The Books from My Shelves – 2
By Anil K Raturi
Indian thought believes that for millenniums, man roamed this planet just like all animals; ignorant and brutish.
Then the moment of epiphany came to him.
In that moment the “word” was created!
The “word” dispelled the chaos of darkness and illuminated his mind with the light of knowledge!
This was the moment of departure that made humans, forever, distinct from all other beings.
Indians call this primodial word “Om” or “Anhad Naad Brahma” (The Cosmic Sound of Creation).
On similar lines, the Bible says,” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The oral word brought language, which soon facilitated writing.
It led to the greatest invention of human civilisation – the book!
Books could store the essence of crystallised human experience. Great libraries could preserve books that were thousands of years old.
The book became a window for readers to know the thoughts and experiences of an author, who died centuries ago. Books facilitated and consolidated human knowledge.
As a child, my father encouraged me to read books. He ignited a love of books within me.
A lifetime’s reading has convinced me that in order to unravel the fascinating mystery of this world, one should first “know thyself”.
In this pursuit, I have acquired some good books which now adorn the shelves of my home. In my seventh decade of life, I take the liberty of recommending the following fifteen books that evolved human beings ought to read:
1 “The Bhagwadgita”
(English Translation)
by Dr Radhakrishnan.
The Vedas and Upanishads are some of the oldest surviving books produced by humanity. The essence of their wisdom is encapsulated in the verses of the “Gita”. For any Indian who wants to understand the foundations of India’s ethos, a reading of this book is a must.
2 “India: A History” by
John Keay.
As Indians, we should have a broad idea about our past because an understanding of the past is essential for making a better future. If one overlooks the British bias of the author, this book gives a useful account of India’s history.
3 “The Story Of Civilization” ( Vol 1) by Will Durant.
This book very succinctly gives a bird’s eye view of the moorings of human civilisations of the world.
It enriches the readers’ appreciation of human social evolution.
4 “Odyssey” by Homer.
This book is at the core of the Greco-Roman Western civilisation. It continues to influence the literature of the West even today. Its reading will enrich the reader’s appreciation of the mindset of the West.
5 “Critique of Pure Reason” by Immanuel Kant.
This iconic book argues that human perception of reality is formulated by both, experience, as well as the “a priori” of each individual mind.
6 ” Phenomenology of Spirit ” by Georg Hegel.
This book traces the journey of human consciousness from basic sensory perception up to absolute philosophical knowledge.
Kant set strict limits on human knowledge, while Hegel believed reason could fully comprehend ultimate reality through history.
7 “War And Peace” by Leo Tolstoy.
This is a book that all should read. It is one of the greatest novels ever written. It subsumes almost all possible aspects of literature and suggests that true happiness comes from simple human connections, family and compassion rather than fame or power.
8 “The World Economy” (Two Volumes) by Angus Maddison.
This work combines two core books tracking global economic performance and GDP estimates over the last 2,000 years. It prepares the reader for long term appreciation of macro-economics.
9 “The Waste Land” by TS Eliot.
This is one of the most important poems of the twentieth century. The violence of the First World War led to disillusionment amongst the Western intellectual class. It realised that material progress bereft of spiritual meaning is a recipe for human tragedy.
The poem finds spiritual succour for the human race in the Indian “Brihadaranyaka Upanishad!”
10 “Kamayani” by Jaishankar Prasad.
In this twentieth century Hindi epic, the “Chhayawadi” poet, Prasad, drawing from the depths of Indian tradition traces the evolution of human consciousness- man’s spiritual and psychological journey from primitive, animal instincts and base passions, up to the stage of divine perfection and harmony. The book strengthens the reader’s capacity to appreciate the moorings of Indian culture and civilisation.
11 “Shekhar Ek Jeevani” by Agyeya.
This twentieth century semi-autobiographical Hindi novel enumerates the protagonist’s intense quest for freedom. His rebellion is not just against the British colonial rule, but against any form of mental or societal stagnation. By bringing out the immense power of love and idealism, the book becomes inspiring.
12 “India: A Wounded Civilization” by VS Naipaul.
This book investigates why a nation with centuries of civilization, stagnated.
It believes that centuries of subjection left the country stuck in an archaic, mythic view of its past. He claims that the nation lacked a true “ideology of regeneration” to move forward, resulting in internal crisis rather than progress.
The book should be read by all who are genuinely interested in the development of India.
13 “The Myth of Sisyphus” by Albert Camus.
In this philosophical essay, Camus defines the “Absurd” as the conflict between human desire for meaning, order, and purpose and the cold, silent, indifferent universe which refuses to provide any. In such an “Absurd” world, the book prescribes the path of love and ethics.
14 “Political History of Uttarakhand: Stone Age to 1949” by Ajay Singh Rawat.
This authoritative book chronologically traces the complete political and social evolution of Uttarakhand. It should be read by all well informed Uttarakhandis.
15 “From Third World to First: The Singapore Story (1965–2000)” by Lee Kuan Yew.
This book is a memoir by Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father and first Prime Minister of Singapore. It details how, in a span of about three decades, the tiny, resource-poor island transformed from a vulnerable post-colonial territory into a wealthy, modern global nation.
This book should be read by all who are fired by the zeal of making India a developed nation.
These fifteen books can provide budding leaders of the future a basic foundation of the world’s (local and global) socio-economic and political issues.
Books are the most powerful tools of transformative change.
They not only store knowledge, but also facilitate creation of new knowledge. Good books lead us towards the ever expanding horizon of perfection. They dispel the darkness of ignorance by their illuminating light of knowledge.
The eloquent quietude of books from our shelves is beckoning you to engage with them. To unleash the enormous power of their words!
So, I beseech you, please pick up one of these books!
“Asato ma sad gamaya
Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya….”
(“Lead us from Ignorance to Truth,
From Darkness to Light..”
-Brihadaranyaka Upanishad – I.iii.28)
(Anil Raturi is a retired IPS Officer and served as DGP, Uttarakhand).
