redeem the authors in these two books.

Though an engaging read, the only part which impressed me in this book is how Sita sums it all up during one of the concluding scenes of the face-off. "You failed utterly. That is why you will always be a broken god. Revered and worshipped, honoured and admired, but also doubted and despised. Each time someone speaks of your great works and exploits, another will remind them of your banishment of your wide and ask what god would do such a thing, and question your divinity. Today you had a chance to answer them once and for all, to silence those doubters, and you failed yet again. Now, for as long as your memory shall live, you shall be adored as a deva yet doubted as a man."

After reading this book, it is hard not to marvel at the way Devdutt Pattanaik portrays Sita and how his Rama exemplifies all the virtues that any human aspires to possess making him a truly anukarniy(to be followed) God . Devdutt's Sita is a strong, confident character yet extremely understanding as she knows she is as much a part of Rama as he is of her and anything otherwise can never exist.

Book Review : Brida

Title : Brida

Author : Paulo Coelho

Birda is a book that explores the theory of occult and that of soulmate. Twenty year old Brida is in search of a teacher who could guide her to learn magic. She wants to be on a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Her search leads her to a man, The Magus, who recognizes Brida as his soulmate but  does not share this realisation with her. He puts Brida to a test which she completes and the wisdom that she takes out of that test stays with her for the following steps. She is then led to another teacher Wicca who happens to be Magus's ex-lover but follows a different tradition of magic. On the day that is ascertained as Brida's initiation day, she gets to understand that there  is a possibility of meeting two soulmates in one lifetime as well.

While I highly appreciated 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho, the same cannot be said about Brida. The first point where the disconnect starts to surface is when the author mentions the tradition of Sun and the tradition of Moon but never explains what they exactly are, which is sure to leave the readers guessing and intrigued. As the narrative progresses, the missing link never gets repaired and hence it keeps losing the readers. However, one continues to read through it with the hope that since it is Paulo Coelho's book, eventually it will lead to something really grand and special, but that never happens. The storyline is sketchy and jumps from magic, mysticism, auras, gift, to soul mates making it a potpourri of daze and confusion.

However, there are some quotes worth mentioning here which salvages the book to some extent :

"Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day."

"Judging oneself to be inferior to other people is one of the worst acts of pride, because it's the most destructive way of being different."

Book Review : My Gita

Title : My Gita

Author : Devdutt Pattanaik

Publisher : Rupa

ISBN : 978-81-3770-8

From the time when things started to register in mind and make sense, Bhagvad Gita has always intrigued me and inspired me. I enjoy reading Devdutt Pattanaik, is perhaps an understatement. So when these two got together, it was a combination that I had to pick up to read.

Devdutt has used a unique style to unravel the mystery behind Gita. He has adopted thematic rather than sequential approach so as to make it easily understandable and logical for contemporary readers. Related verses are picked up across eighteen chapters of Gita and are explained supported by related stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, comparisons with other religious beliefs and folklores.

Author's beautiful articulation is at display right from the inside of the cover page where he succinctly talks about our indulgence for argument over dialogue (vi-vaad over sam-vaad) and how we are isolating self at the cost of ignoring the common co-existence. He gently reminds the readers, 'we forget that we live in an ecosystem of others, where we can nourish each other with food, love and meaning, even when we fight.' Hence he wishes to 'let My Gita inform your Gita'.

The eighteen themes are categorised as - Karma, Dharma, rebirth, self and other (jiv-atma and parmatma), attachment-detachment(moha-moksha), maya and so on. The Greek and Arabic mythological texts have also been brought in for comparison and for different interpretations of the same terms and themes through out the narrative. The book is abound with Devdutt's signature illustrations, maps and flow charts which work as great aids for understanding.

While My Gita tries to simplify the Gita, it is very high on philosophical content which makes it a slow read. However, I feel, it does solve the purpose for which it is written - it gently nudges the readers to introspect and bring in mindfulness to every action and every thought, while on various occasions, it liberates the readers from unnecessary and imaginary shackles. And that is exactly what the Gita does to a thinking mind.

