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Maya in search of Tantric Father
'Maya in search of Tantric Father' is a story of a young and pretty American girl, who is shocked to learn a secret from her deceased mother's diary. Maya comes to India in search of her biological father, who was a Tantric. Out of sheer determination, she travels to many holy places in India, facing numerous difficulties, which any solo woman traveler would face in India. Some mysterious powers help, guide and protect her when she inadvertently walks into danger. Her spiritual pilgrimage is full of miracles and interesting encounters with a Philosopher, an Astrologer, an Ayurveda doctor, a Tantric, a Swami, a Professor, a Music maestro, and a bureaucrat. Some of them fall in love with her but she has no time to reciprocate. Her only mission is a search and she cannot afford any distractions. Could she find what she was searching for?
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2014
3 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Vipin Behari Goyal
13 books135 followersVipin Behari Goyal is an Indian author with distinctive style of writing. His love for books is unparalleled making him an avid reader as well as a prolific writer.
His debut English novel "Tall man small shadow" based on existentialism was published in July 2013.
His novels"Maya in search of Tantric father" and "The old man and the nymph" are also published in paperback.
He has also dabbled in documentary film making and is the maker of award-winning short film “Mines are Mine”.
He is indie publisher of his ebooks "Burn me naked","Apsara","Untouchable's Daughter" and "Empty Cocoon".
He is presently practicing Law after retirement as Financial Advisor.
He is also country ambassador for India on free hosting website couchsurfing.org
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 11, 2014
Maya has recently found out from her dead mother's diary that her biological father was a Tantric from India. Determined to find him, Maya travels to India and during her quest for her father, she meets people from different walks of life, visits new places and handles situations she would never have encountered had she not been in India. Maya in search of Tantric Father narrates the story of Maya's travels and her adventures in India.
Is she finally able to locate her father?
Read the story to find out. :)
Maya in search of Tantric Father by Vipin Behari Goyal is the author's fourth book and my third book by him. In all the three books by Vipin, Tall Man Small Shadow, Burn Me Naked: Love my naked souland Maya in search of Tantric Father, the first thing that struck me very significantly was the author's experience and knowledge of the topics he was handling in his books. Here also he displays a prolific knowledge of the religious destinations he describes in this book. He is successful in bringing out the beauty and vividness of the places, people and situations from a non resident's perspective.
The preconceived notion of a mystical country with varied cultures, different beliefs and with an expectation of coming across snake charmers who can make ropes act like snakes, a tourist from a foreign country is often surprised to see a completely different India with skyscrapers, modern facilities and a scenario completely different from what he expects. Vipin is able to expertly capture and bring to life this surprise in his story where the protagonist Maya is surprised to see so much development in a country where she is on a quest to find her Tantric father.
The alien like atmosphere, people and scenarios she comes across are both teaching and also an eye opener to every Indian reader who is able to see his own country from the eyes of a foreigner and decide for himself if he likes what he sees or are there some points of improvement to be noted that he can inculcate in his own behavior and maybe publicize them to his friends and family.
The plot is well planned out and executed. The story reads like a diary with dates and months. Vipin shows the research he has done and gives us a near perfect picture of sacred places like Pushkar, Rishikesh etc. in his book. The characterization is real and life like and the reader instantly feels like he has either met or heard about such people in his life. The emotional factor needs work here and the story could have been more appealing if this side of the story had been worked on.
All in all, a well written book that will act like a travel guide to people hoping to visit India and also appeal to people looking for a fresh perspective to a country with diverse cultures and beliefs.
A 4 out of 5 to Maya in search of Tantric Father and a recommendation that you read this book and get a completely new picture of "Incredible India". Maya's adventures don't stop in this book and they continue in the next book named "Maya in search of the Guru" which I look forward to reading on its release. :)
I received the book from the author and I am very thankful to him. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
This review is also available on my blog Njkinny's World of Books
Is she finally able to locate her father?
Read the story to find out. :)
Maya in search of Tantric Father by Vipin Behari Goyal is the author's fourth book and my third book by him. In all the three books by Vipin, Tall Man Small Shadow, Burn Me Naked: Love my naked souland Maya in search of Tantric Father, the first thing that struck me very significantly was the author's experience and knowledge of the topics he was handling in his books. Here also he displays a prolific knowledge of the religious destinations he describes in this book. He is successful in bringing out the beauty and vividness of the places, people and situations from a non resident's perspective.
The preconceived notion of a mystical country with varied cultures, different beliefs and with an expectation of coming across snake charmers who can make ropes act like snakes, a tourist from a foreign country is often surprised to see a completely different India with skyscrapers, modern facilities and a scenario completely different from what he expects. Vipin is able to expertly capture and bring to life this surprise in his story where the protagonist Maya is surprised to see so much development in a country where she is on a quest to find her Tantric father.
