It was 7 years ago, I finally found the paperback in Hindi.
My dad had this book in his library collection. Somebody borrowed it from him and he never got it back. One reason I don't lend my books to anybody out of the blue. I asked him about the book he misplaced. He said, "I used to read it in my study, alone at night, sometimes until the dawn. It was so gripping and so well narrated that I had goosebumps as I turned pages." That statement struck hard on my curiosity chord that I got so influenced by it as to what was this book all about. It was then that I decided that I'll find out about it and if possible try to return the book to his collection.
7 years ago, I was at Chandigarh Inter-State Bus terminus waiting for a bus to Patiala. The book store behind the bus counter was my favourite place to spend my time rather than standing and gazing at every approaching bus and praying it to be empty and heading to Patiala. I was shuffling through the books and suddenly my eyes fell upon a book with a brick red border on the cover and the picture of a man (woman, I thought at first) with black locks flowing down his shoulders. I read the title of the book and smiled so wide that I looked around for a minute, just to check as to whether anybody noticed that wide grin and took me for a lunatic.
It was a paperback in Hindi. "Yogi Kathamrit" . "The Autobiography of a Yogi". I purchased it instantly and couldn't resist tearing the plastic cover and riffling through the pages. The glazed finish of the pages with pictures in the middle of the book. It was like a treasure of which I wasn't the rightful owner but managed to sneak it out of the ground. I sniffed the book. Yeah. That's one thing I always do. Just like I sniff my food before I eat it. Come on. Even a book is a food item, a food for thought, for your mind and soul. The best part about it is that it isn't perishable. It'll be there for as long as you want it to be and you can taste it, bite in it, savour it for as many times as you like until it satiates the hunger for wisdom.
I read it. And I'm grateful to the person who didn't return it to my dad. Because if it wasn't for them, I would never have gone through all this. I gave the book to my dad when I returned home from patiala after a week. He was very happy. But I didn't feel like letting go of it. So I made up my mind that the hindi version of the book was truly enlightening but I would also read it in english. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me reading it again, in a language which I understand a trifle more than my mother tongue, was a completely different experience.
I purchased the English edition. One for myself. My brother bought one for himself. So you see we have three books of the same kind at our place. But this is no ordinary book. It is a life changer and it will definitely have an impact on your life. No matter if it's a minor or a major one. But it sure will.
To conclude this post I would like to share this gem of a book with you all. Take some time out and read it.
Cheers. It's under an open licence and feel free to share it with your loved ones. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7452
Leave a comment after you finish reading the post and the book (just in case you decide to read it). I would really love to know how you feel!
Aditya Malhotra
Jersey City, NJ
My dad had this book in his library collection. Somebody borrowed it from him and he never got it back. One reason I don't lend my books to anybody out of the blue. I asked him about the book he misplaced. He said, "I used to read it in my study, alone at night, sometimes until the dawn. It was so gripping and so well narrated that I had goosebumps as I turned pages." That statement struck hard on my curiosity chord that I got so influenced by it as to what was this book all about. It was then that I decided that I'll find out about it and if possible try to return the book to his collection.
7 years ago, I was at Chandigarh Inter-State Bus terminus waiting for a bus to Patiala. The book store behind the bus counter was my favourite place to spend my time rather than standing and gazing at every approaching bus and praying it to be empty and heading to Patiala. I was shuffling through the books and suddenly my eyes fell upon a book with a brick red border on the cover and the picture of a man (woman, I thought at first) with black locks flowing down his shoulders. I read the title of the book and smiled so wide that I looked around for a minute, just to check as to whether anybody noticed that wide grin and took me for a lunatic.
It was a paperback in Hindi. "Yogi Kathamrit" . "The Autobiography of a Yogi". I purchased it instantly and couldn't resist tearing the plastic cover and riffling through the pages. The glazed finish of the pages with pictures in the middle of the book. It was like a treasure of which I wasn't the rightful owner but managed to sneak it out of the ground. I sniffed the book. Yeah. That's one thing I always do. Just like I sniff my food before I eat it. Come on. Even a book is a food item, a food for thought, for your mind and soul. The best part about it is that it isn't perishable. It'll be there for as long as you want it to be and you can taste it, bite in it, savour it for as many times as you like until it satiates the hunger for wisdom.
I read it. And I'm grateful to the person who didn't return it to my dad. Because if it wasn't for them, I would never have gone through all this. I gave the book to my dad when I returned home from patiala after a week. He was very happy. But I didn't feel like letting go of it. So I made up my mind that the hindi version of the book was truly enlightening but I would also read it in english. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me reading it again, in a language which I understand a trifle more than my mother tongue, was a completely different experience.
I purchased the English edition. One for myself. My brother bought one for himself. So you see we have three books of the same kind at our place. But this is no ordinary book. It is a life changer and it will definitely have an impact on your life. No matter if it's a minor or a major one. But it sure will.
To conclude this post I would like to share this gem of a book with you all. Take some time out and read it.
Cheers. It's under an open licence and feel free to share it with your loved ones. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7452
Leave a comment after you finish reading the post and the book (just in case you decide to read it). I would really love to know how you feel!
Aditya Malhotra
Jersey City, NJ
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