Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 95

Review of Touch of Mist by Deepika Muthusamy

                  Book Name              Touch of Mist               
                 Author                      Deepika Muthusamy         
                 Publisher                  Cyberwit
                 Genre                      YA Romance   
                 Number of Pages  208
                 Publishing Year     2013
                 Binding                    Paperback

                 Rating : 3.5
                  Blurb

Reena was distraught. It seemed unbelievable that she too 


had succumbed to this rat race of life. The consequences had 

been dire: a marriage that had broken even before the 

profundity of those three magical words, “I Love You” could 

sink in.

“Touch of Mist” is a glitzy, modern-day love story of two 

young, sophisticated, IT professionals, Gautham and Reena, 

who meet by chance, sparks ignite and they fall head over 

heels in love with each other.
They tie the knot and start a new life. But no sooner do they 

do that that fights erupt and egos clash. The first casualty is 

love, which plummets and marriage turns miserable; break-

up beckons and the relationship dies.
Aftermath. Does Reena commit suicide or fall in love with 

another person? Does she reconcile with her first love 

Gautham?

This story meanders through different emotions that touch 

the lives of the protagonists such as love, friendship, 

marriage, heartbreak, grief, anticipation, humour, disgust, 

joy, fear and ends with a heart-warming credo that “Life is to 

Live”. 

Plot

Reena and Gautam meet each other at an IT firm where they both worked. Love sparkled between them. With silly fights and reconciliation, their lives move forward and finally end up as a married couple. But, Marriage doesn't make them matured. They start their fights for even sillier matters. One day their life sways unexectedlty with a not-so-silly matter. What is it? How will they face it? Will they separate?

Character

Gautham: Male protaginist
Reena : Female Protagonist
Reena's Parents
Gautham's Parents
Rachana and Laya: Gautham's Sister and child
Kishore: Gautham and Reena's colleague, best friend.

 My Review

The book is a YA fiction. The story represents many couples who marries their colleagues and finally succumb to the work pressure, ego, possessiveness and the new generation life style in simple verses. It starts as a girl meets boy love story but later author tried to convey a great message.

Highlights

The story is a sincere depiction of a reality. The main highlight of the story is an attempt to convey the message for the mass with suicidal tendency. Suicide is not the solution for anything. Another highlight is the unbiased character portrayal. She made sure that the positives and negatives of both protagonists are portrayed. I was frankly getting tired lately, due the perfect fairy tale love stories where the lovers are separated by accidents or natural calamities. The relation between Reena and Gautham seems so real. Each and every incident of love and fights are effortlessly rendered. Great care have been given in character build up. Seeing the current trend the story has a potential to become a bestseller if re worked a bit more.
If you are also looking for a realistic love story apart from the perfect lovers' paradise, you will love this book.


Drawbacks

I have been following Deepika's blog lately and I feel that she did not use her full potential in the book. A thorough proofreading could have added a star. 

One Liner

An effortless story of two sincere, loving, egoistic people, with a hidden message.


Avail the book from Amazon & Cyberwit.net


 About the Author




A blogger and an avid trekker, Deepika Muthusamy enthralls 

us with her debut novel, Touch of Mist as she captivates her 

readers by delineating human emotions at its depth. Deepika 

is passionate about badminton, yoga and gardening. 

Charming and versatile, she is set out to elucidate her theory 

of life through her novel.


Reviewed for the publisher


 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Spicy saturday picks by Blogadda

There is a new step in everyone's life. My new step was blogging. Had a great time and satisfaction with this. Now my blog post started getting due recognition.

The blogging community called  Blog adda selected my blog post as one of the best posts in their Spicy Saturday Pics, edition dated Dec 05 2015.








