India Books

AN AMAZING LOOK AT LIFE CIRCA 1900 IN INDIA. SADLY 50000? GLASS PLATES WERE SOLD AS SCRAP AS THE FAMILY FORTUNE TANKED.
THE PHOTO OF THE TEMPLE AT MOUNT ABU IS AMAZING.


FROM THE DUST JACKET:
These 128 photographs constitute a rare pictorial document that spans twenty-five years. They are the work of Raja Lala Deen Dayal, the outstanding Indian photographer of the 19th century, selected by the Nizam to be the photgrapher to his court.

Through these images we are able to explore the Nizam's courtly life. Here is the Nizam amid his entourage, the Nizam entertaining kings and heads of state at tea, at polo, at hunts, at balls of unsurpassed opulence (the roster of visiting aristocrats included the future Czar of Russia, the archdukes of Austria and Russia, assorted German princelings, and the Duke of Connaught).

Here is the daily life of a princely menage, and here is the Prince himself. And here, in haunting images of Indian landscape and Indian people, seen through the eye of the artist-photographer who was their countryman, is a rare and intimate view of a vanished world."

I WONDER WHAT THE OTHER 40000 TO 60000 PICTURES LOOKED LIKE.

(From the DJ flap)

"These 128 photographs constitute a rare pictorial document that spans twenty-five years. They are the work of Raja Lala Deen Dayal, the outstanding Indian photographer of the 19th century, selected by the Nizam to be the photgrapher to his court.

Through these images we are able to explore the Nizam's courtly life. Here is the Nizam amid his entourage, the Nizam entertaining kings and heads of state at tea, at polo, at hunts, at balls of unsurpassed opulence (the roster of visiting aristocrats included the future Czar of Russia, the archdukes of Austria and Russia, assorted German princelings, and the Duke of Connaught).

Here is the daily life of a princely menage, and here is the Prince himself. And here, in haunting images of Indian landscape and Indian people, seen through the eye of the artist-photographer who was their countryman, is a rare and intimate view of a vanished world."

(End quote)

This book is both beautiful and (by today's standards) horrifying at the same time. The incredible pictures in this book are indeed an "intimate view of a vanished world" because they not only chronicle a certain time and place but they also reveal early 20th century man's brutal treatment of other men, of women and children, and especially of animals. (The pictures of the slaughtered and skinned Bengal tigers are not the least bit enjoyable to look at.) Yet at the turn of the 20th century, slaughtering animals, having slaves, and treating women and children like possessions was considered normal, not brutal, behavior.

Sadly, the only societal attitude shown in this book that has NOT changed in the last 100 years is how the rich and the aristocratic (in any country) continue on with their merry, high-living lifestyles while ignoring their fellow countrymen and women who are starving.

Princely India is a collection of photographs by one of the pioneer photographers in the world, namely Lala Deen Dayal whose work is a valuable reflection of India in the period 1870-1905. It covers architecture, views, portraits of native princes, visits of dignitaries and influence of the British in various aspects of political and social life. The photographs provide excellent reference material for period costumes, historical events and social life. It is a must for every library and every collector of 19th century photographs. The quality of the pictures is amazingly sharp with an artistic novelty about the composition and lighting coupled with attention to details. Most of the photos particularly views are collodian prints which incorporate the total mastery of the photographer in pioneering circumstances. The book can be an ideal gift for lovers of photography and a fine feast for the coffee table browsers.

The only modern pictorial of pre-1948 Hyderabad of His Exalted Highness the Nizam, once the world's richest man. Good selection of pictures of monuments, people, dresses etc. A "must get" for any serious collector of impressions of the Deccan. Black and white pcitures; subjects covered are famine, palaces, circuses, birthday parties and one photo of Bhilwara temple at Mount Abu that is hard to beat

Raja Deen Dayal was the most sort after photographer in the state. My parents wedding pictures werewere taken by his studio in 1938. The book is a pictorial history of the state and its people. Some of the most striking photo graphs of the time. Whether the pictures are studio portraits or panaramic view of landscapes. The are very accurateand wonderfully compsed. The light effects in black and whitephotography is phoenominal. Those baby boomers whogrew up in Hyderabad must possess this book. It brings brings the childhood memories of traditionspeople and the landscape back. A totally captivating book.the childhood