Though every verse of the Gita is overflowing with wisdom and intelligence that can help one sail through the vicissitudes of life comfortably, yet one can pick and adopt just one to begin with. If I have to pick, then it has to be the one which brings focus on 'informed action' and 'detached action'. The combination of the two teaches us that the opposite or contrary forces are actually complimentary, which may appear to be quite divergent. 

The author brings this out beautifully in the following passage:

"Arjun asks whether Krishna values knowledge over action. Krishna replies that he values informed action. Arjun asks if Krishna values action over renunciation. Krishna replies that he values detached action. Informing the mind about the exchange and detaching action from the expectation of results demand that Arjun take an inner journey."

Book Review : Apparent in Hindsight

Title : Apparent in Hindsight

Authored by Vector Consulting Group

Publisher : Bestsellers 18

ISBN : 978-938406134-0

Long time back (at least that is what it feels like now) when I was a fresh grad, doing my masters, my sister recommended the book 'The Goal' by Eliyahu Goldratt to me. She had heard about this title in one of the New Year parties thrown by a reputed company for employees and their better halves. A book enthusiast, I did not waste any time and brought the shining book home. That was the time I was deeply interested in all management related books and had already devoured - Odyssey : Pepsi to Apple, Made in Japan, My Life and My Work, Iacocca and likes of these. But the experience of reading Goldratt's book was something very different and very unique. The way he presents the problem of a plant manager and how by thinking clearly and logically, he applies Theory of Constraints - is just amazing. One needs to read this fast paced adventure book to believe it. And very logically I went on to read a few more of Goldratt's books but the first one still remains the best of the lot.

Many springs later, I happened to read the book 'Apparent in Hindsight' which brought back the memories of The Goal. The book authored by Vector Consulting Group addresses the problems that most commonly plague Indian automotive industry. Using various analogical situations, it tries to peel all the layers of manufacturing and sales processes. It challenges the age old assumptions and procedures and gradually leads one towards analytically logical and practical approach. The proceedings begin with the problems of main heads of two integral divisions - sales and production, of an organisation. These are the two divisions which more often than not find themselves at the loggerheads with each other. While trying to unravel the core problem, the narrative highlights the commonly used methodologies like - JIT, TPM and Lean Manufacturing. The case study eventually leads the readers to the wisdom that the middle path and not exactly any one particular philosophy is the way to deal with certain situations. The idea is great and presentation is decent too. The understanding and knowledge that it leads the readers to are not specific to production only, the same can be applied to any problem that one confronts.

Though a management related book, yet it is easy to read, understand and follow. The characters are quite believable and relatable. It can be read by anybody and the prologue part comes very handy in understanding the area specific terminology that is heavily used all through the book.

However, a few things sound rather unreal and could have been edited out for better flow of the narrative. I would say if Goldratt's book is the bible then 'Apparent in Hindsight' is a hymn.

Just wondering wouldn't it be better if the names of the Founding Directors had actually appeared as authors of the book? I feel it helps to create that one-on-one connect between the author and the reader. Vector Consulting Group is doing very well in weeding out the problems in companies across sectors and fields by getting Theory of Constraints implemented. It would be great to have more of their success stories in written form as a series of books.  

Book Review : Tiffin

Title : Tiffin

Author : Rukmini Srinivas

Publisher : Rupa

ISBN : 978-81-291-2390-9

Rukmini Srinivas who divides her time between Bangalore and Boston, is a television chef, a storyteller, a gardener, an entrepreneur, a teacher, an author and a connoisseur of food. The seed of this book got sown many years ago when she started writing recipes of various tiffin options to her daughters along with many anecdotes and narratives about people and places that were associated with the recipes. The request from her daughters for the stories and the recipes grew more frequent and a mother's replies grew more lengthy. Eventually what we see today is the consolidated version of all those narratives and recipes.

Through her memoir-cum-cookbook, Rukmini gives a peak into her life over last many decades during which she has cooked and eaten different dishes.  As she got to travel a lot from very young age, she recognised the importance of home-cooked food everywhere. Through her recipes and the memories of bygone times intertwined around food, she recreates the life well spent. One can see fusion of different places in her recipes as she showcases traditional dishes with some convenient twists here and there.