You can have a look at:http://blog.blogadda.com/2015/12/05/spicy-saturday-picks-weekend-blogs-indian-bloggers-blogadda
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Sight seeing at flood spot

The phone rang like it is banging it's own head to the wall, unable to bear the words to be delivered through it."How will I prevent this vile practice?" the phone wailed.He picked up the call in enthusiasm. " I'm game. I have been waiting for your call for an hour. What else is here to entertain us these days! Okay I will wait in front of my gate." Saying thus, he kept the phone in the cradle but it created incessant squeaking noise that he whacked it.  He jumped out of his house and waited in the front of his house for his friend. Suddenly a blue color CBR snorted its way to him like a beast. Without exchanging words, he hopped in. "It will not take long today it seems." He shouted to beat the noise of the beast but his friend did not respond. After an hour they reached the location."OMG. My FB page is going to be flooded with likes." he said and took out his phone. Keeping his phone in record mode and walked. The gadget devoured the sight before it like a gourmet. Floating sandals, dresses, drowned cars, immersed houses, uprooted trees."Where would have the inhabitants gone?" h ran ouis friend asked."Who cares? We'll record this soon and go back. But what a stink. I will puke I gotta upload this first." He said.  Suddenly something tickled his feet. "Eeew... I think a frog just licked me. Yuck." he jumped back to see a floating carcass of a goat. Feeling nauseated, he turned and walked but he stumbled upon something and fell into the stinky water face down into a human corpse. Frightened, he dragged himself and searched for his friend but he was nowhere to be seen. Stranded in the place, without a living soul around, he screamed in fear.Sweat drops kissed his temple. He wiped his forehead and checked the time. 7.00 Am. He took his phone and called his friend. "Dude, I'm not coming. You go."Without waiting for a response, he disconnected the call. Hi Readers,What I wrote might be fiction but there is a tinge of reality. There are folks living in safer areas of Chennai, who go to visit the flood inflicted areas just to see the spot. To see 'WATER'. To record it in their phones and upload it in their site to get maximum likes. Can you believe it ? Yesterday I met one of this sort. Yes, I am speaking the truth. Stark reality.If you are one, please stop this. Don't grab likes with others' pain. Show some responsibility. Stop being apathetic. You are the future. 

Review of Caught in the crossfire by Jyothirllatha Girija

Book Name               :       Caught in the crossfire        
Author                       :        Jyothirllatha Girija  
Publisher                  :        Cyberwit.net
Genre                       :        Fiction/Humor
Number of Pages :         208
Publishing Year      :         2015
Binding                      :         Paperback
Rating : 5.0
 Blurb(An Excerpt)
It is one of the sections in an office of the Central Government (of India). The Head Clerk enters, followed by Sangeetha, who has come to join the office as a new recruit. All the clerks there stare at her without removing their eyes, because of her bewitching beauty. She is not only beautiful, but is slim and adequately fleshy neither more nor less for her height. Everyone guesses she must be slightly more than 5 3" but definitely not less. Apart from the chiselled features, she is strikingly fair like a girl born of a couple, natives of Mangalore .Plot
Mathan is a Central Government Employee. Mythili, his colleague decides to link an alliance between Mathan and Sangeetha, who is also working in the same office. Mathan's mother Kalyani is uneducated and orthodox. The trio tries to convince her for Mathan's marriage through hook and crook. But, after tying the knot, Mathan is sanwitched between his mother and wife. How does Mathan handle the dilemma? Whose side will he take? Will Mythili help him?

Character

Mathan- Protagonist
Sangeetha- Mathan' wife, colleague
Kalyani- Mathan's mother
Mythili- Mathan and Sangeetha's friend, colleague

 My Review

First of all, I would like to thank Cyberwit.net for the review copy of this book. The book was adapted into a Tamil serial. So I assume that original version was written years back. It is brilliant that authoress came up with such a hilarious and satirical book at that time.

