| Title | : | A Man from Mandu |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1645871622 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781645871620 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 168 |
| Publication | : | First published May 30, 2019 |
Is he a fraudster?
How does he know the story of your life?
In his latest book, Manoj Jain delves into the world of Godmen and devotees, of faith and money. A Man from Mandu is a book of deception, transformation and growth. Read about Dhawal and his metamorphosis into Avishkar Baba, the Sadhu of Stories, and about Tarini who is promoting him so successfully. But what does the scheming Tarini have to gain?
A Man from Mandu Reviews
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A Man from Mandu stands out for its simplicity of messaging. It wades into the periphery of spirituality while keeping the story and narration fairly light.
The story starts with Tarini who is seeking ways to advance her career. She is hoping her friend Paulomi will speak to her husband and get her a job at one of his startups. They agree on a bet – if Tarini can promote a guru who develops a following within a year, Paulomi will help her with her career.
Tarini puts all her energies into this. She runs into Dhawal, who seems best suited for this. Dhawal becomes Avishkar Baba who conveys his message to his audience in the form of short stories which prompt thinking and introspection. Tarini also finds two more people – Anil & Puneet to help in marketing & event management.
Avishkar Baba’s popularity grows, but will it sustain? If it does, what should be Tarini’s next move? What will Avishkar Baba do after their contract period of a year ends?
I found the story to be good, and the pace is just about right, making this a smooth read. The format of a set of stories within the story was interesting, and the stories Avishkar Baba tells his audiences are largely the right ones – some are especially good, though not all.
Overall, a good read, with the right summary at the end.
I received a free copy of this book to provide a review. -
'Godmen’ or religious gurus are often the charismatic rock stars in India. They have a high profile presence, thousands of devout followers, incessant wealth and are capable of influencing mass opinion.
Their followers are impressed by their Godmen proclamations of possession super natural powers that have the ability to heal and influence future events.
From a business perspective, India is the best market for a Godman. No other country provides the market which India does. No fancy degree required, low cost investment and no family influence. Because of their immense following, they are often courted by the nation’s top politicians to leverage their influence on the masses.
However, despite their demi-god status, they have been regularly criticized by certain quarters. Especially after the recent episodes of monetary fraud and sexual violence against their followers. However, going forward, it is unlikely that their influence will subside.
The spiritual gurus that are doing well have very well established and resourced teams. It’s not surprising at all that they’ve been able to organise around social media content
I read this book, A Man From Mandu by Manoj Jain, compulsively, two hours either side of a night's rest. The writing of this book is crisp, not a word wasted. An average Indian may find this to be one of the funniest books ever written, seriously.
Pretty horrifying to think how one man and his Ponzi scheme could fool so many people in the name of God for so long.
The author, Manoj Jain, has done the research and comeup with the real look into the world of professional 'Babas'. The book is balanced, truthful and an eye opener. Author through this writing can open the eyes of the scripturally blind if they would read and understand what he has written. Author Manoj Jain doesn't write over the heads of readers, it is so simple that a child can understand it all one has to do is read it.
This was an amazing, yet depressing book. It's incredible how people believe in mythological beings, but then to see how Earthly minions are willing to throw away their hard-earned money on charlatans is mind-boggling. Worst of all, politicians seek the favor of these so-called pastors of faith and the people buy into their nonsense. -
I love it when you get excited when seeing a book you never heard of before, and then while reading, it turns out to be fantastic, instead of the opposite. I loved the characters and turns in the plot-line. It wasn't predictable, which actually, the ending took me by surprise in a number of ways.
Author Manoj Jain provides an expose' of the Religious Gurus and their obsession with money in the book A Man From Mandu. Lavish lifestyles, exotic cars, and multi-million dollar mansions are trademarks for the preachers and leaders in the religion.
The author demonstrates that the political connection to the religious leaders is motivated for mutual need of, and love for- money.
I really enjoyed the writing, because Manoj Jain used enough details to high-light certain things without losing the focus of the whole story, but giving enough to keep the reader intrigued and wondering. It wasn't bogged down with too much non-essential filling, which I appreciated. It was a fast read, because I just had to know how this was all going to turn out.