The book is an outcome of author's sincere love for food and cooking and that is palpable all through the narrative. She talks about various places, people and customs in great detail and from the perspective of food. In fact, she stirs some chords deep within as some things etch in our memories with tastes, flavours and company. A great way to share a slice of life with readers.

There are however a few things that could be improved for subsequent prints. Readers would feel the need of an index of all the recipes, otherwise it is very difficult to sift through more than 300 pages for a particular recipe that one would like to try. A few recipes get repeated in the book. The pictures could be improved especially now when when food photography has taken a new dimension and not all recipes have accompanying pictures with them.

Book Review : The Seeker

Title : The Seeker

Author : Karan Bajaj

Publisher : Penguin India

It so turned out that the books that I picked up for reading this summer kept leading me to the logical next and further on in my pursuit to know and understand things better, as if it was all pre-planned and ordained to happen. Although  I am far removed from understanding the meaning of life and getting even a glimpse of the elusive peaceful state of mind but the dots that are joining through these books are bringing in some form of solace and respite. Just wondering if it is Alchemist's message getting validated in real life - nature conspiring in some way to satisfy the urge from within.

Happened to pick 'The Seeker', seeing it on the stands of a book store, along with J.P. Vaswani's book - Thoughts Life has Taught Me. Written by Karan Bajaj, this book is again a person's journey to know the purpose of life. In more cases than one this kind of desperation gets kindled when one goes through extreme emotions like - near death experience, loss of a loved one or similar such situation. During such life changing experiences, many questions cloud a mind and one keeps wondering and questioning about what is beyond what is visible to the eye. The urge to know more and know better keeps one unsettled till one begins on some path to everlasting peace.

In 'The Seeker', Maximus Pzoras, a Harvard economist and Wall Street Banker calls it quits soon after his mother's demise. In order to find reason for human suffering, despair and pain, he sets out on a journey from New York to the snow capped Himalayas first, then to an ashram in South India and finally to the Himalayas again. He realises that it is the mind that needs to be conditioned to stay silent. 'Mind is always on fire. It violates every yogic percept, claiming it wants enlightenment when it craves pleasure, coveting the comfort of chatter, committing violence when it thinks negatively. Mind knows no contentment, no peace, no maturity.'

In order to find the truth behind the statement, “So if there is birth, age, suffering, sorrow and death, then there must be something that is un-born, un-aging, un-ailing, sorrow-less and deathless, immortals as it were" Max progresses from one stage to another and experiences an inner transformation.The bondages, attachments, worldly pleasures that earlier enticed and seduced him, slowly settle down and so do the bodily discomforts. The book actually walks the readers through an adventurous journey where the protagonist is equally unsure and unsettled to begin with but gradually the clouds of confusion start diffusing giving way to clarity and assuredness.

After reading this book, the learning gets reconfirmed that there is a right time for everything when the mind, soul and body actually get ready to receive it. The receptiveness of these three faculties conjoin to convey the message to the nature which then conspires to make it happen in its own discreet way.

Karan Bajaj has done a great job in bringing out the inner feelings and emotions of a person on the journey to self realization. The detail and depth in his writing validates how keenly he must have experienced the emotions and how deeply he must have observed the progressive changes. He talks highly about the significance of selfless service and silence while mentioning various means and mediums in order to stabilize the mind. He touches upon the concepts of - power of yoga and meditation, good and bad karma and the outcomes of the same, rebirth theory and much more and the way they are pieced together, make it all very logical. While reading through the book, one may not even realise but one eventually gets a glimpse of how 'Tattvam asi'  - the enlightened state - would be.

Tattvam asi means - You are That (That is God), which means aligning oneself with that supreme power as one is actually a part of that complete whole.

This book has already gone in the list of 'Literary Sojourn Recommends' for this year.

Book Review : Man's Search for Meaning

Title : Man's Search for Meaning

Author : Viktor E. Frankl

Publisher : Rider Books

ISBN : 978-1-84-604124-2

If one can  remember only one thing from this book it should be this - 'He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How.'

There are plenty of self-help books that one can choose from if one so wants but there are just a few which can really be called 'life changing'. Viktor Frankl's - Man's Search for Meaning is one of those few books which have the potential of influencing a reader's perspective towards life for good. It is in fact a memoir of the author while he spent the years from 1942 to 1945 in four different camps, including Auschwitz.

