Deep insight into Nine lives. Review on Nine Lives - William Dalrymple

*William Dalrymple is a master biographer & story teller.****I was left wondering for weeks with the crumbling image of ****" The Last Mughal" empire of Bahadur shah Zaffer after reading his book.***

*Dalrymple lives in a farm Outside of Delhi has a deep knowledge & love ****for Indian culture.His Recent book "Nine lives"is a travelogue and a ****biography of nine different characters dispersed across the country.***

*Each of these characters'are on an individual spiritual journey.****The writing is entirely experiential, His**** roving eye ****documents everything - the ****person, his clothes, ****landscape, food, sounds, animals& the birds.****It is meticulous documentation of what he sees and hears put on paper ****with the right words that makes the book an interesting Read.***

*"The Nun'Tale" set in Gujarat is about a girl from a wealthy Jain trading ****family, who prefers the ascetic life of a Nun to learn the inner truth in ****her teens.She opts for the ultimate sacrifice of giving up her life while ****grieving for her dead friend and fellow nun.You are exposed to the strict ****Jain faith & the teachings of the Thirthankaras.***

*The Dancer of kannur-A Dalit A part time Jail Warden, A well digger and a "****Theeyyam" performer - a god like reverred figure for three months of the year. P****aradox is the upper caste brahmins respect and pray during this Dalit's ****performance.The rigorous training necessary for a Theeyyam performer is ****a very interesting read.****The Daughters Of Yellamma leaves you in tears about the plight of Devadasis ****A practise that ensures income for the greedy Self centred family and death ****& disease for the devadasi in the end!***

*The singer of Epics set in the deserts of Rajasthan-sing praises for the ****mystic God and protector of cattle -Pabuji.Songs that run for nights ****together & sung by illiterate peasants with knowledge handed down thru ****the generations.***

*The Red fairy talks of The paradoxical faiths Sufism(believed to be a conglomeration **** of shaivites and liberal muslims)and the conservative Wahhabis.There is a three ****times immigrant-a female sufi practioner originally form Bihar ****stuck in a sufi shrine surrounded by wahhabis & talibs waiting to devour the shrine.****The Monk's tale talks of the forcible exilation of Tibetans by the Chinese*

*forcing holy monks into war to save their religion and faith.***

*The Maker of Idols is about a concerned stapathi - a master in casting bronze Idols with bulging order ****books; Following an unbroken tradition from the Chola period, as the 23rd generation of sculptors;unsure whether ****his educated son will follow the unbroken tradition.***

*Manisha the destitute woman who finds Peace, Solace love and affection, living **** amidst skulls & tantrics in a burial ground in west Bengal.****The comraderie, Joy & Bonding of the ever wandering Baul singers of Bengal, the true  ****bonding of The Blind Kanai & Debdas ***

*Nine lives is a Must read book which I would recommend to everybody ****reading fiction.Each of these Nine lives would take just under an hour to ****read;The book can be read at a leisurely pace.*

*Each tale is as individual as the fingers on the limb.It is difficult ****for a layperson to undergo such experiences in their lifetime.Each tale is ****interspersed with lots of interviews, explanation of the religion, faith, ****belief & mythology.There are a no. of touching folklore poems too.*

*So go ahead try the book.*

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