Book conversations: In the Shadow of Death

Through this book, the retired Director General of Police (Karnataka CID), Mr D V Guruprasad, presents cases of convicts on the death-row, with the hope of discerning the mental state of such criminals.  As he writes in the Preface, he was inspired by his encounters with late-stage cancer patients who experience hope, denial and depression in varying measures.

Mr Guruprasad has taken the trouble of interviewing several death-row convicts, some of whom have committed the most heinous crimes possible.  Of the many convicts that he meets, fascinating stories of eight are presented in this book, along with their post-crime mental state.  If not for anything, the individual stories presented in this book are themselves worth your time.  Though reprehensible, it is an eye-opening experience to find out about the extent to which one individual could stoop to, to get what he/she wants. 

Before I go into the discussions of the contents of this book, permit me to digress a little to talk about the psychosocial aspects of the criminal mind, which have a bearing on the contents.

Many of the criminals, and a majority of the prison population, would qualify for a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD).  Therefore, it would be prudent to remind ourselves about the diagnostic criteria for ASPD before we proceed further. 

[Note: These criteria are according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version 5 (DSM-5) devised by the American Psychiatric Association for arriving at the diagnoses of mental illnesses.  There is also the International Classification of Diseases Version 10 (ICD-10), devised by the World Health Organization, in which ASPD is termed Dissocial Personality Disorder, but the diagnostic criteria are  largely similar to those of DSM-5].

ASPD is characterized by a casual disregard for, and violation of others' rights in all social situations.  This is indicated by 3 or more of the following:

• Failure to follow social norms and law, indicated by repeated illegal acts leading to arrest.
• Deceitfulness, indicated by lying, use of aliases, or conning others for profit/pleasure.
• Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead.
• Irritability/aggressiveness, indicated by fights/assaults.
• Reckless disregard for safety of self/others.
• Consistent irresponsibility, indicated by failure to have gainful employment or to meet financial obligations.
• Lack of remorse, indicated by indifference or rationalization (explaining away) of problematic behaviour.

The above features should have started before 15 years of age, but the diagnosis of ASPD is made after 18 years of age.  This means that there could be precursors to troublesome behaviour even in the early developmental period, which often go unchecked, leading to the eventual ADHD in adulthood.  It is worth noting that a majority of the individuals with ASPD are men.  

One might also add loss of empathy (inability to understand others' feelings/suffering), and loss of insight (inability to fathom one's own problematic behaviour and accept help/treatment for the same).  Non-empathetic behaviour implies that individuals with ASPD see and treat other people like inanimate objects that they can abuse for their own personal gain.  

Further, loss of insight means that they fail to understand the gravity of crime committed by them and instead apportion the blame onto others (this is qualitatively different from the loss of insight one sees in psychotic conditions such as schizophrenia, in which the individual firmly adheres to the delusional belief in spite of evidence to the contrary).  Put simply, for individuals with ASPD, the whole world is at fault, except themselves.

However, crime does not always have to be due to underlying ASPD.  In many cases, crime occurs due to the complexities of the human mind; its hypocritical, sensitive and inconsistent nature that renders it vulnerable to exaggerated reactions to trivial provocations.  Since most of us interact with the world through our ego, or the lower self, our interactions are laced with deep disappointments and resentment due to unmet expectations from others around us.  

In the oft repeated nature versus nurture debate, it is important to remember that in the context of human personality, both are important.  Of course, there could be genetic and hereditary influences on deviant personality, but if the upbringing is good, and the early childhood environment is conducive to good psychosocial development, the adverse effects of genes could be mitigated to some extent.  I have documented this in an earlier work on a family whose many members had mental illnesses, with the sole exception of an elderly matriarch who displayed remarkable resilience and fortitude in handling the situation amicably.  

Spiritually, it is said that the karma we bring with us to our human existence compels us to behave in ways that can generate more karma, good or bad.  We can use our free will to act and behave in ways that can minimize the effects of bad karma and enhance the possibility of accruing good karma.  However, in reality, unless one is an advanced seer, this is easier said than done due to the effects of mind/ego.  

We easily forget that nothing and nobody is under our control; we forget we need to accept people for what they are, and that it is okay for others to behave contrary to how we would in a given situation.  The mind with its ego rules over us, compelling us to behave in often unproductive and even harmful ways.  ASPD and other personality disorders happen to be products of the vagaries of the human mind/ego, and indeed, bad karma.  

With this background, let us now delve into the individual cases presented in the book briefly (these are my personal views on these cases without any spoilers; for more specific details please read the book).

Rohan: He can qualify as the Ted Bundy of India, although the latter is said to have been even more creative in the violence he inflicted on his victims (please see films on Bundy, such as Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, 2019).  Rohan befriended women and made away with their valuables after killing them.  

I was struck by the extent of gullibility of all his female victims who fell for this ploy.  Indeed, this is one of the enduring mysteries of our existence: like moths drawn to fire, seemingly smart women blindly trust conniving conmen to the point of self-negation.  Even if they survive, they continue to live in abusive relationships, something that can perhaps be explained by the psychological phenomenon of learned helplessness - giving up trying to escape an adverse situation even when escape is possible -  which I have observed in abused women that I have seen in my medical practice.

The Dandupalya gang: There appeared to be interesting group dynamics within the gang, alternately bickering and uniting with each other, opportunistically.  They were probably bound together by the common cause: crime, and escaping the consequences of such crime, which gave a cultish feel to their gang.  At least one member of the gang displayed the tendency of getting high on killing others; a fascination for the act of murder and bloodletting.  Given the multiplicity and the heinous nature of their crimes, it is appalling that the otherwise disparate group stuck together in the vehement denial of its wrongdoing, and one of the reasons for this appears to be the shared loss of insight described under the ASPD criteria above.  

Pushpa: This a rare case of female ASPD, with the additional problems of insatiable greed, and an inability to stay away from the act of murder, ostensibly to steal the valuables of victims, but really, I suspect, due to an addiction.  As in the gang above, any action that activates the reward mechanism in the brain (any action that triggers dopamine release in certain brain areas resulting in pleasurable emotions), can result in the individual becoming dependent or addicted to it.  