In the first section of the book he recounts his time spent in the camp and how he managed to stay alive in the midst of hopelessness, desperation and death. What makes his account of the concentration camp stand apart is his evaluation of the situation through psychological perspective. He studies the impact of extremely adverse conditions on different individuals which gives him enough fodder to think about how personalities and characters are formed. Living under dehumanized circumstances, losing one's identity including one's name, working as living corpse, no contact with any loved one, no visibility of the end to that ordeal - were not ordinary conditions;  yet finding meaning in life became the only important thing in order to survive the camp. He realised that there must be some bigger purpose for living than succumbing to the situation and giving up. He believes, 'you cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you feel and do about what happens to you.' 

In the second section Frankl shares how he used the lessons that he learnt during his years 'from death-camps to existentialism' to formulate the doctrine of Logotherapy. 'It focuses on the meaning of human existence as well as on man's search for such a meaning. According to logotherapy, the striving to find a meaning in one's life is the primary motivational force in man.' Frankl actually beckons the readers to invoke the abundant power that each individual possesses to mould the way any situation is approached and is responded to. Moreover the turbulent and testing times are the ones which build strength of character and make a person triumphant personally and spiritually.

One can go over this book time and again in case accepting adverse circumstances becomes an issue. This is the reason many people who confront situations like - personal sickness, suffering, loss of a loved one, often turn to this book and find the much needed succour and perspective. 

Book Review : A Book of Simple Living

Title : A Book of Simple Living

Author : Ruskin Bond

Publisher : Speaking Tiger

'The cosmos has all the genius of simplicity.'

Start reading first paragraph and one embarks on a journey into a world where time is no longer a constraining factor and where nature guides everything. Ruskin Bond offers a small peak into his routine and one gets to see the beauty in the simplicity of life. The way he describes his room and the window which opens into three different worlds - the mountains, the sky and the road - is fascinating. At least for the time when one is reading his words, one  gets transported to the same room amidst the same surroundings  - the never changing hills, the full of movement road and the author's preferred view, the sky. He feels the sky is never the same, it is always filled with beautiful hues from the divine palette.

As the much acclaimed author pays befitting tribute to nature, he subtly conjures the readers to acknowledge the presence of co-inhabitants of our mother earth, admiring their uniqueness and paying obeisance to the natural scheme of things. He shows us the side of the world and life which in the fast time-bound schedules, we are fast losing touch with. He talks about various flora and fauna that fill his life with colour, fragrance, music and liveliness. He has ample time - to listen to every natural sound, to drink in the scent of wild flowers and leaves and to observe tiny creatures minding their business.

'Live close to nature and your spirit will not be easily broken, for you learn something of patience and resilience. You will not grow restless and you will never feel lonely.'

He then talks about various other things, vicissitudes of life, his love and longing, his writings, how a new topic comes knocking at his door or through his window, the reassurance that one looks for at certain times and many memorable moments spent in the lap of nature. The narrative is abound with characters like cicadas, magpies, field mice, spiders, swallows, maidenhair fern, geraniums, marigolds, chrysanthemums, pines, oaks, walnut trees, tall deodars, maple, chestnut and many more names. There is a background score in the narrative which is sometimes bubbling mountain river, orchestra of crickets or rustling of leaves. The landscape keeps changing colours from pristine snow white, verdant green to riot of fall colours.

The simplicity of his life, his writing is just fascinating and one needs to read it to feel it, because he writes to connect. In his words, 'I want my readers to feel what I feel, to see what I see, and big words and big sentences come in the way of this sharing. It is clarity and honesty that I am striving to attain; there can be no lasting connection with my readers without these. And to be clear and open is to be simple.'

The reason why I cannot stop admiring the book is because it somehow aligns with my own feelings when I am close to nature. In the written words, I could actually read some of my own feelings that nature sparks

in me. While I get immersed in my daily routine, I often dream and long for - being in a wide open expanse of land adorned with verdure  or walking on a narrow pathway guarded by thick trees with huge canopies or driving on a thin serpentine road merging into the folds of mighty mountains or gazing at the endlessly stretched firmament to my heart's content or watching raindrops fall on the ground willingly accepting their new identity in unison with other companions. Just the thought of these bring in a deep sense of peace, perspective and a connection with someone supreme in every single entity.