Highlights

Authoress is a Tamil writer but she has mastery over English as well. The book is extremely hilarious but authoress pulled the comedy effortlessly. Being a woman, it is a plausible fact that she criticized the thoughtless action of two women,which is prevailing even now. She reinforced the importance of education implicitly. Authoress did not play with words or intricate literary magic. She narrated the story in a simple manner, which is the highlight in itself,

The friendship between Mathan and Mythili is quite refreshing to read. Not even for a moment I felt bored or drop in pace. Authoress is already known as an excellent writer. Hence I feel an inhibition in reviewing her book. The fact that the book was adapoted into a sop by renowned film maker K. Balachander, speaks loudly about the quality of the book and the story.
The comparison of Mathan to 'Maddhalam' a double sided percussion instrument is simply brilliant. The title of the book is apt for the story. The cover image by blended perfectly with the story.
While we read a book, we try to visualize it but in this book the words automatically transformed into visuals. To make a reader laugh is not easy since the writer could not take the advantage of any audio or moving visuals but Jyothirllatha Girija is such a blessed writer that she did it seamlessly. She proved that age is not a barrier for anything. She published the translated version of the book at the age of eighty.

Drawbacks

I could not find any negatives other than one or two typos, which I would like to ignore because it would be an injustice to judge this book on that basis.

One Liner

The book took my breath away.
Avail the book from Cyberwit.net 

 About the Author




Born in 1935, Jyothirllata Girija started writing in Tamil for children first in 1950 and then was introduced as an adults’ writer by ANANDA VIKATAN in 1968.  She has more than 500 short stories, 25 novels, 50 novellas, 3 full-length plays, several articles on social issues, translation of major part in Tamil of Kiran Bedi’s As I see it etc. to her credit.She has won 20 awards so far for her Tamil creations. Her teen-agers’ novel which already won an award in Tamil Nadu was translated in Ukraine and released during the Festival of India in Moscow in 1987.As for her creations in English, introduced by Vimla Patil of Femina in 1975, she has written about 36 short stories in the Indian periodicals – THE ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA, FEMINA, EVE’s WEEKLY, PRATIBHA INDIA, YOUR FAMILY, FICTION REVIEW, WOMAN’S ERA, MOVIELAND (MALAYSIA), THE SUNDAY (INDIAN) EXPRESS, THE WEEK END and EVE’S TOUCH. Several articles on social and political issues in ALIVE and OPEN PAGE in THE HINDU.Long rhyming poems in couplets that were serialized in POET, Chennai - edited by late Dr. Krishna Srinivas - viz. Ramayana in Rhymes, The Story of Jesus Christ, Voice of Valluvar (Tirukkural, The Tamil Veda), Pearls from the Prophet (300-odd sayings of Prophet Muhammad in verses), Song on the Sun God (English rendering in verses of Aditya Hrudayam) and The Living God at Puttaparthi, in quatrains.Gandhi Episodes, based on Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, is being serialized now in In METVERSE MUSE, (Visakhapatnam), edited by Dr. H. Tulsi.Also several single poems in anthologies of various poetry magazines of India.



Reviewed for the publisher



 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review Godhuli by Harihar Panda

Book Name             :     Godhuli          
Author                       :     Harihar Panda     
Publisher                  :    Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd
Genre                        :     Non-Fiction/Memoirs
Number of Pages.   :     186
Publishing Year   :     2015
Edition/Binding       :     Hardcover
Rating : 4.0
 Blurb

It was the most turbulent period in Indian history. The sonorous slogan, Simon, go back! reverberated through the political corridors of a rising nation. The historic Dandi March had its soulful impact on millions of common people as Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call to Do or die . But even as India achieved her blood-soaked independence, there were already signs of a popular uprising in the country against the tyranny of the zamindars. There were widespread rumours that the new government would confiscate the zamindari estates and distribute the land among the tenants and the landless. Villagers everywhere were elated at the imminent prospect of owning their own land. Those who had never before uttered a word of protest against their landlords, began to act with defiance and disregard. The mighty zamindari citadel was crumbling. All the king s men had gone, leaving the abandoned King distraught and forlorn, victim of a changing world order... My father, who had tolerated with exemplary fortitude a series of personal calamities, could not bear the ignominious loss of dignity, the thing he valued most in life. Independence without honour was a meaningless platitude for him. It was indeed a painful transition from wealth and aristocracy to democracy and equality. The unthinkable fall from mastery and power of the zamindars, was an event that shook the very foundations of the century-old socio-economic system of newly independent India. Written with elegance, the narrative captures with depth and grace an era which now lives only in history and in the minds of a remaining few who lived through those momentous times.