For me, I loved everything about this book. Maybe it was because of the other books I've been reading lately, what ever the case, this book was a refreshing change from my normal interest. -
Manoj Jain's clear moral vision through this book is a welcome beam of light into a murky swamp of deception, greed and religious hypocrisy.
I cannot say much about the plot without going into spoilers but I enjoyed the novel. It is full of privileged and likeable characters and very well written. I found it thrilling, engaging and twisty.
What I like the most at Manoj Jain's writing, and therefore at this book, is that he is trying (with success) to mess with your mind. The plot though isn't that big of a deal, but the idea, the thing that you didn't know what to expect from Avishkar Baba and Tarini, makes you keep reading.
I don't have that much to say about this book, other than it was a fast-paced reading, and some moments just let me like wow, in a good way. -
Many of the Spiritual leaders or so called Godmen believe that they are doing the work of God when they are fleecing the flock. The book, A Man From Mandu by Manoj Jain, is intriguing if the reader wishes to know more about the history of the current crises in which radical Godmen and Babas attempt to control the people by playing with their faith in God.
Of all the ways scammers can steal your money, experts agree the most difficult frauds to combat are the ones that seek to turn your own faith against you.
Law enforcement officials call them affinity frauds — targeting victims through a common bond, most often religion. While nationwide statistics are hard to come by because the scams are so widespread, it's fair to say that affinity fraud losses run into the billions of dollars per year.
Author Manoj Jain has done the research and comeup with the first real look into the world of professional Babas. In this well-researched book, he clearly and compellingly explains the what's, who's, and why's of how religious huckster-ism has successfully manipulated a frightened, lonely, and despairing populace. -
I remember that one of the things I loved the most about A Man From Mandu was it's beautiful writing, It is fantastic, from the descriptions of the places to the deepest thoughts make the book even more likeable.
The one of the main character, Tarini, is very well created, you can feel from the first moment that there are many things that this character hides, and because of her personality so daring, I felt that she really was layers of everything.
I found myself feeling that I was seeing the whole story as if it were a movie. I would say that the main character has captivated me, but I think that each and every one of the characters play a fundamental role in the book and all of them make this one a great story.
I've loved the personalities so wandering and different that we have here, I think the author, Manoj Jain, tries to show the dark side of each character and how the nature of the human being can become so cruel and indifferent when it comes to seeking their own happiness, I think also raises a lot how far we're able to reach to achieve our goals. It is fantastic.
I highly recommend this book if you're looking for reading a good story with a beautiful writing style and a great way to tell the plot. -
Is there a difference between the truths we tell ourselves and the lies we tell others? Manoj Jain gives us a marvellously twisty tale with A Man From Mandu which will lead you into the life of Avishkar baba and Tarini. You'll learn about Avishkar baba depending on which story Tarini is telling to you (Audience).
With shades of religious frauds, this is a gripping tale of what makes someone do bad things and if in doing so they become a bad person?
I enjoyed the female protagonist who's mentally and emotionally strong and drives the story at pace and spills enough information about the 'baba business' that will not bore you.
I'm really drawn to characters like Avishkar Baba who can so easily change identities and move around the country at a drop of a hat.
The author, Manoj Jain, captures you with his beautiful descriptive prose, rich and layered settings and hugely divisive characters. This is the first time that I read any book by this author, even though his previous books were a bestseller and made a lot of positive noise in the literary world. Maybe, I will look his previous books up now that I'm so impressed by the author's powerful and intense storytelling process. -
I couldn't help feeling the vibes of the book 'The Guide' by R K Narayan while reading this one. The storyline is pretty much the same. The only difference is the presence of the modern social media and it's influence in the story.
The book basically starts with a bored single woman wanting to do something exciting. So with the help of her friend, she bets that she would produce a godman with five hundred followers within a year. And then comes the role of our most interesting character Dhawal. I appreciate the personality of this character, how character was developed well and how this character remain unfazed till the end. This character and the basic writing style are the main highlights of this read.