Don’t let the beauty of the nature pass by unnoticed, unacknowledged and unregistered because it is the simplest and purest form of beauty. Let it tickle every sensory nerve of one's being. 

Book Review : She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Title : She Loves Me,

He Loves Me Not

Author : Zeenat Mahal

Publisher : Indireads

Zoella has grown nurturing a silent crush for Fardeen Malik for many years. She happens to be the best friend of Fardeen's sister but she knows her feelings would never get reciprocated as Fardeen is already engaged to a  stunning socialite. Moreover, the two engaged families belong to the same section of the society. But destiny has something else in store for all of the characters when Fardeen gets badly disfigured in an accident. The accident takes away a lot from Fardeen besides his handsome looks and his fiancée is one of those. From a prince charming he transitions into an annoying, hurtful and hateful person. Twist of circumstances brings Zoella closer to Fardeen but was she wishing for such a fate for herself and for his beloved?

'She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not' is a love story set in modern day Pakistan while keeping the soul of a classic fairy tale intact. Hopeless circumstances, sudden twists, fate playing a big role, some baseless notions, tempers and much more are beautifully dealt with in the narrative.

The author has painstakingly carved the characters Zoella and Fardeen. Zoella, a silent admirer of her friend's brother, sincere in her duties and a family person does all for her family without expecting anything in return. Fardeen has always been away from any troubles or imperfections of life till he confronts a situation where he comes face to face with his own not so pleasing new reflection. Riding different waves of emotions and feelings, they end up tying their lives together and what follows is a bumpy ride.

The way different perspectives are dealt with and are allowed to develop gradually is a commendable job done by the author. Readers would surely appreciate how Zoella matures into a confident and strong individual from a shy and timid girl. Moreover, the window that Zeenat has opened into Pakistan through her writing is quite alluring. Her description of that world's traditions and  customs is fascinating and keeps the readers glued to the story till the last page. However, a tighter editing could have cut down a few pages from the book that keep highlighting their mutual conflicts. 

Book Review : Sita's Sister

Title : Sita's Sister

Author : Kavita Kane

Publisher : Rupa

ISBN : 978-81-291-3484-4

So  many questions keep flooding a thinking individual's mind, more so after reading thought provoking books like Sita's Sister. What is just, what is dharma, which is bigger - a role or an individual, where does duty of one end and the personal space of another begin, who decides which role takes precedence over another, does love mean being someone's weakness or strength, should love surpass duty or the other way round, and many more.

Kavita Kane brings to fore one of those characters of the epic Ramayana who have grossly been ignored by the center stage lights. Urmila is often remembered as one of King Janak's daughters, Sita's younger sister and Lakshman's wife.  Paeans have been written about the sacrifices of the prime characters of the mythology in whose shadow many characters have been eclipsed. Lord Ram smilingly renounced his right on the throne of Ayodhya to follow the promise that his father gave to one of his wives. His worldly consort Sita gave a glimpse of her fortitude by choosing the same path for herself as was destined for her husband. Lakshman chose to let his course get automatically sealed as he could not think of not being with his elder brother during the exile period of 14 years.  Bharat decided to spend the 14 years of Ram's exile in complete abstinence of all royal pleasures as a way of his penance. These are the towering embodiments of ideals in the epic story, but often, the larger than life sagas end up neglecting the contributions of some, who silently bear the consequences of others' decisions and promises. Their greatness lies in invisibly supporting the main players.

In Sita's Sister, Kavita Kane has lent that missing voice to Urmila. The title itself is extremely well thought out, true to the life spent over-shadowed and outshone. Here Urmila is portrayed as a delicately beautiful, spirited young princess who knows her mind and has no qualms in voicing it too. She is not the one who wants to live in illusion or any make believe world. She comes across as an individual who acknowledges and accepts her situations gracefully - whether it is of being a second fiddle to the adopted elder sister Sita or submitting to the fact that her husband would remain committed to his brotherly duties over and above her. But this does not push her down rather she reciprocates the favour by being a source of strength for her loved ones.