I first read this book 2 years ago and keep reading it again. Its a book about the Punjab that the British built ("without any hangovers from the Company") but it is also a book of Indian life of that period, and its the *best* such narration. India does not have a deep tradition of such narrations put to paper --not such superb stuff anyways. Earlier I'd read two "sequels" to this book about post-1947 India, and while they're very good, this one is really fascinating. Mr. Tandon *writes* !!

This book is a rare gem, a mix of Russel Bakers 'Growing Up' and Ahmed Ali's 'Twilight in Delhi'. Prakash Tandon, founder of IIM A, was born in 1911. He traces the history of his family from 1847, about the time the rule of the Sikhs (Sikha Shahi)ended, to 1947. Unlike the rest of India (apart from Hyderabad),Punjab was never ruled by the East India company. When the British took over, many welcomed the change and stability. The Khatris amongst the Punjabis were the first to embrace formal British education. By 1911,as Tandon notes, the engineering services in some districts were managed entirely by Indian staff.

As a child Mr. Tandon grows up in small towns and villages, moving with his father who works as an engineer managing the canal system. He describes a Baisakhi festival on the banks of a river in one such village in photographic detail. Later, he completes his education in a small town called Gujrat, at the foothills of what today would be Pakistani occupied Kashmir. Vividly described, the way of life of this small town, and the ups and downs of Mr. Tandon's family during those years form the core of this book. Pran Nevile attempts a copy of this with his poorly written 'Lahore' but fails to get that emotional touch.

Much of this books success is precisely that- a story of a whole community told through the life of one family with a personal touch. The book ends with the parition and the family's crossing over to India at the wagah border.

Mr. Tandon wrote the book that surprisingly no one ever thought of writing. The book is sort of a biography of a family .. in it he has masterfully woven the whole society around it, though the reader never would realize his till you finish the book. He describes the society, the cultre and traditions from the past with great care love and nostalgia. His command of the subject is complete, I didn't find a single thing he wrote that I had known to be otherwise!!!

It is one of the best books I have read. The author takes us on a wonderful trip of the punjabi century. A delight to read. A must-read for all punjabis.

This is an absolutely superb account of a Punjabi family in transition, during a century of massive change that takes in the fading Mughal Empire in the 19th century and goes through the period of British colonial rule in the 19th and 20th centuries and finally to India's Independence in 1947. This is all seen though the eyes of a family in Punjab, which successfully makes the transition from old traditions to modernity, as seen through the thoughtful eyes of the author, who eventually becomes the first Indian Chairman of a renowned British multinational company in India and finally a leading senior manager in India's public sector. The author was also the first Chairman of the famous Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, set up together with the Harvard Business School and financial support from the Ford Foundation. Written with a verve and a keen and observant eye, it is socio-economic history at its very best. A must read for all Punjabis from India and Pakistan and for all general readers interested in the sub-continent plus all scholars of South Asia..It is a shame that this book it is out of print.The publisher should be encouraged to bring it back into print again!