I like how this book represented the way we human are so ready to believe anything in search of answers that no one can explain regarding the philosophical, spiritual thoughts and questions that we ask ourselves from time to time. And yes, this book represented well the concept of godmen and his followers, especially in India. And this book doesn't force opinions in this matter. For some people, it brings peace in their chaotic lives. For some people, it makes them think and get answers. But yes, it also emphasizes on the blind following and the manipulation of popular social media like the Facebook and Instagram.
I like the concept, the writing style and the various relevant arguments in relation to the concept.
However, I find the book a bit repetitive when it comes to giving sermons by Dhawal. Some of the stories does not make sense at all. A few stories were really good. I didn't like the rest of the characters. They lacked personality and were poorly represented. The ending was like a joke. Like seriously, after everything is said and done, I don't really care if the woman, Tarini, in the story is too eager to move on by flirting with the first stranger she meets on a plane as the ending.
*I really find these parts really disturbing:
Tarini referring to a taxi driver as 'the help' directly on his face and saying that he is not fit to sit together with her and her best friend, Paulomi, to have a cup of tea at a roadside tea stall. Seriously?
And writing sexist things like she pouts and show her dimples whenever she wants something from someone. Her dimples are what makes her so attractive and no one can stay away from her. And the incessant commentary on what dresses these female characters wear and what they should wear and the motive behind each dress. Actually nobody cares. But I find it sexist and superficial when it's being emphasized too much.
That's all folks.
📚I need good books to read. Moving on 🧦 -
Spiritual messages flood our social media timelines. Gurus projecting their brand of spiritual wisdom have become a common feature on TV channels. Author Manoj Jain picks up on this trend to spin an intriguing tale about a 'sadhu of stories' in his latest novel titled 'A Man from Mandu'.
The story is told through the perspective of Tarini who needs a 'project' to resuscitate her flagging corporate career. A wager with her best friend provides her with the challenge she needs. She uses her marketing skills to create Brand Avishkar Baba. "Film-makers call themselves Peddlers of dreams, she thought, and Writers claim poetic license. Then what is so wrong with what we are doing? We are, in reality, providing a service to the people. I have given them someone who will make their lives better."
But who exactly is Avishkar Baba and what is his game? Is he a conman, a storyteller or the real deal - a true spiritual leader? And what will happen to Tarini? The author reveals the story through the Baba's sermons - which are told in the form of short stories. Each of these stories are engaging and have a 'magical realism' quality about them.
Even though the book is a light and entertaining read, it does give you pause for thought. It's a book that captures the dilemmas of the times we live in. -
“So be careful in what you choose, in what you commit, and in your relationships with your studies, your work, your parents, your lovers, and friends. Commitment and responsibility come with freedom, ropes are binding us all, and you have to know which ones to untie and which ones to keep.”
This is simply the Era where Spiritual Guru advances as Brands. What’s more, there is no deficiency to profound messages flooding our internet based life. Keeping this as the topic of the book ‘A Man from Mandu’s author Manoj Jain gives his readers a fascinating story of Avishkar Baba, AKA #SadhuOfStories‘ in his most recent novel.
I have heard quite good praises for Manoj V Jain’s books, yet this is the first occasion when I read one of his books, and I should state, I was really dazzled with his varied way to deal with a storyline. He is one of the rare sorts of people who know how to interest and enchant his readers.
What’s more, I was captivated the minute I began reading the book. From the absolute first page, this book is going to give you a lot to contemplate over.
Opening Lines: It was a cool evening; winter was about to set in, and the field was calm in spite of the crows entering and taking their seats on the mats placed on the ground.
The story is told through the perspective of Tarini, who is almost 40 years old and clueless about her career and life. A bet with her closest friend gives her what she looking for. A challenge. All she has to do is use her marketing skills to create a Brand Guru Avishkar Baba.
Avishkar Baba, a new age guru who is gradually gaining popularity. Slowly, his band of devotees duplicates. And he meets them twice a month and keeps them mesmerized with his abstract stories. But the question is who precisely is Avishkar Baba, and what is his game? Is it safe to say that he is a conman, a storyteller or is he the real Guru?
I was aghast after reading about how a Guru is rebranded and marketed. And how these Social Media help them grow.
What I really liked about the book was its narration. It had a ‘magical realism’ quality. I was captivated with the story throughout. And the language used in the book is crisp, clear and easy to understand.