Be that as it may, her modus operandi was particularly problematic because she took advantage of her victims' vulnerability and conducted sham religious procedures to gain their confidence and kill them.  Fakery such as Pushpa's leads one to cast aspersions on even genuine practitioners of Sanatana Dharma.  Besides, her actions play right into the hands of the so-called rationalists who have a particular predilection for venting vitriol on Hindu rituals.   

Mahesh: Who said that big burly men do not cross-dress?  Yet another case of ASPD, Mahesh yo-yoed between sexually assaulting female victims and surreptitious transvestism.  It is particularly disconcerting to note that a law enforcer could turn into a law breaker and evader, which once again goes to highlight the tenacity of the criminal mind that compels one to become so. 

Suresh: For a change, this was a convict with no signs of ASPD, but he did seem to have the affliction of another kind, something which can affect any one of us.  As described above, a small word with a big problem: ego.  Hurt by the fact that one of his female relatives preferred marrying somebody else, he went on a killing spree of his family; possibly a suicide-pact that went horribly wrong.   

Sairam: Sometimes circumstances force a person to take matters into his own hands, and this man was unlucky to have had two deceptive wives.  He too, is unlikely to have had ASPD.  His case begs the question, how would we react if we were faced with a similar predicament?

Srikant: Once again, ego was hurt at the fact that a female relative that he had an incestuous feeling towards was seeing somebody else.  Like most of the cases included in this study, he too denied any wrongdoing on his part.  

Sanjay: Can alcohol blackouts be used as defence against a murder charge?  Medically, we know that alcohol increases risk of both suicide and homicide since it is a disinhibitant; that is, it takes away the usual restraint and grace that we exercise in our social relations.  The answer is probably no, because alcohol can be seen as a lifestyle choice that the perpetrator willingly indulged in, in the first place.  Sanjay probably also had dissociative episodes (loss of memory/control during stressful periods) while killing his family.  The cause for his breakdown appears to be typical marital strife that usually leads to intensely emotional upheavals and high stress and duress.

If unearthing the nature of 'death-row syndrome' is the primary purpose of this work, it is, as the author himself admits, not achieved.  There appear to be two main reasons for this.  Firstly, as Mr Guruprasad  suggests in the Afterword, the convicts appear to have been instructed by their lawyers and fellow inmates to maintain their innocence with everyone they meet, especially with a visiting policeman.  This is because they live in the hope of being released early, given the changing nature of our jurisprudence, differential application of law, and the whims of the deciding/appellate courts, judges and other authorities.  

They take heart from the fact that in several previous cases, convicts have benefitted by such largesse, and at least on one occasion, a retiring President of the country had commuted the sentence and paved the way for early release of many similar convicts.  The professional hangman that Mr Guruprasad interviews, also observes that almost none of the convicts he has hanged expressed regret for their actions, and some have resorted to the art of malingering - deliberately harming oneself or feigning symptoms of illness - to escape the noose.  

Secondly, I suspect that there could be a deeper reason for such blatant denial: the lack of insight described above under the ASPD criteria.  Many convicts actually believe in their innocence, and would do anything to rationalize their acts and shift the blame onto the victim, arresting police officers, judge, judicial system, etc.  In any case, the entire situation appears to be vastly different from what one encounters in the western countries, where there is an air of finality to the sentence, and convicts are likely to actually display the 'death-row syndrome.'  [Note: please seen excellent fictional film adaptations of real-life stories; e.g., Trial by Fire (2018) and Clemency (2019)].

I have worked in Forensic Psychiatry service while in the UK, wherein criminals who are mentally ill, or, conversely and more importantly, persons with mental disorders who commit a crime, are managed.  There is a lack of forensic psychiatric services across India, barring a few major centres.   Here, they tend to be managed in prisons by the resident doctor, who, at best, can provide only basic medical care.  

Hence, the problematic behaviour and/or psychiatric issue, notably ASPD, remains unaddressed  and mismanaged.  This in turn has a bearing on the recidivism rates, which remain high even in the presence of robust forensic psychiatric services.  This explains why convicts are liable to commit similar or other crimes upon early release from prison.  In between incarceration and being released, either through bail, furlough, or a commuted sentence, there is hardly any forensic psychiatric care available, putting both the perpetrators and their victims at risk.  

I am no legal expert, but like any law-abiding citizen, I do feel strongly about cases where gross injustice was done towards the victims.  Overall, there appears to be a lot of slips between the proverbial cup and the lip as far as serving justice is concerned.  As the saying goes, there is plenty of law in our courts, but not enough justice.  From diversion tactics, to subverting evidence, to changing statements, to feigning illnesses, to hoping for a commuted sentence, a convict and his/her representatives can take advantage of the many loopholes in the judicial system.  

The elusive nature of truth, and the almost impossible task of proving guilt 'beyond reasonable doubt' ensure that justice, sadly, for many of the victims described in this work and otherwise, remains a myth.  None of the convicts presented in this book have been hanged, and many are living in the hope of having their sentences commuted.  This is probably the reason why Mr Guruprasad has not found any significant mental illnesses, notably depression, among many of these convicts (unlike late-stage cancer patients who inspired this work).  

Which brings me, finally, to the touchy subject of capital punishment.  There have been raging debates about the veracity of this punishment method.  On the one hand, almost all victims (of other cases) and their families have expressed the wish that the convicts responsible for those cases be hanged.  On the other hand, the self-appointed guardians of human rights have cried foul and argued that capital punishment is barbaric, retributive, and has failed to act as a deterrent of further crime.  

This debate raises a few other germane questions.  Why can't punishment, including death penalty, be meted out proportionate to the crime committed in individual cases, regardless of whether such punishment acts as a deterrent of future crime or not?  What about the legal loopholes that a convict has recourse to, indeed, even that convict who has committed the 'rarest of rare' crimes?  What about the human rights of the victim who suffered at the hands of the convict?  And what guarantee can those against capital punishment provide to ensure that recidivism rates are addressed, and the released convict will never revert to his/her old behaviour?  If capital punishment is to be done away with, can the existing jurisprudence guarantee that a hardcore, incorrigible convict would be kept incarcerated till the end of his/her natural life, with no recourse to appeals, bail, furlough, or a commuted sentence?  

This, of course, is unlikely to happen because, only recently, the Supreme Court stated that the right to furlough of a convict cannot be foreclosed since it is 'an incentive towards good jail conduct.'  It is worth noting that the said convict in the case had had his death penalty commuted to life imprisonment by the President of the country with the condition that he would remain in prison 'for the whole of the remainder of his natural life without parole and there shall be no remission of the term of imprisonment.'

