Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
Char Dham (The Sacred Shrines) by Shweta Mathur Lall (published by Rupa) is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It blew my mind, exactly like a racy thriller fiction would, even though this book is non-fiction.
In Hinduism, the Char Dham yatra or pilgrimage is believed to absolve one of all sins and lead to moksha (salvation). Shweta takes us on a different pilgrimage, one that makes us look inwards. The essence of the book is rooted in spirituality.
Shweta acquaints us with the Char Dhams—The Jagannath Temple, The Ramanathswamy Temple, The Dwarkadhish Temple, and The Badrinath Temple, in an explorative manner—Why they were established? Who established them? What is their significance? Why have they gained importance? What is the essence of Sanatan Dharma? What was Adi Shankaracharya’s ideology?
The beauty of the book is not in the facts, myths, stories, beliefs, rituals, etc that it lays bare; it is in Shweta’s voice. It doesn’t preach. It doesn’t force the reader to choose a path—belief or disbelief. It merely states, and because of that, it nudges the reader self-reflect, introspect, and untangle the knots that bind us to daily life.
This book is a travel guide. It not only tells you why a Dham exists but also explores:
- why to journey to it
- how to get to it
- which season to plan the travel in
- where to stay?
- and what all to do in order to complete the pilgrimage
The book also very comprehensively gives in-depth information about the history of the buildings from an architectural viewpoint. Shweta’s research is impeccable and is documented in her footnotes, annexures, and extensive bibliography.
If you like reading non-fiction and are drawn to spiritualism, I whole-heartedly recommend this book to you. I absolutely loved it.