The alien like atmosphere, people and scenarios she comes across are both teaching and also an eye opener to every Indian reader who is able to see his own country from the eyes of a foreigner and decide for himself if he likes what he sees or are there some points of improvement to be noted that he can inculcate in his own behavior and maybe publicize them to his friends and family.
The plot is well planned out and executed. The story reads like a diary with dates and months. Vipin shows the research he has done and gives us a near perfect picture of sacred places like Pushkar, Rishikesh etc. in his book. The characterization is real and life like and the reader instantly feels like he has either met or heard about such people in his life. The emotional factor needs work here and the story could have been more appealing if this side of the story had been worked on.
All in all, a well written book that will act like a travel guide to people hoping to visit India and also appeal to people looking for a fresh perspective to a country with diverse cultures and beliefs.
A 4 out of 5 to Maya in search of Tantric Father and a recommendation that you read this book and get a completely new picture of "Incredible India". Maya's adventures don't stop in this book and they continue in the next book named "Maya in search of the Guru" which I look forward to reading on its release. :)
I received the book from the author and I am very thankful to him. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
This review is also available on my blog Njkinny's World of Books
March 24, 2014
Maya, an enthusiastic, young American girl come down to India to find his biological father. She has quite an in-depth knowledge of Hindu mystic powers. She visits holy pilgrimage places and met variety of people, Tantrics, Sadhus and interacts with them, gains the knowledge of Hindu wisdom and philosophies.
I must salute the Author for his in-depth knowledge and research that reader can go through in this book and keep getting impressed more and more till the end.
This was an amazing and mesmerizing read for me. With the story so beautifully narrated along with the spiritual and mystic knowledge, I felt like I have visited all those places myself. I was amazed to learn that our country contains what an enormous amount of mystic powers and cultures.
This book is written in form of a travelogue of Maya. It is an extremely gripping read in form of a spiritual guide. I developed a deep affection with Maya because of his mental strength and will powers. I really admire the way she executed her entire journey, she fought with herself as well as the distraction that came in her way. Only a strong and determined soul can only go through such a tough journey.
This is a the first book in Maya’s journey to oneself and the next book is going to be “Maya in search of the Guru” which I am looking forward to read as soon as it releases. I am thankful to the Author for providing me the review copy. I have tried to review in the most honest way with my views and feelings.
I must salute the Author for his in-depth knowledge and research that reader can go through in this book and keep getting impressed more and more till the end.
This was an amazing and mesmerizing read for me. With the story so beautifully narrated along with the spiritual and mystic knowledge, I felt like I have visited all those places myself. I was amazed to learn that our country contains what an enormous amount of mystic powers and cultures.
This book is written in form of a travelogue of Maya. It is an extremely gripping read in form of a spiritual guide. I developed a deep affection with Maya because of his mental strength and will powers. I really admire the way she executed her entire journey, she fought with herself as well as the distraction that came in her way. Only a strong and determined soul can only go through such a tough journey.
This is a the first book in Maya’s journey to oneself and the next book is going to be “Maya in search of the Guru” which I am looking forward to read as soon as it releases. I am thankful to the Author for providing me the review copy. I have tried to review in the most honest way with my views and feelings.
April 6, 2014
Having read few books by Sir John Woodroffe I was intrigued by the complexity of the subject. For the first time I have come across a book which explains Tantra in simple words in the form of conversation. Moreover the knowledge has been woven in the tasty syrup of a fantastic story which makes the book unputdownable.
The places and practices described in the book have a hidden sequence in the journey of Tantric elevations from gross to subtle to causal. The name of the girl Maya which means illusion is used symbolically to wraps up the whole story in a philosophical endeavor of discriminating "real" from "unreal".
The search is not outside the search is within that is why Maya continues her journey and so I would wait for the sequel to know where her journey ends.
The places and practices described in the book have a hidden sequence in the journey of Tantric elevations from gross to subtle to causal. The name of the girl Maya which means illusion is used symbolically to wraps up the whole story in a philosophical endeavor of discriminating "real" from "unreal".
The search is not outside the search is within that is why Maya continues her journey and so I would wait for the sequel to know where her journey ends.
April 16, 2014
One of the best books I have ever come across with. Every Hindu must read this. Its a fine blend of Fiction, Nonfiction, Religion, Occult, Spiritualism ,Mystique ,Mysticism,Travelogue, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Super -naturals, ESP ,Psychology, History, Geography and many other subjects. Other readers have already discussed the plot and have summarized the story so I am leaving it.
I am eagerly awaiting for its sequel " MAYA IN SEARCH OF GURU" to come.
May God give a long life to Mr.Goyal and may he writes many such books. I am not writing it to please him or others but to myself as he has become my favourite writer and his writings give me satisfaction like food ,water and breath.
I am like a starving person waiting for the food being cooked for the sequel of this book.
I am eagerly awaiting for its sequel " MAYA IN SEARCH OF GURU" to come.