Both the parties in the capital punishment debate, I suggest, are missing the larger point.  Spiritually, it is said that nobody has the right to take the life of a fellow human being, no matter what he/she has done, whether it is the case of a criminal killing his victim, or a vigilante seeking retribution.  Our scriptures tell us that killing another person should be the last resort, an action that is undertaken under strict dharmic conditions when all other strategies have been exhausted.  Further, the karmic theory holds that each person should be given the chance to live out his/her karma to the fullest extent so as to facilitate their spiritual progress.  

Having said that, allowing a criminal to run riot and maim/kill others, and putting up with the inflicted injustice passively, are also adharma.  This is where the state, as the parens patriae of its people, has to step in to maintain the fine balancing act of ensuring the safety of its citizens on the one hand, and providing medicolegal and psychosocial care to convicts on the other.  This, as we have seen in multiple examples from this book and elsewhere, is easier said than done.   

If we can find the answers/solutions to these larger questions/issues, we can hope to come close to solving the conundrum of capital punishment, and indeed, meting out equitable and timely justice in all cases.

Mr Guruprasad candidly admits that this is a limited study: a single individual's effort in collecting anecdotal evidence from a limited number of perpetrators from a single centre.  Going forward, the subject of death-row syndrome requires a multi-centre, objective study of convicts' mental state using standardized tools of measurement.  

Having said that, this work is a thought-provoking attempt at understanding the criminal mind, which also serves as a grim reminder of the potential for evil that is lurking in the human mind.  Only by acknowledging and studying and managing this potential can we hope to create a safe society, and to this end, Mr Guruprasad's work is a worthy addition.

References/resources:
Image source: https://www.amazon.in/Shadow-Death-Stories-Convicts-Penalty-ebook/dp/B09MQRTDVL
Furlough news source: Apex court says no blanket denial of furlough to life convicts, Deccan Herald, 30 April 2022.

Book conversations: India's Most Fearless

Two things become clear when you read this book on Indian armed forces' operations.  

One, Kashmir, or to be more specific, POK, continues to be the white elephant that has drained India's resources in terms of wealth and manpower over the years.  

Two, our security forces have been engaged in and successful at carrying out Zero Dark Thirty type of operations since ages.  

Aroor and Singh present several stories of bravery and sacrifice from the battle frontlines, encompassing all three divisions of the armed forces: army, navy and airforce.  These are stories that needed to be told, because, with the exception of Uri and Shershaah, not many make it to mainstream media, save a tiny newspaper report or a posthumous gallantry award.

From these stories one can get an idea as to the mindset of the soldiers who went into combat knowing fully well that the price to be paid was their lives.  One can glean this from some of the memorable quotes attributed to the soldiers themselves:

'...he was married to the adrenaline of combat.' (on why a certain soldier took risks in combat)

'Only soldiers who have bled together in combat will understand that.' (on what it is to be injured in combat)

'Lead your life.  Don't let life lead you.' (advice given to a soldier by his father while enlisting)

One hopes that the powers that be take timely affirmative steps to address the threat posed by hostile neighbours that we are surrounded by so as to mitigate the loss of lives of our brave soldiers.  In addition they also need to look at the threat that is already within the country, thanks to the lax border restrictions and indifferent deportation strategies.  

We also live in hope that attacks are prevented rather than fire fought, and if that calls for more surgical strikes, then so be it.  Especially so because the perpetrators of some of the major attacks are safely ensconced in havens across the border.

That this book has spawned a second volume of further stories of bravery and sacrifice is testimony to this ongoing threat, which in today's world is covert and subversive.

We wish our armed forces health and safety and all the success in countering the same.  

Picture source:

https://www.amazon.in/Indias-Most-Fearless-Stories-Military/dp/0143440446/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Book recommendation: Laws of the Spirit World

As I have said with other book recommendations, there are times when you do not read a book for its literary merits.  Rather, you read for the content: the message it conveys and how it will affect you.  

This is one such book.

You might have wondered to yourself, what is life?  What is the purpose of our existence?  What should our life goals be?  Why do have relationship issues?  What should we avoid doing?  How are we doing in terms of achieving our goals in the phenomenal world, and in the spiritual sense?

If so, then this book is for you.

It only requires two things of you: belief and an open mind.  You won't be able to progress much if you don't believe the source of the messages contained in this book.  Secondly, if you are the ultra-rational type, who seeks a logical explanation for every occurring, then too, this is not for you.

Apart from the answers to larger issues mentioned above, here is a sample of the some of the words of wisdom that I perused in this book - spiritual mahavakyas, if you like:

• 'Yes, God exists!'
• 'Suicide is sin.'
• 'Murder is never part of God's plan.'
• 'On Earth, wise men created marriages to safeguard children...'
• 'Nothing happens before its time - so just wait and relax...'
• 'Do not be judgmental, but use your judgment.'
• 'Choose goodness for the sake of goodness itself.'
• '... all thoughts create energy, so be aware of what energy you are creating.'
• '...hope is essential to human survival.'
• 'Positivity is a choice no matter what the situation.'
• 'Fame on Earth has absolutely no value in the spirit world.'
• 'To do God's work means to use your position of strength to help others grow.'
• 'Whatever your path, learn to view it from a spiritual perspective.'
• 'Instead of feeling great, feel grateful.'

Though it is clearly mentioned in the book that 'there is no religion in the spirit world,' I could not help noting the obvious congruence of the messages with those of the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma.  