 My Review

Godhuli is the autobiographical account of author Harihar Panda. He explains his life as the son of a Zamindar. The life before and after independence, life during the world war, different twists and turns in his life, his relation with his mother, surrogate mother, grandmother, father, siblings everything is explained in detail. Each and every person in his life is given due importance. It is a best learning material for the current generation about the life in India before and right after independence. The cultural events are also portrayed in detail.

Highlights

The writing style is the main highlight of the book. Readers are forced to hang on the book because author has created the book with the care with which a sculptor creates a statue. The first encounter with his wife is explained with quite brilliant irony. A satire is seen throughout the book but author did not bluntly thrash anyone with his criticism. The period during the freedom struggle has always be depicted as a time with blood shed , fighting etc. Author shows us that there is another dimension of life apart from all this. I was eagerly reading each and every minute explanations. Author's relation with Neera ma is rendered in a tangible way. A quite interesting information is the use of non- vegetarian food and opium in the family. The book is a storehouse of information about cultural rituals and artforms. I could see the book as a text book for children in future. What more should I say?

In some chapters the correct year could have beenmentioned while explaining the events. The chapters are not chronologically arranged. Hence, sometimes readers might get confused. The book has a potential to grab an international audience. Hence some of the words in regional languages could have been explained or a glossary could have been included.

One Liner

 An interesting historical account of a landlord's family.


Avail the book from Amazon

 About the Author

Harihar Panda was born in 1932, into a traditional landlord’s family of Orissa (present-day Odisha). He joined the Civil Service after completing his post-graduate studies and gaining a degree in Law. During his term with the Civil Service, he successfully undertook varied judicial and administrative assignments. Post-retirement, he taught at the University Law College, Bhubaneswar, specializing in Constitutional and Administrative Laws. He has also served as Chief Executive of a literary journal. His abiding love of literature has richly endowed his life and he continues to read and write into his eighties. Harihar Panda can be reached at: hariharpanda@hotmail.com




Reviewed for the publisher 



 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Review of Free Market Existentialist by William Irwin

Book Name             :       The Free Market Existentialist        Author                     :       William IrwinPublisher                 :       Wiley Genre                      :       Non-Fiction/PhilosophyNumber of Pages    :       270Publishing Date     :       17thAugust 2015Edition                    :       KindleASIN                       :       B0148KMBZ4

Rating : 4.5


Blurb THE FREE MARKET EXISTENTIALIST is unique because it is the first existentialist defense of libertarianism, bringing together two approaches that traditionally have been viewed as incompatible. Existentialists emphasize the importance of subjectively choosing one’s values and determining the meaning of one’s life. Libertarians champion strong property rights and the individual’s prerogative to live in any way that does not cause harm to others. Ultimately, individualism is the link between existentialism and libertarianism, producing a philosophy that values freedom and a corresponding responsibility.

THE FREE MARKET EXISTENTIALIST reveals:

· Why existentialism is the ideal balancing agent, the perfect partner for capitalism, allowing us to reap the benefits of a free market while encouraging us to resist crass consumerism.

· Why a free market existentialist must take the responsibility to choose work that he or she finds meaningful rather than aimlessly drifting into work that is alienating.

· Why the income tax is tantamount to theft and should be repealed. Instead, an “equal tax” policy is a better alternative, wherein the state is conceived as a club in which members pay equal dues for equal benefits.

· How evolutionary theory fits with existentialism to help us confront the “final delusion” of objective values.

· How love and law can largely replace the motivating role of conventional morality.

Not ending a debate but aiming to start one, Irwin proposes free market existentialism as a new competitor in the marketplace of ideas.

In clear and accessible prose, The Free Market Existentialist begins an important conversation for the 21st century that will be of interest to scholars, students, and the general public alike.