British brothers Lawrence and Lorne Blair set out in the 1960s on a marvelous, thought-provoking, ten-year adventure through the 3,000-mile length of the remote Indonesian archipelago. Inspired by a dog-eared copy of Alfred Russell Wallace's The Malay Archipelago -and his nineteenth century voyage of scientific exploration and discovery--their unforgettable odyssey set sail out of the Celebes (Sulawesi) for the Spice Islands on a perilous schooner crossing with the seafaring Bugis. Tossed to and fro from home port Makassar to isolated Aru Island-stalked all the way by rotting ship beams and the specter of pirates-they were rewarded with one of the rarest sights on earth-the fluffy white plumage of the elusive Bird of Paradise.
Metaphysical, anthropological, and intellectual in tone-with a healthy dose of dry wit and humor-the Blairs take you along as they confront komodo dragons, chew betel nut in Sumba, witness a traditional Pasola battle, and herald the annual arrival on shore of the sacred nyale sea worms. Full of naive courage and boundless curiosity, they sought out Asmat headhunters/cannibals in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Undaunted, these dream wanderers went eye to eye with the fiery blast furnace of simmering Krakatoa. They commandeered a longboat upriver and trekked through the leech-ridden jungles of Borneo with native guides on an arduous land search for the secretive, traditional Punan hunter-gatherers. Ring of Fire chronicles their cultural encounters on Java as they visited the sultan's court (and sacred "kris" knife) and an acupuncturist who harnessed yin/yang energy to heal the sick with self-generated electric charges. Open-minded and non-judgmental about the diverse religions and customs they encountered, the Blairs became deeply enchanted by trance, and by the shadow screen nether world of the wayang kulit. Their travels took them back to Sulawesi for the funeral of the last king of Tanah Torajah-into a unique architectural-animist pocket where boat-shaped roofs rise out of the cool forest floor representing ancestral sky ships on their descent from heaven to earth.
The thrill-seeking, nomadic Blairs unexpectedly found themselves permanently landlocked and suspended-mind, soul, and body-in the island Shangrila that they discovered in Bali. An artist friend in Pengosekan-a vibrantly creative community of farmers and painters-invited them to build a new house on his land. In true, cooperative Balinese style, the brothers had only to pay for the necessary raw materials (bamboo, coconut wood, and elephant grass) and the religious celebration at the completion of the structure. The people of Pengosekan freely contributed their skilled labor and artistic expertise; this shared investment in and commitment to each other's dwellings works to further bind the village together. Sleeping and learning in their open-air platform obervatory perched high above the sculpted jade rice terraces, the Blair brothers came to call Bali their very own, lifelong island of the gods. They would return time and again-in between sometimes dangerous, always enlightening meetings with natural peoples along the equatorial frontier-to their permanent home base in Bali. It is here that they fell in love with one culture and one island out of the hundreds that they visited. Lawrence and Lorne fully explored their adopted pied à terre-from startling footage of the eruption of Mt. Agung in 1963, to the cremation of famous 116-year-old Balinese artist Lempoad, to the opulent funeral procession of the last rajah of Gianyar. (When Lorne died on his beloved Bali in 1996, he was cremated and his remains returned to the sea in accordance with Bali-Hindu religious rites.) Their amazing adventures (available in book or video format) are the stuff of storybook legends-from the hidden rainforest peoples of Borneo, to islands where magicians still hold sway, to the sun-speckled spiritual haven of heart-shaped Bali.

Goes beyond your usual "travel tale", it is a marvelous adventure and thought provoking regarding the natural peoples of the earth. The chapter on the Dream Wanderers of Borneo will open doors of perception for an alternative world view. The author writes with clarity and quite a lot of humor. The entire book is very personal in its tone and gives the feeling of actually having shared the experience of the amazing journey.

This book and the companion videos are near and dear to my heart. It kept my dreams of returning to Indonesia alive through a long a crippling illness. Lawrence and Lorne Blair were the adventurers I wanted to be. Openminded, good humored, and willing to try new things. This book kept me good company through some baaaad times. But there is far more to recommend this book than armchair travel lust. The writing is excellent, photography spectacular, and all in all a great story. I highly recommend it to anyone curious about Indonesia. I did finally get to go back and even explore a little. I'm forever grateful to the Blair brothers for this gift of a book!

An incredibly interesting tale and at times quite deep account of a 10-year joureny through the remotest islands in Indonesia. I wonder if the author is aware of how couragous he and his brother were to go to the places they went and meet such people as cannibals and headhunters and come back to tell the story! Not to mention the more subtle metaphysical comments here and there about the various religions they encountered and all of it presented with a very dry wit.

I was blown away by this book, as much by how spiritually aware it is and how well it was written. Wow! What an adventure!

At last : a truly low fat Indian Cookbook !

The recipes are really tasty. Have already tried a few. Mainly the kids can eat all the stuff we want them to like vegiies and meat without getting too much fat too early in life. The pictures tend to look a bit unreal. Want to know when the authors are doing a sequel with sweet dishes perhaps? Keep it up!

