The Soul Of Truth by Shaji Madathil/Jessy Skaria-Translator (Book Review: 4.5*/5) !!!

1808th BLOG POST -->>

If you are interested in spiritual contents then it really becomes difficult in finding it because not all of them are written or portrayed in a way which shall connect with you. Hence, if we specifically talk about books, it is really difficult finding a book that is written in a way as you think and process your thoughts about spirituality. And fiction books which are based on the theme of spirituality is very tough to enjoy these days because people end up writing a very boring projection which is hard to grasp or enjoy. I find myself lucky that I got to read this book named “The Soul of Truth” by the author- Shaji Madathil which really entertained me for almost two weeks with its 350-odd pages of wonderful story of a character who is no more but speaks his thoughts on his life and death for 41 nights until his spirit completely leaves us.

The book is originally written by the author in Malayalam but it has been translated into English by Dr. Jessy Skaria. It is generally said that when the translation happens, the same soul of the author can’t be delivered in another language but I am just thinking, if I felt the story so much in a translated language, how wonderfully it must have been written in the original voice in Malayalam itself. Incredible! The book is about a protagonist who has lost his life and now he is narrating his story with us and his thoughts about life, death, philosophies etc. from his perspective and making us aware about things we don’t generally feel gratitude towards.

The book is divided into 41 different chapters where each night after the death, the protagonist, Uthaman, is remembering some of his memories when he was alive and connecting it with his current condition where every day, his spirit is getting little away from his family, friends, home etc. Uthaman, through his character, teaches us about how everything in our life comes to teach us something but it is upon us to take action and better our life. If we don’t, we shall end up having the nature of self-pitiness and lose everything one by one.

The way the life story of Uthaman is narrated by the author is very beautiful. The book flows slowly where in every chapter, only one part or scenario of Uthaman’s life is discussed but the way the chapter starts describing the current state of the spirit, what he is watching his family is doing in his absence, and on basis of both of these, a moment of his life is remembered by him at the end of which we are given a philosophical, spiritual or moral message on the same which makes us think about us and our approach towards our life and people. How people who loves us so much forgets us slowly is also discussed with the lasting chapters.

The book also tries to give us advice regarding how we aren’t celebrating our Planet Earth and killing it slowly. It also talks about other social messages as to how society doesn’t allow two people to fall in love even when they are comfortable with each other and can lead a good life. Similarly, how women’s period can be celebrated rather than making it a taboo is another good sequence. The life of an individual in village, city and even out of India is described very vividly which tells us the state of mind who can be in at different points in life. There are many such topics which are discussed with such an ease by marinating it with a fiction story that you never find them preachy but brings positive change in you and your thoughts. I give this book and narration 4.5 stars out of 5.

I recommend it to everyone who loves reading slow books which helps you evaluate deep inside you and search for answers for the questions you never asked yourself.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA 

Whenever you are asked to be CHANGED.. THINK if the CHANGE is actually REQUIRED...

1807th BLOG POST -->>

Change is the only constant, they ask us to believe it, right? I also appreciate this but only when we are changing ourselves for the better. What happens is that we change ourselves more for alternatives and not for something that is for betterment of our personality or the kind of person we are. Suppose if I am an alcoholic, I, rather than boycotting it would become a smoker and say that I have changed myself. Similarly, if I am wasting money on useless shopping, I would stop doing that and begin spending money on useless possessions such as collection of 50 odd shoes. Now, in our head, we are like- I am changed now. I don’t do that anymore. I should feel appreciated. But is this the kind of change we should look forward in ourselves? I don’t think so.

The first question that arises here is we are changing for what. Is the change even required? Is what we originally are- is incorrect? Will the change take me miles ahead in whatsoever big or small goals I have? There should always be analysis on the same. This needs self-introspection, self-realization and self-improvement. But what happens is that we end up changing ourselves just because someone said us that we need it because of some of their perspective towards us. Now it is upon you to decide if you are here to impress him/her/everyone or to stay with the person God created in you on this planet. If you shall keep changing yourself for everyone who tries to project themselves as your well-wisher, in the end, you are going to be part of each of them but nothing of yours shall remain in you. Is that what you want to become?

People tell me to be more social and involved with the people around me. I say, why? Why do we need to socialize when it is actually not benefitting me? I just can’t waste an evening of my life fake laughing with people with none of my heart just for proving that I am one of the people to look forward to whenever there’s a plan. I am better the way I am. Reading books. Watching movies. Writing posts such as this one. Meditating. Watching spiritual Youtube channels. Living in the beautiful flashbacks of my life. I feel myself evolved after this process. But after socializing with people who are no substance in my life, I feel like I have lost a part of my life when I go to sleep because the important hours of my life have got wasted JUST LIKE THAT.