May God give a long life to Mr.Goyal and may he writes many such books. I am not writing it to please him or others but to myself as he has become my favourite writer and his writings give me satisfaction like food ,water and breath.
I am like a starving person waiting for the food being cooked for the sequel of this book.
March 9, 2014
“Maya-In search of Tantric Father" by Vipin Behari Goyal
Being an Indian, I came across many of the tales of India. All the Vedic literature and rituals of India is still mystery for modern Indian youth. Tantra, the basic concept of Indian rituals, is very popular, not only in India but also in abroad. Whenever Tantra word gets into someone’s ears, the image of human skulls filled with blood, naked aghoris performing mystical rituals. Everyone in world thinks that Tantra is really a dangerous thing and one must be away from it. I also thought the same thing, until I read amazing book “Maya- In search of tantric father” by Vipin Behari Goyal. I personally consider it as ‘Encyclopaedia of Tantra and India’ as my own confusions and questions of Tantra are perfectly solve in this book. The book depicts a journey of an American girl Maya, who lives in USA with her parents. Maya’s life goes upside down when her mother dies and Maya reads her mother’s diary. Through this diary Maya comes to know about the truth of her birth. She was daughter of an Indian Tantric, whom her mother met in India. After taking her American father’s permission, she comes to India. From here her search starts for her father. In this journey she meets some characters like Dr. Rama, Deobrat, Chandrashekhar, who change her personality as well as her outlook for life. She travels various places of India like Banaras, Rishikesh, Pushkar, Kamakhya, Jabalpur and many more. At the end of novel purpose of her journey is successful and now her search for Guru starts.
I loved each and every part of novel. Author has presented Indian philosophy in very interesting way. It does not make reader yawning and rubbing eyes. He has written in such a way that made me proud of being an Indian, child of phenomenal heritage. Here are some lines which attracted my attention, these lines showcases a foreigner’s view on India and I must say Vipin Behari Goyal is perfectly right in showcasing that every tourist from abroad with some prejudices for India.
Extract from book,
“Why do they choose to come to India? It is full of garbage everywhere, the roads are in a bad condition, transport is slow, tourist are harassed by touts and beggars, people are maniacs who stare at you for hours without blinking.” In these lines Maya contemplates India but in other lines,” Here people are so poor but most of the people are jovial, friendly, and ready to help.” Author has written novel from a foreigner’s point of view, still he has defended India in each and every possibility.
Author has presented the mysterious places for Tantra like Banaras, Pushkar and Kathmandu which makes this novel more interesting. The novel is so enchanting, it keeps you so busy, and you may forget to blink. As a reader I have read many books, which present idea of Indian philosophy, and found them so boring, but Vipin’s book is really amazing. I started reading it at 11:00 p.m. and could not sleep without completing it. I prescribe these book to all those who wants have good idea of Tantra and Indian culture.
Must read for Indian youth.
I give 4 star to this book.
Being an Indian, I came across many of the tales of India. All the Vedic literature and rituals of India is still mystery for modern Indian youth. Tantra, the basic concept of Indian rituals, is very popular, not only in India but also in abroad. Whenever Tantra word gets into someone’s ears, the image of human skulls filled with blood, naked aghoris performing mystical rituals. Everyone in world thinks that Tantra is really a dangerous thing and one must be away from it. I also thought the same thing, until I read amazing book “Maya- In search of tantric father” by Vipin Behari Goyal. I personally consider it as ‘Encyclopaedia of Tantra and India’ as my own confusions and questions of Tantra are perfectly solve in this book. The book depicts a journey of an American girl Maya, who lives in USA with her parents. Maya’s life goes upside down when her mother dies and Maya reads her mother’s diary. Through this diary Maya comes to know about the truth of her birth. She was daughter of an Indian Tantric, whom her mother met in India. After taking her American father’s permission, she comes to India. From here her search starts for her father. In this journey she meets some characters like Dr. Rama, Deobrat, Chandrashekhar, who change her personality as well as her outlook for life. She travels various places of India like Banaras, Rishikesh, Pushkar, Kamakhya, Jabalpur and many more. At the end of novel purpose of her journey is successful and now her search for Guru starts.
I loved each and every part of novel. Author has presented Indian philosophy in very interesting way. It does not make reader yawning and rubbing eyes. He has written in such a way that made me proud of being an Indian, child of phenomenal heritage. Here are some lines which attracted my attention, these lines showcases a foreigner’s view on India and I must say Vipin Behari Goyal is perfectly right in showcasing that every tourist from abroad with some prejudices for India.
Extract from book,
“Why do they choose to come to India? It is full of garbage everywhere, the roads are in a bad condition, transport is slow, tourist are harassed by touts and beggars, people are maniacs who stare at you for hours without blinking.” In these lines Maya contemplates India but in other lines,” Here people are so poor but most of the people are jovial, friendly, and ready to help.” Author has written novel from a foreigner’s point of view, still he has defended India in each and every possibility.