If you're going insane on a low sodium, low fat diet then get this book!! The recipes are flavorful and rich without the salt and fat of traditional Indian cooking. Some really innovative ways of adding flavor to food (like the fat free coconut milk recipe) had me questioning the recipes but everything I tried has come out absolutely perfect. Thanks so much ladies!!My taste buds are finding a new lease on life!!

I hate to cook, but I love Indian food & I love this book... the recipes are short, easy to read, & easy to understand. I like the "Suggested Accompaniments" that come with each recipe, & the dishes really do taste good. The missing fat was not replaced with a lot of sugar ... another plus!

Recipes are easy to understand; includes vegetarian and meat; a must if you want to stick to low-fat foods but have an interest in tast ethnic foods.

Mostly biographical and great pictures with some very subtle commentaries on Kashmir Shaivism and tantra.

This book is a breath of fresh air in today's world of yoga and spirituality. It is unusual to read from a teacher who has not only gained intellectual understanding of a particular system, but has also experienced the reality of its practices.

The first chapter 'Fifteen Verses of Wisdom' went straight over my head, which shows I still lack understanding in this area. The chapter 'Talks on Practice' reveals the mechanics of meditation according to the system of Kashmir Shaivism. I found it clear and insightful. This was balanced by the chapter 'Talks on Discipline' which shows that Lakshmanjoo has the integrity to give clear guidelines to the spiritual aspirant on how one should conduct oneself on the spiritual path.

Finally in his last chapter 'The Secret Knowledge of Kundalini' Swami Lakshmanjoo gives real insight into the mechanics of the mysterious subject of kundalini. To date I have found other material on this subject to be rather nebulous and mere fantasy, based in the vivid imaginations of so called gurus and well read authors. Swami Lakshmanjoo takes this mysterious subject out of the category of fantasy and clearly defines how kundalini functions. His intimate description of the various modes of rising of kundalini, based on his own experience are truly fascinating.

This book is a revelation for the earnest seeker on the spiritual path.

Can hardly believe I wrote this review 6 years ago (it is now 24 Feb 2008).

Having delved deeply into the subject of Kundalini, I still find nothing to match Swami Lakshmanjoo's explanations on this mysterious subject. In my continued research I have found that almost all writings on Kundalini are based on what is known as the "Shat Chakra Nirupana," which elaborates on the six chakras in the subtle body. Everywhere you will find illustrations showing the chakra positions along the vertical axis of the spine and the various petals that emanate from each chakra.

After reading the last chapter in "Self Realization" I wondered why Lakshmanjoo made no reference to these commonly recognized lotus petals that surround the charkas. I found the answer in his earlier book "Kashmir Shaivism, the Secret Supreme", in the form of a small footnote which says: "in Kashmir Shaivism the lotus petals are neither experienced nor recognized."

This explains why Lakshmanjoo only talks about the chakras spinning with great velocity and power as the energy of kundalini rises from one chakra to another. Obvious isn't it, since the word chakra actually means wheel.

In this book Lakshmanjoo also explains the difference between prana kundalini, cit kundalini and para kundalini; subjects unique to Kashmir Shaivism. Based on his own personal experience, Lakshmanjoo elaborates with great clarity, leaving the reader convinced of his total authority on this subject.

For those interested in Kashmir Shaivism in general, and Kundalini in particular, I highly recommend this book, and the earlier one: "Kashmir Shaivism the Secret Supreme" which has two chapters on Kundalini.

This book took me to the heart of Kashmir Shaivism. It covered concepts and included both practice and experience. The authors have also provided transliterated sanskrit verses for those who are interested. This is a good begining for any one intending a study of Kashmir Shaivism.

One of those books you devour in one sitting! Too cool for words. A kind of quick overview of Shaivite philosophy and practice. An excellent beginning for those wishing to start the Shaivite path.

It is the first book of kashmir philosophy which covers all the aspects of the title.It is the complete informative book about pre-history age of kashmir.

