2 nights with …………….????

The hopeless romantic that I am, this weekend, I once gain fell in love as one more love story unfurled in my life. With my room mates dispatched for their respective homes in Mumbai and Delhi, and there being no one except for me in the house, I decided to spend the two nights with the most beautiful creation that I had set my eyes about one month ago.

I finally brought her home this Saturday night and since that fateful night I have had just 3 hours of sleep in the last 36 hours trying to discover each and every aspect of her magical mystique.

Well before you get me any more wrong, let me clarify that, I am referring here to one of the best written and well though provoking books that I had a pleasure to read this weekend.

It’s titled Shantaram and is authored by Gregory David. I know this personal blog is not a place to write book reviews, but this 900 + page beauty has touched me in so many ways that any blog on Sethi Sahib will not be complete without a word about this book.

It’s an epic story about a fugitive from Australia, who lands up in Mumbai faking as tourist from New Zealand., starts living in Mumbai slums, runs a clinic for the slum guys, falls in love with a green eyed beauty Carla, Learns to speak Hindi and Marathi, learns the art of black market, drug trafficking, gold smuggling, fake passport making, joins the Mumbai mafia, go to war in Afghanistan and still manages to emerge as a hero for everyone.

Well so much happening in one single life and if you thought it’s just a piece of fiction then mind you this is 90 % real life account of the author who took 13 years to pen down this book. Twice the manuscript of the book was destroyed by the Jail authorities and was again written from scratch. As the author puts it, it’s a story written in pain, blood and sweat. Sheer passion flows through the entire narrative.

The philosophical discussions between Abdul khader, the learned Mafia head and Lin Baba, as the protagonist is known in Mumbai ,about what is life, why we are here, what are our objective and his theory about what is good and bad is a sheer piece of poetic wisdom.

And yes not to forget the lady love of Lin baba, woman named Karla, I am myself smitten by her intelligence and the numerous one liners from her that are quoted and splashed across the book. Sample these “Happiness is a myth that was invented to let us buy things”. “Dreams are places where wishes and fears meet and if your wishes and fears are same it’s called a night mare”. I sincerely hope there is at least one lady with intelligence and charm of Karla in the real word.

And then there are others powerful characters Prabhakar, Johny Cigar, Vikram, and Didier, each one forcing you to sit and reflect on the lessons from their lives.

If you are looking forward to read a sheer piece of super genius creativity and for some profound thinking for your head, do read his book and if you have read it do let me know, I am dying to discuss each and every thought presented there with anyone who have the honor of becoming Lin Baba’s fan.

For more info about the book and author visit

http://www.shantaram.com/

Here are few more quotes from the book for your reading pleasure.

“A man has to find a woman, then earn her respect and finally cherish her trust” Vikram quoting Karla

"It is always hard to love a person you cannot forgive" – Linbaba

“It's such a huge arrogance, to love someone, and there's too much of it around. There's too much love in the world. Sometimes I think that’s what heaven is - a place where everybody's happy because nobody loves anybody else, ever.” Karla

When you are sober, It's the world that's f**ked (there are many more and better ones like this but I guess my blog is a family blog (sic) so read them when you read the book :-))