So, here are a few that indicate this:

• It is not God, but the Law of Karma that punishes us for our misdeeds.
• One can accrue both negative and positive Karma, according to the nature of our actions.
• '...reincarnation means the same spirit being born on Earth life after life.'
• 'Take action.  Do your best and leave the rest to God.'  [To me, this is a direct vindication of the overarching message of the Bhagavad Gita: do your duty and don't worry about the results.]
• 'Yoga is wonderful for the mind, body and spirit.'
• 'To know God is to know ourselves, discover who we are, and discover His goodness within us.' [Confirms the message of spiritual unity of all living beings with Brahman, as propounded by Adi Shankaracharya's Advaita philosophy]
• 'True success is spiritual success and not earthly success.' and 'Do not think of power.  Think of spiritual strength.' and 'Lead a simple, honest, kind and selfless life.'  [underpin the importance of viveka (discrimination), vairagya (non-attachment) and nishkama seva (selfless service), that are advocated for spiritual progress in Hinduism]
• 'The things that you can see are temporary; the things that are not visible are eternal.' [indicative of maya, which is the attribute of the phenomenal world that prevents us from realising Brahman, once again, from Advaita]
• 'There will come a point when Nature itself will erase negativity.'  There is also mention of 'shift of Earth's axis' and natural disasters that will wipe away negativity caused by human vice.  [comparable to pralayas (great dissolution of creation) that end each of the four yugas (time periods) mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana]

Bear in mind the spirit communications delivering these messages are from two recently deceased Parsi gentlemen to their mother.  Just like in my other book recommendation, Many Lives, Many Masters, it is reassuring for me to know that our rishis have, over the ages, given us the message of spiritual enhancement, which is only recently being vindicated by non-Hindu thinkers/writers and through scientific studies. 

Even if you are a sceptic, it wouldn't hurt to learn through the messages conveyed in this book and put them into practice, if only to become a better human being.

Highly recommended reading from an early age, so that we know what really matters in life and over what pursuits we need to invest our time and energy during our lifetime. 

Thank you, Vispi, Ratoo, Khorshedji and Rumiji.  May you reach the highest Universe and Realm.

Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514KGkGN84L.jpg

Book conversations: Sky-clad (including interview with author, Mukunda Rao)

Mukunda Rao, author of Between the Serpent and the Rope, presents the extraordinary life-story and message of one of India's most charismatic female saint-poets, Akka Mahadevi.  

Apart from Akka, Sky-clad provides the accounts of illustrious female saint-poets of India: Meera, Andal, Lalleshwari, etc.  It also provides a historical glimpse of the foundation of Virashaivism by Basaveshwara and the movement's probable guiding force, Allama Prabhu.

This unique form of bhakti movement incorporated the worship of Shiva in an impersonal and/or Linga form, whilst striving against varna/jati restrictions.  While Basavanna's personal god was Kudala Sangamadeva, Allama Prabhu's was Guheshwara, and Akka's Chennamallikarjuna - all different manifestations of Lord Shiva.  The ultimate goal of these and other sharanas was the same: aikya, anubhaava, sunyata, moksa, nirvana, enlightenment or the natural state.  

Rao writes about Akka's early life, her struggle with the unnecessary marital bond that she is forced to accept due to the machinations of a smitten Jain king, Akka's flight from the bondage when her husband is unable to observe her conditions of marriage, her trial at Kalyana by Allama, her spiritual quest, and her attainment of aikya at the Srishaila caves.  Sky-clad ends with a collection of Akka's vachanas.

*****

A major part of the book is dedicated to the agony of separation and yearning for ultimate dissolution with the god-principle that is inherent in bhakti philosophy.  Even though Akka's nakedness when she exits the marital bond and wanders in search of her istadevata is looked down upon by some of her contemporaneous saint-poets, we find through Rao's writing, that the transcendence of gender limitations and social strictures is a common theme in the writings of even male saint-poets of the time, including Basavanna.

Sex, gender and sexuality are assumed to be fixed.  This notion of fixity may pertain to the physical sex, but gender roles and sexual orientation are very fluid and characterized by wide variations in their expression.

Other writers (referenced below) have pointed out that regardless of the physical sex of the vachanakara, in madhurya bhava form of bhakti, the androgynous nature of these saint-poets is evident in their vachanas.  Consider these examples from  male vachanakaras (ibid.):

When I saw him,

I forgot the eight directions, O mother,

O mother, mother

When I got him to speak to me

My entire body broke into sweat

What next O mother?

Today when Mahalinga Gajeshwara

Is embracing 

I have forgotten

To embrace him...

What next, O mother?

And:

In my great rapture

Of making love with my darling

I can't tell myself from the world.

While making love with my darling

I can't tell myself from my darling

After making love with Urilingadeva

The god of the burning member

I can't tell whether it is me, him

Or something else.

Further, this fusion, confusion and inversion of gender roles is also dramatized in Jayadeva's Gitagovinda in which Radha is shown dominating Krishna (ibid.):

Driven by love's fever

Radha rode her lover

Trying to dominate him...

This theme is also reflected in female vachanakaras' works: Remavve, the spinner saint-poet is quoted as saying, 'Other husbands are above; Mine, below.'  And Akka herself wrote (ibid.):

I will capture 

The Foe of Kama

O Basava

Thanks to your grace

I will capture 

The Moon-wearer

O Basava

Thanks to your grace

I will create obstacles

For the extremely licentious lord

Channamallikarjuna

And mate with him

As if we are not two.

*****

I asked the author about these and other topics of interest covered in Sky-clad.  Here are excerpts from the email interview with Mukunda Rao:

1. To begin with, I was a bit unsure of some of the dates mentioned in the book.  Firstly, in the introductory pages, the date of Bhagavad Gita is given as 100 CE.  Is this the date the Gita was first documented?  Because the date of the Mahabharata war has been variously given as 950-3102 BC, and if the Gita is part of Mahabharata, it would be much older than mentioned.  Secondly, in page 35, the Aihole temple is credited as the first Jain temple, pre-dating Hindu temples.  I am assuming this is only in Karnataka?  Because elsewhere in India there have been much older temples dedicated to Hindu deities.  Even within the Aihole temple complex, which has Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples, the date of the Jain Meguti temple is given as 634 CE, whereas the Ravanaphadi cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is said to be constructed in 55o CE.

MR: Dates or 'origins' are always controversial.  However, the truth of the matter doesn't necessarily get enhanced because it's older.  I am not a scholar, nevertheless I do necessary research and try to be careful in what I say.  The Mahabharata was in oral form for centuries before it was written down.  The time frame traditionalists offer is suspect; Mahabharata, I think happened after the Buddha period, also its composition.  Statues, figures and paintings of the Buddha and Mahavira seemed to have appeared centuries before the Hindu temple culture grew and spread widely.  Perhaps 'Linga' was much older, not Lord Shiva with a crescent moon in his hair.  Anyway, I don't want to hold on to these dates; tomorrow there may be new findings and we stand open to corrections.