This book by Narendra Singh Sarila is a true eyeopener. Many commonly held beliefs about the history of the Indian subcontinent are disputed and in some cases heartily debunked. The author was the ADC to Mountbatten and thus comes with the imprimatur of "being on the scene".

I remember reading various sources like Wolpert wherein it was emphatically stated that Gandhi was always against partition. Well here Sarila reliably infers that at the end Gandhi thought partition was a necessary evil. Jinnah AND certain Hindu hotheads played the religion card to the hilt appealing to the lower angels of human nature via the fear route. Arguing that muslims would never get a fair shake in a Hindu Congress and nation Jinnah shrewdly played the fear card. The Congress on the other hand made no credible effort to include Jinnah early on (1929-30?) in a viable leadership position thus breeding distrust. Of course thirty million muslims who were not in the demarcated areas as proposed by Jinnah were left high and dry.

In talking to some of my Pakistani friends I am told that Nehru's "affair" with Edwina Mountbatten predisposed the memsahib to lobby her husband for a decision favoring India. I personally think that partition was the result of the lack of true STATESMEN in the situation. The whole concept was predicated on the belief that Hindus and Muslims could not co-exist. There was not sufficient give and take. Yes, Gandhi made the effort but his ideas were so impractical as to be dead on arrival. The partition need not have taken place. A great tragedy for both sides.

What is truly sad is the low opinion that Churchill had about Indians in general and Hindus in particular. Yes in those days it was quite common to view Indians as a cacaphony of peoples incapable of governing themselves, but Churchill's animosity seems to have been beyond the bounds of reason. Too bad because Churchill truly was the man of the hour during WW2 and helped save Western civilization. In my eyes the greatness of Churchill is tangibly abased by the vile alloy of racism.

Sarila recounts, in detail, the behind the scenes machinations of various players mostly to the detriment of a united India.

A sad commentary on a lamentable period of the Indian subcontinent. Highly recommended.

This book is a significant contribution to the understanding of the fateful events surrounding the independence and partition of India and the players involved. The book presents the events in a cogent manner with insightful analyses into the events and personalities. It is a must read for any student of Indian history and politics since it gives insight into the situations affecting the national security and political decisions made even today. We all have heard so much about the "Divide and rule" policy of English. The reader is able to witness that policy in action in this book.

Key features that one learns from this book are: i) the British determination to hold on to India as long as possible, and in the event that this becomes impossible, secure the northwestern portion of India to thwart any real or imagined Russian adventures, ii) The naivety of Indian National Congress leaders, especially Nehru, about the survival of an independent India in a predatory world, iii) the aging of Gandhi and weakening of his faculties and judgment in dealing with the changing political environment, iv) Even though Mountbatten contributed to bringing the princely states into the Union he also did double cross Nehru in dealing with Kashmir, and v) Hunger for power at any cost on the part of Jinnah who died regretting what he had done with his life.

The role that President Roosevelt played in pushing Churchill towards Indian independence and the US gesture to be the first country to send an ambassador to India is neither appreciated nor known among the India's polity nor did the historians pay much attention to the subject. Better management of the relationship with US early on might have paid dividends and the world history could have turned out to be totally different than what we have witnessed.

The author has to be specially commended for his assessment that Indian independence came not because the British had an enlightenment about egalitarianism or human rights but because the empire was economically not tenable any longer, and even more important, the events of the second World War and its conclusion created an environment in India where they could not even count on the loyalty of the Indian army any longer. The "awe" with which the ordinary Indian looked at the Englishman had ended. The bluff that worked for two hundred years stopped working.

The author worked from 1948 to 1985 in India's Foreign Service. He uses primary sources in this excellent book to show how from 1906 to 1947 the British state allied with Islamists to defeat India's majority-supported Congress Party.

The Aga Khan and some Bengal landlords founded the Muslim League in 1906 and at once petitioned Viceroy Minto to introduce separate Muslim electorates, a sure way to split a country. Lord and Lady Minto immediately welcomed this: she wrote that it would mean "Nothing less than the pulling back of 62 million people from joining the ranks of the seditious opposition."