She displays the mettle and the fortitude to provide the anchorage to her family whether it was her parental one or later her marital kinship. She tries her best to sew the relationships and while doing so, she poses some very pertinent questions from time to time. Her voiced displeasure on Bharat's decision of spending the next 14 years in Nandigram is clear example of her confident and intrepid nerve. She questions his dharma towards his wife Mandavi - 'we have talked about all sorts of dharma - of the father and the sons, of the king and the princes, of the Brahmin and the Kshatriya, even of the wife for the husband. But is there no dharma of the husband for his wife?'

There cannot be any surprise on the plot front yet the narrative from the perspective of a different character makes it appear so very uniquely distinct.

Some other characters that make their presence felt significantly in the story are that of mother Sunaina and Lakshman. Though a queen, Sunaina is a mother first and wants happiness of her daughters even if it means disregarding the political bindings. The part where she confesses her conduct in front of Urmila, would surely touch readers' inner chords. 'Probably I expected too much from you. Or, because I felt you were mine, the daughter of my flesh and blood, unlike Sita or the motherless Mandavi and Kirti. That's why I was over-protective for them but harsher to you.'

Lakshman has always given an impression of being a person who is devoutly committed to his brotherly duties all through his life and his personal relationships and bonds never surface in prominence. But in Sita's Sister, he comes across as a person who is equally vulnerable and emotional as is any other individual. He also needs someone from whom he could derive his treasure of strength. To deliver on his lofty ideals, he depends on two women in his life - his mother and his wife. Separation from his wife is no less torturous for him either but he wants his 'Mila' to make it easier for him because he acknowledges what she is, in his life 'you are my strength but also my weakness'.

This story very strongly brings back the memories of MaithiliSharan Gupt's Saket, another must read by the connoisseurs of mythology and appreciators of subtle human emotions.

Kavita Kane's language has contemporary feel to it which makes the narrative more relatable for the present-day readers. Also, some of the questions that are raised in the narrative seem equally relevant. Personally I see nothing wrong in re-defining and re-analysing the age old mythology. I firmly believe that the way any story (epic or otherwise) is understood, analysed and presented has a lot to do with a myriad of factors - the time, and the prevailing mindset, customs and culture of that time. So when we experience almost complete metamorphosis of our society with time, perhaps mythology also looks for re-definitions from time to time. 

Cannot help quoting some pearls of wisdom from the book -

...when love surpasses duty, it is salvation.

Unhappiness makes us self-absorbed, it makes one think only of oneself- of the pain, and misery one is suffering.

Only with detachment one learns the value of love versus the range of emotions - exile from attachment. 

Book Review : The Case of the Secretive Sister

Title : The Case of the Secretive Sister

Author : Nilanjan P. Choudhury

No. of Pages : 162

ISBN : 978-9383098552

Mr. Chatterjee is a middle aged man whose long experience in claims settlement for an insurance company has made him a confident candidate to open his own detective agency. His investigation skills do not get tested appropriately as the cases that he gets to work on range from lost documents, missing pets or runaway drivers. Not just that, the number of clients requiring his services have been 'as elusive as Dr. Manmohan Singh in a chatty mood'.

One fine day, Mr. Chatterjee gets a new client in an over-zealous mother, Mrs. Pammi Chaddha who does not want to give up after her four year old daughter Aisharadhya aka Pinky Chaddha (her 'home' name) has been denied admission in one of the most sought-after schools of Bangalore. She wants Mr. Chatterjee to make this daunting task of securing admission for Pinky in the same school, possible.

Though Mr. Chatterjee does not see any hope of succeeding in this case, he wants to give it a fair try. In order to do that he would have to confront the no-nonsense Sister D'Souza who is at the helm of her school as the headmistress. He devices his plans methodically which his smart secretary interprets as his approach to rectify his piles problem. What follow are, action packed pages high on cat and mouse, stalking, drama, comedy and much more. Well, what is a detective novel without any of these elements?

