Author: Paul Brunton
Publishers: Rider Books
Pages: 312
Brunton’s book is a narration of his journeys across India with an important quest. He started from London to Bombay in spiritual quest, looking for a Guru. And he did this much before the Beetles came to Rishikesh or the flower children travelled to the east in big numbers looking for something they did not know what; the book is set in the pre-independence period.
‘A Search in Secret India’ takes the reader through the time he arrives in Bombay, travels south to plains of Deccan and again up north towards Benaras. On his way he meets many holy men, some genuine and some obviously fake. He also sees people who can perform actions that can’t be explained by physics, like turning a seed into a plant in a minute and people who are not affected by poison. Of the former he discovers to be a mere magical trick while the later remains unexplained, attributed to Yogic power. He goes on to explain much more about the wise men whom he meets who are no mere showmen but are uplifted souls at a higher spiritual plane, and sometimes he ponders on accepting them for his Guru. His long journeys lead him through many fascinating experiences but he finally finds his destination in a place where he began his search – in the abode of Ramana Maharshi in Thiruvannamalai.
Brunton’s descriptions are as fascinating as the people he meets and his narration holds the reader to go on. The book is mixed with his awe for the spiritual gurus but also portrays his English arrogance of the colonial period. It is a completely different travel book showing its reader of an India that is hardly known or written about.
Author: Bill Aitken
Publishers: Penguin Books
Pages: 194
Those who are new to Bill Aitken might find his language of writing complicated, and at least initially, find it not very readable. But those who stick to him are the ones who are rewarded. Nanda Devi Affair is probably the finest book from Aitken portraying his love and passion for the mountains of Uttaranchal and is full of reverence to the goddess of the mountain in every page.
The book starts with Aitkens rambles about his love for mountains, and soon you will find him unable to stop raving about the beauty of Nanda Devi. As he explains the geography of the region, he walks the reader through his treks, sharing its beauty and talking about its lore mixed with little bit of history. His experiences of watching bharals(blue sheep) walk free, beauty of the high mountains and his ordeals of having to go through some difficult terrains and painful weather are all mixed with his greatest respect to what the mountain goddess has for him to offer. He also has plenty to talk about the mountain people of garhwal. An excellent book, and a must read for the mountain lovers.
Author: Mark Barian
Publishers: Eshwar(Business Publication Inc)
Pages: 275
It is difficult to find books where ascetics describe their life before plunging into spirituality, and their journey into becoming a sannyasi. Roar of the Ganges is one of them.
Barian was an information technology consultant in the United States, and he left his successful career in search of his Guru. His search eventually ended in an ashram in Rishikesh. The book describes the beginning of search for a teacher, a few failed attempts and then arriving at Rishikesh. And further, he describes his evolution as a monk, the way of life in an Ashrams in Rishikesh and gives and insight to things they do and things he learned. The book also has many things to say about the town that Rishikesh is, the Ganges flowing amidst the town, and people and mendicants living in and around it.
The book goes like a well written story of a person’s journey into sannyasa, often touching upon finer points of the journey, the problems involved and the peace that is eventually gained. It is a worthy book for any traveller exploring India, particularly Rishikesh, and gives some useful lessons to people in spiritual quest.