Book Review : India - A Sacred Geography

Contributed by: Manaswi Deshmukh, PGDM (2012 - 2014), WeSchool

>We call it : Strokes of Divinity
Author : Diana Eck

India- The land of colours, landscapes, faiths, religions, languages, music, spirituality, dreams; the land of enlightenment and knowledge; the land of temples and shrines. It is difficult to attribute a set of words to describe a land so diverse, so bathed in a legacy that surpasses all human thoughts. Diana Eck, in her book, “India- A sacred geography”, deciphers this network of threads that binds India’s people- places of pilgrimage.

India has never been a stranger to monuments constructed in the name of God. We have small ones and big ones, makeshift ones to huge, intricate ones. We have rivers and islands, each of them telling a story. We have scores of pilgrims thronging each of these, seeking to acquire whatever possible fraction of this divinity. Eck in this timeless account of research explores the land and its tales that do not fail to fascinate the reader.

She speaks eloquently of the deep-rooted meanings that India attaches to its landscapes; of the soil that constitutes idols of the Goddess; of the holy cow who is worshipped with dedication. Beginning with an overview of the landscapes, she goes on to explore the country with deep insights. She dedicates an entire chapter to a question that probably will continue to be answered till the end of time- “What is India?” From the beginning of all holiness to where it is today, the country has come a long way. Eck gives us a spiritual perspective of this journey. She goes on to reveal an interesting fact that the epics speak about: of India being a “Rose Apple Island”. Whether there is truth in this or not, is to be left to the scholars of the epics. However, it is fascinating to note the imaginative pieces of world view that are preserved in the religious texts that date back to time immemorial. She speaks of the Ganga, which of late has been more of a topic of study of other things than what it is otherwise associated with. Eck takes us back to the descent of the holy river to the earth and charts the journey that humankind has taken with it over the span of countless years. It’s a journey that has less to do with time and more with dedication. The Ganga is worshipped ardently by Indians. She also speaks of the other rivers of India. In the country, rivers are not just watercourses, but “deep resources for Hindu spirituality”. She speaks of Lord Shiva, and his visions that occurred to the gods depicting him as columns of light. Its significance is manifest in the forms that we worship today. She talks of the innumerable forms that dot the landscape of the country, that connect invisibly to establish the spirit of the “Lord who destroys” on the earth. She further proceeds to discussing the form of energy that is manifest in the Goddess. It is fascinating to know the incarnations of goddesses that are worshipped in the country, all of which bear the same soul and denote the unshakable power that can destroy the worst of adversities: Shakti. She goes on to discuss how the spirit of this power is referred to with respect, under the beloved personification of a Mother, and has formed a basis for many-a people’s feelings towards the nation, hence sketching a gentle picture of Modern India. She speaks of the “transcendent god”, Vishnu, who, by virtue of his nature, made bowing down to his feet “a gesture of submission to the Lord”. It is interesting to note the parallel between this and a common tradition in the culture of the country. Moving further, it is impossible to conclude without a mention of the two deities that take a considerable share of Hindu literature- Krishna and Rama. Eck discusses the stories that have enriched many-a childhood.

Critics may argue that the dealing of the book with Hinduism doesn’t do justice to the book’s title. However, what makes the book a must-read, apart from its exhaustive knowledge of Hinduism and spirituality, is the sheer romanticism with which Eck writes. The reader shall seldom find the words disengaging. Though distributed into neatly demarcated zones of chapters, India: A Sacred Geography is a continuing tale of devotion, respect, fascination and beauty. Seen through the eyes of a research scholar and a delightful writer, it sketches, stroke by stroke, a picture that shall remain etched in the memory of the reader for a long time- the magnificence that is India!