CONTRIBUTION AND VIEWS OF CLIVE FLEURY ABOUT WRITING AND BOOKS

CLIVE FLEURY

                                

 BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Clive Fleury is an award-winning writer of books and screenplays and a TV and Film Director and Producer. He has worked for major broadcasters and studios on a wide variety of successful projects in the US, UK, Australia, Europe and the Middle East. In the initial stage itself, he ignored the advice of the Career Specialist and embarked upon a very different but successful life.

His latest book –“Kill Code: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel”, is the first in an exciting new dystopian science fiction series, set in a world facing climate catastrophe, where nothing is what it seems. Besides “Kill Code”, he also wrote “Scary Lizzy” - a novel about an eight year old girl, Sarah Wilde, who befriends an African child ghost - and the teen action adventure book, “The Boy Next Door”' - or what happens when a teenage girl has a crush on her next door neighbor, who isn't all he seems. He also co-wrote “Art Pengriffin and The Curse of The Four” - a young adult fantasy adventure about a teenage boy, who discovers his father was Merlin the Magician. It was a Kindle Book Review Awards Semi-Finalist. He loves to travel – anywhere, and anytime he has any spare cash.

Q  Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

I have been a professional writer for several years and have had four books published of which “Kill Code: A Science Fiction Novel” is the latest. It is the first of a trilogy and I am hoping to have the next book in the series out by the end of the year. I also write screenplays and for newspapers and magazines.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q Which particular book of yours, do you consider as the best so far, and why?  

It is hard to be objective about the books you have written. All are “my babies” at the start of the process and then, when I am finished, I have to let them go out into the world. However, I do tend to like best, the novel I completed last—in this case, Kill Code. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q Did you receive appreciation/recognition & adequate sales for your this book, or any other book, in the world?

For me, and I suspect most authors, there is no such thing as adequate sales. All of us want to sell more books than we have so far.  On reviews, and I have got good honest reviews for Kill Code, they are like sales— I can never get enough of them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q Do you promote and recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits and problems, in such joint ventures?

I enjoy writing books jointly, though I have only done this once so far—on a YA book called  “Art Pengriffin and the Curse of the Four.” Writing is a lonely profession, so it is good to share the time with someone else. But if you are a control freak, writing jointly can be a nightmare!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you immediately note them down in a diary or elsewhere?

I cannot write a new book until I have the structure locked down, so I spend a lot of time staring into space and trying to work out what the story is all about. My current book, Kill Code is the start of a series, and this helps me with the next one, because I have now got a handle on the characters. Yes, I do carry around a notepad just in case, I suddenly have a flash of inspiration. The trouble is that my handwriting is so bad I cannot always read later what I have written. Very frustrating!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q On an average, how many months do you take to complete one book, in all respects?

Kill Code took around seven months to write and edit. However, the idea has been at the back of my mind for years now. Other books have taken longer to write, but the central theme took far less time to think up. So it varies.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

The growth of the Internet and self-publishing have meant that there are now millions of ‘authors’ out there, and are vying for attention. But unless you can reach an audience, your book will die however good it is. So you have to invest a lot of time in marketing. This is not good news for most writers who, like me, are lousy at it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?.

I, like I suspect most authors, have no choice. I have to write! I know that sounds strange to some, but it is a little like being constipated. I have to put words on paper.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What are the reasons for the general success of the concept of “Agents of writers” in some countries?

I have never met anyone who is creative, who does not have massive amounts of self-doubt. “Am I good at what I am doing? Should I go on? Is this all worth it?” That is where an agent comes in. A good agent can give advice and help to overcome this stultifying self-doubt. They can also do things which many writers cannot do—like negotiate deals, and make sure someone pays you. But an agent is no panacea. Ultimately, you learn that success or failure is up to you.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q If you were not a writer, in what other way, you would have expressed your creativity?

I am lucky. I direct films and TV, as well as write. Doing this helps me to express my creativity in a different way.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future in jeopardy?

There was a time when e-books were supposed to be wiping out the printed books and bookstores. Now, however, I think people have realized that e-books and printed books can and should co-exist.  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What are your future plans for writing books?

 I will keep writing. I cannot help myself.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What is your advice to the budding authors?

In the words of the great Oracle Nike: “Just do it”.

                                                         --------------vijaiksharma

CONTRIBUTION OF DEEPTI MENON AS A WRITER

    Deepti Menon 

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Deepti Menon began to write at the age of ten and travelled around the country as an Army kid, and later, an Army wife. Her experiences during those years helped hone her interest and flair for writing. Her first book, 'Arms and the Woman', published in 2002, takes a light-hearted look at the life of an Army wife.  During 2013 and 2014 many of her short stories were chosen for various anthologies. She also has a book of poems, titled 'Deeparadhana of Poems', compiled by her mother, herself a talented writer. ‘Shadow in the Mirror’, a psychological thriller published by Readomania in 2016, is her latest offering. Writing has been an endless journey with its twists and turns, often leading her on to the myriad mysteries of life, love and relationships. The thrill of seeing her name in print has only intensified over the years. There has never been a dull moment, never time to regret, according to her, as life is truly worth living.

Q  What is your specific field of writing?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  I enjoy writing short stories with a twist in their tales/tails. I wrote my first short story when I was in my twenties, but it was years later that I discovered that I could startle my readers by giving them something they did not expect, like a little surprise at the end that would leave them off balance.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Are there any specific reasons, for choosing this particular field?

                     My preference leans towards books that thrill my heart, sustain the suspense and give me a jolt at the end. Psychological thrillers are the scariest, according to me, because there is nothing more fascinating than the working of the human mind. This is why this particular field appeals to me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Which particular book of yours, do you consider as the best so far, and why?  

                      This is like asking a mother about her children. My books have all been different. My first book titled ‘Arms and the Woman’ took a light-hearted look at my life as an Army wife, followed by a book of poems titled ‘Deeparadhana’. Finally, in 2016, Readomania published ‘Shadow in the Mirror’, a psychological thriller. All three books belong to different genres and are equally close to my heart.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Who is your role model?

                      As far as short stories and thrillers go, it is none other than Agatha Christie whose breezy style has won her myriad admirers the world over. I also admire writers like Maya Angelou, Jeffrey Archer and Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee. Having been a student of Literature, the classic writers like Dickens, Dumas, Austen and Oscar Wilde also occupy a special niche in my heart. However, PG Wodehouse wins, hands down, for the humour and cheer, he spreads through his books.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  When and how do you get the ideas and do you immediately note them down in a diary or elsewhere?