The concept and the storyline of the book are quite unique. It has quite a few backstories, which are weaved smoothly into one story.
This fast-paced book is going to sweep you off your feet. A must recommend for every fiction lover.
My Rating: 4/5 stars -
Those who have read Manoj V Jain's other books like The BNO(Sex,Life and Hookah) or The THC(Under a Gibbous Moon) or Balraj, Ramona, Dystopia would know for sure that he never fails to enthrall the readers through his varied approach to a story line/subject. He is one among the few who has always given a different subject rather than sticking on to a single genre.
His writing style is lucid and he approaches the story in a different angle making the readers to ponder. A Man From Mandu is no exception. The book is unique because, even in the main story, there are few short stories as well. Each of these short story has got a message in itself which makes it stand apart from others. Moreover all these short stories are different from each other in terms of concept and approach. These would also make it a perfect bed time stories for kids.
The story is about the protagonist Dhawal who becomes Avishkar Baba. Yes, he is a self styled Godman. How did he become one, is interesting though.
Equally important to Avishkar Baba is Tarini who takes care of his assignments. Though she wanted to settle abroad, she gets teamed up with Baba, but that was only for a year.
Why is that so?
Tarini's friend Paulomi was always there when she wanted her help and so as Giri. Tarini gets an offer to work in the U.S.A. but on one condition.
What was that?
What I liked the most about the story was the characterization and the sequence of events. They were like a breeze. Each chapter begins with a quote from none other than Avishkar Baba himself and they are a story in itself.
The story takes you on a ride as to how one becomes a Godman, What are the pros and cons of becoming one,How is the branding done and so on and so forth. Get ready to read a real good story which would make you enjoy reading this by invoking your thoughts and appealing to your soul.... -
After reading the previous work by the same author , "Meeting Yama" , I knew he always comes up with some distinct kind of books that makes us see things and world in a different light. The title intrigued me and hence I decided to pick this.
The book delves into the world of Godmen and how faith makes us do strange things. The man from Mandu is fastly gaining regonition as Awishkar Baba but he is not your usual conventional saint but a new age one who has his social media accounts and makes good use of digital technologies to convey his message.
The story has its mystical wisdom embedded in it. The way it works on the psychological aspect of things is worth mentioning. The character of Tarini plays a crucial role in the plot. Though I believe more than the gurus there are Imam's in today's time who are the real conman but due to our need for pretentious one sided secularism there acts are gone unnoticed.
Overall a nice one time read. -
3.4 stars (it's a weird rating but that's literally how I feel about this book)
A Man from Mandu is a story about a wager between two long time best friends, Tarini and Poulomi. Tarini claims that any conman can pose as a convincing Godman and mint money out of people by exploiting their faith. Poulomi disagrees and so they end up having a bet that within the next one year, Tarini shall turn a common conman into a Godman and gather atleast 500 followers.Tarini chooses Dhawal, a tout, for this bet due to his pleasing personality.
The story is about what ensues in the coming year as regards the bet and the changes that take place in Dhawal as a result of his stint as a fake Godman.
Dhawal becomes Avishkar Baba and develops a style of giving his sermons in the form of thought provoking stories.
The overall vibe of the book is that of a quick read with an element of spirituality. I liked reading the stories that Dhawal told as some of them very truly wonderful but some others weren't that effective. Tarini's personal story was a good addition in the story but I wish that the story had included Dhawal's perspective in a more elaborate sense.
In conclusion, this was a decent/nice read but some things could have been better. -
Actual rating- 3.5
*This review was initially published at
The Readdicts Book Blog. For more reviews, go
here.
Another enjoyable and insightful read by author Manoj V Jain, A Man from Mandu, although quite similar to other books of his that I have read as it all comes down to the same point, provided an excellent glimpse into the ways of gurus and Godmen. Not a believer in them at all, I see how important such figures are for so many people, which made the story somewhat relatable, because I see people dedicate their entire life to someone who appears Godsend but in reality, is just like you and me.