2. Regarding Meera's bhakti there is mention of viraha - the pangs of separation, which is expressed in her numerous songs.  You have written that in this type of bhakti, the bridge of separation between the devotee and deity is never crossed.  However, according to the recorded biography of Meera, she is said to have merged into the image of Lord Krishna in the temple at Dwaraka.  Meera's sari is said to have appeared on the Lord's idol, indicating the final union.  Can this then be taken as proof of the ultimate dissolution?

MR: It is said even Andal merged with the deity.  This only indicates the intensity of their bhakti.  Bhakti is relational, thought it has within it the great urge to transcend the duality.  Only a few lucky ones cross the bridge.  This is not to privilege some bhaktas over others, but only to point out the nature of bhakti and its spiritual consequences.  I have tried to follow more their poems rather than legends.

3. In the sections on bhakti, and body and gender, you mention about gender issues and feminine beauty as impediments to spiritual progress.  While the Freudian theory of penis-envy has been rejected by later day female psychotherapists, I was wondering if there could be an opposing theory at play in male sharanas who identify their gender as feminine when it comes to expressing bhakti towards the male God.  Could the male spiritual aspirants be envious of women's Janani status, and therefore yearn for fulfilment from a higher male power?  It is also interesting to note (from the book referenced below) that Maya, the evil that separates the devotee from the deity is mostly construed as female by almost every seeker, but Akka Mahadevi has described it in the masculine gender in one of her verses (ibid.).

MR: You have a point and an interesting one.  Sexuality and its experience seem to play a significant role in shaping the language of bhakti.  Male bhakta could be envious of female bhakta.  Vagina is a receiver, so male bhakta may want to be that receiver receiving love, grace and jnana!

4. We tend to have a hypocritical attitude towards matters of sex, in that we act as though it does not exist, and brush all matters related to sex under the carpet, even though our growing population suggests otherwise.  Sex is certainly considered to be an impediment to spiritual progress by almost all religions.  In this context, it is very interesting to note the explicitly sexual connotations that are present in Akka Mahadevi and her fellow sharanas/sharanes' poems.  Akka talks about going "cuckold my husband with Hara" and "fornicating with Shiva" (ibid.).  Are these sexual connotations to be taken literally?  Did the bhaktas really aspire to have actual physical contact with their chosen deity?  Are the erotic carvings on some of our temple walls giving us a message of some sort, perhaps relating to the importance of sex in spirituality, something that we have failed to realise?

MR: How is actual physical union possible?  Only the yearning for union, which is the yearning to transcend duality, is expressed in sexual terms.  As I say in the book: 

The strong sexual imagery in the last vachana is actually indicative of the deep yearning for mystical union - the expression of this ultimate union, or the great urge to self-transcendence, is in physical terms.  The physical becomes the heart and soul of the metaphysical.  In the way of bhakti, the poet joins the bodily experience with the transcendental so that the spirit speaks through the flesh.  For, the body, as Akka would say, is not only the 'house of passion' but also the 'home' of the Divine.  So the physical continues to be the base, even when, at some point during this journey, her Lord Chennamallikarjuna, with 'white teeth' and 'matted curls,' metamorphoses into nirguna, or the aniconic one, who has no attributes; and finally, into the nirakara, one with no name or form.

5. In page 75, you talk about Allama Prabhu, Jiddu Krishnamurti and U G Krishnamurti's pathless path, wherein they reject the notion of accumulation of knowledge and performing sadhana to attain enlightenment.  Is there no meaning in seeking guidance from a guru, which is considered to be an essential prerequisite to progress on the spiritual path?  How does on conduct oneself in life if one is a spiritual aspirant desirous of attaining enlightenment?  Is luck the only factor that results in one progressing from anubhava to anubhaava?

MR: The need for gurus, sadhana and jnana is quite necessary, or at least the necessity is there in every quester's life.  We need all these tools when we start the journey, but somewhere along the line, they drop off one by one and one is on one's own.  A genuine quester cannot be dependent on a guru forever, and a genuine guru would certainly want to release such people from the circle of his influence.  In other words, what we know is that that state of being cannot be brought about by an act of will, or engineered, or replicated, through any method or sadhana whatsoever.  At best, sadhana can prepare the ground and yet there is no guarantee.  The search cannot bring it on, only the end of search, if at all.  But then of course, there has to be a search for it to be abandoned, the search which ceases with the realization that the very search is the barrier.  It is the realization of the mind that it cannot solve the problem it has itself created in the first place. 

Intense anubhava takes you thus far but no further; for anubhaava to happen we let go all anubhavas!  Rest is luck or grace or whatever that is, we have no clue.  I called it the 'second missing link,' that which catapults one into the natural state of being.

 

*****

To me, the overarching message of Akka's life is this: one has to transcend norms and remain resilient until the goal is achieved.  Akka transcended physical inhibitions and social strictures as she set out on the spiritual path, and demonstrated amazing resilience in standing up to societal barbs and naysayers until she achieved her ultimate goal of aikya.  This is something each of us can learn from, whatever the nature of our individual goal.  

Rao's account of Akka Mahadevi's life and message is highly recommended reading for spiritual aspirants in general, and for those seeking to know more about one of the most fascinating female saint-poets of India.





Reference:

Androgyny and Female Impersonation in India: Nari Bhav, T. Mukherjee & N.R. Chatterjee, Niyogi Books, First Edition, 2016.  Chapter title: The Soul In-Between: Gender, Androgyny and Beyond in Bhakti Poetry, The Example of the Karnataka Veerashaiva Tradition, H.S. Shivaprasad, pp. 71-82.


Image source: 

https://www.amazon.in/Sky-clad-Extraordinary-Life-Times-Mahadevi/dp/9386850850

Book conversations: The Dhoni Touch

I had said that Dhoni must be the avatar of Cricketing God after he tormented RCB throughout IPL 2018 - CSK's comeback year.  

This book by Bharat Sundaresan tells us exactly why he is that avatar.  

While the Dhoni biopic gave us details about his personal and cricketing journey, this book by Sundaresan is less about Dhoni's cricketing acumen and more about him, the person; his enigmatic personality, character and mental state.  In effect it is a nice case study of a very different kind of cricketer, one who has given us his own brand of cricket.  