My Review
The book is an adult non-fiction. Author, who calls himself an existentialist, tries to put forth a conglomeration of free market and existentialism. During the first part of the book, author quotes several advocates of existentialism in the beginning. Nevertheless, his views are more concentrated around Sartre and his Existential Marxism. He shows us how Sartre evolved towards Marxism through his books Being and Nothingness, Critical Dialectical etc. Author argues that Sartre’s inclination is towards two different disciplines. These parts of the book is quite informative about the history of existentialism. It is written in a systematic manner. Later when author tried to put forth his views, we get another picture or outlook, I would say.
While learning more about existentialism, I had a doubt about the validity of existentialism in terms of morality. It is then the author explains moral anti-realism. The chapter comes at the right time in tune with the reader’s mental process but at some points, author lost the grip and focus on the real subject. Later he changes the focus to capitalism, consumerism, and the free market possibility. Even while advocating a free market existentialism, the thought of minimal government made me think that he is a core existentialist. But this has nothing to do with the quality of the book. Hence, I would count it as a negative.
 I would not say that the book will convince the reader to become a free market existentialist but the book will definitely evoke a debate or argument on the topic and maybe we could find an optimal solution.
The writing style is quite professional and maintains the academic standards. The research put in by the author is tremendous. The book is a quite informative and thought provoking one and it would definitely be in the shelves of the lovers of the similar genre.

One Liner
Detailed analysis and a thought provoking elucidation of the philosophy of Existentialism in the free market scenario.
Avail the book from Barnes and Nobles  and  Amazon

About the Author


William Irwin is Herve A. LeBlanc Distinguished Service Professor and Chair of Philosophy at King’s College in Pennsylvania. He is the author of Intentionalist Interpretation and scholarly articles on Sartre, Nietzsche, and Heidegger. Irwin originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books with Seinfeld and Philosophy in 1999 and is currently the General Editor of The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series.
​Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~   Facebook





Reviewed for the iread book tours 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from the Author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The thrilling hip hop; Eerie reality. Review of Book One by Sam Hunter

Book Name         :         Book One      Author                :         Sam HunterPublisher             :         SmashwordsGenre                  :          Urban FictionNumber of Pages :          328Publishing Year   :          2014
Rating : 4.0
Blurb
A young black woman with a natural lyrical gift. A street dealer taking control of Miami. A documentary film maker atoning for his past. An assassin who’s ready to kill them all.

Nia is a successful rap artist, talented and beautiful. She’s got it all, a record deal, her own club, and a man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. She loves Leon more than anything. He’s smart, and rising to the top, but the Miami streets are getting too risky for Nia. She’s torn between her loyalty to him and her own future.

Before she can decide what to do, her past comes calling. There are people who want to take everything away from her and will do anything to bring her down. Soon there’s a warrant out for her arrest, now she’s one of America’s most wanted, and an assassin has her in his sights.


After finding a strange note from her mother, Nia is in a race against time to unravel the truth about her past. Her father was always a mystery to her and, as much as she wanted answers, she didn’t expect this.
My Review
Book one is the story of Nia Rodriguez. A girl who grew to the heights of fame from the ghetto, as a partner of a drug supplier. The life of Nia which started from the streets of Miami, took several turns and finally ends up as a rapper. A shocking revelation changes her life forever. Sam Hunter portrays the fast moving, thrilling journey through Book  One. Nia is the representative of several pop stars and hip hop singers whose childhood was dark and horrid.
Highlights
Nia’s life is rendered with utmost brilliance. Every incident of her life from the rape attempt, hooking up with Leon, her father’s violence, mother’s helplessness, her growth as a celebrity. Every incident is depicted with supreme conviction. The rap lyrics which Nia sang were all quite refreshing and upbeat. The relation between Nia and Leon is perfectly timed. I could feel myself tapping my feet while reading them as I could relate to the tune and beats. Nia’s Love for Tupac Shakur let us grab a chance to brush up the memories of the songs and the singer. The story is rendered with utmost conviction that I even googled to see if there was actually a rapper called Nia Rodriguez, whom I missed to notice among the surge of new talents. Rest I leave to readers since it would end up as a spoiler if I say more. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Some chapters reminded me of Jackie Collins.The character build up is plausible. Every characters had identity, individuality and craft, with a convincing back up story. Writing style is highly professional and rapid. There is call for action against the still persisting discrimination against the blacks.
Drawbacks
As with the character build up, I felt menial characters were given unnecessary build up. The reverie of the characters were dragged at some points, which dropped the pace of the story. I did not quite like the reason behind the break up. Of whom? That readers should find out.
One Liner
The best literary entertainment for the hip hop lovers.
Avail the book from Amazon