Author has presented the mysterious places for Tantra like Banaras, Pushkar and Kathmandu which makes this novel more interesting. The novel is so enchanting, it keeps you so busy, and you may forget to blink. As a reader I have read many books, which present idea of Indian philosophy, and found them so boring, but Vipin’s book is really amazing. I started reading it at 11:00 p.m. and could not sleep without completing it. I prescribe these book to all those who wants have good idea of Tantra and Indian culture.
Must read for Indian youth.
I give 4 star to this book.
May 19, 2014
Maya in Search of Tantric Father is the journey of an American girl Martha (Maya), who after her mother’s death found out from her mother’s diary that her real father was actually an Indian Tantric Man. And hence she sets forth on a journey to India to search her real father – a blind search in a population of more than a billion people. The Indian journey she undertakes is an amazing one – meeting different people, visiting new places, gaining experiences of a life-time. In her quest to find her father she learns that she needs to find herself to get enlightened and reach completeness. Throughout her journey, the reader is enlightened about various aspects on spirituality and mysticism.
Read full review in my blog here - http://dreamzandclouds.wordpress.com/...
Vipin Behari Goyal
Read full review in my blog here - http://dreamzandclouds.wordpress.com/...
Vipin Behari Goyal
August 3, 2016
Yes, it was truly an amazing and fulfilling journey of an American girl who came to India to search her father who's a Tantric man. In her journey, she figures out that she needs to find herself and her soul to attain enlightenment and completeness. Also it was very very enriching book as it contains so many eye-opening facts about spirituality and mysticism, that one time you'll find yourself losing into its richness. Also this book is thoroughly inspiring and motivational in every possible ways. Also this book tell us how not to run for material happiness, instead to learn to find oneself. Great work is done by the author Vipin Behari Goyal. I've read his previous book too "Tall man, Small Shadow"..which was also as exciting and fulfilling as this new book. In this 21st century this book is a must read for everyone.
April 19, 2014
Bounty of wisdom, almost effortlessly gained by a reader of Maya – in search of tantric father by Vipin Bihari Goyal , one is bound to be carried away as one explores a completely new world of tantric , a devoted cult of Hindus who are submerged in search of the supreme but in a completely unthinkable and unimaginable way of worshipping , intermingling the other beliefs as well. It has every element to tickle to the curiosity and intrinsic beauty of the mystic Hinduism.
'Maya' reads like an epic, a deceptive masterpiece, u know! it is extremely passionately and intellectually absorbing. it reveals the vivid beauty of Tantric (mysticism) with Martha or Maya as the central character of the story. It will keep a long lasting impression on the entirely different but new world of mysticism.
'Maya' reads like an epic, a deceptive masterpiece, u know! it is extremely passionately and intellectually absorbing. it reveals the vivid beauty of Tantric (mysticism) with Martha or Maya as the central character of the story. It will keep a long lasting impression on the entirely different but new world of mysticism.
February 12, 2014
This novel is about the journey of a young American woman who is determined to meet her biological father about whom she had learned in her mother's diary.
nice read. lots of gyaan on offer. philosophies worth inculcating in life.
read whole review here : http://jigar-doshi.com/2014/02/maya-s...
nice read. lots of gyaan on offer. philosophies worth inculcating in life.
read whole review here : http://jigar-doshi.com/2014/02/maya-s...
February 22, 2015
Pilgrims from around the globe from the times abode…..
From Delhi, she had gone to Jaipur-the picturesque pink city of India-where her quest begun at Puskar Lake – Everybody starts it from the beginning. Let us start this time from the end. The end impression that I have after finishing the book ’Maya-in search of Tantric father’ by Vipin Behari Goyal!
After finishing the book, some lines from the Waste Land of T.S Eliot’s Wasteland had suddenly crossed my mind
“Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
waited for rain, while the black clouds
gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder
Da
Datta: what have we given?”
The meaning of life has been taken a new perspective through this novel-the journey of Maya-the protagonist of our story. It is not only a journey to find her biological father, but also a quest to find the inner light of the life- so that it is a journey which has been described in the Upanishad as
“From ignorance, lead me to truth;
From darkness, lead me to light;
From death, lead me to immortality”
We will see where this journey of soul searching leads Martha or Maya-whatever be the name as per western or eastern tradition and also leads us us, who are going be the witness of the fascinating journey.
Here goes the story of Martha!
Her mother left her a diary which contained her confession –not the confession of guilt, but rather a confession of love! When she had come to India –she had sought the blessings of her Guru-and ultimately got attracted to him. The result is the birth of Martha. This revealing of stunning facts made Martha determined to start her quest in pursuit of her biological father-and she does!