However, Dhoni the person, remains elusive throughout the book since he never grants the author the coveted one-on-one interview.  Instead, what he grants is access to some of his close confidantes that he has allowed into his inner circle over the years; his bosom pals, army colleague, ad director and selector.  Just these, not even his family members.  So Sundaresan has the unenviable job of piecing together Dhoni's personality traits from third person accounts, so that a cohesive picture emerges, however incomplete it is due to the non-participation of the man himself.

Nevertheless, what emerges is no less fascinating.  We learn that Dhoni is a self-made man, who never really set out to be a cricketer, but excelled in it nonetheless.  He is supremely confident in his own abilities and decisions, which he makes with a full sense of personal responsibility.  

He keeps thing simple, in the sense that he only controls the controllables, and understands that not everything can be fully achievable.  This leaves him free from mental clutter that can cloud his decision making ability.  It also helps that Dhoni has an uncanny ability to observe everything and everybody that is in his peripheral vision.  Apparently, he can also accurately read situations, and people and their intentions.  In that respect, he is an able if unconventional leader of men - a quality that has made him - thus far - India's greatest captain in all formats of the game.  

I also gleaned from the book that Dhoni possesses an outgoing and active type of personality, in that he is very much a movement kind of person and is fascinated by motion: that of the body, or anything that moves the body.  This might explain his deep interest in football, the rigours and manoeuvres of the army, his lightning quick reflexes behind the stumps, and riding bikes: 'Do you know the feeling of riding at 225 miles an hour and the breeze hitting your chest?' as the man himself asks.  

Dhoni also enjoys taking risks, which explains his penchant for leaving the run-chase till the last over when he seals it off with a six over long-on - leaving us breathless and squirming in our seats.

This is not to say that Dhoni is extroverted in any way.  Indeed, he is known to be a very private person who is relaxed only with his inner circle of close friends and relatives, and absolutely abhors media interactions.  

This is what I have gathered from The Dhoni Touch: even though Dhoni's first love was football, it is hardly surprising that cricket ended up being his prime vocation.  Cricket, as we know is a complex, complicated, unpredictable and enigmatic sport, and so, it emerges from this book, is Dhoni's personality - cricket and Dhoni probably attracted each other.    

This is implicit in Sundaresan's summing up of the Dhoni personality towards the end of the book:

A man who was not born to be a cricketer but became one.

A man who was not born to be a captain but became one.

A man who was not born to be a legend but became one.

A man who was born to be an enigma and will always remain one.

Let's hope that this enigma will continue to don the India blues for a long time to come and give us many more breathless moments.  

Picture source: https://www.amazon.in/Dhoni-Touch-Unravelling-Enigma-Mahendra/dp/0143440063

Book release: Lake Amidst The Seas

Dear readers, 

The paperback and Kindle versions of my narrative non-fictional book, #LakeAmidstTheSeas are released in India, US, UK and elsewhere.

This work is a result of coming together of several individuals, ideas, case stories, and messages at the right time. 

This work is not about any one individual; neither the chief protagonist nor me the writer – we are merely conduits for conveying the message to you the reader. 

The main intention of putting this work out in the public domain is to disseminate its message of bravely standing up to arduous circumstances and growing through the ordeal to emerge stronger.  Cultivating resilience is a necessity with a universal relevance in today’s stressful existence. 

To encourage wide readership have tried our best to keep the cost to you the reader minimal (around Rs 200 including shipping charges of Indian paperback version, and Rs 100 of Indian Kindle version). 

Therefore, it is my fervent appeal that you buy the book, read it, and send me your valuable opinions/constructive criticisms/recommendations.  Please find the links below:

Kindle: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07B77GX61

India paperback: https://store.self-publish.in/collections/latest-books/products/lake-amidst-the-seas

Other versions:

US paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1980462038

UK paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1980462038

Thank you all!

Book recommendation: If Truth Be Told

Extraordinary, unbelievable, uplifting!

This is not a review; it is a recommendation.  Like a few others that I have had the privilege to write about this one too is special.

What is also special is the manner in which it landed in my hands.  I had no idea about Om Swami prior to reading this, much less about this book.  

It so happened that the management of the Shankar Mutt in the area I live decided to build a library of spiritual and religious books in its new building.  Advertisements went out seeking donations in cash and kind from devotees, followers and local residents.  I too donated a few books for the cause.  As I was browsing through the books donated by others, I chanced upon this title.  There were plenty of other titles that I was considering perusing, but I was immediately drawn to this book.  Just as the saying goes that the story selects its author, in all likelihood the book also selects its reader.  Perhaps it was so in this case.

Like Sri M's autobiography and Swami Rama's story, this one too takes you along on an extraordinary journey.  Perhaps it is even more unbelievable because the Swami, in his earlier life had it all, as far as material comforts are concerned, and then chose to give it all away.

He had a loving family, he was educated, he had friends, money, and a high flying career.  Of course, he worked hard to build his career out of scratch in a foreign country.  This in itself is nothing short of a tapas of another kind.  Most would have been content with what he achieved through sheer hard work, grit and determination, and many would have basked in the comfort and luxury that such a career provided.  

Not our Swami.  His eyes were set on quite a different target altogether.  Apparently it was foretold; his Mother reveals as much to him towards the end.  But he still had to give up on his riches and comfort, reach out to the wilderness and seek out gurus who would be able to guide him on his spiritual quest.  Indeed such was his determination, that he even lets his friends and associates know that he won't be coming back until he has found his true Self.  

His quest for the apt guru, and his experience with the one he thinks is the right guru for him, are nothing short of extraordinary.  The guru that he finds is himself a fascinating character, as on one hand he initiates the novice seeker after seeking his Mother's permission, but on the other hand asks for his disciple's monetary assistance in furthering his own cause.  He is prone to swearing, living a comfortable life, and involving himself in worldly affairs.  

It is because of this adventure, wherein the Swami dares to seek out the spiritual in a material world, and the subsequent confusion and disillusionment that he is faced with, that we get to learn just how difficult it is for a genuine seeker not to get conned or ripped off.    

His sadhana in the Himalayan wilderness while he is faced with the vagaries of weather and hostilities of man and beast alike is awe inspiring.  When he finally achieves his goal, and is face to face with the object of his adulation, one cannot help feel a sense of beatific fulfillment on his behalf.  

In many ways, he has lived the tough life, so that all of us could benefit from his experiences which he generously shares with us.

And for that we need to bow down to him and seek his help and guidance in our own quests.  

This is essential reading for every genuine seeker.