                           The world is a maelstrom of ideas that lurk in every corner. I could get ideas from a walk down the street, a drive along the sea coast, a simple conversation or even sitting in my study. I enjoy meeting people and I often model my characters on real life. In fact, my friends and family are quite petrified of saying anything to me because they might see it in my next story. I note down my ideas in a little notebook (I love notebooks of all kinds, the more colourful the better!), and on my laptop as well. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Could you share with us, an interesting event/incident/experience faced with the other writers, publishers or readers in your writing career?  

                        When I was a freelance journalist in Chennai, I was lucky enough to have interviewed some brilliant writers. Two interviews stand out in my memory. The first one was with Ruskin Bond, who came across as a gentle, good-humoured human being and it was not difficult to see a trace of his persona in his stories.

The other author was Jeffrey Archer who has a quick, acerbic wit and I had to rely on my own wits to keep up with him. When I asked him how many more books he intended to write, he retorted, “As long as I have the twists, I shall write!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

                    The quality of writing is a significant factor in the success of a book, but there are others, which propel a book and make it succeed. Writers are not islands. They need to interact with the readers and publicize their books widely on social media. Today’s writers can do wonders, if they are tech and media savvy and often, the best public relation teams sell the most books.  

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?

                     My writing has always been an outlet for me and gives me self-satisfaction. I strive to get into the minds of my readers, so that I can give them what they look for. If I could learn to make money on the way, that would be a bonus.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Has Face Book helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

                        Absolutely! Facebook has always been of great help in garnering publicity for my books, be they novels or anthologies. We have many effective writing groups and we all try to help and promote one another’s books and writing. There is immense support all around, which is encouragement enough for many of us.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

                             I am lucky in my friends and my family. My mother, herself a writer and educationist, not only encouraged me to write, but also brought out my book of poems on a certain birthday of mine. My husband, my siblings and my daughter read whatever I write and give me valuable suggestions. My friends, online and otherwise, rally around me every time I write and share my writing.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What are your future plans for writing books?

                     I have sent two manuscripts to a couple of publishing houses. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they are accepted because the themes of both are close to my heart. Besides, I also want to bring out an anthology of my thriller short stories in the near future.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What is your advice to the budding authors?

                    Keep writing, accept rejections gracefully, turn them into stepping stones and then carry on writing. Also remember, editing your own work and sending across an error-free manuscript in which your writing style sparkles, is all-important. Publishing houses receive thousands of manuscripts at a time and if yours needs to be noticed, it has to stand above the rest.

                                                               --------------------vijaiksharma

LONG HEALTHY LIFE THROUGH AWARENESS OF FITNESS, ALERTNESS, DIET AND MEDICINES

DR. P. C. DANDIYA

                                
                                 

        

BRIEF PROFILE:   

Dr. P.C. Dandiya obtained Ph. D. degree from University of Toronto, after having B. Pharm and M. Pharm degrees from Banaras Hindu University. He started his teaching career at S. M. S. Medical College, Jaipur, where he became a full Professor (and later) Head of the Department of Pharmacology at the age of 35 and trained scores of M.D.’s and 19 Ph. D.’s in Pharmacology. For his researches in Psycho-neuro-pharmacology, he received numerous awards from Medical Council of India and Indian Council of Medical Research and was elected the Fellow of the Indian Academy of Medical Sciences, a rare honour for a non-medical person. He has been the President of Pharmacy Council of India, Indian Pharmacology Society and Indian Pharmaceutical Congress and Pro-Vice Chancellor and even Vice-Chancellor for some time, of Banaras Hindu University. Professor Dandiya has worked in many countries and has been a Visiting Professor at the Universities of London, Houston, Hawaii and Copenhagen. He has also extensively given lectures at a number of Chinese Universities, as a Guest Professor of Nanjing University. His students and associates, spread all over the globe, whom he has immensely endeared, have floated an Endowment Trust, which holds an Oration in his honour every year, besides promoting research activities in Pharmacy & Pharmacology. He has written many books, his Family Medicine Book has sold 5 lakh copies in 10 editions, and amongst them is a beautifully written, highly interesting autobiography, that can be seen at most book shops in the country. Presently, he is a Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at SMS Medical College, Jaipur, where he has completed 68 years of teaching the Medical Students, and now he is teaching the grand children of those whom he taught more than 50 years back. He is also a WHO consultant on Rational use of Drugs. He is Patron, BHU Alumni Association, Jaipur.

INTRODUCTION:

We have observed that Dr. P C Dandiya delivers lectures to Medical students in SMS Medical College, Jaipur & also in other Universities, Institutes and functions. He writes books periodically and gets them published and released in appropriate functions. He travels a lot by air, train & road. He travels abroad twice a year every year, to several countries and delivers lectures in Universities there, besides other normal work. He responds fast, to e mails and also other matters and takes quick & right decisions. All these activities, besides the normal daily routine work, definitely require high degree of physical fitness and mental alertness. The year 2016 having ended and the year 2017 having just started, first of all, we requested Dr. P C Dandiya to sum up what happened in the bygone year in his life. He responded as follows:

              As usual, I made my six weeks summer trip to Florida and during that period, I gave a talk on “Man, Mind and Longevity” at the Medical Faculty of Emory University in Atlanta, on the invitation of Dr. Lucky Jain, Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Medicine. I gave a similar talk to the physicians of Indian origin at Fort Lauderdale.  On the same trip, I made a visit to Washington, DC. 

This year I completed 90 years in this world and my family and friends made it an occasion. Several others came from various parts of the country & abroad, including Rohit and Babli who came from USA. Dr. Vinod Kalaniji, Dr. Manoj Tripathi, Dr. Jawahar Bapna, Dr. S.K. Kulkarni, Dr. Gurudas Khilnani, Nirmal Gurbani and Jassuji made it a great occasion. Dr. G.N. Singh, Drugs Controller General of India gave the 25^th PCD Oration and Dr. B. Suresh, the President of Pharmacology Council of India presided.  We had a good two day Halla Gulla. Certainly, I started feeling that I should really pretend to look like an old Foggy.