Anyway, the story of Dhawal, a man from the village of Mandu, was quite an interesting one. When Tarini, an extremely well thought of, well written and impeccably developed character, comes across him, she sees in him someone who could potentially change the course of life for many people and she makes sure that their invention “Avishkar Baba” becomes a hit with all the hard work they put it. A beautiful insight into the busy world of social media, marketing, event planning and then into the peaceful world of self discovery, personal journey and growth, the juxtaposition was amazing.
This book leaves a lot for the reader to think about after finishing the book rather than while reading it, in terms of the way it ends, the many wonderful and deep stories told by Avishkar Baba, the entire concept of Godmen, concepts like faith and trust, and so much more. A quick and engrossing read, I liked how this book really, really opens your mind and makes you think, serving the purpose of books in the first place.
If you have read the author’s works before, you will enjoy this one and if you haven’t read any book of this, this would be a good way to start. -
💚 'A Man From Mandu' is my second read by the author Manoj V Jain. Since I had already read one of his previous books, I had expected really high from this book.
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💚 I must say the author has done a brilliant job in writing a book which has a unique plot, based on #trending topic and I'm very proud and happy to say that it has found a permanent spot in my favourite's list.
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💚 When the story started, I thought Tarini to be the protagonist, but soon the story shifted it's focus to Dhawal. Then, the real story begins and the way Dhawal's image as Awishkar Baba is shown, is perfect and so engaging that there's no monotony in reading this 170-paged book.
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💚 Characterisation is done really well and it is quite easy to connect with the characters and their story.
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💚 Nothing seems to have been added forcibly in this story. The plot is really unique and maintained its uniqueness throughout the book.
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💚 About its cover and title, the cover is majestic and gives a vibe of peacefulness and serenity, which kind of matches with the theme. The title too perfectly adorns the theme as it is a book about a man's journey.
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💚 I won't be a spoilsport by revealing the details of this book, but I would just hint about it. It talks about godmen, marketing strategies applied for the same, how Awishkar Baba soon became #trending.
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💚 Every chapter of the book starts with a 'gyan' from the Baba. The whole book infact has various short stories, which is another good thing about this book.
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💚 Some of the quotes by Awishkar Baba really affected me deeply and helped changing my perception(yupp, it's that powerful). .
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💚 Overall, I am a happy reader of this book. Highly recommended! -
Review: This book is story of a marketing girl, whose career is on crossroads after she got charged with spying on competitor company and got kickback from it. After truth revealed she got fired and now she is crux Because of no work she is getting depressed, Her Friend Polly whom she met every year in December, when she came down from US to meet family and they both spend time together. This time they went to Guru as Polly husband believe in Godman so they donate the first hair of daughter to them for blessings but during a conversation a bet happens over the Godman fraud and being them unreal.
The bet is for one year starts and starting days were difficult but they wear off really well and our female protagonist successful in her new found challenge ,
For what happened this story is about that
You can easily read the book as it is some good suspense to create, some good and hypnotising moment, we can say this is also a meta-fiction kind of story. Trust, spirituality, challenge loving, being puppet in someone story, conning and betrayed. But, its worth reading and one must read it fully -
I started this book on rainy day so finished this in a single day only. This is my second book of the author. I read his Dystopia before. So I knew author has always something new to offer. The main characters of the story are Avishkar baba, Polly ( Paulomi), Dhawal, Tarini, etc. Tarini and Polly are friends. Polly has come from USA to meet family and friends and Polly’s husband believes in a baba and he wishes that Polly visits him and donate first hair of her daughter to them. The baba is Avishkar baba. And to full fill that wish, Polly and Tarini went for the Ashram. Read the book to unfold further plot.
If we talk about the book, the plot is as I said different. People who loves reading spiritual concept will definitely love this. The writing style of the author is good. Good use of vocabulary and language. The story moved at smooth pace. It’s described in well descriptive manner, but according to my point of view that overpowered the concept of the story. I was expecting more twists and turns or more spirituality in the plot. It’s light read. And I will recommend such type of book because when I see around, there are majority people in the population that still believes in Baba and Gurus. May be many of them are genuine. They can help healing spiritually but people expect miracles from them and many times, in life threatening conditions, they prefer going to Baba rather than doctors. That should be stopped. -
The Story in a Sentence: An ambitious woman takes up the casual challenge of transforming a Con Man into a fake God Man!