About the Author

The author of the Makaveli’s Prince books. His first novel, Book One, was described by Street Literature as a “true tribute to hip-hop” and weaves a thrilling ride through some of hip-hop’s darkest secrets. The urban fiction genre has no rival when it comes to action, gun-play and life on the streets. Sam Hunter is a writer with depth, whose books you won’t be able to put down. Packed with conspiracy, drama and centered on strong female characters, you’re in for a ride. Sam Hunter welcomes you to reach out to him:

Website: http://www.samhunter.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterSamHunter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SamHunter
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SamHunterAuthor







Reviewed for the author
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from the Author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Awareness is the only total and real-life answer to all your anxieties, sufferings and problems in physical existence. Gian Kumar is with us with more spiritual wisdom

Today I have a person who took us through the journey to the inner most realms of spiritual enlightenment. Author of the three- book series on spirituality, Gian Kumar

Hi Sir,
Welcome to the interview


Q     Did you miss life in India while in Burma?
I left Burma during the age 8 years, came to India and went straight to a boarding school in Mussoorie to do my schooling. Thereon I did B.Com (Hons) from New Delhi and after passing out started my own business.
    Q     Do you feel that science failed in explaining the reality of spirituality?
Science needs evidence for all that it declares, which changes as per time and latest research. The truth declared scientifically as evidence too accordingly changes. However, Spirituality does not provide any proof of its truth in what it declares, remaining the same for that is the job of science whether to prove or not. Science is the study of the external objects where everything is dissected to prove its physical existence. Spirituality is the inner subjective science where all is complete as One and in totality but remains separated in physical existence into dichotomies for life to experience and realize God and the Devil.
    Q     Is it possible to reach an interim position between science and reality?
The closest science has come to explaining reality is what you observe. Though many scientists after taking inspiration from Upanishads (details given in my books) formulated the Theory of Quantum Mechanics exactly on what was said thousands of years before, ‘all that exists is only one and not two’. On the same lines science today claims that in the ultimate reality all that exists is what we call as energy, which can neither be created nor destroyed. Therefore, science and spirituality complement and are not opposed to each other.

    Q     Do you feel that contentment is necessary before starting the spiritual pursuit?
No! In worldly existence if you are contended then you stagnate. In spite of attaining all that you desire there will always be something amiss. Spirituality is the only subject whether you are young or old, which provides completeness. Spirituality begins when your mind becomes curious to know what life is all about? It provides you the inner secrets of knowing, experiencing and realizing the mystical mysterious spirit enabling one to know ‘who, what and how you are’. Both worldly and spiritual can exist together as long as there is an attitude of righteousness in materialistic and sensuous comforts.

    Q     Is it possible to reach the level of awareness if we are facing personal problems?
Awareness is the only total and real-life answer to all your anxieties, sufferings and problems in physical existence. You simply need to watch and observe your personal problems with truthfulness and alertness without allowing any selfish thoughts to interfere and you will see how the divine awareness shall grace and embrace any situation.