With Martha we also get privileged to have a rare glimpse of Indian culture, spirituality and the destinations that attracted the site of the single temple of lord Brahma-the god of creation. Let us give our readers an opportunity to get familiar with the surroundings of Puskar
Read the complete review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
From Delhi, she had gone to Jaipur-the picturesque pink city of India-where her quest begun at Puskar Lake – Everybody starts it from the beginning. Let us start this time from the end. The end impression that I have after finishing the book ’Maya-in search of Tantric father’ by Vipin Behari Goyal!
After finishing the book, some lines from the Waste Land of T.S Eliot’s Wasteland had suddenly crossed my mind
“Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves
waited for rain, while the black clouds
gathered far distant, over Himavant.
The jungle crouched, humped in silence.
Then spoke the thunder
Da
Datta: what have we given?”
The meaning of life has been taken a new perspective through this novel-the journey of Maya-the protagonist of our story. It is not only a journey to find her biological father, but also a quest to find the inner light of the life- so that it is a journey which has been described in the Upanishad as
“From ignorance, lead me to truth;
From darkness, lead me to light;
From death, lead me to immortality”
We will see where this journey of soul searching leads Martha or Maya-whatever be the name as per western or eastern tradition and also leads us us, who are going be the witness of the fascinating journey.
Here goes the story of Martha!
Her mother left her a diary which contained her confession –not the confession of guilt, but rather a confession of love! When she had come to India –she had sought the blessings of her Guru-and ultimately got attracted to him. The result is the birth of Martha. This revealing of stunning facts made Martha determined to start her quest in pursuit of her biological father-and she does!
With Martha we also get privileged to have a rare glimpse of Indian culture, spirituality and the destinations that attracted the site of the single temple of lord Brahma-the god of creation. Let us give our readers an opportunity to get familiar with the surroundings of Puskar
Read the complete review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
February 1, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review by the author.
This is the story of an American girl, visiting India with a mission to find her biological father.
But little did she know that she was going to end up searching the meaning of life itself!
I found the book very interesting after overcoming my initial prejudice. It took me a few pages to realize how much in depth and in detail the author has explained the world of spiritualism and mystics with so many examples. Things which I thought were usual, when brought up to the light with a rational summary, gives more than one perspective. After reading the book, there were no lingering doubts regarding the decisions of Maya throughout the book. I just felt at peace. There are some things in the book that I will have to face someday because of the decreasing morale values of the current life. Thinking about it, I felt ashamed that being an Indian I hadn't known so many things, which I should have.
For a detailed review visit my blog: https://dreambookreviews.wordpress.co...
This is the story of an American girl, visiting India with a mission to find her biological father.
But little did she know that she was going to end up searching the meaning of life itself!
I found the book very interesting after overcoming my initial prejudice. It took me a few pages to realize how much in depth and in detail the author has explained the world of spiritualism and mystics with so many examples. Things which I thought were usual, when brought up to the light with a rational summary, gives more than one perspective. After reading the book, there were no lingering doubts regarding the decisions of Maya throughout the book. I just felt at peace. There are some things in the book that I will have to face someday because of the decreasing morale values of the current life. Thinking about it, I felt ashamed that being an Indian I hadn't known so many things, which I should have.
For a detailed review visit my blog: https://dreambookreviews.wordpress.co...
January 30, 2015
Read the full review here: https://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2...
This book had a great story structure. The premise of the story was also very intriguing.
Spiritualism and different customs were explained in a really easy manner, so that even those who have never heard of these concept before can grasp it quite easily. The book is filled with different philosophies, but at no point of time does it become too heavy.
But, there were minor editing flaws (which I have found that most of the books from this publishing house tends to have). Nothing a good editor could not have solved.
This book had a great story structure. The premise of the story was also very intriguing.
Spiritualism and different customs were explained in a really easy manner, so that even those who have never heard of these concept before can grasp it quite easily. The book is filled with different philosophies, but at no point of time does it become too heavy.
But, there were minor editing flaws (which I have found that most of the books from this publishing house tends to have). Nothing a good editor could not have solved.
May 2, 2016
Maya in search of her Tantric father is abinding narrative ,spanning cross geographical and cultural currents .. through Maya's search and journey of spiritualism .VALUABLE ON EXPLORING ,AS THE SUB TITLE SUGGESTS ,EASTERN mYSTICISM.It stands on author's credit for such comprehensive grasp over the subject that the book proposes.Depth of observation makes characterisation convincing.
Want to read
November 3, 2014Seems interesting.
December 8, 2014
Let me tell you this first, I won this book in a giveaway on goodreads(obviously). Thanks to the author for choosing me, I was so surprised when I recieved it because this is my first win in the giveaways :D
But, just because I won this book for free doesnt mean that I'm going to write a great positive review. It also doesnt mean that this is negative. Its neutral. Let me tell you, there are many grammatical errors which I found and want to point out so that whoever is concerned should take this into notice and see if such mistakes occur. I suppose that it is just a human error, it can happen with anyone. So, now about the book:
First, I will tell the things which I really liked about this book.