For many years, I had been thinking of writing a book on the Pharmacologists’ and in the month of March 2016, I, with my two colleagues, Dr. S.K. Kulkarni of Chandigarh and Dr. Gurudas Khilnani from Bhuj, started working on a new book “The Pharmacologists of India: Their Contribution”. This book was finally published by Vallabh Prakashan, Delhi and released on November 18^th 2016, at a glittering ceremony held at Delhi Pharmaceutical Science and Research University and it brought about a great satisfaction to me. In this process, I got reconnected to more than forty pharmacologists of India, who have contributed in it.

This year the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress was hosted by Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam and it was a great success. They asked me to give a plenary lecture on “The Evolution of Pharmacology in India: The last 70 years”. It allowed me to recollect my academic life and access the rise, fall and reversal of the discipline of pharmacology.

This year Mahamna Malviya Mission of India celebrated the existence of Banaras Hindu University, which completed 100 years. Since I feel emotionally attached to the University and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, I felt extraordinarily happy in being an integral part of it.

The SMS Medical College, where I have spent 68 years, celebrated its existence of seven Decades,  in a two day grand celebration, with The Governor of Rajasthan presiding. The word “Distinguished” was added to my emeritus status in the college. This they had not done for any other teacher ever, in 70 years of its existence. Dr. Lucky Jain and Dr. Jagat Narula were also present besides other luminaries.

Dear Girija as usual visited me from Las Vegas & brought lots of cheer to me & my family in Jaipur. My granddaughters, Pia and Sonia continue working at New York and Kichu continues to be with me and doing her cosmetic Jewellery with success. Overall, I feel I had a wonderful 2016, and am now looking forward to the next one, where I might have a greater interaction with friends like you. Dr. M.R. Jain, Mr. Kewal Khanna, Dr. Parmanand Bhargava, Dr. S.K. Sharma and Dr. S.K. Dasgupta continue to invite me for dinners, almost on weekly basis.

            Thereafter, with a view to get a feedback from him on matters connected with health, we arranged an interview and put some searching questions on the topic "Health, Diet and Medicines", to which he has given candid replies and provided information in a creative/purposeful manner for the benefit of everybody. Here go the questions and the answers:

Q  Most of us do have firm belief in the saying Health is Wealth? How do rate the status of your own health at present?

                 Health awareness has increased considerably in the last 15 years but not everyone is doing enough to stay healthy and undo the natural decline due to aging. I am fully fit and healthy enough, in spite of my age.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What are your “Mantras” for maintaining physical fitness of a high order, from the point of view of exercise, yoga and rest etc.?

          I know of no “Mantras” for physical fitness but I must say that physical exercise is very important and yoga which is practised by many, is not enough, unless accompanied by structured, punctilious and meticulous exercise.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   How do you keep away from fatigue in your trips abroad twice a year?

          When I travel in India or to abroad I travel in the best possible mode of transport available and my keen desire to see my own people in other countries takes away my fatigue (that really does not occur). On my way back, I am so keen to see my own people here like you, almost instantaneously and it is so enjoyable that the fatigue has no chance to enter me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What are the factors due to which you are able to maintain good mental alertness?

          Mental alertness is directly related to “positive thinking”. If you think positively about events and about friends and colleagues, alertness comes automatically in you, you don’t have to work for it. Yoga freshens us and increases mental and physical alertness. The company of a friend of the opposite sex or a spouse enhances it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   Kindly narrate briefly, your daily routine at home, right from getting up in the mornings, up to going for sleep in the night.

          I wake up automatically at about 5 am, do yoga for about 45 minutes and then drive myself to my walk of 40 minutes followed by tea, newspapers and telephone with my “choicest people”. I go to work in my office at the SMS Medical College, Jaipur around 10:30 am returning at 1:30 pm. After lunch I sleep for an hour and then go into my study i.e. my workshop where I work until 7 pm and then go for a swim/walk for 40 minutes. I eat my dinner around four times in a week with friends at their or my own residence. Rest of the three days, I spend quietly at home and watch the TV/read classic books of choicest authors and obtain them from the “Crossword” where I am a regular visitor. Some of the classics written by Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Nirad Chaudhuri, Leo Tolstoy, E.M. Foster, Emily Bronte (although she wrote only one book in her life “Wuthering Heights” in 1847), Premchand, I read and read again after a gaps of 20, 30 or even 40 years. Amongst contemporary writers I read Salman Rushdie, William Dalrymple and Gurcharan Das and Shashi Tharoor (a former class fellow of my son, Bikram)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   What are the motivating factors due to which you are engaged in multifarious activities all these years and now?

          To begin with my exposure to the Banaras Hindu University where Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Sir S. Radhakrishnan, who were guiding our destiny, influenced me immensely and changed me completely. I started aspiring for doing bigger things for the country. Subsequently, my stay at the University of Toronto for three years was responsible for motivating me to excel in the subject I was specializing at that moment. I was lucky that I worked there with Prof. H. Columbine who was very learned and loved his students immensely. My wife, Chandrakanta was also responsible for keeping my targets high.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   What is your advice to those above 60 years of age, in health matters?

          It is a very good question you have asked me. Actually, one should start taking care of his/her health sooner than at 60, but even 60 is not too late. At sixty, most people retire from active life which is not right. This is the time to make new projects, new ambitions and work harder and enjoy the fruits of hard work. Greater sociability, financial stability, pleasant environment, a spouse with a positive mind, friends who care for you are important at this stage in life. In case of man, a female company is a must. Most people miss here. At sixty, one must have a project to do and people who work for the benefit of others, and for other causes, do extraordinarily well, health-wise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Q   How would you like to guide the young students in matters of their health in future?

          Games are a must which help to make mind healthy besides good physique. At this age, you enjoy life much more if you have done hard work during work time. Any enjoyment without hard work is ruinous. Work, work and then enjoy. This enjoyment helps you to grow and grow fast.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   It is said that food has a great effect on health of a person. What are your views on this point? Generally, what are the items of food on your dining table, at breakfast, lunch and dinner?

          Interestingly at my age, I look forward to each of my three meals and very much so. For breakfast, I eat at least two seasonal fruits, an egg/germinated moath. For lunch, rice, dal, vegetable, sugared dahi and a fruit. Dinner is generally rich with chapati (wheat, barley, bazra) with Rajasthani dishes followed by a sweet in good quantity i.e. minimum 125 gms (mishri mawa/barfi/halwa) all season wise.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   What is your opinion on use of alcoholic beverages?

          In moderate quantities and only off and on, a drink does no harm. It can be positively useful for health, if taken in delightful and enchanting company and in a pleasant environment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   How have you been able to control “anger” in life?

          I don’t remember having shown any anger anytime except when I was very young. I learnt from others that noble people don’t get angry. Those who are often angry loose much in life & gain nothing. One gets angry when one finds faults in others, I don’t find faults in others. Everybody makes mistakes, why not your own people/friends/relatives/students & children.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   It is said that mind and body are related. What are your views on this statement?

          Yes, mind and body are related and our mind has a considerable control on our body. Those with the positive mind are healthier and suffer less from diseases. Deepak Chopra of India is an International authority on the subject and people are advised to read his books.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   How have you been able to maintain a high level of memory?

          Memory is related to your love for the matter. The people you love, you remember everything about them. The same thing is about places, those you are impressed with, you don’t forget them or about them.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   Most of the medicines are said to have side effects. How has been your personal experience and that of other persons known to you, about use of allopathic medicines in times of ill health?

          Actually, there is no medicine which does not have a side effect. Some have more, others have very few. The more potent the medicine, the more side effects it causes. Medicines should always be taken in the right dose at the right time and one has to be very careful about taking them empty stomach/after food. Many people don’t observe these meticulously and suffer from unnecessary harm. Before leaving the place of the doctor/health personnel, one should fully understand the methodology and the precautions to be taken.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   What are your views about the Ayurveda system of medicines? Have you made use of such medicines personally and/or recommended to persons known to you? If yes, what has been the general experience?

          India is very rich in herbal medicines, which have been tested and used for centuries. These have been employed for the benefit of human beings for a long time. Ayurvedic medicines are mostly herbal but it does not mean that they are very safe. Some of these are very useful in gastro-intestinal ailments and also in maintaining a balance state of mind. Unfortunately, these may not be so useful in very in-depth diseases, especially those due to microbes. The so-called Ayurvedic tonics advertised so well and recommended by some, are of no use at all. These have only as much effect as a placebo.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Q   Summarizing, what broad message would you like to give to our readers/viewers, about matters of health, diet and medicines?

          Ordinarily if parents take interest in the development of their children, these off springs do well in life. The old proverb “early to bed, early to rise” is very true. Positivity of mind is the biggest single feature which helps one in life.

            There is something I would like to add here that one should develop a habit of giving more and more to others family/friends/students/colleagues. Those whom you give, may not be able to ever return and give you back, but these weaker people do send vibrations to you, not necessary directly, which improve our life and our confidence, to do more and more in life. Most of our people fail to take advantage of this easy attribute of life.

                                                                              

                                                          -------------vijaiksharma

FACING & OVERCOMING A SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH FASTING & DIET CONTROL

Ms. Fay Knight, aged 56 years, married with three children was living in Saratoga, California, USA in Dec 2003 when she had responded to my questions. To give an idea of the past history of her case,  at the age of 22 years, about three weeks after the birth of her first child, one fine morning when she got up, she felt extreme body pain, though the earlier night she was normal. Her case was so severe that even blinking an eyelid plunged her into intense body pain.  Check-up revealed that she was having rheumatoid arthritis. And after four months of medicinal therapy, the acute pain reduced, but she found the continuation of medicines unhelpful.  Further every medicine was known to be having side effects, likely to affect other organs of the body. In 1982 she realized enough was enough, & decided not to take any more medicines, even against the advice of her rheumatologist. She discontinued this treatment & found a controlled diet and homeopathic medicines equally good or bad. Then she had to take recourse to a wheel chair. At one point she decided to undertake a fast for 3 days & pray, for religious reasons. This was a turning point, as her symptoms disappeared. As a result of her own research on this subject, she found about True North Clinic, which modifies the diet of the patient and also does supervision during a water-fast. She undertook a fast for 3 weeks & for the first time in 26 years, she did not have pain. She participated in two more fasts along with diet modifications since she found that water fasting helped natural healing. Her diet strictly consisted of fruits and vegetables, along with brisk walking, swimming & aerobics etc. This helped her to live a normal life with better overall health. Her activities were limited due to damaged joints & wasted muscles, though she wanted to be active & also help others.

Q In which parts of the body mainly, the pain was experienced & whether it was intermittent or continuous. Did you have pain in the joints?

        The pain is in the joints. Mainly in the limbs, but I have had pain in almost every joint of my body including jaw, collar bone, ribs etc. The pain wanders from one joint to another, most often hands, elbows, knees & feet.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What exactly did you eat/drink during the first 3 days of fasting? Was it limited to water or fruits or something else?

        For two days prior to fast, just raw fruits and veggies. Fast is distilled water only and at the end of the fast one restarts to feed with fresh squeezed juice for some days according to the length of the water fast.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What were the religious reasons for fasting?

      I am a follower of Lord Jesus Christ and decided to fast and pray because I was finding my illness overwhelming.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  How did you get the idea of fasting?

       It is recommended as a spiritual discipline in the Bible.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Did the symptoms disappear completely? If yes, for how many days?

       Yes, the symptoms disappeared completely. On the 3 day fast, they returned as soon as I started to eat, but after longer fasting, they remained in remission for years.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Please give the name of the book, its author, publisher etc. which you were reading and which stated that fasting helps arthritis.

       The book is Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman & published by St. Martin’s Press, New York. I will send you the web site of this Doctor from whom you can order a copy of the book which states very clearly that research indicates this approach works for rheumatoid arthritis (and many other diseases). True North Clinic also sells his books.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q who is running the True North Clinic? Please give its address and e mail ID.

        I will send you their web link.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Q  What were the exact modifications to the diet?

        No foods of animal origin. No tea, coffee etc. (just water to drink). No refined, packaged food. Most food raw.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What are the details of water fasting?

         Rest is essential and also supervision, if it is longer than 3 days. You will be able to get more information from the True North Clinic and from Dr. Furhman.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What exactly did you eat/drink during the 26 days of fasting?

        It was 21 days of fast-the rest was re-feeding time. I drank only distilled water.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q What are the details of the next 2 fasts?

        They were the same but only each was of 14 days duration with 7 days to re-feed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q As per the para:”Regimen” in this column, the problem does not appear to have been resolved fully and you have to have a rigid control on your diet. How long you have to have these controls?

        The diet is for life. That is why the problem is not fully resolved I think- because I have not been 100 % disciplined with the diet and even a little straying affects me. My problem was that the disease was so far advanced- I had been suffering from the disease since I was 20. I believe if it had been caught earlier I would have been fully cured so I would not have had to be quite so rigid with the diet. As it is I still have the disease and the diet keeps it to a very low level of activity. My other problem is that I have some deformity due to long duration of the disease and my muscles are quite wasted. As I am now over 50, it is difficult to build muscle, so I am inclined to get injuries and strains as I exercise. All these problems would be overcome in a younger or less advanced case.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q As we know “Fasting” is a technique from India. We would also like to know the above details so that its details & benefits can be known to many others.

           I am so pleased to know that this information may be of use to some people in India. I am from England originally, now living in California and I have a special affection for the people of India. I have some Indian relatives and friends and England owes much to India for inspiration and many contributions to our culture and wealth. May God bless you and grant you health in the coming years.

 

NOTES- (a) Brief details of this case had been published in “San Jose Mercury News” daily newspaper from California, USA, in its column “How I stay fit”, in its Nov 11, 2003 issue. It described the case of Ms. Fay Knight at that time.  Cooperation rendered by Ms. Kristina Nicholas of this Newspaper is duly acknowledged. The above details are based on the contents of the above issue of this newspaper, & the subsequent correspondence this writer had with Ms. Fay Knight & are being given with the permission of Ms. Knight & the newspaper. The blogger would like to express his grateful thanks to both, for sharing the details of this case, for the ultimate benefit of the mankind.

   (b) Subsequently contacts could not be kept with Ms. Fay Knight, as e mails sent to her e mail ID bounced back. Hence present status is not known.  Nevertheless the information available from her case may be of some benefit for some patients having such problems.

 

 

                                                           -----------------vijaiksharma

 

 

 

 

 

 

REAL STORY OF THE TREASUE OF HOLY BOOKS OF AJAI, THE LOVING DEVOTEE OF LORD RAM, UNFOLDED FOR FREE ACCESS ON WEB SITE

                                   

                                        AJAI KUMAR CHHAWCHHARIA

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR: Born on Aug 08, 1955 in a coal-mining commumity in Burdwan district, West Bengal State, India. Received the best of education available at that place at that time. His loving parents used to tell him that Sri Ram is his only friend & companion, that Ram will take care of him & that he will have nothing to worry in life.  Came to Ayodhya, UP, in 1985 and has been here since then. Working at—Kanak Bhavan Temple, Ayodhya [website of this temple— www.kanak-bhavan-temple.com He has done work on Indian scriptures, in English language. He tries to be as objective, incisive, simple & straight-forward as possible. His books have a layman’s language. The extent, the dimension & the sort of work done by him, does not appear to have been done yet by a single individual. Also, no single person appears to have ever attempted to write explanatory commentaries on all the 108 Upanishads as they appear in their respective Vedas. Also no one has made them available for FREE on the internet for the world to benefit from this knowledge.   He has had no religious education, has no traditional Guru or anyone else to guide him. He gets stunned when he reads his own finished products. But humbly he says that he has no glorious achievements & skills to show to the world & that a Sanyasi cannot claim & say about himself in the form of a ‘bio-data’. .       

Q  How many books have you written so far, how many have been printed, how many posted on web site and on which web sites?  

           My books are in English and can generally be classified into four basic categories

           (A) Those that present an English version of Goswami Tulsidas’ great immortal classics on Lord Ram, the incarnate Supreme Being. These books have already been published, but are being thoroughly revised by me. The new books will have a complete new dimension & present the text in a complete new form. These books are Tulsidas and the following: (a) Barvai Ramayan (b) Dohawali (c) Kavitawali (d) Geetawali (e) Vairagya Sandipani (f) Janki Mangal. (g) Parvati Mangal (h) Ram Lala Nahachu (i) Vinai Patrika (j) The Ram Charit Manas and (k) Hanuman Baahuk. 

         (B) English versions of three other classical Sanskrit texts of the epic Ramayana and one written by the famous blind saint Surdas.  These books are the different versions of the epic Ramayana that have been rendered in English by me. These are the following:(a) Adhyatma Ramayan by Veda Vyas in two parts, (b) Adbhut Ramayan by Valmiki, (c) Ramayan according to the Devi Puran and (d) Surdas’ Ram Charitawali. 

          (C) All the 108 Upanishads sequenced according to their respective Vedas, with full Sanskrit text, Romanized transliteration and easy-flowing English narration. These are in five volumes, each having many parts depending on the thickness of the volume (a) The 1^st volume has 10 Upanishads of the Rig Veda, (b) the 2^nd has 16 Upanishads of the Sam Veda, (c) the 3^rd has 119 Upanishads of the Shukla Yajur Ve da, (d) the 4^th has 32 Upanishads of the Krishna Yajur Veda and (e) the 5^th has 31 Upanishads of the Atharva Veda. 

           (D) Other books revolving around the above themes, based on the above books and at the same time being independent books in themselves. As of March 2014, the following books have already been finished and scores of them are planned by me in the near future: (a) A Divine Biography of Lord Ram & glory of Lord’s Holy Name. [It brings all of pristine Tulsidas under one cover.] (b) The Chariot of God—the Dharma Rath. (c) Ram Geeta—the divine Song of Lord Ram, the incarnate Supreme Being. (d) All the Upanishads of Lord Ram & the Lord’s sacred Hymns, along with selected verses from the Upanishads and the Holy Bible. (e) Lord Shiva—his legend, Upanishads, Shiva-Puran, hymns and Parvati Mangal (of Goswami Tulsidas). (f) ‘Saints and Non-Saints, Their Character & Comparison’. (g) Bhakti—devotion for God (based on Ram Charit Manas). (h) The divine Mantras of Lord Ram. (i) Who is a Guru? (j) The concept of Kalaa. (k) ‘Brahm’ in the eyes of the Upanishads. (l) The 24 Avtaars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu. (m) The concept of ‘Maya’. (n) Sanyas—with Vairagya Shatkam of Bhartihari. (o) The Great Sages/Seers/Saints of India. (p) 'Genesis of Creation'—according to the Upanishads. (q) ‘The MAHAVAKYAS of the UPANISHADS—The Great Spiritual Truths’. (r) Tattvas (elements) and Gunas (qualities)- According to the Upanishads. (s) The PENTAGON of CREATION—The Panch Tattvas (5 Bhuts or elements), The Panch Prans (5 vital life forces), The Panch Koshas (5 sheaths or cells). (t) “The HANS, a divine Swan—its metaphysical & spiritual significance as per the Upanishads.”(u) A Life-sketch of Goswami Tulsidas. (v) The Sraawan Jhula (Swing) Festival. (w) Arunachal Panch-ratna & Rudra Ashtak. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Lord Arunchaal & co-produced by Swami Janaardan Kalianandswami of Virginia Beach, Va, USA & myself. 

            (E) Other authors, who wish to upload their books on my site, are welcome. As on March, 2014, there are two such books on my website: (a) Ramayani by Swami Sri Kripa-Shankar. It is a detailed commentary on the Ram Charit Manas of Tulsidas. Kripa-Shankar ji was a great spiritual preacher famous for his in-depth study & analytical discourses on the Ramayanas of Valmiki & Goswami Tulsidas, as well as Srimad Bhagwat. This book is based on the 9-day discourses that he had given on Tulsidas’ Ram Charit Manas at Chitrakoot in 2002 & again at Ayodhya in 2003. (b) UNBURDENING A BURDEN—by Raghav Dwivedi. It is a book of devotional poetry of pristine nectar-like beauty that touches & moves the heart from its core. 

               Out of the above, the series on Tulsidas books ( category A), on Upanishads (category B), the different Ramayanas (category C) & one book titled ‘Divine Biography of Lord Ram’ (category D)—have been published by a publisher of Delhi (details given separately). All the books under category D have been uploaded on my website for free download worldwide in PDF format. More will be added on a continuous basis. The revised version of all of Tulsidas books mentioned above (category A) will also be uploaded when completed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What motivated you to write so many spiritual books & post on web sites for free access by anyone? 

             I wished to serve my beloved Lord Ram in the best way I could. An inner voice motivated me to do something for Ram in the field of books.  I did not have any set plan & I was terrified at the prospect of writing on and for ‘HIM’. But the things unfolded soon. I may be the ‘writer’ of these books from the perspective of this world, but the reality is that it was the Lord, Sri Ram, the Supreme Being, who got these books written. So HE is the author. This is a matter of faith, a fact and the truth.  I put the books on the website for free download, because I wanted the world to know what the Lord spoke; I wished to unlock the gates of this spiritual treasure for all to enjoy & benefit in the way that suits them; I wished to put the garland consisting of these exceptionally beautiful books at the holy altar of the shrine of Lord Ram which I managed to build, and this is the way I treat this my website < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com > to be. Please visit my website & pay attention to the following points:

(i) At the very top you will read this statement—“THIS IS LORD GOD’S OWN WEBSITE, is dedicated to Him and promoting His Words.” 

            (ii) Then on the HOME PAGE you will notice three photos appearing one after the other in dynamic form—two of them are Lord Ram’s portraits and one is of Tulsidas.

(iii) The contours of the border of the Home Page where these photos are, is designed to reflect a Singhasan (throne) in a temple where idols are consecrated.

(iv)Like a temple, it has a donation box for voluntary contributions. On the ‘Contribution Page’ a bank a/c is mentioned, so that anyone wishing to contribute may do so.

            (v) The name of the website itself invokes an instant image of a holy place, a shrine. It has  two words “Tulsidas” & “Ram” as identification marks. The next word i.e. “Books” indicates what to expect in this shrine—holy books dedicated to Lord Ram & as a tribute to Tulsidas, the great saint & poet who wrote on the theme of Ram. His works remain unparalleled & act as gold standard for devotional literature ever written anywhere. 

            (vi)The miracle & the magic of this unique shrine is this: whereas one has to physically walk & go to visit any brick-and-mortar shrine to have a divine glimpse of the deity installed there, this website brings the same holy deity in the household. Whereas a physical building known as a temple has a limited geographical spread & reach, this temple reaches the world.   

            (vii) When you enter a formal temple you first have the Darshan (holy vision) of the deity. Here we have the Darshan of Lord Sri Ram in the Home Page. Tulsidas is also honoured in this shrine because it is he who gave us the extraordinary books showing who Ram was and what is the meaning of Bhakti (devotion). [Remember his classics—Ram Charit Manas, Vinai Patrika.] Then you go around the sanctum in a ritual called Parikrama (going around the deity in a clockwise manner) and spend some time walking or relaxing for some time. This is symbolized by browsing on my website. Then you finally bow & walk away from a temple with the Prasad (blessed food items or any other blessing of the Lord). Prasad of this shrine is in the form of the free books that you download on your way out.

(viii) A true shrine does not demand ‘money’ for allowing Darshan (holy vision) of the deity & for offering Prasad (blessing). So these books have been made free.  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------          

Q  How many persons appear to have downloaded or viewed these books and which particular book had the maximum response for viewing? 

            Regarding the response to viewing, one day I received an e-mail from one radio- presenter from Durban, South Africa. They have a one-hour programme known as ‘Hinduvani’, once a week, on Saturdays. He told me that he has been reading my book “Biography of Ram” over the radio in a serialized form in this programme & has finished the Baal Kand. Out of all the books they downloaded for the purpose of selecting a text for the listeners, he found it to be most useful. He further stated that after some time, he will continue from Ayodhya Kand onwards. I thanked & requested him to mention my website over the radio for awareness of the listeners. He enthusiastically agreed not only to mention the link of the website < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com > but my name as well, each time the slot is broadcast. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What has been the level & quantum of response/comments specifically from foreign readers? 

All those who have read my books have uniformly said that these are very simple, to the point without compromising on the essence, which has been brought out excellently in all the books. The publisher & the distributor have told me that many people who did respond were extremely appreciative of the standard of the books & their authenticity & scholarship. On the Face book as well as by email also, I have been receiving appreciative messages.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Why is it that you do not want to go out of Ayodhya, even for some time?  

              I have found my peace here. Though I understand that Lord Ram lives everywhere but when I stepped out of my house for the first time in 1985 I had promised to myself that now onwards, I will not spend a night out of Ayodhya.  My saintly & loving father had also advised me to stick to my guns & avoid wandering here & there. By keeping to yourself and keeping quiet, you will get peace & serenity.  If you can’t find Ram at Ayodhya then you won’t find HIM in the Himalayas or any holy city for that matter. Don’t waste time & money and jeopardize your already fragile health in ‘tourist activity’—he used to advise me on his death bed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Who gave you the inspiration to choose the spiritual field for writing of books? 

                It is in the heart, the Lord lives & therefore the obvious inspirer or motivator is the Lord himself. I just did what my heart spoke to me to do. My respected father advised me to make Hanuman ji my mental Guru. Has not Tulsidas said “Lord Ram lives in the heart of those for whom the Lord is a Swami (master & lord), Sakha (friend), Pitu (father), Matu (mother) & Guru (moral preceptor & guide & teacher)”.{Ram Charit Manas, Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 130).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  How did you achieve single minded concentration and devotion to God, the Almighty?  

              I do not do any special Puja or formal worship. For me the Lord does not need formalities to be honoured. Then why pay attention to a concept known as ‘devotion for God’. Should ‘devotion’ be not considered interesting & refreshing simply because it pertains to an entity conceptualized as “God”. Therefore, no special attention is needed if we are serving the Lord, the whole life. This concept of ‘paying attention to God & offering worship in a special session requiring attention & concentration’ applies to those who think that the ‘one hour of Puja that they manage to do in their busy schedule’ is worship to God & but not rest of the day.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  The number of books posted by you is quite large. What has been your time schedule of writing? 

               Other than my routine personal chores and attending to my responsibilities in the Kanak Bhavan Temple of Ayodhya, where I work, the rest of the time is for my Lord. I have a lot to do and age & health are heavily weighing against me. I am sort of rushing against time. I shun people to the extent of a recluse because I refuse to entertain unnecessary talks and guests. I don’t have fixed time to start work on my computer, but yes I don’t stop till 11 P.M. Then I take some frugal meal and hit the bed. Sometimes I attend to my email & other obligations after this mid-night food. So it is often that I go to bed, around 1.30 A.M.  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  When and where do you get the ideas for these books? 

               Ideas came from within. I wanted to do something lasting for my Lord instead of doing routine work. It was not for which my Ram brought me here. So it was—the instructions to this book & then that book ‘just came’, unplanned & un-foretold. It did ‘just come from the blue’.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  At what point of time, did you decide to take this work as a Mission? 

                Once my inner self told me that I was wasting my time & life, in the false notion that I am ‘serving God’. That same voice told me: Look, I have greater plans for you. You will believe me when you read the Upanishads. But have patience. Things will turn up on their own when the time comes. Don’t leave the temple. Divert your attention to something constructive and do some ‘real temple-work’—create a temple where the intellectual & the sincere devotees will find solace, peace, happiness, joy & rest. People do not have the time and inclinations & they may rather feign devotion. It is rare that one wishes to actually serve God selflessly. A lot of ground had been covered by so many ancient saints and sages. But still much needs to be done. The world has become a virtual village. You have a job to do. So get up & go ahead and do it. Come on, get up & do it. Do it, do it, do it. Don’t be scared; the One who took care of you against the severest of odds will take care of you throughout. Therefore, get up and go ahead…!’ Absolute frankly & truthfully this is how it all started. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What made you remain a single person all through the life? 

               Single? Who says so? My beloved and dearest is always with me, so where am I alone.  We all came alone and we all will go alone. The people whom we call friends, husbands and wives are like the companions we make during a long train journey. As far as I am concerned, I have such a caring lover with me who will make others pink with jealousy!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  What is your involvement with the Ramlala Temple in Ayodhya? 

               Nothing at all. It is heavily barricaded and inconvenient to go. I work in ‘Kanak Bhavan Temple’, which is the most revered temple in Ayodhya. By the grace of Ram, I enjoy the sort of authority & respect here that is difficult to imagine. All the trustees have affection for me and they trust me more than anyone else. This temple is governed by erstwhile princely states and still maintains former royal grandeur, dignities and decorum—of Tikamgarh in MP, and Ayodhya Raj.  Religion is something between your own self and God; it’s a dialogue between the individual soul and the Supreme. So, if and when religion becomes corrupted and formalized into an organized commercial venture, it ceases to fulfill its main objective. I wish to keep a safe distance from it because it will rob my heart of its peace. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Are you also engaged in some spiritual teachings, lectures & communications to the residents of Ayodhya &/or the tourists coming to Ayodhya? 

               Absolutely not. I don’t have any time The Lord allots jobs according to one’s competence & abilities. To me came this lot—to write about Lord. If a man is sincerely interested in his salvation he will find a way out; there are books to guide him & books are one’s best friend & guide.  Books have permanent value, because they don’t speak in a double-edged tongue. The seeker is free to make his judgment.   

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Why did you not think of getting monetary returns from your books on web site, which could have been utilized for the welfare of human beings? 

           Everyone’s duties, destinies and callings are determined by a supreme Authority. I never felt that I was meant to earn money. The Lord took care of my needs and is still doing it wonderfully. I am not some celebrated author whose books sell by the truckloads that translate into millions of dollars or rupees as royalty. If however anyone does wish to contribute I will willingly accept because I have no right to hurt the giver’s emotions. But then I will take a print-out of some of the books and donate them to some libraries etc. or finance some student’s studies, something which I can’t do now.  What the Sanyas Upanishads say—‘A Sanyasi never bothers about the next day’s food. That will be arranged by the Lord for him’. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Who are the person(s) who are assisting you in this noble task, where substantial work, effort & time is involved viz. for research work, compilation, editing, posting and subsequent works? 

             There is no disciple or assistant. For the books published in printed form, I prepare the text and send a soft copy by means of a CD and a proof by way of printout. The final composing and typesetting etc is done at Delhi. The proof comes and goes at least two or three times before the book is actually printed on paper. For the e-book version for my website, everything is done by me.  However, I have a boy to whom I send the final product and he simply uploads them on the website. But, I take it that these books are authored by the Lord.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Please share the major difficulties faced by you in this gigantic task. 

                 My health is a constant problem. I had developed cataract in both the eyes due to hard work.  I am around 60 of age and the natural aging process creates its own set of problems & obstacles viz. loss of strength & appetite, muscular weakness, pain and aching etc. Now that I have learnt typing and editing on the computer myself, things have become easier and comfortable. But my earlier days in writing were horrific nightmares. I had to go to a typist’s shop to get the manuscripts typed and had to wait for long time for some reason or other, besides the vagaries of the seasons. After ploughing through the voluminous proof pages, corrections were a Herculean task because I had to sit with them both for the original typing and then for the proof corrections. It was back-breaking. Money was another factor then, as I had drained quite a bit of my savings in getting the books typed in the market. Who is concerned about my emotions or mission in life?  At that time I was a naïve & had a mission to accomplish. No one came forward to lend a hand, except some acquaintances, who helped me with some monetary help & I am obliged to them. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Have your efforts and contributions been recognized in India and elsewhere? If yes, in what manner? 

                 The answer is ‘no’, but I have no complaints and no regrets.  Nonetheless, I am happy even without any honour or recognition. In one way it is good. The Lord always discourages his loving devotee whom he loves exceptionally, from getting fame while he is alive. This helps the devotee to maintain his equilibrium of mind and prevents him from becoming proud of his achievements & successes, even though I am very confident that I would not have been so. Let the world enjoy the nectar dripping out of the books. In today’s world, many things are stage-managed and recognition on the world stage requires some high & mighty patron—something I don’t have. Those who know the achiever will come to him seeking knowledge and he will be known to the world by word of mouth and personal experiences of those who come to him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Which countries have you visited for discourses and programmes on spiritual matters? 

                 What to talk of ‘foreign country’, I have not even visited any of our Indian pilgrim places in the last 29 years since I came to Ayodhya in 1985, though I had gone to Pushkar, Nathdwara &  Dwarka, when I was in college at Jaipur. Then later on, I had gone to Chidambaran in Tamil Nadu, & Tirupati Balaji once, while I did a course as a young student at the Annamalai University there.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  How many months do you take, on an average, to complete one book from start to finish? 

                 The time factor is quite fluctuating e.g. I did Upanishad volumes in about 4 years.   Tulsidas’ first edition took around 3-4 years. I don’t keep a timetable because that would be like forcing me to meet deadlines. I write for the peace of my mind, soul and heart.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q  Please narrate any one interesting event/incident, which you have experienced while planning/writing/posting these books? 

                 I had no plan to process the book ‘Devi Puran Ramayan’ at all; in fact I did not even know that this sort of Ramayan ever existed. One day I was cleaning my room, which I do routinely, unconsciously my eyes fell on a stack of books in the wall Almirah, where I saw a thick book protruding oddly from the top of the stack. I just wished to dust it and push it back, so that it doesn’t fall down.  Nevertheless, I pulled it out to dust it before shoving it in. Now, while turning it to clean it, my attention was drawn to a paper mark jutting out of it from the top end. Out of curiosity, I opened the page, and astonishingly my eyes fell on a heading that read that it was the beginning of the story of Ramayan. ‘Ramayan in the middle of another book’—I wondered what that book was about. Then it was the first time I looked at its cover attentively, which read ‘Devi Puran’. I was just about to push it in but a thought occurred to me to flip a few more pages and take a quick glance. Suddenly I discovered another paper slip at the place where the Ramayan part ended and the story of Krishna started. Nonchalantly I closed it and was about to shove it back on the stack when a phone was received from the temple and people wanted me to rush there because the Navratra Puja had to be done, as it was the first day of the Navratras.

            I kept the book tentatively on my writing desk and hurried to the temple.  At that time I was writing Tulsidas’ Janki and Parvati Mangal. Mentally disturbed & restless, I finished my obligations hurriedly and rushed home to look at the book closely for the first time! I discovered that the story of Ramayan is contained in its Canto nos. 36-49. I thought that it was the providence that the Lord had thrust this book in my hands, that I must tell the world about this story of Durga Puja & Dusshera. Without second thoughts, I decided that I will finish this Ramayan exactly within the period of the Navratras. I slogged day and night. I managed to finish the Chapters in such a way that each landmark event narrated in the Puran coincided with the actual timings that these celebrations were observed in the traditional manner by the public, so much so that the killing of Ravana and the final immersion of the idol of Durga coincided with the actual burning of Ravana’s effigy and immersion of Durga idols that was done at Ayodhya that year. My wrists and fingers became distorted with exertion, and I had to give then a long rest of about 15 days, before they were fit to pick up the pen again. But the ‘book’ got ready in the form; it was later published by Chaukhamba publishers in exactly ten days of the Navratras! It just ‘happened’, inexplicably and unknowingly.  It was not planned, not foretold, virtually unknown and it was literally impossible.  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

For creating a web site, a miracle happened with me. I had a Face book account at that time and I made an appeal for help & guidance. An unknown lady from America, Virginia Wright by name, came as a God-sent angel for me. She told me details about how and where to create a great website, the one that I have now. She gave me step-by-step instructions though I was a complete stranger. I named the web site after Tulsidas and Ram. I will never be able to thank this kind lady adequately, who was instrumental in my having this present website, where I upload my books, i.e. < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com > She was the one who showed me the way where I finally built the website for my free books, though of course the final shape was arranged with the help of a local boy.   

Virginia Wright Author:   Website:  http://www.virginiawright.com/blog  

 E-mail ID:  info@virginiawright.com 

NOTE FURTHER DETAILS OF AUTHOR:

website: < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com >

email ID : < ajaikumarchhawchharia@gmail.com >

Author’s recent books have also been uploaded on another website which is exclusively dedicated to e-books: < www.inkbok.com/ajaikumarchhawchharia>       

 DETAILS ABOUT AVAILABILITY OF BOOKS:    

Publisher:  Chaukhamba Publishing House, Delhi.

Address: 4697/2, Street no. 21-A, (HDFC Bank wali Gali), Ansari Road, Darayaganj, Delhi—110002.

Proprietor:  Shri Neeraj Gupta.

Phone: Landline: Office: 011-23286537; 011-32996391, Mobile-09811133683,

E-mail ID: < chaukhambapublishinghouse@gmail.com >

Distributor of Author’s printed books: Sri Nitin Goel. [Firm: Exotic India Arts Pvt. Ltd., Delhi]

 Phone:  Landline: 011-45083532; 011-27373485; 011-27374360,   Mobile-09811684062,

E-mail ID: < nitin@exoticindia.com >  

                                                                                      -----------vijaiksharma

----------------------------------------------------------------------------