        Q     I am still amazed by the chapter ‘Power of Zero’. How did it happen?
Energy remains un-manifested as dark energy comprising 96% of the universe. Brahman, shunya , nothing, everything or zero are all the same lying in this emptiness of nothing. The cosmic energy unless and until it manifests with the mind remains nothing or zero as universal energy but changes to awareness in the mind to enable you to perceive existence. Truth, God and everything are just concepts designed by the mind, there is just aliveness in the dance of the particles and waves of cosmic energy to make you feel you are somebody. The story begins with the light from the Sun falling upon our planet Earth originating life into matter for that awareness to experience and realize existence. So we come from nothing or zero and go back into nothing.
Therefore, there is both something and nothing in the ultimate form as the absolute energy. On manifestation it is something, un-manifested it is nothing. There is no now, there is simply this, as it is in the spaceless, timeless, limitless expression of the infinite spirit, signifying nothing as everything. There is no awakening, liberation moksha or nirvana. All that is there is only this, as it is, telling us that nothing is every thing as pure intelligence energy, alive in the form of awareness in order to present you the cosmic dance, joke or drama of what we call existence.
    Q     Is it possible to feel the oneness during the loss of loved ones? Won’t we approach the duality in such situations?
Duality is the cause for us to choose and discern what we desire in self-interest. This gives us the cause for self-identification where we become attached to the ones whom we desire as the loved ones in pure selfishness. When we are selfless our love flows unconditionally for everyone as one and this oneness is the absolute totality. Oneness is who and what we are, in duality we are for our separated selves and for the exclusive loved ones. Therefore oneness is a vision, our absolute reality, which we should try to come closer as far as possible otherwise the degree of anxiety suffering in emotional drama will persist to exist.
    Q     Do you think that western literature about spirituality mislead people?
No western spiritual literature today is becoming more authentic on the subject of spirituality than the East. Even though spirituality originated in India, we are fast losing its depth and gravity because of aligning this subject with religion, dogmas, rituals and fables. The westerners even today keep learning this subject from us and apply the same in its true perspective and clarity.
    Q     Apart from books, are you planning to start any ventures to help people attain the oneness?
The oneness is who and what we are, the rest is all illusions of the mind. There is nothing to attain, but can only be experientially realized from our own acts and deeds in godliness. Those who preach of attaining oneness are more into spiritual business rather than in spirituality.

    Q     How do you write? Is there any particular time or day?
Whenever the spirit within awakens to share the message of oneness. Oneness is more of an experience and no amount of words can suffice its purity. Love, God, truth, reality and oneness are all experiences being the absolute but it gets distorted with dualities in the mind, when these are expressed into words.
 Q     How was your publishing journey? What are your thoughts on writing a book series.
Yes! I am writing and wish to publish more books in the near future to send the message on this contemporary pattern, which I know and follow. My next books are also on a trilogy of three.
This is not it. Gian Kumar fans have more enlightenment awaiting. An article from him would be a cherry on the cake. Wait for the magic....You can learn more at http://www.booksonspirituality.com/
Thank you so much for sparing your valuable time with us

Don't call her mother, call 1098 instead

The news which hit headlines recently uprooted the trees of centuries old belief that womanhood and motherhood is the paradigm of compassion.

Recently a woman beat her 7 seven year old stepdaughter and broke her hands not once but several times. If that was not enough she inserted a sharp stick in her anus and due to the injury , her rectum and urinary bladder became a single sector. It took two years for this cruelty to be unveiled. The child's mother had eloped with someone leaving her child behind. Abortion is a sin but it would have been better if she had ended the unfortunate life inside the womb itself.

The child's plight crushed my heart. I looked at my daughter. I thought about my situation if someone does this to my daughter.
About a month back we were astounded with the news of a Facebook page featuring minor girls for trafficking. If we  believe the police's version, the family behind this atrocity used their own child. This did not surprise me surprisingly since my mind was prepared to hear the worst after the news of a father who raped his child repeatedly and sold her to the customers.

These are all just a peripheral part of reality. If we ponder, we will face a different world where the precious motherhood and fatherhood becomes a joke.

If a family decides to adopt a child to quench their unrelenting desire to pamper a child, they will have to toil their life to get past the formalities. The close monitoring of the child welfare team assures that the child is safe and sound in the hands of his/her surrogate parents. Who will monitor a child's predicament in their own home? Who will make sure that they are safe?

We have committees and organizations who make sure that stray dogs are not hurt but no one wants to take the pain to pester into the crevices of brutal audacious reality faced by a child behind the closed doors.

Just because they donated a sperm or egg, will they own the rights to crush the zygote, which took a human form? 