What I loved in the book: The quotes in the start of each chapter held some depth, the short stories (narrated as the God Man's sermons) were fascinating and the drama was around 169 pages long that I could finish in a single sitting.
It was a light read where the author portrayed how superstition and blind faith is fueled for the benefit of the few while the population waits in vain for miracles to improve their life conditions; how thugs claim to do unbelievable things to garner a following that soon turns into a beneficial business organization in the expense of the unwitting devotees. -
We've all heard the stories of the Dongi babas and the fraudulent cases. Ahh but seriously, Have you ever thought about how it all would picture in this digital era?
This book brings that thought to the reality. Yes! From the blurb itself you can get it's based on a modern day, Whatsapp/ IG quotes famed Baba.
But you know there's always more than we see ; there is a past, there is a present and a future and those elements of the main characters involved in this book play a major role in driving this one.
Talking about the writing style, it is simply beautiful. One best thing about manoj jain's books is that when reader turns over the last page, they always get something to learn from! There is some mystical wisdom lying on these pages, which needs to be absorbed.
The unique thing is even here, the psychological aspects of characters feel relatable to the reader, you know... Just the mundane vibe of digital era which resonates.
Personally, i obviously loved this book as I'm already a fan of his previous writings.I couldn't see any words but visualize this beauty.
One great highlight about this book is that it has short stories within the entire story and all of them have been very smartly blended by the author!
It was truly a treat to read them! Even his immense knowledge of the digitization is reflected in this story.
I was honestly amused by how innovatively it's written.
Now, i guess, i gave you enough reasons to read it. So, if you plan to pick up this one on my recommendation, let me know :)
#recommended. -
A simple story of Tarini and Dhawal. I liked the smaller stories told by Avishkar Baba. Wanted to read more about the two main characters. I felt the need of depth in the characterization which was missing.
The plot is good and could have been developed better. But then it’s me as a reader who thinks that way.
Good story Manoj👍🏻 Finished it in few hours. And some of the parables in it will go onto my desk for frequent reference. -
This book picks up a very regular topic of india - the reign of self claimed 'Godmen' .
Tarini transforms Dhawal, a man from Mandu into Avishkar Baba, a Godman. The public blindly follows his every footstep praying him like their idol. Tarini is the mastermind behind Avishkar and the story further take turns. It is to find who Avishkar Baba actually is.
The narration is simple, and easy to feel through. The sermons offered by Baba are very moralistic and charismatic. The language is very easy to understand. The ending could be quite expected and there is a character development.
In short, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend for a short time enjoyment -
A Paragon for the different perspectives of looking at a story, A MAN FROM MANDU is an exemplary tale of Godmen and devotees, of faith and money.
Written by Manoj V. Jain, the book is only a hundred and sixty pages thoroughly packed with quotable lines, 'sermons' that leave behind goosebumps and characters that invoke colossal amounts of emotion from the readers.
The story in itself is quite straightforward. Tarini is an ambitious woman in her late thirties who is still reeling from her sudden escape from the corporate world due to a past scandal. Uninspired and lacking purpose, she makes a bet with her best friend Poulomi and begins the process of creating a faux Godman.
And while she pushes through the creative block and gains back her talent and ingenuity, she also realises that over time she has grown incredibly attached to Dhawal her supposed Godman and doesn't want the contract between them to end.
It is noteworthy how incredibly subtle the transformations within her character arc are. The author brings an evident change in her beliefs and actions without ever altering her personality.
From the title, the cover, the architecture of every page, to the synopsis, every element plays an eminent role in the impact of the book. Even the acknowledgement, the author's account of writing this story contributes to the experience.
As impossible as the task of building a Godman may sound, the author gives a tremendous touch of reality to the tale. He offers real-world solutions to the challenges and problems in the book, that render the readers susceptible to believing a job like so to be plausible.