Image source: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1430049214l/23905586.jpg

Book conversations: ISIS The State of Terror

You might have encountered the harrowing images on any of the social media sites.  If you are brave enough, you may even have watched the videos of multiple beheadings that the ISIS has unleashed on an unsuspecting world.  Stern and Berger, terrorism experts from USA, have not only seen these videos, but have also extensively studied the actions and machinations of terrorists across the world.  Therefore this book carries a great deal importance as it talks about one of the most dreaded contemporary terrorist organisation from a scholarly point of view.  

If you ever wondered, like I did, why professionals such as doctors, engineers and teachers would be interested in travelling to the region occupied by ISIS, then this book provides the answers.  They are not going to fight, as I naively assumed; on the other hand, they are going there to populate and help run the Islamic State that ISIS claims it has already set up.  Not only that, its leader, al Baghdadi has also declared himself the Caliph, and has issued a clarion call to all other terrorist organizations and lay people living in other countries to submit to his authority.  

How did the ISIS take birth, evolve, and assume the status that it has today?  Why did the al Qaeda leadership admonish ISIS, and ask it to tone down its shocking tactics?  How did it come to own a vast area of land across three countries; apparently larger than the area covered by the UK?  Why does it revel in displaying its grisly murders in the form of beheadings?  How has it made use of technology and social media to spread its message and news?  How has it managed to build up a 'fan base' across the world?  How do we go about bringing ISIS to task, and reducing its influence on people across the world?  You will find the answers to all these questions in this book.

There is also a short but very informative account of Islam in general, and Salafism in particular - its origins and development, and its role in ISIS' plans - that is included as an appendix at the end of the book.  While the appendix has been admirably put together by the main authors' doctoral student, Megan McBride, it was somewhat surprising to note that Reza Aslan's engaging account of Islam, No god but God is not listed among the references (it is listed in an earlier chapter by the main authors).  Nevertheless, one would have liked to see this revelatory information about Salafism at the beginning of the book, to help understand the historical-political-religious context to ISIS' philosophy and actions.  

Finally, Stern and Berger quote King Abdullah of Jordan about the problem that ISIS poses: "This is a Muslim problem.  We need to take ownership of this.  We need to stand up and say what is right and what is wrong."  Never were truer words spoken.  Now it is up to the entire Muslim community to disown, discourage, discredit and disband ISIS so that the world could be a safer place again.  

Image source: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ipqosdDTL._SX335_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Book conversations: The God of Small Things

When a work happens to be a Man Booker Prize winner for a debutant author, when it is praised to the skies by every reviewer, one is intrigued to discover for oneself what all the hoopla is about.

Roy does not disappoint.  Deviating from the conventional norms of writing, Roy takes a non-linear and sensory approach to telling a multifaceted story.  

A seemingly innocuous plot of a childhood prank gone wrong, holds in its core an epic tale of tragedy.  Roy packs in a lot: communism, untouchability, class wars, illicit love, child sexual abuse, police corruption and villainous machinations that the largely Syrian Christian characters of this story set in rural Kerala are prone to.  (Incidentally, these issues provide a prelude to the nature of Roy's real-life activism that she adopted later).   

Except perhaps Velutha - the titular 'god' who sacrifices himself in the end -  there is not one entirely likeable character in the book; all others, including the children, are various shades of gray.  But the darkest hue of gray is probably Baby Kochamma who cleverly manipulates the proceedings and the people around her to suit her own designs, and to move the story towards its gory, tragic end.

If you are able to let yourself adrift, and allow the story to carry you in its stream - like the river which plays a central role in the proceedings - then you are bound to admire the narrative, and wax eloquent in the end about the dazzlingly innovative way of storytelling.

Regardless of the rather unfortunate political leanings of the author, we need to give credit where it is due.  The fact that Roy beat one Australian and four British nominees to win the 1997 Booker fills one with pride that such a work as this should have emerged from the pen of an Indian author.



Image source: https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1318966691l/37819.jpg

Book recommendation: Sai Baba Is Still Alive

If you are an avid reader, occasionally, there comes a time when you read something for the message of the book, rather than with a critical eye on the content, grammar or style.  This is one such occasion.  There have been very few occasions before this when I have concentrated only on the message; the one that comes to mind is Sri M's autobiography, in which the Subject of this book also makes a memorable cameo appearance.  

Here I would like to address the author of this book directly while I write about her work.

Mrs Jaya Wahi, I have just finished reading your wonderful book.  Even though this is not the first book on Sai Baba that I have read, it is by far, the most awe inspiring, moving and uplifting one.  The combination of miraculous anecdotes, Sai Guruvani, and your interpretations of Sai's messages, works like magic, and it is little wonder that this book is a national best seller.  

My family believes in Sai a lot.  Even though I do too, I have always struggled with having to beseech Him with every trivial, worldly request.  As the wise say, and as you have highlighted in the book yourself, that apart from shraddha and saburi, expression of unconditional love is all that is required for him to take care of you.  I must also confess, that I have not been effusive in my outpouring of this love towards Him, as many of the people in your stories have been.  But after reading this book, I will put in a little more effort.  

The stories and anecdotes recounted in your book are amazing and one feels happy for the people whose prayers have been answered.  However I am convinced, after reading this work, that the most blessed and loved person from among all the people in the stories is you.  

Receiving the right signs at the right times - a pen to indicate that you have His go-ahead to write the book, seeing His image on the wall, the circumstances of your and your sister's births, several visitations from Him in his myriad avatars to bail you out of crises, getting a rose as an expression of His love towards you, and getting a handful of rice to break your rice sacrifice - all indicate the abundance of grace that He has showered on you.  

It may not be wrong to surmise that you were probably one of the near and dear ones that were in His presence at Shirdi during his earthly sojourn.  Perhaps this explains the magnetic pull that Shirdi exerts on you, and the despondency that you experience as you are about leave it.  

You are truly, a precious child; His daughter, His loving child, who can demand His attention and love towards you, just as a child does from her father.  Blessed are those people who have benefited from your love towards Sai.  And we as readers are fortunate to have experienced this unique relationship between you and Him, and in the process, to have inculcated a sense of bhakti in ourselves.

I thank you wholeheartedly for this.

