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Book Review - Jagannath - Stories of Faith and Devotion by Smita Das Jain

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When I started reading this book, I had a lot of ideas to write a good review. But now that I have finished reading it, my finger tips hover above the screen, searching for words that prove inadequate. What can you really write about a book that took you on an unforgettable and devotional roller-coaster ride?! Lord Jagannath has fascinated humankind since ages and this book brings him alive in a beautiful way. The book is divided into six parts, sharing narratives about the origin of the legend of the deity, the creation of the temple, the beautiful relationship between the three siblings - Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannath, miracles and spiritual experiences of people, folk tales and tribal legends and finally the mystical experience of the Rath Yatra. Every part of the narrative resonates with faith and devotion. The author has presented the stories in such a way that every generation reading them will be able to relate to the stories. The narrative is calming and soothing to rea...
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Book Review - The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura

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The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura Available in Kindle edition During every cherry blossom festival, a bookshop magically manifests itself for people looking for solace and healing. The book shop is run by Sakura and her mystical kalico cat named Kobaku. Sakura chooses a book recommended by Kobaku to read and when she and a destined soul both read the same paragraph at the same time, that's when the soul is drawn towards the bookshop for an experience that will liberate them from whatever regrets they are suffering. The story is told over four seasons featuring four visitors. Each one visits the shop in each season and gets a closure from grief. The narrative is beautiful and poignant. There is grief but it has been portrayed beautifully, the usual way of Japanese literature that literally gives life to every emotion. Sakura's tryst with each visitor is heartwarming and delightful. The characters are beautifully etched and will be difficult to forget or get...
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Book Review - How To Read A Book by Monica Wood

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How To Read A Book by Monica Wood Available in Kindle edition Harriet is a retired teacher and runs a book club for imprisoned women. She visits the prison once a week and initiates discussions about the latest book read by the convicted women who never fail to amaze her with their sharp observation, strong opinions and underlying courage. Violet, a young girl in her early twenties gets released from the prison and faces the daunting task of starting life anew. Frank, a machinist tries to get his life back on track after losing his wife who was killed by Violet. These three lost souls meet and thus begins a poignant story of friendship, second chances and redemption. The book club discussions are extremely interesting. I liked how Harriet views the women as just readers without judging them for their crimes. I liked the dynamics shown between Harriet and Frank. The story has several emotional moments that make you pause and reflect. The narrative proceeds at a leisurely pace and is sup...
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Book Review - The Story of Buddha by Kai Tsukimi

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Buddha's story has been told and retold countless number of times. I had read The Light Of Asia and found it to be one of the best pieces of literature ever written. But this book? It is - different. More meditative. It brings the Buddha to life in front of you through short yet powerful tales of his journey from a prince to the greatest monk of his time. The stories have been presented from various PoVs - as a narrative by Channa, the man who had once carried Siddhartha on his shoulders, taught him to fight and had been his biggest cheerleader who had to watch the prince transform into a wandering ascetic right in front of his eyes; as a narrative by Kanthaka, Siddhartha's horse whom none else could tame and who would have followed his master to the end of the world if he had only asked; as a narrative by the river where Siddhartha, in his initial days as an ascetic, almost drowned but was carried away to the shore by the river's current... Many other PoVs by other charact...
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Book Review - Char Dham by Shweta Mathur Lall

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Char Dham by Shweta Mathur Lall Char Dham, namely - Puri Jagannath, Rameshwaram, Dwarkadhish and Badrinath - have fascinated mankind since ages with their mystical and deep-rooted connection to Indic wisdom and spirituality. These four became the pillars of faith and tradition for zillions of people worldwide and Char Dham yatra came to signify the journey of an entire lifetime. In her book, Shweta takes the reader on a virtual journey to each of these temples, narrating in such a way that you find yourself there and viewing the scene through the author's eyes. Not only has she given a thorough and detailed description of the places, she has provided many excellent facts and lore associated with these holy places. There are beautiful narratives of the events that led to the existence of the temples and their deities. The author has also given extremely helpful information about the rules and regulations generally followed there. Every narrative has a solid foundation in an event th...
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Book Review - Angelic Baby Whispers by Babita Kejriwal

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The author Babita Kejriwal has undertaken subconscious mind training and using the technique of Dhyan Samadhi, she could establish a deep connection with babies. This book is based on the concept that the soul in the form of a foetus can hear voices, understand and respond too. The author has shared her experiences of conversing with babies growing inside the womb. She has shared amazing happenings when the babies showed their response to chants and positive affirmations. The conversations are delightful and filled with much positivity. They are simple yet profound and we gain many amazing insights about life in general. We indeed live in an amazing Universe where miracles are possible every instant and there is nothing that we can say for certainty. The conversations point to the prospect of reincarnation and also show how the soul retains memories while still in the womb. It makes for a very interesting read. Babita's narrative is simple and heartwarming. I have been reading her ...
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Book Review - A Good Life by Zeyd Ladha

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This book is a collection of 25 short stories that are based on everyday occurrences. The stories, while simple and concise, impart unforgettable life-lessons in the unique way that Zeyd usually writes. It is amazing how the author has transformed simple events and conversations into timeless insights. The stories cover various aspects of the human psyche - the human obsessively focused on the destination and not enjoying the journey, the mountaineer on the edge of giving up and searching for courage, children stuck in a war-ravaged city, the person stuck in the prison of his own mind, the mother refusing to let her son fly off the nest and many other stories that tug at your heart and leave an unforgettable impression. These stories are uplifting, showing both struggle and victory while teaching us that it will always be about staying centered in life and not getting swayed by its ups and downs. It is brilliant the way Zeyd has made abstract concepts as the protagonists in some of the...
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