The book is a good read and very interesting for who wants to know more about tantric rituals, mysticism, spiritualism, occult, some history about India, Indian culture. Everything about India was described so beautifully from the eye of Maya.. I got more interested in this tantric ways while kept reading and when I googled about some more information, I came across many unknown facts about our Indian culture and spirituality. This was totally overwhelming and I was glad that I came across such genre. Thanks to the author for describing the concept in an interesting way. :)
Now, about the negative points in the book.
>Well, the writing style was so weak. So very basic. I didnt expect such writing style from an author who wrote like 9 books.
>The book contains specific dates and specific events that has happened on that particular day. So, I assumed that the girl is jotting down her thoughts in a diary. But, I was stunned when I read sentence like this "That evening paved my way for being a maestro in classical Indian music in future" , seriously?! If it is written in a journal form, how can she write a sentence which is going to happen in the future? That was an absolute blunder. There are like 3-4 future sentences that she wrote in her journal like this. BLUNDERS.(but only if you assume that the book is written in the form of a journal by a girl) Another one like this: "I met Deobrat here for the first time. Later he played an important role in casting my destiny". BLUNDER.
>The book started with a negative view of India by this American girl called Maya. She said in one of her line as "I could not believe that they are from the same race as I am, Homo Sapiens". Oh god, how I hated reading THIS line! When she thought of people in THIS way, how could she fall in love with the same Homo Sapiens? How could she search for her father who is a Homo Sapien? How naive she was. This was a bad remark on her character in the starting descriptions about her.
>In one of the scenes, she meets Dr.Rama. She sees her mother's old picture at his place. She starts crying 'cause she missed her deceased mother. When, Dr.Rama was trying to simply console her, WHY did she expect a kiss from him AT THAT TIME? You know, the summary of the book at the back says "Some of them fall in love with her but she has no time to reciprocate" , THIS line is entirely false because SHE falls in love with every one of the main characters. Not they. She even made love to a foreign boy called "Raman". If that is not RECIPROCATING, then WHAT is?! I wonder.
>The title of the book says "Maya, in search of Tantric Father". But, almost at the end of the book, Maya abandons her search for her father!! Then, whats the meaning of the TITLE?!!
>In another scene, one day she attains Samadhi state in her meditation. That was so beautiful. I was lost in thoughts about how beautiful that feel could be. And on the next scene, when she was trying to attain Samadhi for the 2nd time, she couldnt. She felt Depressed and Rejected!! Oh my god. How can a person who reached their samadhi state go into depression?! I never heard of it. Isnt that a contradiction with being achieved a samadhi state? They should be in peace, right?
>And, the strangers with whom she drinks a cup of tea is SO UNREALISTIC. I mean, one moment she enjoying watching a beautiful flow of Holy Ganges, at the same moment when a boy comes and commands almost to have a cup of tea, she obeys him. How could a strange American woman get surrendered to another stranger with a commanding tone?! Ha?
--
I conclude this review with few of my favorite lines from the book.
>I loooved the explanations of "Tantra, Tantric Sex, Mudra, Mantra and Yantra"
>Rama is symbol of Idealism while Krishna is epitome of completeness.
>The info and the reason why the caste system was established in India was absolutely awesome. I loved it.
>Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life.
--
So yeah, thats pretty much about this book. I enjoyed reading this book because of the genre. I hope, whoever concerned with this review takes it in a postive way rather than feeling like I pointed out something which shouldnt be pointed at. :)
But, just because I won this book for free doesnt mean that I'm going to write a great positive review. It also doesnt mean that this is negative. Its neutral. Let me tell you, there are many grammatical errors which I found and want to point out so that whoever is concerned should take this into notice and see if such mistakes occur. I suppose that it is just a human error, it can happen with anyone. So, now about the book:
First, I will tell the things which I really liked about this book.
The book is a good read and very interesting for who wants to know more about tantric rituals, mysticism, spiritualism, occult, some history about India, Indian culture. Everything about India was described so beautifully from the eye of Maya.. I got more interested in this tantric ways while kept reading and when I googled about some more information, I came across many unknown facts about our Indian culture and spirituality. This was totally overwhelming and I was glad that I came across such genre. Thanks to the author for describing the concept in an interesting way. :)
Now, about the negative points in the book.
>Well, the writing style was so weak. So very basic. I didnt expect such writing style from an author who wrote like 9 books.
>The book contains specific dates and specific events that has happened on that particular day. So, I assumed that the girl is jotting down her thoughts in a diary. But, I was stunned when I read sentence like this "That evening paved my way for being a maestro in classical Indian music in future" , seriously?! If it is written in a journal form, how can she write a sentence which is going to happen in the future? That was an absolute blunder. There are like 3-4 future sentences that she wrote in her journal like this. BLUNDERS.(but only if you assume that the book is written in the form of a journal by a girl) Another one like this: "I met Deobrat here for the first time. Later he played an important role in casting my destiny". BLUNDER.