'The Case of the Secretive Sister' is the second book by the author Nilanjan Choudhury but he comes across as a seasoned author especially when it comes to the tautness of the narrative and the finesse in the language. Once the narrative takes a fast-paced turn, at no moment does the tempo slacken. His choice of characters is commendable, whether it is Mr. Chatterjee's secretary Ms. Jolly or Inspector Gowda. From the accented voices of characters, one can actually hear their respective 'native' (place) speaking. A true Kannadiga and Bangalorean, Inspector Gowda takes it personally upon himself to sanitize his beloved city of all - Chatterjees, Choudhurys, Chaddhas and Chaturvedis. 

When we are witnessing almost a dearth of true-to-genre books in the market, this book comes as a whiff of fresh air where intelligent comedy is served in its full glory. We are fast becoming a society where we seek maximum value for money which is exactly the case with books as well. We are being offered medley - comprising of various elements all together - comedy, romance, adventure, et al. 'The Case of the Secretive Sister' reminds one of the humour of the order that is penned by Bill Cosby, Bill Bryson and P.G.Wodehouse. It is a pleasant change from the comedies that have inundated the mainstream television and movies these days. If you are looking for a small, light and a hilarious read, don't miss this one. 

Book Review : Wonder - When and Why the World Appears Radiant

Title : Wonder - When and Why the World Appears Radiant

Author : Paul R. Fleischman

Publisher : Small Batch Books

ISBN : 978-1-937650-23-0

Fleischman is a well known name in scholarly circles and has penned various books and articles in numerous journals. His latest book 'Wonder : When and Why the World Appears Radiant' is a wonderful attempt to highlight the awesomeness of everything in this universe. He explains why and how we should view everything that is within ourselves and around us, with wonder. To support his explanation Dr. Fleischman brings in various diverse perspectives ranging from the fields - scientific, spiritual, philosophical to literary. From a tiny electron to the vast universe, the awesomeness of the discipline with which things happens is just beyond comprehension. Through Wonder, the author takes the readers on a guided adventurous journey to make them aware of things and phenomena that take place in the world and how innumerable constituent components function. What Dr. Fleischman has come up in the form of Wonder is an example of a piece which has extensive range as well as substantial depth enriched by study of various fields.

There is extensive compilation of scientific observations and surveys; religious and spiritual inferences; and quotes from literary classics like that of Tagore, Whitman, Asimov, Neruda and many more.  Concepts of time, space, energy and matter are explained through the research findings of scientists along with the life and mind of human is amply explored. It is commendable how author so seamlessly builds a coherent speech which takes ingredients from as diverse areas as one could think of.

Dr. Fleischman talks how wonder comes so naturally to children and quotes 'Fear is for adults who are ignorant and wonder-challenged.' He designates individuals like Einstein as the poster-boys of wonder and conveys that it is when wonder stops, that development and progress stop too. There are in all eighty chapters categorised under seven sections, each chapter is very short length wise. The language is profound and matches the quality of the content well.

That this piece of writing is a well researched piece is an understatement. It is quite evident from the scientists, philosophers, authors, academicians, skeptics and believers that have been quoted in this book that Dr. Fleischman must have gone through a huge array of information to come out with Wonder, which is an essence of all. This scholarly written book is packed with very enlightening information, however, it is not an easy or fast read, rather it is a tedious read if one wants to finish it off in designated number of days. Best way to read this book is to pick a couple of chapters at a time, spend time assimilating the power packed information before moving on to the next chapter. Readers must be cautioned beforehand that the narrative is not smooth as is expected from the kind of content this book offers.  It is full of quotes by well known scientists, astronomers, philosophers, writers and many more and often times the scientific observations are interspersed with psychological or philosophical deductions.

Book Review : The Bad Touch

Title : The Bad Touch

Author : Payal Shah Karwa

Publisher : HayHouse

ISBN : 978-93-81398-48-7

The Bad Touch by Payal Shah Karwa is a compilation of real life experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse(CSA). CSA is one heinous crime which is impacting the most vulnerable organs of our society. Whether it is one incident or continuous abuse, the torture transcends the physical plane, it goes much beyond it, scarring a child's childhood and his/her individuality. By sharing their heart-wrenching stories, the victims are trying to extend their solidarity to the cause of spreading awareness about this evil in the society. This is a wonderful step forward with the objective of making those individuals who have been wronged, to come out with confidence because it is NOT their fault.

