Short Takes
Crime and spirituality
Randeep Wadehra

In Pursuit of Ecstasy
by Sujata Parashar
Rupa. Pages: xv+237 Rs 95

Aparajita, Deepnita, Aniket and Siddharth study in the same college. They come from the society’s upper crust — government ministers, business tycoons, socialites etc. Aparajita is above average in her studies but her father, a cabinet minister in the state government, pushes her to become a topper. However, she nurtures secret dreams of becoming an accomplished dancer — something that her father thoroughly disapproves of. On the other hand, Deepnita’s parents have no objection to her taking dance lessons but they want to marry her off as soon as possible. Nonetheless, she wants to be an accountant and work in her father’s company. Siddharth, a spoilt brat, feels ignored by his parents. Aniket’s father is a minister, too. He takes to drinking as a reaction to his mother’s constant nagging and father’s indifference.

Just when you presume that the story is going to be an absorbing generation gap-based tussle, enter the underworld in the shape of dance master Sushanto and his brother Ritesh. The duo is part of a drug mafia. So, one decides to look forward to a mouth-watering crime thriller with police action and courtroom drama thrown in. It’s all there, but somehow you find yourself struggling to complete the book. The reason? Its clich`E9 ridden narrative is marred with bad syntax and stilted prose. Even the romance is stereotypical Bollywoodian of the 1960s’ vintage. Nevertheless, for the price, you would be over-optimistic to expect better. One can’t help wondering whether generic labels like chic-lit, lad-lit, campus-lit etc help an author acquire some sort of license to churn out substandard prose that cannot even be described as "pulp literature" – oxymoronic though the term appears to be.

Dalai Lama: A Talkathon Scroll
by Som Ranchan
Books Plus. Pages: 111. Rs 300

Som Ranchan has carved a niche for himself as a poet of substance, apart from having dabbled in political theory, spirituality, folklore, psychology, literary criticism etc. The much-awarded poet has been often described as "a poet of many voices". He has written short verse, long dialogue poems and epic style poetry, too.

This volume consists of 83 concise, interlinked poems that portray a wide range of moods even as variegated thoughts assail one’s mindscape. It narrates the achievements and persona of the Dalai Lama while eulogising his mission in spiritual and temporal fields. However, he does not hesitate while articulating prickly posers. In the poem XXXVIII he observes, "What is this blurt about Karma/and the apparitional round/Despite iniquitous karma/The vile antagonist has waxed/From increase to increase/Build stupas from skulls/Hoots hyena’s laugh/is a psychopath on prowl/Remove the wax from your ears/Unleash your primal scream`..."

Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns
by Tridandi Swami Madhava Ramanuja Jeur (Translation: Raj Supe & Kinkar Vishvashreyananda)
Celestial Books. Pages: 292. Rs 195

We do not know whether spirituality is a science or not. Some claim that it is and can be verified as any scientific phenomenon. It is also said that spirituality leads one to the Kingdom of God. Well, nobody has yet been able to prove the existence of such a kingdom. It is more a product of one’s faith. It should be made clear that religion and spirituality are two distinct concepts.

One can be religious without being spiritual — as bigots usually are. One can be spiritual without adhering to any particular religion — a rare breed but once in a while, such an enlightened soul does come to this world.

This book, while providing an elaborate background, takes one step by step through the process of spiritual evolution. Not only does it elucidate the concepts of karma and dharma but also describes the qualities of a guru – something a seeker may find useful.

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