June 11, 2014

Ramayana - The Game of Life: Rise of the Sun Prince - a Book Review


Ramayana - The Game of Life : Rise of the Sun Prince (Book 1) -  Shubha Vilas                     
Publishers - Jaico Publishing
Genre - Contemporary - Mythology

Paperbook - 217  Pages
Price: Rs 250

Available as eBook at Amazon Kindle Store


A common childhood memory for older generations is the faithful retelling of the Ramayana by the elders in the family and the gradual progression to reading numerous adaptations of the epic.
The current generation is probably more familiar with the basic story and concepts in comic form. While the mythological tale has been revisited countless times, every new rendition – fiction or philosophical lends a unique flavour of its own.
One such modern rendition combined with traditional theological elements is the first one in the book series - Ramayana - The Game of Life: Rise of the Sun Prince by Shubha Vilas

The book starts as every Ramayana narration begins; with the Bala Kandha or the childhood exploits of Prince Ram and his brothers. The book draws largely from the Valmiki's masterpiece but artfully weaves in the poetic analogies found in the southern version by Tamil poet Kamban and folk tales.

The book begins with sage Valmiki and rightly so. The original narrator is analysed in detail. This detailing of characters, their actions and situations that they face is something that is retained throughout the story.
Sage Vishwamitra, a unique personality in his own way, is accorded ample acknowledgement as both spiritual guide and mentor of the celestial Prince.

The lessons of childhood shape our future actions and the sage plays an important in moulding the character of the princes and helping them earn their rightful place.
Readers familiar with the tale are well aware of the father, king Dashratha - his hopes, foibles and agony. The same has been well captured in this narrative, as well.

The famous ceremonial fire and battlefield scene has been captured in all its serenity and pathos. As the reader watches the young Rama and his siblings grow up under the sage's tutelage, he/she is swept along by the immersive storyline. Every character gets a place under the sun including minor ones. The parts involving Ahalya and Sita move you and make you question the customs and traditions that dictate their lives.

The Ramayana is a serious but engrossing tale and the author provides a version that mirrors the original while retaining a unique voice. The book cover is attractive and draws you in. The author has adopted a simple but effective writing style. He handles the complexity of various situations with the ease of a skilled narrator.
The detailed explanation in the form of footnotes is a welcome addition. You learn and unlearn as you read some of the explanations.

As a neutral agnostic with a fairly religious upbringing, I liked the explanatory parts more than the preaching aspects. Seen from a dispassionate point of view, the book manages to motivate on a humane level through the "laws or key lessons" and provides a path of life that can be assimilated without adding colours of faith.

If you are seeking a mythological fiction series such as Ajaya: Roll of the Dice by Anand Neelakantan, you will be sorely mistaken.
The author Swami Shubha Vilas is a motivational speaker and spiritual seeker. His book reflects this; it is a modern rendition of the timeless epic.

I give this engrossing and intellectually stimulating book, a four star rating.

 This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. 
April 09, 2014

Short Messages to Dad -

My A_Z journey ends here. I have been down with a heat related stomach infection for a couple of days. Having missed three posts in a row, it's only fair I quit. I will continue to post a-z tidbits when I get better.

A big thank you to Alex, Michelle and others who visited and tried to make me feel better.
April 07, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter F

Letter F - Future


Conversation to Past & Future

Image courtesy -InspirationBoost/quotes

Life goes on... Nothing's changed, snail paced at times and missing an important element - you.
Someone said,"You don't die with the dead". True enough. You can - you just don't. 

Mom is coping badly...Work keeps my grief at bay but for someone who made you the focus of her life, time has slowed down. 
Rifled through your clothes - found the birthday ones with shopping tags intact - planning to give them away.

All I need is a future plan to bring a smile on mom's face - one not dependent on your grand kids.  

Any ideas, dad? I am desperate. 
April 06, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter E


Letter E - Ethics


Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do - Potter Stewart

You could have been a rich man with luxurious apartments and fancy cars. You were surrounded by ones who build personal fortunes through devious means and never got caught. You worked in the banking industry - loans and advances - and held a position that offered such opportunities. You never took those bribes and commissions for breaking rules - never gave it a second thought.

Money was important but not enough to discard professional ethics. You watched bosses, colleagues and juniors take hefty cuts from businessmen. Those bundles of money never swayed you. 

This was your greatest asset that you passed on to me and bro. You considered us your assets - your wealth. 

 My greatest joy - honest, hardworking parents who scrimped and sacrificed to give us the best they could. My greatest regret - my inability to fulfill those professional dreams you had, for me. Where I failed, your son made you proud. He truly deserved to hold your remains - your ashes.

I try to follow your footsteps. You know I don't write false web copy or blog reviews for harmful products, and have never written fake book reviews for monetary compensation. 

Were you proud of me, dad? 
April 04, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter C and D

* The auto posting failed and I failed to notice. I have edited it to add letters C and D in today's post. *


Letter C - Crab

Anyone who's lost someone to the crab will say this, that you have to struggle to try to remember the person before the diagnosis happened, because they really do change - as anyone would change - Mindy Kaling

I've met my share of crabs in my short life. Most of these have been the homo-sapien kind, although I encountered a couple of eight-legged ones on the beach. 

Some become close friends - one of them, 20 years older than me, still is - you know who I am talking about, don't you dad? You liked her too, as did any everyone who met Aunt. 
Other crabs were nice, shy, weird or rude. They were friendly and reserved; moody and talkative - much like me. 

And then - there were three - possessing all the negative traits of this sun sign and more - they made my life miserable, and yours by extension.

I believed all crabs were made equal. I was so wrong.

The worst of the lot was the invisible one - the villain who attacks innocents by pretending to make perfect cellular copies of them. It doesn't discriminate - age, colour, religion, sex, race, language, education, wealth, and country - doesn't matter.

This black monster chose you as his next victim - started off as benign and curable - weakened you -  an everyday viral infection killed you. No symptoms except constant back pain - brushed off as old age and worn out bones - could we have saved you?


Letter D - D Day

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was - Anne SextonAmerican poet 
Today is the fourth day of the four month of this year. 
It's been a month since I last heard your voice. Come to think of it, I haven't heard your voice for longer than that, ever since they shifted you to the C.C.U. 
Four was my lucky number - my birth number, but now, I will forever associate it with the day you moved on to another realm - we will argue about these realms some other day.

You made promises - you broke them. I made promises - I broke them. You died early in the morning, in your sleep - in a coma.  A gentleman till the end -  making sure your children didn't have to run around getting things arranged. You gave loved ones enough time to make it to the funeral site. I called up two banker friends from Mumbai, who kept in touch with you, post retirement. Other cried over the phone but I had to hold back my tears, for later. 

Every one whose company you enjoyed turned up - some by the first available flight and some by road. It was a small group of 30 odd relatives that gathered around us, giving us strength and comfort. 

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