>The book started with a negative view of India by this American girl called Maya. She said in one of her line as "I could not believe that they are from the same race as I am, Homo Sapiens". Oh god, how I hated reading THIS line! When she thought of people in THIS way, how could she fall in love with the same Homo Sapiens? How could she search for her father who is a Homo Sapien? How naive she was. This was a bad remark on her character in the starting descriptions about her.
>In one of the scenes, she meets Dr.Rama. She sees her mother's old picture at his place. She starts crying 'cause she missed her deceased mother. When, Dr.Rama was trying to simply console her, WHY did she expect a kiss from him AT THAT TIME? You know, the summary of the book at the back says "Some of them fall in love with her but she has no time to reciprocate" , THIS line is entirely false because SHE falls in love with every one of the main characters. Not they. She even made love to a foreign boy called "Raman". If that is not RECIPROCATING, then WHAT is?! I wonder.
>The title of the book says "Maya, in search of Tantric Father". But, almost at the end of the book, Maya abandons her search for her father!! Then, whats the meaning of the TITLE?!!
>In another scene, one day she attains Samadhi state in her meditation. That was so beautiful. I was lost in thoughts about how beautiful that feel could be. And on the next scene, when she was trying to attain Samadhi for the 2nd time, she couldnt. She felt Depressed and Rejected!! Oh my god. How can a person who reached their samadhi state go into depression?! I never heard of it. Isnt that a contradiction with being achieved a samadhi state? They should be in peace, right?
>And, the strangers with whom she drinks a cup of tea is SO UNREALISTIC. I mean, one moment she enjoying watching a beautiful flow of Holy Ganges, at the same moment when a boy comes and commands almost to have a cup of tea, she obeys him. How could a strange American woman get surrendered to another stranger with a commanding tone?! Ha?
--
I conclude this review with few of my favorite lines from the book.
>I loooved the explanations of "Tantra, Tantric Sex, Mudra, Mantra and Yantra"
>Rama is symbol of Idealism while Krishna is epitome of completeness.
>The info and the reason why the caste system was established in India was absolutely awesome. I loved it.
>Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life.
--
So yeah, thats pretty much about this book. I enjoyed reading this book because of the genre. I hope, whoever concerned with this review takes it in a postive way rather than feeling like I pointed out something which shouldnt be pointed at. :)
October 28, 2014
Good concept and plot weaving with average writing
The author definately had a story to tell and mixed it with Hindu mythology and philosophy nicely. An American women goes in search of her father and ends up discovering a new world, a new religion, a new philosophy, a new way of life. It resonated me at one level that we all are in search of a purpose and direction.
He takes the protagonist thru Pushkar, Benaras, Kathmandu, Dharamshala,Krishikesh, Haridwar, Jodhpur and many other religious tourism places where many foreigners come seeking Moksha. The world of Yogis, Tantrics, Shakti Peeths, Vishnu avatars is explained in a very simple way. Anyone looking for a crash course in Hindu mythology and philosophy should refer to this book. In a lot of places the author shifts to his personal thoughts than that of the protagonist, causing a confusion in the mind of the reader whether the words are being told by the American girl or Mr. Goyal.
This book could have done better if written in Hindi. Indian authors try to write in English to appeal to a larger global audience. Even though the book lacks some basic grammar checks and sentence construction, I will give this book two stars for a good effort. A good editor can do wonders though.
The author definately had a story to tell and mixed it with Hindu mythology and philosophy nicely. An American women goes in search of her father and ends up discovering a new world, a new religion, a new philosophy, a new way of life. It resonated me at one level that we all are in search of a purpose and direction.
He takes the protagonist thru Pushkar, Benaras, Kathmandu, Dharamshala,Krishikesh, Haridwar, Jodhpur and many other religious tourism places where many foreigners come seeking Moksha. The world of Yogis, Tantrics, Shakti Peeths, Vishnu avatars is explained in a very simple way. Anyone looking for a crash course in Hindu mythology and philosophy should refer to this book. In a lot of places the author shifts to his personal thoughts than that of the protagonist, causing a confusion in the mind of the reader whether the words are being told by the American girl or Mr. Goyal.
This book could have done better if written in Hindi. Indian authors try to write in English to appeal to a larger global audience. Even though the book lacks some basic grammar checks and sentence construction, I will give this book two stars for a good effort. A good editor can do wonders though.
September 9, 2016
Plot: The book is about the journey of an American girl in search of her biological Tantric father in India. When she gets to know about him by reading her mother’s diary, she makes a resolve to meet him in person. Armed with only the diary as a guide she travels many places and meets many people who may be connected to her parents.
