• Author Akansha Damini is a wanderer-storeyteller and meditation guide. Both come together in Aalolika. The result is pure bliss! Know more about the book in this review.

I was happy to know about author Akansha Damini Joshi’s new book and happier when she offered to send me a copy. Damini’s writings for eSamskriti made me read the book in a week, something I rarely do. 

What I like about the book

Book cover design and colours are very good. I may they calm the mind immediately and made me feel serene. Within the book too, every page has a unique design with many pictures of Bharat thrown in.

The book weaves together various strands of Indian thought effortlessly. It includes Upanishads, Vijnanabhairava Tantra, Shakta tradition, Saivism,  Buddha, Kashmir Saivism, Bhagawad Gita and Bhagavat Purana. I liked the references to Lord Dattatreya. Teachers of Dattatreya are the Python and the Bee. How the learning helps him in mediation. I wish there were pictures of Dattatreya as worshipped in Maharashtra and Kutch.

It tells the essence of Indian thought in the form of a story, sometimes inspired from the Puranas whilst others being a result of Damini’s creativity or experiences. Story style is casual cool, romantic for those who read it through eyes of the west and plain poetry at times. Stories have teachings that carry the essence of life. Invariably the story made me reflect and meditate on the message conveyed. 

The stories also tell about the importance of Shakti in Indic thought. India must be the few countries in the world where the Female Form or Shakti is worshipped. The relationship between Shiva and Parvati is well told in ‘Shakti and the Jalebi Tandar’. Whilst reading it realized how different Indic thought is from the rest of the world.

I was also happy to read that Aalolika owes its emergence to many contemporary Gurus of India namely Osho, Swami Laxmanjoo (master of Kashmir Shaivism), Swami Dayanand Saraswati (Coimbatore), Ma Anandmayi, and Dalai Lama. Whilst reading the references to each story, I realized the amount of effort and reading put in to select an appropriate story. The quantum of reading done makes me realize that author Damini is more learned than I thought.

The other learned whom the author refers to Guru Goraknath, Siddha Sarahapada (One of the 84 Mahasiddhas and Tibetan master of Vajrayana Buddhism), Santi Ravidas (Guru of Queen Mirabai), the Four Kumaras, Daya Bai (18^th century) and Sant Tulsidas.

Yama is the Lord of Liberation not death is beautifully told.

Indic faiths love for animals and nature (forest etc.) comes through in Damini’s book.

The importance of PRANA nicely told. So also the importance of love not fear (spiritual thought).

Very good quotes

“So, it is like this, Devi. Sometimes you need to go veerrrryyy far to know what you already have is heaven!” Lord Vishnu to Goddess Lakshmi.

“Fleeting glimpses Of subtle Samadhi Occur Even in daily life; But We realize it not For we know of it not Like a star unfamiliar, A jewel unknown, We miss it.”

“The Gita has wise yet practical teachings for people of all dispositions. It helps sketch a map for an intimate understanding of oneself.” It shows that meditation can happen amidst the challenges of the world, in our everyday life. 

“To see life with clarity a little bit of distance is needed.”

What is meaning of word AALOLIKA?

Damini wrote, “Aalolika is the Sanskrit word for the humming sound made to soothe a child to sleep. It is an evocative state of hypnotic calm before sleeping, where the noise of the mind has settled, and it is receptive to absorb what is offered to it.”

How is AALOLIKA designed?

Damini wrote, “This book is designed to be experienced in sixteen sets of three. Imagine each set to be three concentric mandalas, circles. The outer mandala is made up of the timeless stories of the Gods and Goddesses of India. The second mandala, the meditation sutras, are threads from the time honoured spiritual teachings of India. The innermost mandala is the photo art, which spins off from the divine story and the spiritual sutra into the everyday life in India.”

I loved this format. The reading took me into a different space where I reflected upon what was written. The pictures made me realize the importance of travelling in knowing how to connect with Bharat.

Dhanyavad/aabhar/thanks to the Creative Director Tania Kamath and Designer Swati Namjoshi not to forget Sutanu Panigrahi in charge of Art –Covers. Your work has significantly contributed to the pleasure of reading Aaalolika. 

The LIGHT is within us, so discover the Self.

If you truly to wish to enjoy the book read it a few times and reflect.

Author Akansha Damini is a wanderer-storeyteller and meditation guide. Both come together in Aalolika. The result is pure bliss!

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