Open to numerous interpretations and perspectives A MAN FROM MANDU is a one of a kind novel that leaves the reader in a haze of deception, half-truths and warped realities, generating in its wake a slew of unanswered questions and an ever-increasing audience of seekers, in the best way possible. -
When you pick up a book to read on a weekend, you are serious about it and want it to be good so that this day which is meant for you doesn’t end up getting wasted. With similar hopes, I picked up Manoj V Jain’s 6th book named “A Man From Mandu” published by Notion Press. After completing this book, I can surely not complain as this is one of the best reads of this year for me. Yes, this is the kind of book you wish to read regularly and curse the author that why did you not write something as beautiful as this. The book is not even 170 pages but the amount of beautiful moments and messages it gives you throughout are surely going to stay with you forever.
Starting specifics about the book, first of all, I would say that the blurb of the book is perfect. Also, this is one of the most unique topics that author has picked up and the kind of justice given to it right from the first page is immensely beautiful. The question always stays with you if the guy is a Guru or a fraudster. The protagonist of the book initially seems to be Tarini and the way it moves down to Dhawal and then his projection as Avishkar Baba is so perfectly woven that you don’t feel isolated with the story and narration even once. The characterization of all the characters are done so deeply and perfectly that you can actually imagine each one of them along with their body languages. I liked how author has written all the scenes keeping it precise and up to the point rather than giving useless detailing of natures and surroundings and then coming down to the point. There are very few Indian authors who are sure about their story that they don’t trap readers into these false set-ups.
The way all the chapters are classified and treated gives this book a sense of an anthology too. Every chapter has a quote in the beginning which is said by Avishkar Baba himself and then the whole chapter is based upon the same quote itself. After finishing every chapter, I read the quote once again and it meant deeper after it. After completing the book, I read those quotes again and I must say, some of them really brought changes in me. Then author has also told short stories in between through Avishkar Baba’s character and those stories are gems and USP of this book. All stories are so distinct from each other and none of them are boring, pretentious or half-baked. Those are the stories you would want to re-read to decipher more positives from it.
The way the timeline of the book shifts from the current set-up to the initial days when Dhawal and Tarini got together gives the book a new dimension altogether. It becomes a Surprise for the reader. Also, the climax of the book is so nicely closed that I was just getting emotional yet happy because the reader in me was delighted to have read such a book which leaves you with so many questions and answers that after finishing the book, I kept on talking with my inner self. The way author has embedded philosophy, spirituality, love and struggles- all into this small story of 170 pages is applaudable and I give this book nothing less than 4.75* out of 5. The book also discusses light insight into how someone is marketed and made a hype among people through social media and other strategies. I think I should now go on to read other 5 books written by Manoj V Jain as he doesn’t seem to be an author whose stories can be missed.
Highly recommended!
Thanks.
ABHILASH RUHELA -
A self-help or thought-provoking or funny book? Manoj has written a book which will be a completely different experience for every reader. If I were to pick, for me it was funny, awakening and a little bit of self-help. The first page in and we meet Avishkar baba, two ladies are going to his sermon which he gives through short stories. And the first story will touch your heart. You might feel like you actually attended a sermon, and this is a self-help book that’s going to help you get through life. Well, it might work that way for some. But there’s more to the story. It’s a story of two friends, one who lost her job, Tarini, and the other one, Paulomi, who is in India to donate the hair of her firstborn to a baba. Two friends go way back in the past and try to meet each other at least once a year. And this year, it’s in the form of a visit to a baba. Tarini also needs a favour from her friend. She wants a job at Paulomi’s husband’s startup. But before that, Tarini will have to win the bet!
What’s the bet? When Tarini gets to know about the real reason for her friend’s visit, she says, ‘Anyone can become a Godman these days.’ This doesn’t sit well with guru following Paulomi, and she asks Tarini to select an unknown man and make him into Godman! Tarini accepts the challenge, and how could she not? Isn’t that what the world has reduced to these days? You stick with your own perspective, your opinion until the end. Even getting violent for it sometimes. We have forgotten to be open-minded or give others a chance to explain their point of view. At times, we even become intolerant to the idea that doesn’t suit us. Manoj doesn’t assert who is right or wrong. It’s for the readers to choose. He has presented the readers with two characters who have different beliefs. Each is trying to prove their belief right in their own way. In comes the man from Mandu, Dhawal, who is supposed to the next big Godman. The bet is on. Godman is in place. Publicist and managers hired. What does it take to make a Godman go viral? How do you hack into people’s beliefs and faith? What does it take to convince a person that Avishkar baba is the best spiritual guru they can ever get?
