Road to happiness

THE FIVE LESSONS OF LIFE: Bill Adams; Rider, 20, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SWIV 2SA p. 8.99.

LIVING IS an art. That is what is all this remarkable book about.

Bill Adams, a British, married to an Indian educationist, has settled in New Delhi since 1992 as a corporate communications trainer for multinational companies. This freelance journalist and his family went on a short vacation (1994) to the legendary Kinnuer district, high in the Himalayas. It is inhabited by a polyandrous tribe called Kinnars who, true to the ``lessons of life,'' stand united and cheerful braving the harsh isolated conditions.

All credit goes to the spiritually evolved Sangratan, the Amchi (a peripatetic teacher peddling wonder drugs) who has formulated the ``lessons of life,'' on the art of living in harmony, from several ancient texts which are difficult to reach. Tales abound of his miraculous cures, magical transformations of personalities, telepathic powers, ability to communicate with animals and so on.

While Adams went for a stroll on the track from Kalpa to Rogi, he stumbled across the gigantic Sangratan, at home both in English and Hindi. During the few meetings that followed, the father figure explained to him the ``Five Lessons of Life'' in vivid details. They are documented in elegant English in this book chapter-wise interspersed with, more importantly, a chapter on ``The philosophy of the Amchi'' and another on ``Sangratan the healer''.

The author writes: ``Sangratan learned his healing in Tibet and from the Ayurveds of the Indian Himalayas. He said that he always winters in Tibet, where he makes his own remedies and stocks up on the medicines produced by the Buddhist monks. For his Ayurvedic medicines he collects herbs from the forest.'' The Englishman's devotion to Sangratan is next only to Paul Brunton's to Sri Ramana Maharshi. The essence of ``The Five Lessons of Life'', both in theory and practice, is distilled in appendix I. How to meditate on suffering is the peculiar topic of appendix II. The synopsis of fearful prophecies worldwide explained at length in a chapter is given in appendix III.

In the context of the Cauvery water dispute, it is disquieting to note of Sangratans' predictions: ``Large-scale violence will occur in India and the countries north of India as men fight over water and natural resources.'' And ``throughout the world wars will be fought over precious water resources.''

After experiencing a powerful spiritual odyssey, the author has put the reader well on the high road to happiness advocated by Sangratan. The road that has made a new man of him. The book is conspicuous with its omission of Sangratan's portrait.

P. SUNDARESAN

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