Does she meet her father? Why did they decide to go their separate ways? Where does she begin and who can she ask for help? à Read the book J
My thoughts: There are not a lot of books we come across with a blend of Indian spiritualism and fiction. This book surprised in that regard. The author has explained spirituality and mysticism so beautifully that we get a strange feeling he has barely scratched the surface.
Read the full review at http://www.thecrazedlyf.blogspot.com/...
Does she meet her father? Why did they decide to go their separate ways? Where does she begin and who can she ask for help? à Read the book J
My thoughts: There are not a lot of books we come across with a blend of Indian spiritualism and fiction. This book surprised in that regard. The author has explained spirituality and mysticism so beautifully that we get a strange feeling he has barely scratched the surface.
Read the full review at http://www.thecrazedlyf.blogspot.com/...
December 9, 2014
There are certainly good things about the book ... the insights into spiritualism that it gives and other things.
BUT I somehow did not feel convinced about it. It seemed imaginary and speculative. Having an American think of Indian spiritualism very clearly at times, inspite of being in search herself was something i felt uncomfortable with. I am not able to exactly put my finger on what was making me uncomfortable but i abandoned reading the book after almost 60% ... could not digest itfurther.
BUT I somehow did not feel convinced about it. It seemed imaginary and speculative. Having an American think of Indian spiritualism very clearly at times, inspite of being in search herself was something i felt uncomfortable with. I am not able to exactly put my finger on what was making me uncomfortable but i abandoned reading the book after almost 60% ... could not digest itfurther.
April 16, 2016
I got this book in exchange of a review.
'Maya in search of tantric father' is a superb nd undownputable book! The way
India is introduced nd explained is totally awesome! The concept is of the book is really great!
But still I have deducted 1 star because a)I disagree with few of the points in the story, b)There were few incidents which are not possible in the real world, c)Writng style was poor
My rating:
Story:5
Cover:4
Concept:5
Way of writing:3
Characters:3.5
Dilouges:3
Overall:4
'Maya in search of tantric father' is a superb nd undownputable book! The way
India is introduced nd explained is totally awesome! The concept is of the book is really great!
But still I have deducted 1 star because a)I disagree with few of the points in the story, b)There were few incidents which are not possible in the real world, c)Writng style was poor
My rating:
Story:5
Cover:4
Concept:5
Way of writing:3
Characters:3.5
Dilouges:3
Overall:4
February 27, 2020
This is one of the most knowledgeable book I’ve ever come across. The author beautifully describes the journey of Maya. It depicts the spiritual pilgrimage in which she encounters several people like sadhus, saints, gurus etc, through them she gains an extreme knowledge about hindu mystics and wisdom. The author is successful in describing the entire travelogue of Maya and explaining each & every minute detail about Hindu philosophy.
Through this book , one can gain much knowledge about several holy and spiritual places in India and can learn about ethereal & immaterial aspects of life. The book also reveals some astonishing facts about hindu methodology. Life of a young pretty girl with different twist and turns portrayed by author is remarkable. The author’s way of explaining insights is impressive and it also shows author’s in deep knowledge and research.
It was a mesmerizing and fascinating read for me. The life of Maya proves to be a great source of inspiration for me. Maya’s character was influencing and powerful. I loved the way her intuitiveness was her strength and she trusted it wholeheartedly. I was totally stunned that how she managed the things in an exceedingly extraordinary manner.
The way how Maya goes through numerous obstacles in her journey but still she didn’t lose hope and continuously tried exploring the magical facts about Hindu philosophies, was commendable & praiseworthy. I realized some of the mystical facts and spiritual realities of a human’s life. I learnt some of the amazing and breathtaking things about our country.
This book was capable in holding my attention till the end. I liked the way how author presented huge and tremendous knowledge about spirituality in such interesting manner. For me, this book was a mixture of immense knowledge and medium of encouragement.
Through this book , one can gain much knowledge about several holy and spiritual places in India and can learn about ethereal & immaterial aspects of life. The book also reveals some astonishing facts about hindu methodology. Life of a young pretty girl with different twist and turns portrayed by author is remarkable. The author’s way of explaining insights is impressive and it also shows author’s in deep knowledge and research.
It was a mesmerizing and fascinating read for me. The life of Maya proves to be a great source of inspiration for me. Maya’s character was influencing and powerful. I loved the way her intuitiveness was her strength and she trusted it wholeheartedly. I was totally stunned that how she managed the things in an exceedingly extraordinary manner.
The way how Maya goes through numerous obstacles in her journey but still she didn’t lose hope and continuously tried exploring the magical facts about Hindu philosophies, was commendable & praiseworthy. I realized some of the mystical facts and spiritual realities of a human’s life. I learnt some of the amazing and breathtaking things about our country.
This book was capable in holding my attention till the end. I liked the way how author presented huge and tremendous knowledge about spirituality in such interesting manner. For me, this book was a mixture of immense knowledge and medium of encouragement.
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