The pages provoke your thoughts, leave you challenging your ideas and perceptions. The stories told by Avishkar baba are actually good but to what end can you believe one person. And what’s wrong with believing as long as that person is making your life better? What would you choose? The books is a two-three hour read. The story flows well and doesn’t tire you out or make you feel bored. The characters are good. Language easy to make anyone read and understand what the author really wants to convey. But in the end, it's on the reader what they choose to understand. For me, it was funny as well and a little motivating at some places. A one time must read. A Man From Mandu deserves attention. -
A man from Mandu
Insight-
It will be an underestimation to call this book anything below GOOD because of the unprecedented content i got to read.
Though the cover from Notionpress is underadmirable but that's a combined creation of the author designer so i refrain to comment and like the author have mentioned that he wasn't sure about the title and it could be anything else than this one. I particularly felt the title and cover delayed my decision to pick it up.
But once i started reading this, i felt an urge to pick up asap to read and finish it. Such a gripping and interesting was the content.
Plot- A man from Mandu is recognised as preacher or Baba or godmen, getting popular by the name of Aawishkar baba.
Awishkar's popularity is getting richer everyday from normal people to the top notch corporate people. Awishkar baba would deliver his sermons in form of short stories which ends unexpectedly teaching lessons of life and not just hypnotises and mesmerizes his audience but also made them a follower of him forever.
But Aawishkar baba is not the old age saint who use to deliver their sermons under a banyan tree and passing by public started listening to them.
This is a new age baba who to reach his audience has managers and assistants to mange his Instagram and Facebook handle to regularly post Gyan on various handles, to invest in marketing and to promote the content in social media.
Tarini is though someone who have facilitated awishkar to become what he have become through her analytics and marketing.
But is the Baba even real or manufactured godmen like the plenty of other baba operating these days using the deception and tricks to fool the gullible audience.
The ending is more than a simple revelation and the epilogue is quiet admirable.
Review- I loved the book for sure, the plot is very unconventional, the stories Awishkar narrates in his sermons are fantastic, completely connecting to situation and theme of audience and even the readers will retain, relate and learn from it. I'm seriously looking out to read his others books.
Though i felt the book could be a huge success with the title, @sadhuofstories which is used enormous times in the book with a more vibrant cover.
Target audience- it was fun reading the book, everyone in india especially will enjoy it.
Writing style - smooth and easy yet intriguing and very visual.
Rating- 4.5 -
When you start reading "A Man From Mnadu" you expect a quintessential tale of a Godman - a story of enlightenment, leading others down that same path & of course, making money too while at it. While there are some real saints and Godmen/Godwomen who have emerged from the masses in India, in general they are seen as murky characters with a questionable history (as well as a range of questionable deeds).
So this is the preconceived notion with which I started reading the story of Dhawal, or Avishkar Baba - a man from Mandu who is handpicked by Tarini, an ambitious woman floundering in her career due to a spate of controversies. She creates a story & a man who everyone starts revering, acknowledging him as the solver of all their problems, their guiding light.
What she's actually trying to do is find some redemption herself & prove that the skills she thinks she has are actually working, but in the process she touches the lives of many, who are actually looking for some direction in life, some spark to encourage them to take the decisions that they are leaning towards, some focus to choose what's good for them - all through Avishkar Baba.
You feel yourself drawn in to Avishkar Baba's sermons - co-relating them to situations and scenes from your own life because they are extremely relevant in this day & age. Whether it's a parent accepting their son as a homosexual or an elderly couple who desire their kids to come live with them in the twilight of their life, they all feel that he is speaking to them directly, in person - that is his charm & magnetism.
How the story then swiftly turns is something you will have to read the book to find out, but it will definitely surprise you & make you believe in the power of goodness again. Manoj Jain, the author sweeps us up through the words, the stories within the main story & the relatable characters which are set in modern day, in the age of Whatsapp & Instagram, where performance props & setting matter more than the performance itself.
Is Dhawal giving the greatest performance of his life as Avishkar Baba? What's his motive? How is Tarini benefiting from all of this?
Read the book to know more!
