HOME | | THROUGH THE EAGLE’S EYE | GANDHI BOOK ONLINE | | MANIKPUR. Jn.
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Three Books
Three Questions
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(Full Text)
Why is Man the most violent animal on Earth?
What will become of him? |
Is sexual fascism the principal instrument of governance In India?
Does this make India world’s most sex-obsessed society? |
Gandhi and Indian Saints
Did Gandhi have a weapon stronger than the atom bomb?
Yes, he said he had. What was it? |
What the Newspapers Say :
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‘On a flight of fancy’M.B. Lal's brand new book, "Through The Eagle's Eye", offers a fresh perspective into men's innate fixation with violence through the ages, writes SANGEETA BAROOAH PISHAROTY in the following article in
The Hindu This surely is not a book that you think of writing in one day. Simply because not often do you find a topic that has the authority to amuse a reader with a rationale. Particularly those who have always nurtured a liking for topics touching philosophy. Former journalist-turned-writer, M.B. Lal's book, "Through The Eagle's Eye" is much slimmer than his earlier tome, "Manikpur Junction" but has a real interesting perspective to offer when it comes to talking of man and his ways of life. Importantly, it dabbles with the subject of man's innate fixation with violence through the ages, something
that is worth sparing a thought in this century of aggression. Fictionalising his characters who undertake an exotic journey in an eagle-flown aerial chariot commanded by an ape, Lal has injected into the pages his understanding of the human mind stressing principally on where it wavers. All of 77 now, Lal says this is one subject that he has spent a lot of time thinking. "I was 19 when the country saw independence. I won't be wrong if I say people of my generation have seen the world more than anybody because we have lived our lives during the British regime, saw independence, were brimmed with national pride, and by and by moved on to a jet set age from bullock carts. This long passage surely has so much to present to today's generation," he says. Pertinent enough for occurrences, like fashion, often tend to return in rotation and wisdom lies not just in understanding that but also in knowing where history went on the correct path and where it was wrong. And then, there are issues of consistencies, the constant in a man's life throughout civilisations despite the changes. Hanuman in The Ramayana And herein, Lal's book has something fresh to offer. He talks of violence and bloodshed as not just a factor distinctive only in our century but in all centuries. "Violence has always been a human nature," he declares. Using The Ramayana as a floorboard for his arguments in the story, he emphasises the character of Hanuman in the epic. "My point is, in conceiving Hanuman, was Valmiki looking for a peace loving specie as an alternative to war crazy man?" he says. "No single book," Lal offers, "has influenced the Hindu mind more than The Ramayana over the last 3000 years. While translating Valmiki's works, the scholars stressed more on the devotional part, but the original version is the outpouring of direct revelations to the sage from Brahma." "It is more of a study of Man than of Ram any day," he states. Well, enough ammunition perhaps to disappoint the rabid right-wingers of our generation but sufficiently appealing to raise everyone's interest in the subject. |
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“Fairy tales fascinate us all — books have immortalized such classic fairy tales as The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Puss in Boots etc. Lal has come up with a highly readable fairy tale set in the once idyllic vale of Kashmir. In this story, Mary is both fascinated and intrigued by the locals’ ability to communicate with birds and animals. She and Nakul decide to find out the secret code that facilitates such communication. They are helped by divine beings and birds taking them on a journey that’s absolutely fascinating. Kids are going to love this book.”
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The Statesman
“This book describes the adventures of Mary and Nakul as they travel in an eagle-flown aerial chariot commanded by an ape. It’s an exotic journey, and one which has never been undertaken by anyone ever before. While children will enjoy this story for its thrills, adults will take it as an illustration of how language has shaped our thoughts to create the atmosphere of hatred and violence that surrounds us.”
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I’ve just finished reading Manikpur Junction. Excellent ! It was an enriching experience ! Weaving through romance and adventure, you’ve narrated the story leading to a philosophical climax - a commentary on today’s world. I loved the way you’ve captured the nostalgic days of the 1940s in Allahabad during the twilight days of the Raj and the height of nationalism. What really makes it delightful reading is the undercurrent of wry humour that runs all through it - whether the love episodes, or the encounter between Hitler’s version of Aryan culture and its Hindu orthodox version.
Sumanta Banerjee
Writer and Critic
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I finished reading Manikpur Junction during my journey from Delhi to New York. I just could not put it down. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Although I did not live in British India, it gave me a sense of the period. Discussion with you was amplified and further clarified in the book. Great work.
Satish Tripathi
Vice-President
Buffalo University
New York State
The book ‘Spiritual Awakening in Gandhi and other Indian Saints’ will certainly add to scholarship and better understanding of Gandhian thought. If it takes us closer to replacing the Law of Force with the Law of Love Prof. Ranade will have performed a great service to humanity, says Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, in his foreword to this book.
“To fight and kill in the name of God is the worst form of evil according to Gandhiji, who was convinced that God is the epitome of compassion, love, respect and understanding. Gandhiji believed that we human beings have divided the image of God because we want God to relate to the fragment of Truth that we hold precious. To bring back some semblance of sanity in people’s understanding of religion Gandhiji advocated a friendly study of all the scriptures as the sacred duty of every individual. Scholars, he said, have often made critical studies of religions, but not many, perhaps not any, have made a “friendly” study. …
“This philosophy of pursuit of truth led Gandhiji to conclude that ahimsa can only be interpreted as “love” and not as “nonviolence.” Those of us who have interpreted ahimsa as nonviolence have, in fact, done a great disservice and have hindered its universal acceptance. No form of “absolutism” can be acceptable without opening oneself to the charge of hypocrisy. There is much violence in nonviolence and nonviolence in violence, Gandhiji said, and therefore one needs to arrive at a deeper understanding of violence to appreciate nonviolence.”
— Arun Gandhi
M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolene
650 East Parkway South
Memphis TN 38104, USA
The one aim of Gandhiji’s life was to bring all humanity together under a banner, which we might style ‘one God, one World, one Religion.’ (The Book) may, in fact, be regarded as the spiritual autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi, supplementing his own early autobiography, “My Experiments with Truth”, containing as it does his very own words on the subject.”
— R.D. Ranade (Author)
Cover design of the book “Spiritual Awakening in Gandhi and other Indian Saints” done by Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