Churchill too played the Muslim card, lying that the real problem lay in Hindu-Muslim differences about India's future and not in Britain's rulers' unwillingness to accept Indian independence. Viceroy Linlithgow forged an alliance with Jinnah's Muslim League Party. Linlithgow's successor Lord Wavell produced the 1946 blueprint giving the strategic prize of North-West India to Pakistan.

Jinnah called a `Direct Action Day' for 16 August 1946. The British governor of Bengal knew of the League's intention, yet the British brigadier in charge of law and order in Calcutta ordered his troops confined to barracks for the day. 5,000 people were killed. Wavell's blueprint was implemented when the British withdrew from India in 1947, even though it was kept secret to avoid any impression of a British hand in the division of India.

Sarila summarises, "Once the British realized that the Indian nationalists who would rule India after its independence would deny them military cooperation under a British Commonwealth defence umbrella, they settled for those willing to do so by using religion for the purpose. Their problem could be solved if Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League Party, would succeed in his plan to detach the northwest of India abutting Iran, Afghanistan and Sinkiang and establish a separate state there - Pakistan. The proposition was a realizable one as a working relationship had been established between the British authorities in India and Jinnah during the Second World War and he was willing to cooperate with Britain on defence matters if Pakistan was created."

Imperial policy was and is divide and rule - whether setting Muslim against Hindu in India, Bosnian Muslims against Serbs in Yugoslavia, Sunni against Shia across the Middle East, Protestant against Catholic in Ireland, or Scottish against English in Britain. As Sarila notes, "The successful use by the British to fulfil political and strategic objectives in India was replicated by the Americans in building up the Islamic jihadis in Afghanistan for the same purpose, of keeping the Soviets at bay."

An interesting and detailed analysis based on historical documents that sheds light on the british machinations to encourage, even engineer the partition. lots of other fascinating facts and details are brought to life as well.

The Partition of India is one of the great un-studied subjects of modern times, especially in light of the great ethnic-cleansing that it caused, it is suprising it is ignored and its refugees forgotten. This book however is not about these crimes but about the politics and also the prejudices that brought about partition. It mostly focuses on the British decision to assist Ali Jinnah and his attempts to form a Muslim state. The British had long supported Muslims in India, both as civil servants and administratively, allowing them to keep Shariah law while suppressing Hindu traditions.

As the Great Game ended in 1905 and world politics changed the British continued to cultivate loyal Muslims in India and used them to split India, eventually using them to create Pakistan, and using Pakistan against Soviet Russia, which would have reverberations in the 1980s and even today.

This is a very interesting and new point of view. Few authors have tackled the subject of British pro-Islamic politics in their colonies and this is an important contribution.

Seth J. Frantzman

Eruch tells Baba stories in a way that makes you feel like you were there. Eruch talks about his personal experiences from living with Baba. If you love Baba stories this is the book. I have many Baba books but this is one of my favorites. I also recommend Ivy Duce book on How a Master works also has good Baba stories.

Eruch tells Baba stories in a way that makes you feel like you were there. Eruch talks about his personal experiences from living with Baba. If you love Baba stories this is the book. I have many Baba books but this is one of my favorites. I also recommend Ivy Duce book on How a Master Works. It also is well written with good Baba stories.

I had been wondering on my journey for about 1 1/2 years and did not understand why certain things were happening to me. I knew there was a purpose but I did not know what it was. I had read Meher Baba's "Discourses" and it helped me but not enough. Then I read Eruch's book and I could relate to almost every story he told; it was almost like a veil of ignorance about these matters being lifted and gaining new insights into what had been dark areas before. Thanks, Eruch for writing this book. Another book which I read subsequently was Meher Baba's "God Speaks". This is a book difficult to read but perseverance pays off handsomely in the end. God Speaks was a milestone steeping stone for me in getting a glimpse of what the path to God Realization is about.

This is a cool book. It has a lot of stories about Meher Baba which can greatly inspire you. Eruch Jessawala is one of the best storytellers I've ever come across. Reading these stories is like sitting in Meherabad on a saturday morning. Spectacular.
Jai Baba!

I considered Eruch my teacher. I had a lot of personal contact with him off and on over a twenty year period. And many of these wonderful stories I heard him tell personally, and often he might tell these stories a little differently depending on who was near to him that day. That is, I found Eruch to be a unique, royal gentlemen around women and children, and with a wordly one like me, he could charm and enchant and surprize on all levels, as the perfect teacher should be able to do.

Eruch most help me deepen my faith in God to where I began to experience God was a absolute certainty. And to an -- at times as I was -- agnostic, this was a remarkably welcomed, magnificent process.

I was able to walk, often just he and I, literally hundreds of miles with Eruch in the early morning (over a period of 10 years), in the beautiful countryside of Western India, near Meherazad where he had lived with Meher Baba for most of his life. And he was a tremendous ingredient with my Hafiz work; I would say he was the impetus behind it and many poems he directly helped me with, even offering very specific word changes at times. And this man was the person who had the most physical contact with Meher Baba of anyone on earth; he most often spoke for Baba as Meher Baba had been silent the last 40 years of His life. And Baba very directly says of Himself: He is the Christ, the Buddha, the Prophet come again. What is one to do when faced with such an EXTRAORDINARY claim?

This book would help any, tremendously, in chipping away at such a claim, if they have an interest to do so. I have been exploring that "claim" myself, now, for over 30 years. And one of the still evolving conclusions I have come up with is this: I do believe in God, a God of Infinite Power, and thus a God who could easily appear on this planet as Mohammad, Krishna, Buddha and Jesus -- as the Avatar, that is, as the descent of God in human form. And as to if Meher Baba is that -- God in human form: Well... I feel that history over the millenniums votes in their Prophets, their Buddhas, their Christs, their Rams, their Krishnas -- by some sacred means that takes place in the most discerning (intuitive as it may be for most) regions of the heart and soul. How could I really cast an objective vote about this after investing a big part of my life in the search for Truth that so entwined me with Meher Bada and many of His close disciples. Is Meher Baba the embodiment of the Divine - "The Being of all beings," the Root of all consciousness and space and form?

My vote is: Yep. I think the Big -- Gigantic -- Bang happened again on earth.

Daniel Ladinsky
Bestselling Penguin author of the anthololy: "Love Poems from God", and "The Gift: Poems by Hafiz."

I bought this fantastic little guide in a bookstore in Kathmandu. I used it during my trek around Annapurna and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Much better than the LP guide, and small enough that it doesn't get in the way.

I found the information in the book was great help. The maps together with the estimated timings were particularly helpful in deciding the route to take.

In addition to the treks Bryn Thomas also gives useful information on places to stay.

We used the book when treking from Jomsom to Pokhara and it was invaluable.

This is definitely the best guidebook to carry while trekking in the Annapurna region: loads of maps with most of the teahouses labeled, accurate times for both directions, interesting cultural information, small so as to make it more portable, and fairly up to date. I used it in November 2007, so there are some changes as one would expect, but still is excellent. Highly recommend!

This guide is all you need for the Annapurna. Beats the pants off Lonely Planet. Great maps, highlights, places to stay, etc.; small and lightweight; good gear list for preparing, info on when to go; bits on Kathmandu and Pokhara. We hiked the entire circuit and used Bryn several times each day.

I did the Annapurna Circuit trek (Around Annapurna) last September with this book. I was my bible.
The book has very good chapters about Nepal in general, Kathmandu and Pokhara but it's strength lies in the trail maps and text.
The maps are very very detailed (you can't get lost...), they indicate where is the next steep climbing and how much time does it takes to the next village. In the text you can find recommendations for eating and lodging (that never miss...).
The book covers all the popular treks in the Annapurna region but also offer side treks for more adventrous trekkers.

The bottom line : Worth every Penny!

Nithyananda has done it again in this book. Great answers from the word go. Never need to buy any other book if you have any questions related to our everyday life.

I have read Uncommon Answers To Common Questions. The book is written in a question and answer format. Paramahamsa Nithyananda lucidly answers questions posed by devotees who have started their spiritual journey. He provides candid answers to common questions in a modern context. A must read for those interested in answers to common questions that hold us from starting our journey of personal transformation.

Much like "Open the door and let the breeze in!", this book is a great place to start for those on a spiritual path or just wanting to know more about Sri Nithyananda. There's a lot of information that is easy to read.

I was very apprehensive when I bought this book, honestly ! But the title seemed inviting and I thought...hey what the heck..its just 18 bucks.

The books is every penny spent. I did not realize that such simple concepts can actually transform one so easily. Well, its a journey of smiles and tears that one goes through and the book shows how easily one can just witness the whole drama and not drown in our self made troubles of emotions.

Nithyananda has an excellent way of describing things. I am simply amazed at his style of simplicity.

If you want to start reading something that would bring a smile on your face and feel "ah... so simple, let me try implementing this...", this is the book not to be missed.

The cover of the book - the title and the photograph of Sri Nithyananda - was what attracted me to the book.

I started browsing it and was soon immersed.

I found that many of my questions are answered here in a simple and lucid style. The issues covered are those that are faced by every one of us - ranging from relationships to our quest for happiness.

The simplicity in the style, the lucid explanations, the stories and examples, belie the deep wisdom and insight behind many of these answers. Many of these answers provide a new perspective, a clearer way of looking at the same problem. I can say that some of these answers really shook me up - 'Why didnt I think of that before?'

I had read that just the very words of an Enlightened Master can cut through our doubts and liberate us of our mental conditionings. This book made it an experience for me.

This book is a tremendous tool for anyone - whether a spiritual seeker or otherwise - just because it addresses our need to be joyful here and now, whatever we do in our lives.

This book will start you on your journey of personal transformation. Good luck!

Understanding the Mind is incredibly clear and precise. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso breaks down each mind we could possibly have, defines what it is, what its function is, and whether the mind is beneficial or not as we pursuit happiness and a spiritual path. There is no other book out there that describes in-depth the nature and function of the mind. I use it as a reference all the time because it is so helpful and inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a serious interest in learning about the inner workings of the mind from a spiritual perspective.

Understanding the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso provides spiritual practioners with an accessible, insightful, detailed "manual to the mind" where different types of minds are broken down and dissected helping the reader determine what minds are beneficial to possess and what minds are harmful.
The second half of the book is particularly helpful in showing us how to nurture positive states of mind such as faith, love, effort, and patience that are of immense benefit to ourselves and others.

Understanding the Mind is a truly wonderful book that I refer to again and again for inspiration and insight into the inner workings of the mind.

If you are interested in the details of the dharmic perspective of the mind and that path to enlightenment then this is a well detailed and thoroughly documented definition for any person to follow.

On a personal note:
I am currently going through this book, but one thing that sticks out is that there is no mention of the spirit. Now I have to admit that I have been born into and followed a path that has lead me to believe in the abrahamic (christian specifically) perspective, thus mind/body/spirit. So I am having a hard time incorporating the concepts in this book being that a third of my philosophy is missing, in dharma there seems to be only mind/body.

Thus, anytime I come to a point where I see the spirit involved and not accounted for, I hit a block in the content.

But notwithstanding my own personal bias, the book is well written, fairly dense and a wonderful tool to use to define the processes of the mind, so that we can regain control of the tool that is the mind.

"Understanding the Mind" shows clearly the different functions and aspects of the mind. For one seeking liberation or enlightenment this book is like a treasure.

I am extremely thankful to have found this book.

This is a book for those unafraid to look into their minds, those who seek to know what is unknowable for most people. If it isn't unknowable then it is surely never contemplated. The"mind" is shown for what it is with such clarity. Not a single nuance is overlooked...Western psychology is light years behind as it heals the splits, soothes the rips and mends the tears of existence. One sees everything one is, was and can be in the text of this compact "Wisdom" teaching.

Tremendous insight and understanding of the mind, our thoughts and how they produce the world we experience. Tedious for those who won't explore their minds and enlightening for those who will!