We have heard the stories of children who called police and turned in their parents in foreign countries just because they scolded them. We might have said "what an anarchy. How will we discipline a child without punishment?"

 But who sets the limit of punishments? Who will monitor the lives of these poor souls?

There are parents who pamper their child and treat them as if they don't belong to this planet. I would not concur with their policy as well. They are equally blamable for spoiling their child's ability of discretion.

Being a mother myself, these scenarios leave me wondering how I would channel my child's thoughts and actions in the right way. Every child is different. Some can be corrected by telling stories. Some can be corrected by sulking. Some by scolding, some by slight beating but what else could be done.

We have seen awareness centers and counselling center pop up like mushrooms in monsoon. Why don't we make sure that right awareness is give time to time to the parents as well as children?

If awareness could not be given, please ensure that protection is given. Please don't turn blind eye to child abuse. Physical, Sexual, or psychological. If you come across something do react without giving a second thought.

If you don't want to involve and if you want to live your life free of these hassles, at least call 1098 and inform the concerned authorities.

That poor girl suffered for years, let no other have similar experience.

The review of The Ultimate Reality By Gian Kumar

Book Name               :     The Ultimate Reality          
Author                       :       Gian Kumar   
Publisher                  :      Celestial Books - Leadstart Publishing
Genre                       :      Non-fiction
Number of Pages :      319
Publishing Year     :      2015
Binding                      :      Paperback


Rating : 4.0


 Blurb

Gian Kumar Discusses the Power of Oneness in the last book of his 3 - volume series. He deals with this core reality and the struggle imbedded in living lives of duality in the material and technological world. Happiness unhappiness, good-bad, God-Devil - all exist as 'One'. Despite the teachings of spiritual gurus and masters, life fails to give us the much needed solace. Something remains missing... The mind with its constant chatter and habit of delving into past experiences or anxieties about the future, does not permit us to live in the present moment, in awareness of the now. By the time the mind registers this moment, it has already passed and a new now has taken its place. In this final volume, the author delves into a deeper existence where, through experiential realization, we are able to go beyond the mind with its dual thoughts, to a state of higher consciousness. He shows us methods we can use to attain this state and thus enter the no-mind zone - the experience of which takes us to our core, centralizing the extremes of duality and helping us attain awareness of being one wit the Universe. 

 My Review



The third book in the three volume series concludes the views in the first two books. Author tries to interpret the same in a more practical context. Author says that life is cosmic energy. He says that spirituality can only be attained by experience because it diffuses the duality and brings forth the oneness. Author interprets the eastern literature to prove that the spiritual experience is permeated in the true sense in eastern literature. Spirituality can be attained with awareness. Another interesting view is that it is not possible to live in "now" because after every second, the present becomes past.

The unique topic handled in the book is centering. Till the chapter about centering , author reintroduces the reader to the topics already handled in the first two books. Mahayana Buddhism, Zen, is an adaptation of Dhyana, based on the techniques of Pranayama. Author distinguishes the two in the application on awareness. Through centering, the books enlightens the reader to the ultimate reality, the journey which started in the first book, ends perfectly with the second book.

One Liner

The ultimate book for the seekers of the ultimate reality
Avail the book from Amazon

 About the Author





BORN IN BURMA TO A RELIGIOUS HINDU FAMILY, MY LIFE BEGAN AS A PARADOX. I WENT ON TO STUDY IN A BOARDING SCHOOL WHICH OBSERVED STRICT CHRISTIAN PRACTICES. DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE WERE THE HINDU TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS WHICH BECAME THE NORM ONCE I WAS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. BEING A THINKER, THE INHERENT CONFUSION AND DOGMAS UNDERLYING RELIGION DROVE ME FURTHER AWAY FROM MY FORMER BELIEFS TOWARDS SPIRITUALITY. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS JOURNEY FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT 'WHO AM I, WHAT IS MY PURPOSE IN LIFE AND IS GOD AN ILLUSION' AND HOPE TO IMPART AS MUCH OF MY EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO YOU THROUGH MY BOOKS.



Reviewed for the publisher
 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from the Author in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.