Your parents, family, relatives, siblings, partners, spouse, colleagues, neighbours etc. shall always blame you for something or the else which you weren’t able to suffice as per their expectation from you. There are 100 kinds of expectations that a single person itself can have from you. Are you here to fulfil all of them or to live your life as a protagonist of your own story? I don’t think that anybody would want to be a Supporting actor in the movie of their own life. At least, there we are the Hero and all others are playing characters around us. Why do we make someone else Lead and stay a pillion? Not needed if the change doesn’t have potential.

Just because someone wants you to be inactive on Social media accounts doesn’t mean you should stop uploading those Stories on which even if there are No Views, it gives you motivation to lead your day. Just because someone wants you to be grumpy towards people they hate doesn’t mean you need to change your body language whenever you talk with those people. You stay your way and build your relationships your way. Analyse the people your way and understand if they need to be in the 1^st or 2^nd or 3^rd circle of your life. This is what I call changing for alternatives and not for betterment. 

You are just not doing this but doing that. It’s better you do This only but in a better way. This THIS is your own personality- your own texture- your own painting- your own calling. This THIS is YOU! Don’t change THIS completely until you know that it’s really something bad which is doing no good to you and your life. For e.g. smoking, excess drinking, wastage of time on Social media on chatting and liking others’ pictures, watching useless vlogs on Youtube which teaches you nothing, playing PUBG for hours, being short-tempered and causing harm to others with your attitude etc. These are the few things which pull you and your morale down without making you realize it. This makes you realize only after you have lost a lot in life. And then we blame him/her for changing us. No one should ever be blamed for changing us. We are the decision-makers if we deserve change or not.

Change yourself as per your requirement! You are the owner of your life. You are the rider of your vehicle. You are your source of energy. In the moments of loneliness, only your real self stays with you. Let’s not corrupt ourselves for petty requirements of people. Let’s keep ourselves the way we are assured that we shall lead the best possible life. That’s the only request.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA 

Love on the Everest: Love Conquers Everything by Deepthi Ayyagiri (Book Review: 2.5*/5) !!!

1806th BLOG POST -->>

Kindle Unlimited is a great opportunity to explore the short stories written by the Indian authors which are famous in its own digital space. This lead me to the short e-book of around 50 pages titled “Love on the Everest” written by Deepthi Ayyagiri, the authoress who has many other short e-books on Amazon platform. The book also highlights its tagline on its cover page- “Love Conquers Anything” which tells us two parts- 1. The book is about love and 2. The book is about protagonist who is passionate about conquering the Mt. Everest.

Being a girl, writing a book on climbing mountain and that too from a boy’s perspective is surely a difficult job which Deepthi has done very beautifully as nowhere did I feel that the emotions of the boy was missing in the narration of the story. Keeping the size of the book in the mind, the narration is very fast-paced and I must say, authoress tried very well by still assuring that protagonist’s background is described briefly to ensure readers are able to connect with him. The story is not only about its romance genre but it also talks about the life at such mountains for the people who are wanting to explore it and the ones who help these explorers to achieve their life goals.

There are few knowledge points in the book which helps you to understand the environs and modus operandi of the climbers. The way story is treated makes you imagine it like the Music Singles which comes out on Youtube with a short story involving just two characters in the main story with an ending which makes you smile even after having tears in your eyes. The climax is treated beautifully rather than giving it the unrealistic ending even though there are parts in the book which sounds quite filmy and not very realistic.

Talking about the drawbacks now- I felt that author, having short story in her mind, didn’t extend few sections which weakened the emotional quotient of the book due to which you don’t feel the characters’ pain or delight most of the times even after you are aware what they are going through. Similarly, I feel that author completely skipped the training part of the climbers which could have made this book sound more researched and exploratory. Through the story, somewhere there should have been a thought triggered in the mind regarding going for mountaineering which I didn’t feel.

Overall, the book is a light read which you can go through in order if you are looking for a short story in the form of an e-book. I am sure authoress can do well with the long format stories as she shall get the opportunity of adding the segments descriptively along with taking care of the emotional quotient. I must end this review by saying that even after being a self-published e-book, it is very well-edited which is rare case these days. I give this book 2.5 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

WRITING BUDDHA