The first detailed account is that of Harish Iyer, who first narrated his personal horrifying experience on the show 'Satyamev Jayate'. He endured the abuse for many years at the hands of his uncle who threatened dire consequences for his family if he let a single word out. But one fine day he mustered the courage to say NO and since then he has been active in spreading CSA awareness. Lata became a victim at the hands of her uncle who was supposed to be her guardian. Unfortunately her grandmother refused to believe her and she went through the trauma of feeling alone and dejected. A noted film director Anurag Kashyap had been a victim of incest and sexual abuse for a long period of eleven years. 'The severe abuse affected him and he grew up to be a troubled teenager. He suffered from chronic relationship issues as he found it tough to be normal. He was sunk deep in his own world, bereft of emotional empathy.' He found the ultimate solace in expressing his pent up emotions and thoughts in writing. There are many other stories which, besides highlighting the perils of the victims, brings to fore the apathy of loved ones and the society towards the wronged individuals.

The true life experiences will shake the readers to the core. But this book is an attempt by the author to - help the survivors heal themselves by sharing their stories, to create and spread awareness of the issue of child sex abuse among parents and guardians, to inspire people to get together for the fight against CSA.

The book offers much more than these inspiring stories. It brings out the statistics about how prevalent CSA is in India, the common myths that usually people carry, the warning signs that should be carefully watched in children to sense if anything is amiss, what are the precautionary measures that must be taken, how to deal with CSA and which organizations to approach to seek help. Our crippling society needs more and more such forums where the issues like these are brought out in open and discussed in order to build a better future for all of us. The book has served its purpose of providing useful information along with being a source of  great inspiration for many affected. However, the content could have been organised in a better manner and the language could have been more simplistic so that it is readable, relatable and understandable for more and more people.

Some voluntary bloggers and social networkers, along with the support of some NGOs have come together to organise an annual awareness programme - Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month (CSAAM). April month has been picked up as CSAAM and during this period, various workshops are conducted, discussions are organised, experiences are shared, methods are devised to eradicate the menace from out society. 

Book Review : Beyond School

Title : Beyond School

Author : Chitra Anand

Publisher : Leadstart Corp

ISBN : 978-93-83562-40-4

The author, Chitra Anand is a postgraduate in Physics and holds an Education Degree. Beyond School is her first novel inspired by her journey as an educator.

'Beyond School' story revolves around a grade twelve student Shail at an Indian School in Muscat. As countdown has begun for his board examinations, his parents Sushil and Urmila are at their wits ends. They cannot find any way to convince their son to study for the board exams while Shail leisurely goes about doing his other activities, which include - sleeping with abandon, dreaming about football or his girlfriend, watching re-runs of football matches on TV, texting on mobile phone for hours and much more. In short, a typical day in his life does not have any scope to accommodate study time. However, what Sushil and Urmila are unaware of is Shail's decision to not appear for the exams at all this year.

As the story progresses and as the examination days are approaching nearer, the pressure is soaring high for Shail to escape from his parents' focus and for his parents to make Shail study. Glady, the mentor in the school is approached for Shail's situation. She has a way of showing the students the side of the picture that they seem to be unaware of. She is a great counselor without being preachy. Her way of dealing with such situations is to get the student understand why and how a particular fixation of mind and heart starts driving the decisions and when that fixation is satisfied, how the pressure fizzles out. 'Tell people that they can have what they want and soon their fight for the want loses intensity.' She gives a new dimension to Shail's thinking so that he does not stay stuck with 'What is wrong if I don’t write the exams this year?'

 A few more sub-stories are intertwined along with Shail's narrative, including that of - Glady's uncomfortable past, Sushil and Urmila's struggle to get united and Roha as another student requiring Glady's counseling.

Chitra Anand highlights many areas that have gained immense significance in the lives of individuals who are at the cusp of adulthood. The unrestrained  access to information, gadgetry invasion, unabashed approach towards sexual issues and much more are subtly weaved into the fabric of the narrative. This gives an honest reflection of the society in which today's youth is functioning. Though an amateur author, Chitra has done justice to the idea that she wanted to convey through her writing. However, there are a few places where editing could have been more tight. Some of the incidents are unnecessary or too elaborate which could easily be done away with. 

A recommended read for young adults and their parents.