May you, as you say towards the end of the book, merge in Him for ever... and ever. J

Image source: http://img5a.flixcart.com/image/book/4/8/6/sai-baba-is-still-alive-400x400-imadhbsfy6phw4bh.jpeg

Book conversations: The Modi Effect

There is something alluring about a western person's take on Indian affairs.  Akin to Attenborough's interpretation of Gandhiji's life-story, Lance Price's account of Narendra Modi's successful prime ministerial election campaign is matter-of-fact and at the same time, engaging. 

This allurement of a western opinion can sometimes wane, especially if he or she resorts to broad generalisations and stereotyped misinterpretations of the Indian way of life, but this is one accusation that cannot be pinned on Price.  He is, no doubt, helped in achieving this by a number of Indian aides, whose help he acknowledges towards the end of the book.  This in itself is commendable, since many of his predecessors are guilty of not bothering to correct their preconceived notions, and have instead, patronisingly depicted their version of how life in India is.

Thankfully there is nothing patronising about this work, and as Price states himself, even though he does not agree with Modi on many fronts, he finds himself attracted to Modi's vision of development, his love for the democratic system of government, and the practice of elections that this system entails.

If Price was actually selected by Team Modi to document the success of the campaign, then one must congratulate them on the official choice of the author.  Especially so, because one would have been tempted to hand it to an Indian political commentator.  Perhaps the fact that finding one who would be entirely sympathetic to their cause, and not rake up the same old Godhra issue was difficult to achieve had they selected someone from India.  In selecting an outsider - a person with a neutral viewpoint - they have ensured that at the very least, there is a balanced assessment of the issues at hand.

It is the love of democracy and the election process, coupled with the political experience that Price pre-possesses, thanks to his years as a spin-doctor with Tony Blair, that shines through in this work.  Not that this is the first or the only work published on the stunning success of Modi's political campaign, but this, I confess, is the only one that I have read thus far.  

Price consults many previous works, news sources and websites, and personally interviews the stakeholders, apart from the man himself, to write a well rounded account of the 2014 general elections.  In particular, he excels in bringing to light what actually happened behind the scenes, the kind of planning that was involved in making use of technology and social media to spread the message, and the hard work done by the 'foot soldiers' - the party workers who made sure that a large portion of the otherwise apathetic electorate was somehow cajoled into coming out and voting on the election day.

He also rightly highlights the fact that Modi was the star campaigner for his party, he was probably the sole factor why BJP won the elections with a thumping majority; something that has never been achieved by a non-Congress party before.

Be it the bombardment of Modi images on electronic and print media, the clever use of technology in the form of 3D hologram images of Modi beamed to the remote areas of the country, the superb oratorial skills of Modi himself, and the sheer ability to turn brickbats into bouquets helped project the best image of Modi to the people, as Price recounts.

If you look back at the campaign, you will be reminded of the innumerable catch phrases and slogans that Modi regaled us with during his speeches.  Some of them are hard to forget:

• the entire chaiwala story (which, Price points out, was inadvertently provided by Mani Shankar Aiyar, the Congressman who, along with his illustrious colleague, Digvijay Singh is particularly prone to 'foot-in-mouth-itis'); 
• the comment about ek maa apne bete ka balidaan kaise de sakti hai? (which was actually played out in real life, when after the resounding defeat, both mother and son appeared in front of the media to accept defeat,  and Sonia Gandhi attempted to protect Rahul Gandhi by asking him not to respond to the reporters' questions); 
• and of course, the quote about the recovery of economy by Manmohan Singh - achche din aanewale hain - which Team Modi exploited to the hilt, and Modi even tweeted it after he won the elections. 

It would be naive to attribute Modi's success to just image building exercises, and proper use of technology.  The people, quite frankly, were fed up of the UPA government.  The damage was already done for the Congress much before the campaign actually began.  Manmohan Singh may have been an excellent finance minister who was instrumental in liberalising the economy, but as a prime minister, he reminded one of Dhritarashtra, the blind king who was powerless and witless as his stooges ran riot with scams after scams and brought about the ultimate destruction of the clan in the war - in this case, the elections.

I reckon the press conference that Singh addressed just before the elections - only the third in his entire tenure as prime minister, as Price points out - was an idea of the top brass to ensure that people do not have him in mind when they came out to vote.  Because by then, the high command had read the writing on the wall, and had realised that they could not afford to have Singh around again.  But at the same time, they did not want to commit the name of Rahul Gandhi for the top post.

During the press conference, Singh said that it was time for him to 'hand over the baton', and showed amazing alacrity when he sprang up to answer a question about whether Modi would make a good prime minister.  'I think it would be disastrous for the country', is what he had said, and one couldn't help wondering if this disaster was anything more than what had already occurred during his 10 year tenure.

The problem with the Congress is this: the emperor's new clothes phenomenon.  Everybody is aware that holding on to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is not a viable proposition anymore, and new avenues have to be explored if they are serious about their party's political prospects.  But all the old stalwarts and loyal party workers are stuck in the denial mode and seem to be suppressing voices of dissent which are suggesting that a democratic rather than a dynastic approach is necessary.  Either that, or they are so hopeless loyal to the dynasty that are just biding their time, waiting for the Modi government to slide down from the high pedestal that it currently occupies.  After all, there are no obituaries in politics, as the saying goes.

A lot of positive changes have been implemented in the last 13 months by the Modi government.  Some of the best initiatives have been the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, the insurance scheme for the poor, better communication by the use of social media, digital India, exploring investment opportunities in foreign countries, civil nuclear deal, and yes, even Mann ki Baat.

However, lot more still needs to be done.  These days, Modi's silence on certain incidents - such as divisive statements by some of his ministers, and the Lalit Modi affair - has been criticised by all.  I tend to agree; the last thing we need is for Modi to go into Manmohan mode.  At the very least, he could reassure the people that all issues are being looked into; or better still, he could institute an independent inquiry committee to look into the issues.

There are too many specific areas that need improvement to recount here.  But generally, if the Modi government could concentrate on three key areas, it would have achieved something which has never been achieved before by any other government: population control, poverty alleviation, and improvement in healthcare.

Coming back to the book, Price's account brings back fond memories of a campaign that the whole country followed so closely, primarily because it held the promise of a new beginning; of achche din, which no doubt, have begun, but need to be fully realised.

The book is highly recommended to those who are interested in politics, elections, democracy, and of course, Narendra Modi.

Image source: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JiDvO6VAL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg