A joint review of two books ‘Tiruvannamalai Beckons’ and ‘A Month In Tiruvannamalai’  by the author, Parag Shah. Both books revolve around travelling to and spending time in Tiruvannamalai, the famed mountain in Tamil Nadu where Ramana Maharishi spent a major portion of his life. It is said that those who complete a Girivellam/circumambulation around the mountain will clear off massive amounts of their stored/Sanchita Karma.

Book 1: Tiruvannamalai Beckons 

Genre:
Travelogue

Target audience:
This book is best suited to those who love good travel writing but also have some spiritual aspirations.

List of contents:
The chapters are well organised in chronological order starting from leaving for Tiruvannamalai via Belagavi, Karnataka to Parag’s eventual return to his home city, Pune. The titles are brilliantly framed and chosen. Not only do they aptly describe the chapters and their respective contents but on closer reading, they’re quite humorously picked out as well. Keep an eye out for them!

The author possesses quite a wry sense of humour. Some of the witty writing had me smiling faintly, others had me chuckling along in agreement and still more left me outright laughing aloud! The following is an example of the aforementioned sense of humour, his cleverly crafted descriptions, and occasions when his wild imagination comes to the fore.

“Relieved, I got back on the road. There’s only one phrase that can adequately describe the road from Tumkur to Bangalore: tollbooth galore (although if I remember correctly, those hideous booths started before Tumkur, somewhere between Chitradurga and Tumkur). I encountered one tollbooth after another at ridiculously short intervals. Sometimes, my imagination runs wild, but I imagined that if people had to pay the toll with their clothes, everyone entering Bangalore from that highway would ultimately be in their birthday suits. I wondered if the last tollbooth sold clothes at a premium (*).”

The author mentions, towards the book’s conclusion, that he possesses three desires. The first entails going on a solo travel trip someday and seeking out thrill and adventure. This book certainly has more than its fair share of that and what with its ups and downs (some mild, others quite wild and extreme), there’s no doubt that a reader is in for a most entertaining read with this excellent piece of travelogue.

Book 2: A Month In Tiruvannamalai

Genre:
A personal memoir on spiritual seeking and pursuits

Target audience:
This book is best suited to those who have spiritual aspirations

The tone of the Memoir:
Upbeat and Hopeful. It resembles that of someone eager to undergo spiritual experiences.

List of contents:
The chapters are well organised in chronological order starting from settling down in a homestay to Parag’s eventual return to his home city, Pune. The interim chapters in between range from the author’s experiences at his homestay to his daily schedule to visiting the Ramana Ashram and finally the Girivalam/circumambulation he undertook.

Background and Context of the Author:
As mentioned earlier, the author professes to have 3 long-cherished desires that spurred him on to complete this trip.

1. To head on a solo trip that was full of adventure.
2. To spend time in a secluded place away from the noise and din of urban silos.
3. A yearning for a spiritual experience of some sort.

He was inspired to begin this journey by reading Paul Brunton’s Book titled: ‘A Search in Secret India’ which popularised the teachings of Ramana Maharishi in the West.

Background and Context of Ramana Maharishi:
He is the revered Guru to whom the author dedicates this book. Ramana Maharishi is famous for having popularised and expounded on the practice of ‘self-inquiry’ that entails questioning the very nature of the ‘true’ and ‘inner’ self. He is said to have had a transformative effect on many of his disciples. His deep and penetrating gaze was powerful enough to burn up a disciple’s pending karmas that held them back from ascending to a higher state of consciousness. He transmitted and taught his lessons largely through silence, with many disciples having reported profound shifts in consciousness when simply in the vicinity of his presence.

First Half of the Book:
Although I liked it, I must admit that the first half of the book is not as particularly interesting as the second half. The author often alludes to the joy of conversing with multiple strangers from varied geographical and class backgrounds. The crowd is quite a mixed and motley one indeed. I’ll roughly classify the conversation categories into:

1. Conversations With his Homestay Mates
2. Conversations With fellow diners
3. Conversations With an individual encountered on a rainy day

The mixed and motley crowd includes but is not limited to, an aspiring Yoga teacher from North America, a middle-aged Romanian man, a German duo, and even an elderly gentleman from Andhra Pradesh. Unfortunately, these sections are not as intriguing as some of the author’s previous writing on similar ‘stranger’ encounters. This is surprising, given the skill with which he describes an encounter and conversation with another individual shortly afterward. Perhaps they could have been more interesting if more time had been spent dwelling on what the individuals discussed. In the previous book, the author adeptly writes about his encounters with a policeman and a waiter. Undeniably, he has the skill and writing prowess and yet, perhaps this first section is not the best representative of his finest work. The second half does a much better job of attesting to the aforementioned skill. A reader who has read the first book may be slightly disappointed as they might expect the same level of quality and finesse.

The author spends a fair amount of time detailing the conditions of his room and homestay. This would prove to be particularly useful to those who may wish to follow in his footsteps and visit Arunachala. Of course, there are homestay reviews online but internet reviews can be notoriously inaccurate. The author’s personal touch while also writing on many other useful and insightful topics is sure to prove useful to those who wish to visit.

Second Half of the Book:
Halfway across the book, there was an instant ‘switch’ of sorts as it become infinitely more exciting to read. The cutoff point was the chapter titled ‘A Rainy Conversation’. We are introduced to an interesting individual, Vivek from Kolkata. His name has been changed. This is a thoughtful gesture on the Author’s part to protect the privacy of those who may wish to retain their anonymity. He had decided to become a renunciate/Sanyasi despite his family’s presumably stiff opposition. He planned to stay on at the Ashram by spending his time cooking for himself, reading, and seeking out spiritual experiences. Many would consider this to be an ideal life i.e. one free from the hassles and the worries of urban life. The author beautifully describes the first awkward encounter amid a heavy downpour. The following exchange and conversation were a delight to read. I would have loved to know what eventually happened to Vivek but sadly the two travellers permanently parted ways as the downpour dropped to a mere drizzle and they were shooed off by the Ashram watchman.

The next chapter titled ‘The Legendary Arunachala’ deals with the legend and lore of the famed mountain. There are two stories and accounts that differ significantly from each other. The first legend goes as follows. Once Devi Parvati playfully covered her consort’s, Bhagwan Shiva’s eyes. The moment She did so, the world was plunged into darkness and life forms began to perish. Horrified, She quickly took to arduous penance to appease Her beloved and retrieve light back into the world. Eventually, Her efforts bore fruit as Bhagwan Shiva was pleased with Her devotion and manifested as a long pillar of fire: the Arunachala mountain. Balance was restored once more as life forms began to re-flourish.

The second legend also features Bhagwan Shiva but with the other two members of the Trimoorti, Bhagwan Brahma, and Bhagwan Vishnu instead. Vishnu and Brahma once wondered who was superior. To end their dispute, they approached Bhagwan Shiva to be an impartial adjudicate. He manifested as an infinitely long pillar of light and fire – the Agni Lingam – and declared that the one who accurately identifies its source shall be declared as the superior one. Vishnu chose to head downwards while Brahma ascended upwards. Unfortunately, both were unable to find the endpoint and return. Vishnu honestly admitted to His inability to find the endpoint but Brahma wilfully concocted a lie and claimed to have found a Ketaki flower at the top. He almost got away with it but not quite. Bhagwan Shiva saw through His lies and declared that no one on earth shall worship Him in any temple.

Another chapter deals with the Virupaksha Cave which was frequented by Ramana Maharishi and was renowned for being a sanctified/sacred place where many have reported experiencing deep spiritual insights. Unfortunately, towards the end of the book, the poor author falls desperately ill. He credits the kind lodger of his homestay, Bala for helping him out during his period of sickness and difficulty. The drive back to Pune features a short and slightly unpleasant encounter with some irksome officials.

Final Rating:
I can think of very little to fault concerning Book 1. That is truly writing that is engaging and entertaining. I would have liked to enjoy the second book just as much as the first but although it has its fair share of excellent moments that work in its favour but also has those that don’t. Unfortunately, it is let down by that first section while the superior second section, although excellent, is unable to wholly make up for it. I wish that the author had simply combined both books into one given the last two chapters of both books (that described his last few days at Tiruvannamalai and return trip to Pune) were more or less similar.

Book 1 – Tiruvannamalai Beckons – 5/5 Stars

Book 2 – A Month In Tiruvannamalai – 3.9/5 Stars