Conquering the Enemy: Blessed by Ujjain:
The inspirational journey encapsulates and portrays the spiritual awakening of a writer towards Mahadev, here is Aabha Rosy Vatsa’s account of her pilgrimage to Ujjain and her true awakening.
Spirituality is such a vessel that it can hold the peace of one’s life completely in its tiny yet powerful grasp…
Indeed, spirituality is such a pursuit that can purge one completely of all possible fears and qualms, negating all hatred, anger, lust, greed, arrogance, greed and fear. Sometimes, all it takes is a nudge in the right direction, travel which can lead you to a true transformation, the ultimate lead-up to your soul searching.
This book is simply not a narrative of a pilgrimage undertaken. It is also a descriptive highlighting the transformation of the writer Aabha Rosy Vatsa, her complete experience, the surreality of the “Dham”, the significances attached to each and every aspect, and each and every incident are too enigmatic to be put down in words.
As an ardent Shiva devotee myself, I have always felt that the surrender to the Lord also comes alongside the perusal of the finer points of the complete worship namely the understanding of the Sthanas, why is a particular island or temple named what it is, the importance of the Shivling therein, the complete plethora of the meaning behind the musings that accompany these places. There is so much more attached to the devotional aspect itself that one can only be left gasping for breath at the sheer magnitude of it all. That is the power of the divine presence. And that is the power which also leads to the transformational journey which Aabha has highlighted in this book.
करता करै न कर सकै शिव करे सो होये,
तीन लोक नौ खंड में ‘महाकाल’ से बड़ा ना कोय॥ जय महाकाल
The manner in which she has explained the history and the illustrative detailing behind each and every temple, each and every holy idol is spellbinding. It was especially enthralling to read about Omkareshwar.
When the divine calls only then do one get to embark upon the true pursuit of self-actualization, following one’s journey to true soul searching. Being a poet Aabha has managed to ensure that the narrative flows invigoratingly like a chasm of purity, drenching one into waves of knowledge and transcendence. By introducing the readers to the ancient city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh Aabha takes us on a journey towards a pilgrimage which albeit personal shall surely become a part of your soul too, in the end. The road to discovering her inner calling, this book is her account of her awakening to the trail of the Mahakaal Lord Shiva.
It has been very aptly put forth in her preface that this is a spiritual travelogue mingled with multiple emotions. It is not exploratory in the strict sense, rather it is a detailed description of the many literary milestones of Ujjain, giving substantial weightage to the cultural significance and importance which are a reflection of Indian cultures. With an adequate representation of the Gods and Goddesses, this book also delves into the ingrained aspects of the Indian culture, art as well as architectural wavelengths.
I want to give a special honourable mention here to the photographs that are accompanied by the narrative which are the perfect aide to this spiritual endeavour and not only provide reasonable alacrity but also give the book the true essence of its deep-rooted, profound meanings. Not only are the illustrative pictures a treat to the eyes, rather they are food for the soul too, adding not only the right sparkle to Aabha’s descriptives but taking you on a virtual journey to an escapade to the most revered, sought-after holy destinations of Indian soil.
Lastly, to speak of the emotional quotient, I would say both as a Shiva devotee, also as a voracious reader, I am really smitten by the amount of humility as well as the prolific writing Aabha has managed to put across through this work. Experiencing surreality is one thing, yet putting it across for readers to delve into it is another. Kudos to her for such an enigmatic description.
So, hope you guys liked this review of Conquering the Enemy Blessed by Ujjain by Aabha Rosy Vatsa.
Conquering the Enemy – Blessed by Ujjain
Summary
Can travel spring a surprise? Can three nights and four days bring about a transformation? Can a city lead you on a trail of soul searching? The answer is yes if the city is a pilgrimage. When the author gets a call from none other than Mahakal Jyotirling to visit the ancient city of Ujjain by the banks of the sacred Shipra river, she experiences a spiritual awakening. An awakening bordering on euphoria long after she had left the city. A week after the darshan of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling, she has a calling to pen this book. The aim: is to conquer the seven enemies, hatred, anger, lust, greed, jealousy, arrogance and fear. The book is a tapestry of Ujjain woven with the seven enemies of the soul and the desire to be free of them, post a darshan of the city and its neighbouring towns. With illustrations by the veteran Australia-based artist Avijit Sarkar and coloured photographs, this unique book will take you on a travel-based spiritual journey.
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An internationally accredited book blogger, voracious reader and the founder of Booxoul, one of India’s leading book and lifestyle blogs, Neelam is a person with a penchant for bringing out the best in people. A website designer, a renowned book blogger and a leading creative influencer on Instagram, here is a lady who is candid, closer to life and sensitive to the softest of emotions…
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